Merry Merry Christmas

 
    " Christmas morning broke on a beautiful white world"  

       After a few months I am returning with lots of new plans and information to share. I can hardly wait but until then I wish you a Blessed holiday season.
 

<a href="http://www.flickriver.com/photos/39294426@N06/5168596517/">View on black</a>

The Christy Girl Visits

By Howard Chandler Christy

Gibson Girl Hair: Low Hair Dressing

The Swirl Coiffure with Braid 



     I found this lovely hairstyle in a reproduction copy of "Hair Dressing and Tinting".  I would wear this with a white maxi dress on a summer afternoon picnic.











Step One- Make a middle parting, then ,starting from behind the ears, seperate the hair that falls on both sides of the face from the back hair.      











Step Two-     Pin the back hair at the nape then gently tug on the top to fluff it up. You want to get volume on the round section so you could also tease your hair before pinning it down.       




Step Three-  Fluff up the 2 sections you separated earlier and draping them low across your forehead pin them at  the nape with the rest of your hair.


Step Four- Braid all of your hair in a loose three strand braid.


Step Five- Widen the braid by gently tugging the sections then simply wrap the braid around your head and pin the ends at the nape.                                                         






I like to spend a few seconds ruffing it up a bit to get more of a wind blown look.


          

 

I hope you found this helpful or inspiring. 

yours truly,

Gibson Girl Hair: Oiling for Hair Growth

 

    To get the fullness of the Gibson Girl hairstyle you must have either very thick or decently long hair. I have mentioned before how my hair is on the thin side so I needed to grow my hair out.
   One of the most effective techniques I have tried is oiling my hair. I have been oiling my hair for about three years now.


  There are so many oils you can use: olive, Castor, jojoba, almond, coconut, grapeseed, and so many more. It really just depends on your hair needs. I highly recommend checking out "The Long Hair Community". I can not tell you how much useful information I learned over there that has helped me to grow healthy hair.

  I oil my hair the night before I wash it- every Friday night. I just make a parting on my scalp, rub the oil in, then make a parting a little farther down and rub some oil in there. I continue this until my scalp is completely covered. I then lightly oil the length of  my hair. I wash it out the next afternoon.

 It has done wonders for my hair, increasing shine and decreasing falling hair.

 The Gibson Girls knew the value of oil for healthy hair and it is recommend in many beauty books from the time.

Thick, long, curly hair = Anne's perfect Gibson Girl look.

Gibson Girls

 



This is one of the only Gibson Girl hairstyles I
 have scene with fringe.



 



My younger sister Sarah







In her own white room, where Marilla had set a flowering house rose on the window sill, Anne looked about her and drew a long breath of happiness.

   Some people, like me, are very effected by environment. We need orderliness and cleanliness in order to function at our best. For me beauty is also important in influencing my mood and the quality of my work.

 How could I write you lovely things when my writing space was filled with chaos!

So I changed my room from this

     To This-

   

           I hope my writing reflects the peace and beauty of my new space.

Gibson Girl Inspired Thrifting

Hello!
   
         Today is the first day of my new blogging schedule.  I will now be posting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Monday and Wednesday will be installments of different series I have started and Friday will just be some photos I've taken that week.

  Today I am very excited to show you this sweater I recently found in a secondhand store. I had set out looking for something that reminded  me of a Gibson girl. I wanted it to be sturdy and well made with a touch of formality. Even the casual style of those days would be considered formal today , so you see in order to imitate the fashion you must look neat and well put together.

   Now, the Gibson Girl was part of the first generation of women to really compete in physical sports that previously had only been played by men.  There was alot of school sports and a general spirit of friendly competition in ladies colleges. This of course  influenced style creating a sporty collegian look. I thought this sweater captured a bit of that old fashioned school spirit. The sweater is comfy yet very well made and the different details add that aforementioned formality.

 So that's it for today. On Wednesday I will show you what I've been up to this last month.                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remain

cordially yours,

Now I see the secret of the making of the best people, It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth.

-Walt Whitman 1900

     Hello! Tonight I would like to share some information I've found from 1901 on sleep- a vital practice. But also, if done right, it can be one of the most powerful cosmetic tools: Beauty Sleep.


  We are often told that getting enough sleep is vital to our health and well being. The amount of sleep each age group needs has been calculated down to scientific numbers. But is just getting the right amount of sleep all there is to this healing process?

  In 1901 Ella Adelia Fletcher wrote about how the want of sleep effects a woman's health and beauty so seriously that no other part of a healthy life style regimen should receive more attention. Yet she saw it being treated in a "happy-go-lucky fashion"which is harmful. And today people's sleeping habits have deteriorated even further. Ella also claimed that when you wake you are tired, perhaps even more then when you went to sleep, you should consider that as much as a health warning as insomnia. But of course she didn't leave us without helpful advice on how to improve our sleep.

  Nature's Example- Which for a large percent of creation is to be awake when the sun is out and to sleep when it is dark. The body has many different chemical reactions to light and darkness and studies have shown that sleeping at night when there is complete darkness promotes deep truly restful sleep.

 Fresh Air- Here Miss Fletcher was adamant- You must have fresh air circulating through your sleeping area during the night. A current of fresh air is created by two air ways on opposite walls or in two adjoining rooms. You see, if there is no circulation your exhalations as you sleep will hover over the bed until you are breathing in poisonous carbon dioxide laden air. So in the morning you awake feeling exhausted, for your blood is full of impurities. So for a cleansing and purifying night's rest create a current of fresh air. You will find it easier to wake up and your reflection will bear witness to the health benefits as well.

 Balanced Fatigue- Have you ever found that after a day of hard studying you feel exhausted, yet when you lay down in your bed that night you find yourself tossing and turning restlessly? There is a simple explanation. In order to truly rest there must be a balanced and equal use of the body and mind throughout the day. This balance can be easily achieved by making " the exercise of the one be the relaxation of the other. That is, the brain worker must find his relaxation in physical exercise, and those engaged in manual labor should find their pleasure in some use of the brain."

  Please try to incorporate these habits into your life for I know you will be blessed by them. I really believe that it isn't just the amount of sleep that you get that matters but the quality of your sleep that matters. Quality sleep definitely improves our physical beauty so we can look and feel better.

 Sweet dreams and until next time I remain
                                                                                         yours truly,

With all my love,

        At the turn of the 20th century social correspondence was conducted mainly through handwritten letters. Almost every one wrote social letters - even younger brothers. Though he spoke of a different century George Saintsbury described the past correctly when he said "Everybody wrote letters, and a surprising number of people wrote letters well".

These days a handwritten letter from a friend or relative is something to be treasured simply because of its' scarcity.   

If you have ever read a very old letter, maybe written by a famous author or your great grandmother, you have probably noticed that this way of communication is not at all similiar to the system used today.

 

Today I have some guidelines for letter writing that I found in a book from 1922.

•                                                                         
•   Always include "yours' in the complimentary closing:  yours sincerely, yours cordially, or lovingly yours.                                                                                                                       
• In the United States the salutation "My dear_" is considered  more formal than the simple "Dear_".
• Don't attempt to put anything down on paper before thinking out and arranging what you want to say.
• Never use ruled paper for any correspondence

 

 

 

Sometimes I like to send a poem or a quote from  a book I've been reading.

 

 

 

 

    I still write letters to many people and I hope you do also. I hope you still write your grandmother every week, like you did when you were younger, and maybe even supplement your phone calls to mom with a pretty handwritten note she will love to find in her mailbox.



Written in 1922 this book is full of
 instructions for improving your
letters .





 Until next time I remain



                                yours sincerely,

Gibson Girl Fashion: Vests

There is something about

 a vest that seems reminicent

of the Gibson Girl style.

Perhaps it is the slight formality that the

 vest  lends to an outfit  that makes it more

"Gibsonesque".

                                                                                   The Gibson Girl's fashion style was always feminine yet often it had an independent business like leaning.   I thought this white vest was like that -unmistakebly girly but not frivolous.         
                                                                                                         Adding a vest is a great way to look a bit more  polished and pulled together in a  vintage way.   I bought this vest at a thrift store and I have others I could show in another post... what do you think?  

                                                                                     Until next time,           

 

Gibson Girl Fashion: One

    Greetings! I would like to introduce you to  another series which focuses on fashion from the late 1800s and early 1900s. So, like in this post,  I will be quoting from fashion/beauty books and magazines from that time period.
  
       What do you wear at home?
 

If I quote Ella Adelia Fletcher it
 will most likely be a quote from this book.

           "It is a grave mistake to think that "any old thing" will do for the privacy of the home circle. The wearing of shabby defaced finery is a shiftless habit which demoralizes both the wearer and her associates. Home gowns should be exquisitely neat and dainty as any in the wardrobe, and a delicate sense of the fitness of things should suit them in fabric and cut to their use. The gentlewoman will look a queen in a neat cotton gown, when she who thinks her worn out silks serve the purpose as well looks a shabby frump."  
                                        - Ella Adelia Fletcher 1901
 
     I thought I would start the fashion series with the remedy to my greatest fashion failing. Ella puts its so clearly that her words cut right to my heart when I think of all the crazy ensembles I come up with on the days I stay at home. Now I obviously am not relaxing in my "worn out silks" but my house work outfits can be pretty outrages. I pull out random pieces and just layer  them until I'm comfortable. Like last night- I was wearing shorts underneath my favorite old sweatpants, with a worn out sundress as a top, over that a hoodie, and a sweatshirt as the final layer.  Of course I would prefer to get rid of these worn out layers, trading them for one or two clean cut, well made, and comfortable pieces for home wear. So my next thrifting mission is to find attractive yet very simple clothing for those days when I haven't any where to go.
   How about you? Do you always make sure you look neat even if you aren't seeing any one that day or do you take the opportunity to wear comfy and possibly frumpy outfits? Please leave a comment telling me your preference. I remain

                                                       Faithfully yours,
                                 

A Gibson Depiction

 

  She is a woman: one in whom
  The springtime of her childish years
  Hath never lost it's fresh perfume
  Though knowing well that life hath room
  For many blights and many tears
                      
                                   -James Russel Lowell

Gibson Girl Hair : Growing long hair

  Hello!
Today I am starting my first series. In each installment I will talk about different subjects related to achieving the Gibson Girl halo of hair, starting with the basics.

  When I look at a picture of a Gibson Girl the first thing I always notice is her hair. Whether she is wearing it up or down it is always healthy and full. Or at least it appears that way.  I sometimes think "Did every girl in 1905 have thick wavy hair?" Of course not. There was girls, just like me, who's hair was definitely on the thinner side. The difference was the methods used back then to achieve thicker hair were actually very healthy, not damaging like your average bottle of growth serum today.For example instead of silicones people used rich nutrient filled oils. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Today I want to talk about two ways to change your hair from the inside out.

 Exercise-  Beauty experts for hundreds of years have known of the vital link between physical movement and physical beauty.When a person moves their body for an extended period of time the circulation of their blood- which is filled with the body's nutrients- is greatly stimulated. This revitalizes your insides bringing blood to places where circulation may have been sluggish. This applies to the scalp, where the capillaries directly feed the hair follicles.

  So if you have a sallow complexion and your hair is dull and sparse establish a daily exercise routine, preferably in the fresh air, and it won't be long before your hair and skin begin to glow.
 A good way to improve circulation to the scalp while performing a mild exercise like walking is to stop every ten minutes or so to touch your toes. This greatly increases blood flow to the scalp. If you have access you might even want to massage your scalp.

"Vacation" -J.C Layendecker
My exercise inspiration

 Don't forget that the favorite exercise of most Gibson Girls was cycling.


  Iodine-  On one of the many bookshelves at my house there is a brown book with bold red lettering which reads "An 80 Year Old Doctor's Secrets of Positive Health" by William Brady M.D. This book was written in 1961 so William Brady was a practicing doctor at the time of the Gibson Girl-at least at the very end. His advice is very turn of the century- He recommends exercise and good food for optimal health. His advice is"geared toward keeping patients out of the doctor's office". The chapter entitled "Iodine: The Last of the Specifics" especially caught my eye. He says "we also know that every man,woman, or child must get a wee bit of iodine or iodide in one form or another to keep well, or remain in better-than-average nutritional condition". He observes that teenage girls who are moody and fatigued at a time of life when they should be active and joyful are very often suffering from an iodine deficiency. American soil and water is known to be severely iodine deficient. His suggested nutritional dose of iodine-nutritional not medical- is 600mcgs daily. Although the RDA is only 150mcgs nutritionists have said over and over that they are not worried about the results of people getting to much iodine, what is worrying to them is the effects of iodine deficiency.
  At the end of the chapter he quotes from letters he received from people who took his Iodine Ration-here you will see my point:

             A few weeks after I started taking it I noticed how my hair glistened and hung so nicely...
                                                                                                      -Mrs. PJ

        My daughter,24, has always had straight stringy hair. Last summer her hair, on top, was taking on a natural wave and by Thanksgiving the sides as well were beginning to curl. Now it has a lovely wave of it's own, without the aid of curlers.     -Mrs. WM
   
      Your Iodine Ration has been included in my daily diet for about a year and never before have I had such nice hair and so manageable. I am 58 and the grey hairs I had have disappeared.
                                                                                  - Mrs.BA

   So it seems that for the young and old iodine may be that extra step for improved health. Now I recommend Iodine from kelp. Even if you don't achieve these seemingly miraculous results this amount of iodine will do no harm.*If you have a known medical issue particularly thyroid problems you should do always consult your doctor before adding any nutritional supplements to your diet.* Also the comments do suggest that you must take the Iodine Ration faithfully for a decent amount of time before you see improvements but the prospect have having healthy shiny hair should keep you going- at least it is my motivation.

    I am glad I could share this information with those of you who wish to grow their hair and to those who are interested in historical hair care. Please leave a comment if you have any questions. I remain
                                                                                     yours truly,

The Last Day of Summer

                                                          This says it all.

"I can imagine I have a beautiful rose-leaf complexion and lovely, starry violet eyes, but I cannot imagine my red hair away. It'll be my life-long sorrow."



Here I am along with two examples of Gibson Girl
hairstyles I've done and my Mother's roses.



    Hello!
Before I go any further with this blog I would like you to see the girl who is writing it.



 About "The Modern Gibson Girl" content. I want to write this blog as a collection of different series. Each series will contain many articles. I have many series planned such as Gibson Girl hairstyle how-to's and biographies of famous Gibson Girls. Also things like letter writing and fashion. I am looking forward to sharing all this information with you. Until next time I remain
                                                                                                      yours truly,

"It's five miles; and as you're evidently bent on talking you might as well talk to some purpose by telling me what you know about yourself."

    "Oh, what I know about myself isn't really worth telling," said Anne eagerly. "If you'll only let me tell you what I imagine about myself you'll think it ever so much more interesting."
    "No, I don't want any of your imaginings. Just you stick to bald facts. Begin at the beginning. Where were you born and how old are you?"

    Greetings! Welcome to "The Modern Gibson Girl". Here let me introduce myself. My name is Paula Renee, I am sixteen years old, and I live with my family in northern New Jersey.
    I love to read -all sorts of things. I read fiction, poetry, many biographies, and various how-to's. Influential women in history is a beloved topic of research to me. It is both fascinating and greatly inspiring to learn about women who climbed the "Alpine Path" through their hard work, creativity, and quickness of mind. The fact that many of these women achieved success without sacrificing their femininity and  loveliness is very encouraging to me. Here on this blog, as the title lets on, I will be sharing my research on a group of such women-The Gibson Girls. Now I realise that the original Gibson Girl was in fact the creation of male artist Charles Dana Gibson. Some people will say that what he did is create an unreachable standard of beauty and grace, thereby causing young ladies to feel insecure and to be lacking in self confidence.But I believe that standards should be high. And these standards were very desirable and certainly not unattainable.The Gibson Girl had among other virtues; wit, beauty, confidence, ability, social graces, adventurous spirit, and a wonderfully subtle sense of humour. A whole country fell in love with her.


             Seasons come and go - time passes quickly - things that were once loved dearly are sent to the attic.  In an old trunk they sit through the passing decades undisturbed.
 
          I hope I can open that historical trunk here and show you what beautiful things lay inside. You will see that age has only made them lovelier. Come and be introduced to beautiful Gibson Girls - some fictional and some as real as you and me. And hopefully I can show you home ways to bring a bit of  Gibson romance into your own life.