The Marybelle S. Bigelow Collection dates from 1953 to 2001.  The collection is arranged in two series, personal and professional. In addition, there is an oversized section, which contains materials from both series.  The collection includes correspondence, drafts and manuscripts, photographs, diaries, slides and other papers related to Bigelow's personal life and career as an art professor.

The Personal series (1953-2001) includes biographical material, genealogy and family histories, notebooks, travel journals and personal correspondence.  A large portion of the correspondence illustrates Bigelow's long friendship and devotion to Mary Campbell, whom she met at Vogue Magazine after winning the Prix de Paris competition.  Bigelow went on to act as advertising and design consultant for Mary Campbell's store, the Kent Shop, creating hundreds of print ads, logos and patterns which are also organized within this series.  Bigelow also chronicled her friendship with Mary in a set of illustrated volumes, entitled MB Saga.  The series also contains Bigelow's diaries, which exemplify her wit, creativity and struggle as an art professor for more than thirty years.  Bigelow's political and social commentary is presented in Contemporary Comments and The Pessimistic Philosopher, a series of illustrated volumes that Bigelow created in response to the daily print and television headlines.  This series also includes drafts and manuscripts of Bigelow's personal writings, including her autobiography, personal photographs, artwork, financial and legal papers, scrapbooks and artifacts.

The Professional series (1953-2001) includes professional correspondence, teaching materials, committee documents, exhibition announcements and awards.  A significant portion of this series is dedicated to the various drafts of Bigelow's published titles, including Alphabets and Design and Fashion in History: Apparel in the Western World.  Original illustrations and artwork created by Bigelow for Fashion in History: Apparel in the Western World are contained in this series, as well as drawings Bigelow created as teaching materials for her various fashion and costume history classes.  Also included in this series are slides used during class lectures, class notes, syllabi and some original work created by students in Bigelow's classes.