Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What's With the Hair? Gibson's Girl

Who was the Gibson Girl?  She was named for her creator Charles Dana Gibson, an American illustrator previously known for his ability to produce a drawing for publication in two hours. Whew!   Here are some of the 'dos acceptable for Gibsonality:  "Psyche knots to pompadours, to Bath Buns, to side waves with a bewitching part in the middle." A Psyche knot is a bun that projects out from the head.  (It's prettier than it sounds). A pompadour pushes the hair into a big wad on the forehead.  Side waves seem self-explanatory.  But I cannot find anything that describes Bath Buns. Hard not to envision a certain Princess from a galaxy far far away.  The cool thing about Gibson Girls is that while they were certainly beautiful, they were pictured as active females what with the bike riding and tennis playing and all.  But even when frolicking in the ocean the hair never budges. That's product!

Sources:  The undimmed appeal of the Gibson Girl; Agnes Rogers, American Heritage Magazine, December 1957 Volume 9, Issue 1
Biography Resource Center