Nineteenth Century Fashion: New Fashion for the Great Exhibition
In July 1851 it was reported that young ladies in Harrogate had been seen in Bloomer costume. Later that summer a lady and her daughter were spotted in London dressed in baggy trousers and waistcoats. They were surrounded by a mob and when they could stand the derision of the mob no longer they escaped in a cab. Such attire began to appear in several cities in the United Kingdom. In each instance the women wore variations on an outfit consisting of a belted knee length tunic and pantaloons gathered at the ankle known as “Bloomer” costume. The name was derived from the American journalist named Amelia Bloomer although it would be several more years before the words would be applied to the clothing itself. The outfits were welcomed by some as a more practical alternative to full skirts that could trip the wearer up or be dragged along in the mud and the whalebone corsets that were tight and frequently uncomfortable. For all its pragmatism the style of dress provoked outrage ...