The Gibson Girl
Throughout history, there have been poster girls - an idealised woman of that time for the rest of society to look up to and to try and replicate. In the 50s there was the pinup and today we have the Kar-Jenner clan, and the later 19th century and early 20th century were no different. They had the Gibson Girl, birthed in the illustrations and artwork of Charles Dana Gibson. The Gibson Girl was the epitome of feminine ideal, of physical attractiveness and high society.
Gibson Girl by Charles Dana Gibson
The late 19th and early 20th century saw the rise of new progressive politics. New divorce laws came into practice and women were taking new jobs, no longer viewing the home like the workplace. Women were slowly beginning to have new freedoms, and many revelled in this, creating a new breed of strong women. While the radical Suffragette movement grew, forging a path for a new kind of femininity in the world, the Gibson Girl was more refined and reserved, although she still sought independence. The Gibson Girl image was that of upper-class society, a lady who wore the latest fashions and always looked stylish. Because of her social status, she had the time to seek personal fulfilment. She may have been an adventurer, embracing physical activity like cycling and hiking, playing tennis and golf with her friends - sports that were dominated by men. She would however still engage in typically ‘female’ hobbies, drawing and sewing and playing musical instruments. In a time where women were still seen as lower in status than men, the Gibson Girl challenged men. Illustrations of Gibson Girls often show them towering over men, or inspecting men with a magnifying glass, emphasising the idea that Gibson Girls had a hold of men, that they were sultry yet questioned the authority of men. Pretty badass if you ask me!
Gibson Girls examining a man under a magnifying glass
The Gibson Girl ideal also extended to her physical appearance, creating a new fashion craze - the S bend corset. Tall and slender, the Gibson Girl had wide hips and a fuller bust, and the new S bend corset accentuated this. During its peak of popularity around 1905, the S bend corset pushed the abdomen back and launched the breasts forward, arching the back and creating a highly unnatural shape. While stays and corsets have caused very minimal damage to the wearer in history, there is evidence that the S bend corset exacerbated swayback and was overall worse for spine health than other corset styles.
S bend corset advertisement
Preferring clothing that allowed them to be more physically active, Gibson Girls wore long, flared skirts, pairing this with high neck shirts and blouses. This was considered a more masculine style, another way for the Gibson Girl to oppose patriarchal standards. Gibson Girls also brought the giant pompadour hairstyle into fashion, a way to support the large hats they wore outside of the home.
Irene Langhorne Gibson
Charles Dana Gibson’s wife, Irene Langhorne Gibson, was probably the first-ever Gibson Girl and the woman Gibson based his illustrations on. Irene was known for her good looks and large fortune. She received countless marriage proposals before settling down with Gibson. While her husband received fame and the Gibson Girl image took off, Irene worked philanthropically, helping troubled women and children in society.
Camille Clifford
One of the most famous Gibson Girls was the Belgian actress, Camille Clifford (1885-1971). "Wear a blank expression/and a monumental curl/And walk with a bend in your back/Then they will call you a Gibson Girl." she sang in 1907 after winning an international magazine contest for being the world’s best Gibson Girl. Her trademark style was a long, elegant gown accentuating her tightly corseted 18-inch waist.
Evelyn Nesbit
Evelyn Nesbit, another famous Gibson Girl, had an illustrious career as a model that ended in scandal. Gibson was enthralled by Nesbits’ beauty and she has even been credited as being the inspiration for Montogomery to write Anne of Green Gables. She was seduced by infamous womaniser Standford White, who apparently placed Nesbit on a velvet swing in his apartment so he could appreciate her beauty before making love to her. She went on to marry millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw, who then shot White! The murder trial was the O.J. Simpson case of the Edwardian era, being covered in all tabloids, with her husband eventually being convicted. She went on to work in silent films, becoming a burlesque dancer and even opening her own speakeasy - she really embodied the bolshy and ambitious ideals of the Gibson Girl.
