Bikes and Bloomers: #6 Cycling Bloomers I, Ii

BIKES AND
BLOOMERS
VICTORIAN WOMEN'S
CONVERTIBLE CYCLE WEAR
SEWING PATTERNS
#6 CYCLING
BLOOMERS I, II
A cycling costume inspired by
inventive Victorian women cyclists
BIKESandBLOOMERS.COM
A Victorian cycling costume
PATTERN #6
CYCLING BLOOMERS I, II
D E S I G N F E AT U R E S
Cycling bloomers took many shapes in late nineteenth

century Britain. This pattern is for one of two versions: I.
Tailored Bloomer and II. Full Bloomer. The first features two
pockets, four buttons on each side of the waist and two on the
cuffs. Tucks at the knee and waist reduce the fullness of the
material while still delivering freedom of movement. A back
buckle can be added to adapt the fit. The second version has
more voluminous proportions. It is fitted to the wearer via
pleats at the waistband and cuffs. It could be worn in place
of a skirt as it gave the impression of one. The bifurcation
enables the wearer to move her legs unimpeded and also
(marginally) conceal this action from the view of others.
T H E B LO O M E R : A S H O R T H I S TO RY
(I. Tailored and II. Full Bloomer)
Bloomers played a pivotal role in enabling women to
undertake more active lives - replacing hot and heavy layered
petticoats and sometimes full length skirts. They were
initially associated with American writer and social activist
Amelia Bloomer in 1850s. The garment became popular and
also deeply divisive in Britain in the late nineteenth century.
It was adopted by dress reformers who advocated 'rational'
dress over 'irrational' fashion. Amongst other problems,
skirts became waterlogged, dragged in the dirt and easily
caught alight. While the bloomer helped to popularise dress
reform politics, it also polarised society. The image of a cyclist
in bloomers swiftly became a site for debate more broadly
about women’s role in society, which meant that in some
circumstances wearers had to be very brave to wear them.
“The idea was almost entirely new and the

British Public was dead against it. Hooting and
screeching were then the usual accompaniments
to every ride. Caps, stones, road refuse—anything
was then flung at the hapless woman who dared
(While cycling in bloomers was a
to reveal the secret that she had two legs. And safer, more comfortable option for
the insults were not confined to the lower classes. many women, it exposed them to
verbal and sometimes physical
In fact, cycling in rationals in 1894 was a very abuse from onlookers).
painful experience.”
Irene Marshall. The Rational Dress Society Gazette (1899)
Image: The Sketch, June 17, 1896, p.329. With permission from Manchester Art Gallery archives (Gallery of Costume, Platt Hall).
Patent illustration: Accessed at the European Patent Office Online Database, www.epo.org/index.html.
VICTORIAN WOMEN'S
CONVERTIBLE CYCLE WEAR
SEWING PATTERNS
Victorians enthusiastically took to the bicycle. Yet women had to deal with many
social, political and material challenges to their freedom of movement. Cycling in
'ordinary' dress could be dangerous as it wrapped around pedals and caught in wheels.
Wearing more 'rational' cycle wear, such as shorter skirts and bloomers, was more
comfortable, but not necessarily safer as some parts of society were threatened by the
sight of this progressive 'New Woman' carving new modes of gendered independence
in public space. Onlookers sometimes hurled abuse and stones! However, nothing was
going to stop women from cycling. In response, some creatively protested against
restrictive ideas of how a woman should act and move in public through their clothing,
by designing convertible costumes that enabled wearers to switch from street wear
to cycle wear when needed. Luckily for us, these inventive women not only imagined,
made and wore radical new forms of cycle wear - they also patented their designs!
Six sewing patterns in this collection (comprising a total of nine different garments)
are inspired by convertible cycle wear patents lodged in the 1890s by inventive British
women. They form part of an ESRC funded Bikes & Bloomers sociology project led
by Dr Kat Jungnickel at Goldsmiths, University of London, with Rachel Pimm, Nadia
Constaninou, Alice Angus and Britt Hatzius. More about the lives of these fascinating
inventors is in Bikes & Bloomers: Victorian Women Inventors and Their Extraordinary Cycle Wear
(Goldsmiths Press). Along with the book, these patterns bring to life some of the
inspiring cycling, sewing and suffrage stories that have helped shape how we cycle
today. They also (still) provide useful ideas for functional clothing that works on and
off the bike. We look forward to seeing what modern sewing cyclists make with them.
f
PATTERN COLLECTION
PATTERN #1 PATTERN #2 PATTERN #3

PULLEY SKIRT SEMI-SKIRT CYCLING SUIT
PATTERN #4 PATTERN #5 PATTERN #6

SKIRT/ CAPE SIDE-BUTTON SKIRT BLOOMERS I, II
BIKESandBLOOMERS.COM
B VICTORIAN WOMEN'S CONVERTIBLE CYCLE WEAR
B
SEWING PATTERNS
PAT T E R N # 6
CYCLING BLOOMERS I, II
(I. TAILORED OR II. FULL)
Pattern #6 is for one of two bloomer patterns. Version

I is a tailored bloomer with concealed pockets, buttons
at both sides of the waist and cuffs, tucks at the knee
and an optional back buckle to adapt the fit. (An
extra twist at the outer knee is required for high-wheel
riding.) Version II is a full bloomer fitted to the wearer
via pleats at the waistband and cuffs. The voluminous
proportions provide ample space for moving legs.
Concealed pockets can also be sewn into this garment.
Requirements: See indivdual patterns for details.
This pattern is approx BIKES & BLOOMERS CONVERTIBLE

UK size 12 and will CYCLE WEAR SEWING PATTERNS:
need to be customised
# 1 – Pulley cycling skirt
to fit as required.
# 2 – Cycling semi-skirt
Minimal instructions #3 – 3 -piece cycling suit
are provided. See our # 4 – Cycling skirt/cape
mistakes, workarounds # 5 – Side-button skirt
and suggestions at: #6 – C ycling bloomers I, II
bikesandbloomers.com
All sewing patterns are free to
RESEARCH PROJECT download. Profits from the sale
Kat Jungnickel of printed patterns go to the
London Bike Kitchen, a DIY
SILK LINING ARTWORK workshop. Please share your
Alice Angus cycle wear creations with us on
COVER PHOTO #bikesandbloomers
Eoin Norton & www.bikesandbloomers.com

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BIKES AND

Cycling bloomers took many shapes in late nineteenth

“The idea was almost entirely new and the

PATTERN #1 PATTERN #2 PATTERN #3

PATTERN #4 PATTERN #5 PATTERN #6

Pattern #6 is for one of two bloomer patterns. Version

This pattern is approx BIKES & BLOOMERS CONVERTIBLE

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