Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-02-22
AMELIA BLOOHER PRoTEsTS



ticle appeared editorially In the Seneca
County Courier, Seneca Falls. N. Y.
on Female Attire, In which the writer
showed up the inconvenience, unhealth-
fulness and discomfort of woman's dress,
and advocated change to Turkish
pantaloons and skirt reaching q little
below the knee.
at this time I was publishing a
monthly paper in the same place, de-
voted to the interests of woman-tem-
perance and woman's rights being the
principal subjects. As the editor of the
Courier was opposed to us on the
woman's rights question, this article of
his gave me an opportunity to score
him one on having gone so far ahead of
Us to advocate our wearing pantaloons,
and In my next issue noticed him and
his proposed style in a half-serious,
half-playful article of some length.
He took up the subject again and ex-
pressed surprise that 1 should treat so
important a matter with levity. re-
piled to him more seriously than before,
fully indorsing and approving his views
on the subject of women's costume
About this time, and when the read
ers of the Lily and Courier were in
terested in and excited over the discus
sion, Elizabeth Smith Miller, daughter
of the Hon. Gerritt Smith, of Peter
boro, n. Y, appeared on the streets OF
our village dressed in short skirt and
full Turkish trousers. She had been
wearing this costume some two or three
months at home and abroad. Just how
she came to adopt it I have forgotten,
if 1 ever knew. But she wore it with
the full sanction and approval of her
father and husband. During her fathers
term In Congress she was in Washing
ton and the papers of that city de-
scribed her appearance on the streets In
the short costume.
Having had part in the discussion of
the dress question it seemed proper that
I should practice as I preached and as
the Courier man advised-and so a
few days later I, too, donned the new
costume, and in the next issue of
my paper announced that fact to
my readers. At the outset I
had no idea of fully adopting
the style-no thought of setting fash
ion-no thought that my action would
create an excitement throughout the
civilized world and give to the style my
name and the credit due Mrs. Miller.
This was all the work of the press. /
stood amazed at the Juror had unwit-
tingly caused. The New York Trib-
aL7ae contained the first notice 1 saw of
my action. Other papers caught it up
and handed it about Ny exchanges
all had something to say. Some
praised and some blamed, some COM
mended and some ridiculed and con-
demned. ''Bloomerism, "Bloomer-
ties" and "Bloomers" were the head
ings of many an article, item and
squib, and finally some one-I don't
know to whom I am indebted for the
honor wrote of the "Bloomer cos
tune" and the name has continued to
cling to the short dress, in spite of my
disclaiming all right to it and giving
Mrs. Miller's name as the originator, or
the first to wear the dress in public.
AS soon as it became known that I
was wearing the new style, letters came
pouring in upon me by hundreds from
women all over the country, making in
quries about the dress and asking for
patterns-showing how ready and anx-
ious women were to throw off the bur-
den of long, heavy skirts. 1t seemed
as though half of the letters IL the
mails were for me.
My subscription list ran up amazingly
into the thousands, and the good wo-
mans rights doctrine was thus scattered
from Canada to Florida, and from Maine
to California. 1 had gotten myself into
a position from which 1 could not re-
cede if 1 had desired to do so. there
fore continued to wear the style on all
occasions, at home and abroad, at church
and on the lecture platform, at fashion
able parties and in my business Office. I
found the dress comfortable, light, easy
and convenient, and well adapted to the
needs of my busy life. was pleased
with it and had no desire to lay it aside,
and so would not let the ridicule or CEN
sure OF the press move me. For some
six or eight years, or so long as 1 re-
NAMED in active life, and until the pa
pers had ceased writing squibs at my
expense, 1 wore no other costume.
During this time was to some extent
in the lecture field, visiting and lectur-
ing in all the principal cities of the
North on temperance aud woman suf-
frage, but at no time, on any occasion,
even alluding to my style of costume.
l felt as much at ease in it as though 1
had been arrayed in the fashionable
draggle skirts. In all my travels met
with nothing disagreeable or unpleas-
ant, but was universally treated with
respect and attention by both press and
people wherever I appeared. Indeed,
I received fattering notices from the
press of my lectures. If the dress drew
the crowds that came to hear me it was
well. They heard the message 1
brought them, and it has borne abund-
ant fruit
My paper had many contributions on
the subject of dress, so that question
was for some time kept before my read
ers. Mrs. Stanton was frequent con-
tributor and ably defended the style.
She continued to wear it at home and
abroad, on the lecture platform and in
the social parlor, for two or three years,
and then the pressure brought to bear
upon her by her father and other
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