Barbie WORLD
BY SIERRA LYKINS, ETA KAPPA
SIGMA'S
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While most history is written about in books or—in 2023—on social media, an important piece of Tri Sigma’s history is also told through a unique collection of dolls.
ri Sigma's chapter doll tradition began in preparation for a special display at the 1953 Convention. The 65 or so chapters established to that point were asked to dress a doll to represent the era in which their chapter was founded. The display proved to be very popular, so—as Sigma grew—each new chapter added to the collection.
Photo gallery (from left): Alpha, Lambda, Alpha Gamma, Alpha Nu, Alpha Iota, Alpha Rho, Beta Alpha, Gamma Kappa, Delta Lambda, Delta Chi, Epsilon Xi, Zeta Eta, Zeta Epsilon, Theta Mu, Eta Pi, and Theta Gamma. Photos by Meagan Earls, Psi, & Jennifer Kuhn Call, Epsilon Xi
“They each have their own special meanings and stories behind them,” said NHQ Collegiate Membership Coordinator Dianna Jett, Alpha Upsilon, James Madison University, during a recent visit with a reporter from the Northern Virginia Daily.
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Mattel debuted it's first Barbie Doll In 1959, so most chapters established after that time used some iteration of Barbie to model their chapter fashions. Earlier dolls have a more child-like appearance, as those were the only commercially available.
“We can see how much we've grown, where we've come from, how the styles have changed, and how women have changed.” Organized in order of the Greek alphabet, Alpha wears a long white dress representative of the late Victorian fashion era—also known as Gibson Girl style. Hats in 1898 could be described as variable and whimsical, which our Alpha doll dons perfectly. As World War I continued across Europe, fashion in the United States became more subdued and practical, as shown on the doll from Lambda–Indiana University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1915. By the late 1920s and early 30s, doll styles began to shift toward “flapper” inspired fashions, as seen on dolls from Alpha Gamma–Fort Hays State University, Alpha Kappa–Fairmont State University and Alpha Nu–Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
