The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-07-26
THE 6LooMeR PIONEER.
She WAS Elizabeth Cady stanton, Not Mrs.
Biuomrr.

She WAS Elizabeth Cady stanton, Not Mrs.
Bioomrr.
"Yes, was the first woman to wear
the 'bloomcr' costume, nearly half a
century ago." said Mrs. Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, to a New York reporter. II
wore it all the time-in the streets, the
house and the office. 1t required
Sreat deal OF moral courage to do II,
but | acquired the courage in time. The
street boys made rhymes and sang
them at me, and the papers published
squibs about me, and the comedians In
the theatres made fun of me. But
knew that the costume was a sensible
one, and kept on wearing 1t till l saw
1T to drop 1t.
"Why did | drop It? For that best
of woman's reasons-because II was
ugly. The wisdom of the costume could
not hide the fact that 1t was not be-
coming, and I got tired of 1t. 1t was
the same sort of thing that DR.. Mary
Walker has made famous since. There
were trousers to the shoetops, skirt,
a frock coat, of Prince Albert shape,
and beaver hat, with feathers.
THE costume was pretty save for the
trousers. That was the troublesome
detail and it always will be, l am
afraid. Trousers are ugly things at
the best of times, as we can see by COM
pairing the men of to-day with those Of
the Middle Ages, when they wore
trunks and hose. But you cannot ex-
pect women to go about the streets like
n comic opera chorus.
My cousin invented the 'bloomer'
costume. She was Mrs. Elizabeth Smith
Miller, daughter of Gerrit Smith, Of
Peterboro, N. Y. She designed the
dress because she believed 1t would
be more convenient and would give
women more room to move about in
than the fashionable gowns do. Mrs.
Miller had the whole rig made in white
satin. and she went in 1t to Washing
ton, where she created a sensation. She
was an earnest worker for woman's
suffrage, and she thought that she
could not do better than take the side
of women in the matter of dress.
What do think Of the bicycle dress
of to-day? / think 1t will revolution
ize not only woman's dress, but her
life. 1t will do more for woman's suf-
frage than all that speechmaking ever
did or will. It will do as much for the
women up town as the typewriter has
done for her sisters down town. At
one time there were certain parts or
the city down town where a wo-
man could not go without being the
subject of curious looks and uncompli-
mentary comments. They were busi-
ness quarters, and women were con-
sidered to have no business down there.
But to-day the typewriter, the book
| keeper and the other woman workers
are as much at home down there as
| the men, and she is regarded as In her
proper sphere. Everybody is used to
seeing her, and she dominates the situ-
| alton"
II think the 'bloomers' are ugly, but
they are ten times better than the
long, sloppy dresses, going into pud-
| dies and mud, and sweeping up all sorts
| of unpleasantness. l do not think any
decent woman will wear long skirt
| In the street.
"The proper length for a walking
| skirt is to the shoe-tops. They Will
! get there, too! AS women get used 10
| the bicycle dress, they will not con-
| sent to wear long skirts. Luther, who
was the worst enemy of woman, SAID
that the worst garb woman could
put on was wisdom. I say that the
| ugliest garb a woman can put on is the
| ~