The Betsy McCall doll was inspired by the paper doll series published in McCalls magazine. Betsy is a character depicted as the girl next door. She has an innocent expression with wide eyes. The first Betsy McCall doll was 14 inches tall. There were also eight inch and 22 inch versions of the doll. All were made of hard plastic bodies with each doll's hair pinned by two barrettes.

All versions of the Betsy McCall doll are available on the secondary market today. Since these dolls were originally intended for child's play, many have held up well over the years. Common signs of age include cracks in the plastic and loose joints. The eight inch doll in particular is known to split at the crotch. Since the doll is made of plastic, owners can repair this type of split by first heating the plastic with a hair dryer or the dry tip of a hot glue gun to meld the seam back into shape. Then they can seal the split with strong craft glue.

The vintage dolls are not the only Betsy McCalls on the market. The Tonner doll is a more recent incarnation of the Betsy McCall series. Doll artist Robert Tonner reintroduced the doll with a new look in the 1990s. The new eight inch Betsy McCall has more delicate features. Tonner is an accomplished artist with experience in the world of fashion. Before forming his own doll company, he designed apparel for Bill Blass. Tonner continues to introduce new Betsy McCall dolls to this day.

The Betsy McCall doll has long been a favorite among collectors. Young women who grew up reading of Betsy in McCalls magazine have fond memories of the character. The doll is a welcome reminder of carefree, youthful days. These women can introduce their children to Betsy McCall with one of the newer dolls. As a result, Betsy McCall continues to thrive as one of the most popular dolls available.