Examples of trousers for women in appropriate conditions, such as
cycling and gymnasium sport activities.
Reforming
Fashion, 1850-1914
Politics,
Health, and Art
REFORMING
FASHION -
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LADIES IN TROUSERSOne of the first elements of fashionable dress to come under the reformers’ fire was the long full skirt. Long skirts dragged on the ground, sweeping up tiny vermin and debris from the street with the wearer’s every step, to be then deposited indoors. Petticoats hung heavily on the waist, cage crinolines could swing out and flip up in the wind, trains and bustles were heavy and awkwardly balanced. Women’s skirts made walking up and down stairs treacherous and running nearly impossible. The reformers chose a solution which they believed was both practical and modest. They did not elect to reveal women’s legs for that would have been improper, indeed, unthinkable. Rather, they chose to wear a dress made like other fashionable dresses except for its knee-length skirt worn over matching trousers. A similar style was worn by Turkish and Syrian women and had been worn on stage and for masquerade dress. Trousers, called pantalets, had also been worn under skirts by women in France in the early 1800s, and later became the fashion for young girls. Pantalets were seen on gymnasium outfits as early as 1830. Trousers also were worn by women in sanitariums and in communal societies. Although fairly restricted in use, trousers caught the attention of a young feminist, Elizabeth Smith Miller. She adopted the costume for her own everyday dress and introduced it to her cousin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Stanton’s friend, Amelia Bloomer, editor of The Lily, a feminist tract devoted to temperance and women’s reform. Bloomer began wearing the shortened skirt and trousers in 1851, the advantages of which she described in a Lily article. The local newspaper in Seneca Falls, NY, The Courier, also commented favorably on the style worn by Mrs. Bloomer, and soon newspapers picked up the account and named the style, the ‘’bloomer.’‘ Although coverage was widespread, Amelia Bloomer observed that ‘’some of our editorial brethren’‘ commend us highly, while others cry out against this ‘‘usurpation of the rights of man.’’ |
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In the 1850s commendations of the bloomer costume were indeed widespread; women in Europe--Britain and Germany-- adopted a similar costume. Supporters in America noted the practicality and convenience of the new costume, as well as its health benefits. They saw moral and patriotic qualities in its simplicity. On the other hand, opponents have strong arguments for rejecting the bloomer. Some simply believed that it was bad fashion, or immoral or unpatriotic because it was based on foreign styles (Middle Eastern). Perhaps the strongest argument used was the belief that the bloomer was incongruous with prevailing ideology regarding women’s roles. There was strong antagonism towards women wearing trousers, and those who wore the bloomer in public faced harassment. Numerous cartoons played upon deep-seated fears of people regarding gender and fashion. |
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Eventually, bloomers became associated with the women’s rights movement, an effort not wholly embraced by Americans. Indeed, feminists shared Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s opinion that woman’s dress perfectly described her condition: ‘‘her tight waist and long trailing skirts deprive her of all freedom.’’ Yet notwithstanding the recommendations given in The Lily, many feminists ceased wearing the bloomer after a few years. They believed that the ridicule became counter productive to gaining rights for women. When asked why she returned to fashionable dress, Amelia Bloomer noted the new cage crinoline greatly relieved the heavy weight of the petticoats, and as a newcomer in Iowa, she needed to be sensitive to local fashion. Some women activists continued to wear trousers and did not stop their promotion that the trousers were better for women for health reasons. Those that advocated bloomers for health implied a weakness to women which was then not met with as much criticism. The mid-nineteenth century saw a huge increase in the interest of exercise which further linker the trousers to the health of women and made it acceptable for a variety of sports and outdoor activities, such as mountain climbing, swimming, and bicycling. This continued through the early twentieth century. Trousers may not have been readily accepted as fashionable dress, however, they were accepted for physical activities such as bathing, bicycling, and gymnastics. - Patricia A. Cunningham, PhD |
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Left: Black Cotton with Full Skirt and red Trim Bathing Suit, c.
1900s
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