Bloomer Costume

Bloomer Costume, a ladies' dress partly resembling male attire, which arose out of what is termed the 'Woman's Rights Movement' that began to be agitated in the United States about the year 1848. About the same time, and in close connection with this movement, arose an agitation for the reform of female attire. In 1849 Mrs Bloomer (who died 31st December 1894) adopted the costume to which she has given her name, and lectured on its advantages. The Bloomer dress consisted of a jacket with close sleeves, a skirt falling a little below the knee, and a pair of Turkish trousers. Though a few ladies followed the example of Mrs Bloomer, the dress was extremely unpopular, and exposed its adherents to a degree of social martyrdom which the more prudent, timid, or amiable declined to brave. Dress reformation societies and private persons have from time to time advocated changes in the costume of women less radical than Mrs Bloomer's, especially a knickerbocker dress for bicycling.