August 25, 2002

Hurrah for Bloomers

It might seem indelicate to discuss women's underwear in public, but the subject was a key issue in the historic "women's rights" movement.  

Credit for overcoming subtle prejudices regarding women is generally accorded to Susan B. Anthony. She organized the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869. It succeeded in obtaining the right of women to vote by passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.

The broader struggle began in 1840 with rejection of Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton to the World Anti-Slavery Convention at London, England.

American male delegates, in protest, withdrew from discussion and sat with the ladies in a balcony. Thereafter, the ladies campaigned against discrimination of slaves and women at home and abroad.

Mrs. Mott and Mrs. Stanton sponsored the first temperance-woman's rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Several speakers were prominent men who encouraged equal rights for women.

Living at Seneca Falls at the time was Mr. and Mrs. Dexter and Amelia Bloomer. He was an attorney, she a teacher. Both attended the convention and were impressed.

Amelia was so inspired she started a "monthly journal devoted to temperance and literature published by a committee of ladies." It was called The Lily. The first issue appeared Jan. l, 1849. It cost 50 cents a year and quickly reached a circulation of 6,000 subscribers.

The Lily was the first paper devoted to the interests of women that was owned, edited and published by a woman. Among the contributors was a young woman named Susan B. Anthony.

Also at this time, a "water cure" health system was popular. It advocated copious draughts of fresh water, wrappings of wet sheets several baths daily and lots of fresh air and exercise.  

Patients ate sparingly. They avoided stimulant beverages and all forms of fat. They breathed deeply and wore loose clothing that allowed free circulation of blood.

The clothing prescription was no small thing. Fashion required ankle-length dresses of several layers of cloth, hoops, padded bustles, corsets stiffened with whale bone and laces to minimize waists and bodices to compress and raise bosoms.

Theodosia Gilbert, one of the founders of Glen Haven Water Cure, began wearing "reform dress" when exercising in public. This was a man's pants under skirts cut off just below the knees.

The combination was shocking. Women's legs were - well - legs.

Mrs. Gilbert had a solution to this dilemma.  

"I conceived the notion (in late 1849) of getting up a suit expressly for walking. It consisted of a cassimere pantaloons, a frock of woolen material, loose, plain waist and sleeves, with a skirt of decent dimension reaching to the knees, a light cap or hat upon the head, and thick-soled, high-topped boots.

 "In this rig, I could just about double the distance in the same length of time as formerly - and with half the fatigue.

"My 'debut' in this mongrel garb was quite a novel and shameful affair to the excessively modest. But a gallant few had the courage to admire at least the convenience it promised. Some discovered it had real becomingness."

Mrs. Gilbert defended reform dress in the Water Cure Journal:

"The mooted questions of 'Woman's Sphere,' and 'Woman's Rights,' are among the popular themes of the day. They make their way into the literary, political, religious -- as well as reformatory -- press.

"It will be no matter of surprise that my pen should light upon some offence to sight .... in an attempt to find a cause, and a remedy, for an eyesore. I mean, woman's walk."

"How many can boast ever having seen in this country a woman with a graceful, majestic, easy walk - one who has not a hitch, a stoop, a wing, a hobble, or wringing, twisting, mincing feature in her gait?

"Are they not almost always traceable --in some shape or shade -- from the tight-girl whale-boned miss prigging along like a little top-knot bar bird, to the lank wispy-waspy dromedary 'fore and aft' nudge of all sorts?"

"I have a great fancy for believing that they are mostly illegitimately begotten of Fashion - a very notable mother of cloven-footed progeny.

"Take, if indeed such a one could be found, a naturally grown, naturally developed figure -- with every joint playing easily on its hinges, and every muscle in its full native plumpness -- and witness the poetry of motion.

"Encase the busts in whale-bone. Hang upon the hips some dozen yards of dry goods and as many pounds of cotton. Squeeze the feet into shoes of neither breadth nor thickness. Throw upon the shoulders, folded across the arms and chest, not less two- or four-square yards of woolen shawl. Then, what becomes of the body's ease and grace?

"Contrive such another stiff-warped and cramp-woofed bungle if you can. A model inquisition it is for every bone and muscle in the body appropriate to the production of our 'beautiful' deformities. The vital ones of respiration, digestion and reproduction are the crowned martyrs of all.

"Who can expect God's own handiwork to maintain its admiral proportions and perform its functions under such dispensations? If we would insolently deface the great Designer's design, we should not intermeddle with his architectural undertakings.

Fanny Kemble at this time was a popular Shakespearean actress. She appeared in reform dress at Lenox, Mass, in 1949 and caused widespread comment in the local press.

Amelia Bloomer noted the event in The Lily:

"There has been a great cry raised by gentlemen from all quarters about the male attire which Fanny Kemble is said to have adopted. Several ladies of Lennox, with Mrs. Kemble at their head, actually paraded the streets equipped in coats, vests, pantaloons and all the other paraphernalia of a gentleman's dress.

"It turns out, however, that the so much talked-of man's clothes, is nothing more nor less than a loose flowing dress falling a little below the knees and loose pantalets or drawers confined to their ankles by a band or cords.

"This shows how very sensitive gentlemen are in regard to any infringement on what they are pleased to consider their 'rights.' We doubt whether even Mrs. Kemble could be willing to don their ugly dress.

"Every change in a lady's dress, and even its color, must be commented upon and criticized by gentlemen of the press as though it was a subject of serious consideration.

"We freely accord to them the right to their own peculiar dress. We protest against the ladies trespassing on such rights. At the same time, we maintain that we have the right to control our own wardrobe.

"When gentlemen undertake to arrange it for us, they are very ill-mannered and show that they are hard pressed for something to talk and write about."  

Because of Mrs. Bloomer's influence through The Lily, the revolutionary attire devised by Theodosia Gilbert was commonly called 'bloomers."

In 1851, Mrs. Bloomer disclaimed any part of having been the leader in introducing the improved style of dress. She wrote in The Lily: "The first person we saw wearing such a dress was Mrs. Charles D. Miller of Peterborough who has worn it for the last five or six months. We learn from the Water Cure Journal that Theodocia Gilbert of Glen Haven has been wearing the short dress for l8 months.

"Though in advocating and adopting such a dress, and giving publicity to the matter, we may be called a leader in the movement, it will be seen that we are not the originator.

"We care little whether others follow our example. We have become used to our new dress. We can now go through the streets of any village or city as unconcerned as though we had long skirts whipping about our ankles."

* * *

Over the years, "bloomers" became "knickers" atop boots, then a shrunken undergarment to the knees hidden under a dress - so I am told.  

For more details on "Women and Social Movements in the U.S. 1600-2000"

Author: Lindsey Williams

Cutlines - 2 columns each

Illustrations provided

#1[Original bloomers scandalized men in the 1850s.]

#2[ Knickers version of bloomers freed women for sports.]

#3[Today's bloomers is said to be favored in cold climates.]

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