Gibson Girls

"She was taller than the other women currently seen in the pages of magazines. Infinitely more spirited and independent, yet altogether feminine. She appeared in a stiff shirtwaist, her soft hair piled into a chignon, topped by a big plumed hat. Her flowing skirt was hiked up in back with just a hint of a bustle. She was poised and patrician. Though always well bred, there often lurked a flash of mischief in her eyes. She would smile, but was never seen laughing; further adding to her enchanting persona of self-assurance." (As described in Susan E. Meyer's book Great American Illustrators.)

The Gibson Girl was created by Charles Dana Gibson in the late 1890s. She was entirely American, born during the women's suffrage movement, she became the icon of the era. She became what both men and women looked to for ideal beauty. Women modeled their hair, clothes, and attitude after this pen and ink drawing.

Charles Gibson began his drawing career at the early age of twelve. His parents recognized his talent and sent him to the Art Students League in Manhattan where he studied for two years. His first successful painting sold for four dollars, and lucky for Gibson, the buyer was from Life magazine. Gibson worked hard and earned a trip to England and Paris to study art. While studying abroad, he met the artist George du Maurier, who advised him in his style. By 1890, Gibson was drawing weekly for Life magazine and created "the American girl to all the world."

Gibson had multiple models pose for his illustrations and they all claimed to be the original Gibson Girl. Gibson believed his creation represented the beauty of the American women. He said, "I'll tell you how I got what you have called the 'Gibson Girl.' I saw her on the streets, I saw her at the theatres, I saw her in the churches. I saw her everywhere and doing everything. I saw her idling on Fifth Avenue and at work behind the counters of the stores . . . There isn't any 'Gibson Girl.' but there are many thousands of American girls, and for that let us all thank God."

I think of her as the Barbie of yesterday. She was confident, strong, what every woman wanted to be . . . and entirely unrealistic. I have to admit, I do admire her character. She was seen as independent, an idea that seemed unsettling with the men of her era.

It is thought that the reason the Gibson Girl didn't survive past the late eighteen, early nineteen hundreds was because her style and personality didn't change with the changing eras such as icons like Barbie. She represented the spirit of the twentieth century. When World War I broke out, the changing fashions booted the Gibson Girl out of favor with women. As American women began to forgo the corsets and shortened their skirts (good heavens!) the Gibson Girl fell out of favor with the practical women who began to embrace masculine suits and the working lifestyle.

Gibson saw the Gibson Girl as a representation of American women she was a motivational movement in the late eighteen hundreds. She helped American women to see that they were strong, independent, and equally minded. But as perfectly shaped as she was, could she perhaps have been the beginning of negative body image?

A movement is underway . . . and you are BEAUTIFUL.