Idols and Insurgency

The Gibson Girl, created by Charles Gibson in 1890, was an comic published in magazines and newspapers, but she was more than that; she was an idol for women to copy for 20 years. She embodied the beauty ideals of this time and therefore the look women were conforming to, but also had an attitude to her that would spark off change.

(Source: thehistoryofthehairsworld.com)

(Source: giam.typepad.com)

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The Gibson Girl was seen as the first American pin up, but her popularity was widespread and so those in Europe would copy the look; she was a slender, tall women with curves - an s bend figure obtained in reality by the corsets. Her hair was piled high on her head - curls and a sweeping fringe framing her face, which had a soft beauty to it, yet mischief sparkled in her eyes. It wasn't uncommon to walk down any western street and be surrounded by women all wearing the same look - Gibson Girl hair, a wide-brimmed hat, usually adorned with floral imitations, and of course - the s bend look.

(Source: artistsandart.org)

(Source: glamourdaze.com) Camille Clifford

(Source: hollins.edu) Irene Gibson

Her sense of style wasn't the only thing which women began to take note of and weave into their daily lives; she had an attitude about her that would begin to challenge the dominance of genders. Although she wasn't a figure for the suffrage movement or become involved in politics (as the 'New Woman' illustration was), the Gibson Girl was free and independent in spirit - she'd do what she wanted, but wouldn't challenge the social system too much. Charles Gibson depicted her as an equal to men; in one infamous comic, she and the other Gibson Girls are looking upon a tiny man with a magnifying glass, symbolising their power over him - the Gibson Girl's power was her seductive nature that went hand in hand with her carefree, single spirit.

(Source: www.loyno.edu)

The Gibson Girl was almost like a predecessor to the New Woman and the suffrage movement - she gave women the opportunity to be much freer, less quiet, and go right up to the limits of the status quo. For some women this was quite alright, but others wanted total equality for Women's rights; most namely, their right to vote.

(Source: wikipedia)

The Suffragettes were a group of women who partook in protests to gain equality to vote with the attitude that if women were to obey the laws set by the government, then they should have the right to choose who is making the laws they must obey, as well as the men around them.

(Source: foolz.us)

The protests started off peacefully at first - simply holding up banners reading 'Votes For Women' and arguing their point with politicians, but as that did not work, and many were violent towards them, some began violent protests such as fire bombing homes of politicians, burning down churches, vandalism etc. When they were sent to prison, they would go on hunger strikes - however not all were violent in the end. A tragic accident occurred when Emily Davison tried to peacefully throw a banner over the King's Horse - the horse trampled her, and she was killed. The Suffragettes were ready to die for what they believed in, and this continued right up to WW1, in which Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst ordered the end of their campaign to help with the war - after the war, due to all the work women had done for the country, women finally recieved their right to vote.