June 25, 2018 9 Comments on The Gibson Girl Blouse - a short history
The Gibson Girl Blouse - icon of the time
I love history and am always fascinated by the connections of people and their stories in history. So, I am going to do a small history lesson today about the Gibson Girl Blouse - which actually touches on my husband's family history too! Our sewing pattern is 205 Gibson Girl Blouse, and is iconic of the look of the time (late 1800s to early 1900s).
This look was made popular by Charles Dana Gibson, an American graphic artist who created the look of the ideal woman of the time - independent, stylish, beautiful. She was tall, slender (small waist, but with hips and broad shoulders), and athletic. Newly emancipated from the Victorian home, she might be entering the workplace, or bicycling through the park. Her hair was piled on top of the head, and her look was indifferent. His pen-and-ink illustrations appeared weekly in magazines and advertising. His wife, Irene Langhorne, and her four sisters inspired the look and were often his models.
The Langhorne sisters were from Reconstruction-era Virginia, and were spirited, charming, beautiful, and were accomplished riders. The other Langhorne sisters were Lizzie (oldest), Nancy (who married Waldorf Astor and became the first woman MP in England), Phyllis (also married a wealthy Englishman), and Nora. Nora was the youngest and quite impetuous. She married an Englishman as well, and her daughter was Joyce Grenfeld (famous British comedian). Nora ran off with other men a few times, and one man was Lefty Flynn, a famous American actor of the time and formal football player. She eventually became Lefty's third wife and they lived in Tryon, NC. While in Tryon, they became friends with my husband's great-grandparents, James and Elizabeth McClure. James would sometimes try to help Lefty get sober, and they always had amusing times together. I've heard a few stories of their parties and their friendship.
To learn more about the Langhorne sisters, I recommend the book Five Sisters: the Langhornes of Virginia by James Fox. It is a fun read (can even be a great beach/summer book).
And, the model for our Gibson Girl Blouse here is James McClure's great-granddaughter! Interesting connections
July 18, 2018
Wonderful stories and suggestions – thank you (all) !
July 03, 2018
Thanks for all the comments – and suggestions! I love hearing people’s stories about making or wearing this blouse!
July 03, 2018
Thanks for all the comments – and suggestions! I love hearing people’s stories about making or wearing this blouse!
July 02, 2018
My mother made this blouse for me in 1980 for my senior photos. I hated the weird black wraps on the shoulders and insisted on this blouse. I never felt prettier and my photos were perfect. I think it was one of the nicest things my mother ever made me.
July 02, 2018
You can order silky-smooth, semi-sheer 100% cotton voile, the traditional fabric for Gibson Girl blouses, online from moodfabrics.com – and be sure to wash your cottons in warm water before cutting.
It’s 57’/58" wide and light weight (77 grams per square meter) and comes in white and bright colors. Price is $7.99 per yard. plus shipping.
Cotton lawn (a tad crisper) is $5.49 per yard at 57"/58" wide and 3+ oz. per square yard.
You can order swatches for $1.50 each.They have many prints in voile at higher prices including Liberty of London but for your Gibson Girl, pure white is traditional.
They have insertion lace, too – for heirloom sewing at its finest!
I’ve ordered literally hundreds of yards from moodfabrics.com and am always delighted. They ship internationally, too.
July 02, 2018
If you can’t use back buttons (difficult for anyone), then redraw the pattern to split the standing collar on each side, at the shoulders, extending the shoulder seams and neck splits to accommodate a line of buttonholes and small mother-of-pearls buttons. Do the same at the side seams of the bodice. Depending on the width of your head and shoulders, you may only need buttons on one side of your neck/shoulder and your bodice. More work, yes, but with lace insertion, the Gibson Girl blouse is a labor of love!
July 01, 2018
I made the Gibson Girl blouse when I was in my 30’s. I’m now in my 70’s. It brought many compliments. I used hand sewn small snaps down the back. Worked perfectly!
July 01, 2018
I now have the Gibson Girl pattern so I was fascinated by its history. I haven’t started making it yet as I am looking for fabrics for both versions and haven’t found just the right thing yet. Also, I have arthritis and can’t handle back button closures and God forbid I would use a zipper, so I’m thinking of ways to handle this without ruining the integrity of the pattern.
September 24, 2024 5 Comments on The Gibson Girl Blouse - a short history
VIRGINIA DAVIDSON
July 09, 2019
Twenty-several years ago, I sewed a Gibson Girl blouse in black silk—tone-on-tone stripe, sheer and satin. To go with it, I made the Walking Skirt in black wool gauze. This was to be the concert dress for my daughter’s piano teacher.
I loved so much how those two pieces looked on her, that I bought my own patterns and made the Gibson Girl blouse in white for myself, with the lace inserts and all, and the little pearl buttons up the back. I wore a black-and-white cameo pin at the collar. The skirt is taupe, and I made a black belt with a “basque waist” point.
That was years ago, and about twenty pounds ago, and I can no longer wear either. I’ve been thinking, though, about resurrecting the skirt and making another blouse. I love them both!