The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-19
TIE BICYCLE GIRL.

What the Riding Machine Promises to Do
for Reform of Dress and Habits.
One of the rarest, raciest products of the
wave Of modern progress is the bicycle girl
She sits her steel horse precisely as her
brother sits his, and establishes thereby
the longed for equality of the sexes. She
wears more hygienic garb than the dress
reformers have ever dreamed of in their
most inspired moments. she could give a
university graduate points on determine
ton and equilibrium of mentality. She Is
a healthy animal, both physically and men-
tally. The girl who takes a ten mile spin
in the sun every fair day doesn't have time
for morbid malarial dreams of the worth
lessness OF life.
She doesn't fancy she Is misunderstood
and solitary. She doesn't let her mind
wobble and careen to the one side or the
other any more than she does her machine,
for she knows it means disaster. She Is
direct, resolute, plucky, well balanced and
sensible, and these are the qualities most
essential to womans success in life,
whether life means TO her darning babies
stockings or lecturing on political econ
omy.
The first evidence of the character de-
velopment due to the exercise will be a
realizing sense of the absurdity of trying
to accomplish anything worthily and well
in conventional attire. 1t will only re-
quire two or three spills and the ruin OF
two or three gowns to rid the rider Of the
dress thraldom and set her to thinking
along new lines on the subject of attire.
She will make many mistakes at first, but
rarely does she fail to hit upon something
rational and comfortable as the result Of
her thought.
Once get woman's mind to revert from
the traditional theory that the only pug
pose of dress is adornment to the new idea
that dress is designed for service-a slave,
not sovereign-and the most important
principle of dress reform Is established.
The first thing the woman will renounce
will be the dainty gauze and frills where
with she decks her person. To the unlnI'
tiated it would seem that il ever there was
a time when principle demanded that you
wear your best stockings and choose the
prettiest patterned lace in your lingerie II
would be when facing the unavoidable falls
from a wheel. But spill Is not, and can
not be, made picturesque.
About the third lesson convinces you
that the only bicycle costume must be OF
the same color clear through TO the cuti-
Gle. You will save yourself much trouble
If just at this point you 90 directly 10 the
tailor who makes your riding habits and
have him make out Of heavy habit cloth
pair of well fitting knee breeches, button
ing Just over the knee, and Of the same
material as your gown. Beneath these
may be worn a combination garment OF
wool, which may be Of lighter or heavier
weight according TO the weather. Heavy
hose OF wool or silk must be worn over
your fine hose, and by placing strap
with button holes in the hem of the trou-
sers and buttons on the stockings you OBJ
viate the necessity Of carriers or support
ers, and insure greater freedom Of motion
in consequence
Except in the coolest weather no petit
coat will be needed and when worn II must
be Of warm lnsey, and must be scsnt. but
not divided. The dual skirt il clumsy and
cumbersome worn underneath, and neither
desirable or picturesque on the outside.
Over the combination updergarnent Is
worn on the upper part Of the body knit
ted jersey, which may be more or less
heavy according 70 the day.
There is great disagreement among the
experts on the question OF corsets- while
IL must be admitted that the corset - bet
ter abolished. still, H. a. many contend,
they cannot ride without IL. let ], be nd
ing corset, cut entirely away on the hips,
with low bust, not too closely boned, and
above all worn loosely. Now, last and
least Of al IN importance Is the gown.
which is Of habit cloth. just long enough
TO clear the ground, Just full enough 20 al
low perfectly free motion OF the IsgS.-Ssw
York sim