Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-01
the "eLooaERp COSTUME
Mrs. Bloomer Declares That She Is Not
the Inventor OF It-lts History.

the Inventor OF Tits History.
II have tried often to correct that i'm
PRESTON" said Mrs. D. c. Bloomer re-
Gently 10 a reporter Il did not invent
the Boomer costume, nor was the first
one 10 wear it. l am quite willing that
the correction should be made, for / do
not wish 10 be remembered only as the
woman who invented new style Of
dress.
Il did not even name il. Mrs. Eliza
beth Miller, daughter OF Gerriit Smith,
was the first lady who wore it. She came
dressed in one of those costumes from
Peterboro, y. Y, TO Seneca Falls, where
was living. and where Mrs. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton lived. Where Mrs. Miller
got the idea do not know, but she Is en-
titled 70 what credit there Is for putting
the dress into circulation. as il were and
1t should &c named for her II for ANYBODY.
It's hardly fair to Mrs. Miller to take the
credit from her. a few days after Mrs.
Mlller's appearance in short skirt and
trousers, Mrs. Stanton had similar cos
tame made, and she wore il Then
adopted the style. Mrs. Stanton did not
wear hers q great wkile-possibly not
more than two years; but wore mine as
long SIS the public talked about il and me.
/ did not name the dress. The press did
that. Iwore the costume for SIX years
for two years in Council Bluffs-and, ii
had not retired 10 private lie might be
wearing 1t yet 1t is \ very comfortable
and sensible dress.
Some time, possibly q monie, before
Mrs. Miller made her appearance in
Seneca Falls in the costume, writer,
whose identity never did discover. advo-
Gated IN the columns OF one Of the papers
of Seneca Falls a reform in woman's
dress. | was editing paper there at that
time and took up the suggestion in flip
pant way, and treated the subject rather
playfully and facetiously. The unknown
writer of the other paper answered me,
and / answered again. So when Mr
Miller came in the short skirt and trousers,
and after Mrs. Stanton and myself had
adopted the gsrb, the papers OF the coun-
try round about tried 10 make fun OF US,
and called Us 'BlOomerites' and Bloom
ers,' and so on. Hence the name, sup
pose. Lucy Stone wore the dress for
while. but gave il up because she thought
it attracted attention away from the sub
jects-temperance and woman's rights
upon which she was lecturing | wore
my costume and lectured in il In all my
tour of the cities of the north and west,
and | was the first to make such lectur-
ing tour in those cities. / was the first
woman who wore the costume in public
in Chicago.
"Of course, wherever / went the dress
attracted q great deal OF attention. IL
was a curiosity, and a great many people
came 10 the lectures as much TO see It as
TO hear what woman had 10 say.
Women lecturers were quite curiosity,
too, in those days. / used TO notice that
after | had finished my talk, whether on
women's rights or on temperance, "a great
many people women especially, would
remain and come upon the platform, os-
tensibly to See me, but really 70 inspect
the dress
Mrs. Boomer showed the reporter n cut
representing herself in her younger days.
attired in one OF her noted costumes. A
short skirt reaching TO the knees, baggy,
very baggy trousers gathered and frilled
at the ankle; straight brimmed sailor
hat, set well back upon the head, made
up the attire from masculine point OF
view Female observation might have
disclosed that the skirt and waist were OF
one piece, and that the sleeves OF the waist
were fuIl and slashed, and gathered and
frilled ut the wrists. Close scrutiny and
reversal of the picture might possibly have
led 10 the discovery that hustle was not
part of the attire. This point. however,
can be left TO those ladies who have been
accustomed To calisJhenc exercises and
surf bathing. Omaha Herald.