Etiquette of the Bicycle Costume

The bicycle has done more for the cause of legitimate dress reform than any other single agent. – By Rose Talbot Bullard, M.D., 1895

There is no more difficult task presented to the physician and hygienist than that of providing a pleasant, convenient and healthful outdoor exercise for women. The bicycle pre-eminently fulfills all requirements. It is the duty of every wheel-woman to so attire and conduct herself, as to make this invaluable exercise all that the most modest could wish. Costumes may be classed as follows: Knickerbockers, bloomers, short skirts and divided skirts. The essentials are comfort, appropriateness, inconspicuousness and gracefulness. The appearance when off the wheel must be considered, as well as when mounted. The first essential of comfort lies in the underwear. The union suits are especially desirable. Corsets should never be worn. The accessories — hats, shoes, gloves and leggings, should harmonize with the costume.

The knickerbocker allows greatest freedom, but is entirely too conspicuous to receive our endorsement. The bloomer fulfills the indication of comfort and is appropriate; for an exercise involving free motion may be best carried out if the legs are so clothed as to be independent of each other. However, they are conspicuous and very ungraceful. We may, in time, arrived at a modified bloomer, but are not yet ready to adopt them for city riding. The short skirt, coming just below the knee, is open to like objection. But there are costumes which comprise all our qualifications. They are the three-quarter skirt and the divided skirt with the division concealed. They should clear the ground from four to seven inches.

The divided skirt offers some advantages; under this the equestrian skirts or knickerbockers should be worn. The division is concealed in front by the front width which is fastened to each leg in the back by the way, the plaits are arranged. On the wheel, the skirt is always evenly divided; the leg need only lift its half of the weight of the skirt, and, finally, when off the wheel it looks like any other skirt. It is an ideal business or rainy day dress, and, in fact, is very suitable for ordinary street wear as it is lighter, does not serve as a street-cleaner and precludes the necessity of in discriminate lifting of skirts. The bicycle has done more for the cause of legitimate dress reform than any other single agent. – By Rose Talbot Bullard, M.D. Los Angeles, California – Extracts from a paper read before the Woman's Parliament, October 8, 1895

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

19th C. Bicycling Fashion Etiquette

In taking up cycling attire for women we wish first of all to launch a protest against those abominable modern cycling garments, the bloomers. Don't wear them! Don't make them! Don't have anything to do with them! ~ Polite society has always dictated the etiquette expected for fashion, especially for the newest trends and styles in outdoor activities.

For Women Who Wheel 

New York Sartorial Art Journal contains the following interesting remarks anent bicycle costumes for women:

In taking up cycling attire for women we wish first of all to launch a protest against those abominable modern cycling garments, the bloomers. Don't wear them! Don't make them! Don't have anything to do with them! For of all the monstrosities of this day, a woman with a tightly laced waist und with limbs encased in baggy bloomers is the worst. Skirts are made nowadays of such design and length as not to hinder the free movements of the riders' limbs, so on that score there is no reason for complaint. It is much better from an artistic point of view, for a woman to wear knickerbockers than the hideous bulging bloomers, which no woman who has good taste will wear.

The short skirts of last season would blow up when the wearer pedaled fast or coasted down hill, even though knickerbockers and leggings were worn underneath, which exposed the rider to some mortification. This, however, is done away with by the increased length worn today. Regarding accessories to women's cycling attire, there is not much in the way of novelty to chronicle. The fourteen-button, tan kid boots remain very popular, with now and then a high lace and a high French kid boot in evidence. Some women wear knickerbockers and golf stockings underneath their skirts, and some, in hot weather, wear low Oxford shoes, the high lace button boot being rather warm. Shirt waists will of course, be in vogue as soon as the warm weather strikes us, and the high-banded turndown collar, worn with a cotten tie, will be popular.

A new thing for women's use in cycling furnishings will be the riding stock, which will be used either with shirt waist or jacket. It will fold twice around the neck, like a man's riding stock, though it will tie in the form of a bow instead of an Ascot. The tie proper in both the women's and men's articles will be of a material to match tho shirt or shirt waist. In mentioning women's cycling hats we can only say that there is such a variety of headgear for cycling that it would be an impossible task to enumerate and describe all of them. It is enough to say that the Tam-o-Shanter and the Tourist form of hats, neatly trimmed, and of a color to match the suits worn, and a black straw sailor, will be proper and most effective. Almost any kind of a stout glove goes well for cycling, although there are varlous special designs of cycling gloves on the market. — San Francisco Examiner, 1896

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia