Vigo County Historical Society

In the late 1800s, Gibson Girls ruled

Once upon a time there was a young man who had the gift of drawing pictures. Because of this he was employed to illustrate short stories and novels.

One day as he sat at his work table he picked up his pencil and began to sketch. The lines he drew began to turn into the figure of a beautiful young lady. She looked like every young woman would like to be. She was elegant, beautiful and athletic.

He sketched several copies and drew beautiful clothes on them. The fashion designers went wild. Charles Dana Gibson made her "The Gibson Girl" because she was his creation.

The garment workers could not keep up with the orders for gowns and suits copied from the sketches by Gibson. Accessories such as small purses, slippers, parasols and gloves were part of the whole costume.

The most outstanding feature of the stylish outfit was the hat. It was large with an abundance of trim. It was coordinated with the material and the color of the rest of the costume.

The dresses or gowns were all of one basic pattern that emphasized slim waistlines, high necklines and full sleeves with gathering on the upper part. The dresses were either one piece or consisted of a blouse top and a separate skirt. Ribbons, lace and soutache braid were found in abundance on the costumes.

The Gibson Girls wore their hair swept up on the sides and piled on top of their heads.

The Gibson Girl ruled the fashion world from 1890 to just before World War I, when women’s clothing became more practical.

The Vigo County Historical Museum’s "Celebrate the Century" exhibit shows the changing looks in the fashion world through the past 100 years.