During the 1890s a new feminine role model appeared in the pages of the popular humor magazine Life. The Gibson Girl, as she was soon called, was stylishly dressed, assertive, and independent, but not wicked. Her creator, artist Charles Dana Gibson, perfectly captured the promise of the New Woman who pushed the boundaries of acceptable female behavior and the American definition of feminine charm. In Gibson's drawings the Gibson Girl wore her hair piled softly on her head, a shirtwaist blouse, and a full skirt with a wide, stiff belt that accented a tiny, corseted waistline. She finished her look with dark boots and a straw boater hat. She was witty without being threatening, charming without being submissive, exciting without being bad. The real-life Gibson Girl was most likely to be a telephone operator or clerical worker in a large city, taking advantage...