Bloomerism

This essay will discuss design reform in women’s fashion during the late nineteenth century, examining in particular the Bloomer costume. The Bloomer costume caused major impacts not only within fashion but within the social and political constructs of the time.

During the course of the nineteenth century there were several attempts at dress reform such as Aestheticism which was formed in 1880-90’s rejected the use of tight lacing and emphasized the use of more comfortable fabrics such as velvets and soft cottons.

But the most famous attempt at dress reform was the Bloomer costume which was named after American feminist Amelia Bloomer (Fig1.). Though contrary to the names suggestion, the Bloomer Costume wasn’t created by Ameila Bloomer herself.

(Fig 1. Illustration of Amelia Bloomer wearing the Bloomer costume)

But was in fact first worn by a New England woman named Elizabeth Smith Miller, she was a supporter of the Women’s Rights Movement. She explained that while working in the garden in spring 1851, the restrictiveness of the clothing she wore led her to design a new outfit consisting of a pair of Turkish trousers under a shortened skirt, allowing a lot more freedom of movement instead of the restrictive layers of petticoats. While visiting her cousin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Miller wore the new clothing. Stanton immediately approved of the new comfortable attire and adorned a version herself. (Sarah Daly, Undergraduate Essay, 2008) Stanton stated:

To see my cousin, with a lamp in one hand, a baby in the other, walk upstairs with ease and grace, while, with flowing robes, I pulled myself up with difficulty, lamp and baby out of the question, readily convinced me that there was sore need of reform in women’s dress and I promptly donned similar attire. (www.libcom.org/history/1619-1851-condition-women-america)

Women’s clothing in the late nineteenth century was very different to men’s; society had strict established rules requiring the individuals to...