New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-26
HERE'S A DISTRESSING VIEW.
CAN WOMAN ON A BICYCLE LOOK
GRACEFUL?

PHYSICIAN WHO SAYS SHE CANNOT AND
ru,xxs THAT SHE SHOULD GO TO THE
FILL, LENGTH or BLOoMERs.
.,.,.o,e riding for women is undoubtedly heaithfu'
:, for no other reason than that u 'aAeS ,'e"'
,,o the open air." said wel-kno"h phy so'a"
, h.sdes making physical culture a speciai STUDY.
| 10 an ardent advocate OF the wheei anu " "
| sound Judgment and good taste
ct ,on.t think the bicycle IL going 10 WORK MIRA
o,os however. revouonize mauers resa'u'"s
ronen's health" she went on. AS "'e""' VI
h,s,cal exercise It is not as thorough or as pe"e
49,, a. gvmnast!cs judciousy practlsed. because
q, h,cvcle riding most oil the work Is done by GER
49,, 90, ~ muscles only the upper part OF tne
,, h.,np comparatively at rest. When woman
&, learning to ride. OF course all the muscies are "a
orcisel and the nerves. TOO. the process '''o''"e
. mental strain but after she becomes pro"',e"'
IL. a certain set OF muscles are brought into play
IN numerous Individual instances the continued use
:, ,,o uheel has restored womcns health particu-
,.,, weak nervous women. who have been suHer-
ing from no vital complaint. but really trom "oN
%, oxcrclsc and fresh air Bicycle r'd'ng takes NY
the attention. and Is n rest mentAiiy l" 'n"' "
s,.c, while the body Ia likewise refreshed by the
nae Of muscles not habi'uay called upon
g, certainly think that the adoption OF the b
o.,,. ,s not n fad but q permanent diversion con-
tjnucd the physician. when asked II sne 'no's"'
the craze likely to last. indeed tnihN Wv
will
should tire OF them. because the bicycle mas 'h'io
! ,,,ad a mean. OF rational outdoor exercise ior
women which they felt the need OF and the men
d,d moi Men from the nature OF the ac""e NV
,hov lead do not find the novel delight In an out
ing that woman does. The bicycle gives "o
a good excuse to get away from the petty cares U,
home for a while and stay out In the SUNSHINE anu
II ls a blessed thing on that account. IL "o"a"
! zoos calling shopping TO the theatre. attends
her various club meetings. or engages III any ''
Of her usual amusements. she Is III Il caIt'"ee "
| a. mar, Of the time and In a close building the
other part When she spins OF on her wree'' 1"e
spends the entire time she has to CIV" to the Spor'
90, - doors and consequently returns home re-
freshcd. #,
AS regards the matter OF costume. th"" inc
long skirt Is bound 60 II looks out OF place ."
a bicycle and is certainly much In the way Inc
truth of the matter is that no costume "hich ga"
he lcvised IL going 10 make women appear AZ the"
| hos, an a bicycle The very position that they as
| sum. and the constant movement Of the limbs up
AMI down prohibit graceful appearance Inc "e-
light Of the exercise however. more than compeh-
s,fes for any drawback Of this kind. ana most
vhccl-wornen are willing enough to look eve" """
| warl IN order 10 enjoy the sport
"1,he IMPRESSION seems 70 prevail that ror
woman hcyclis To dccry skirts Is 10 proclaim he'
self unfcmnnc somewhat more imfnoaes' Una"
h.r conventional, sisters say that such Is not 'h'
| cas-. In my opinion. for a woman to rid" In bloom
~ n
hlo.lng No and showing the boomers beneath IL IA:
more ,ndcllcoic than for the boomers to De en-
evidence from the start The wearing OF 'he sN''.
suggests that there Is something to conceal anu
! where tho boomers only ar. worn X Is lra"N
! lnfimaton that the rider recognizes The nature OIL
| a.. undertaking and has dressed herself appro-
rria,elv A regards the display OF woman
! ankl. | do not see why II Is NOR" vulgar 'hah 10
show her arms and part OF her spinal coI"'nh !"
evening dress There would he nothing vulgar III
| A voman's sitting with her foot up II she hau ."
a divided skirt gathered Mt the knee or eve"
| hioouers but when she has on an ordinary moving
,., "a .lcv,,cs her foot ever ittle the aspect
| Is entirely different
| zone can illustration o' th's sno,'e u'''
| c,cc AT any time in viewing sculpture There Is
calm nobility dignity. about the S'"p'e
| nose OF the undraped Venus that 'he
| a.. Witch stands in a conscious. shrink
! ,,g a,,,il. lacks altogether II IL tho al
mission that there is anything to conceal "n'n
suggests vugarty when the drapery Is by acc,neh'
| i.sarranscd At the costume snow IN "".'
! souar. Garden there were lay figures dressed III
rvrur< costumes In order to show tho various
.,,ies Passers-by invariably turned up the snort
skirt o, one % these images IN order 10 examine
the unique leather binding on the bottom Ina
shor, skirt vas only on lay hgure. but mere was
"A vulgar suggestion In ~ being U''e' "h"" "'' NV
,er,.ln Al all to the blooner suits or even 10 'h0,e
,Itn krirkcrbockcrs think II this subtle dtt,
ference could be made clear TO people her. wpn,a
'., 's ~, MINK that woman viii ever resign her
Moving skirts for the drawing room OF ,nr
pnr lon active sports sh" should ,lress
"a" TO- rsr ronvey tp an lsa Of modesiy In the
~, tl,,e the motion Of the limbs which u IL
rnl e. e9nss" ri, sno ,yss mT" n o' Woman
.,,l on . bicycle the plain front hreaitns OF ne
nsunil, worn beneath II. and the padding up ana
down of the limbs looks snyth'ns o" sksts one
seldom hears u any. but II X because we "e"", :
are extremely careful Woman ,r w'a a, much Out
~ ,l,co AS "A Yachting suit wofl appear al Il pa''
,.'i.S rar,snn style u bicycle dress which.
mink Is The only admissible one. and which ap.
r,ss,,rr VI walked aiong the boulevard on nm"
sunday morning on PURPOSE I" see "opi"r. aho"t
their dfcss l,,n r " ccs,mmsd were wearing suits
~ mai stylc ON. was n French woman, Trough,
she Vas french from her cos,nmc ana Ter s,
hea,i h' hlnS @T"S Very ful divided skirt falling 50
sraccfniy and we'll made that one sc"r' shs
ho9nfns al ,acke,. plated and beltcd. sim,
lar t" mans, shooting, JACKET ,,s ana pla,n.
d,k'y S Sor ,hr5at she wore no leggngs be
cause n was warm. and rne mao or s1rn,p suii 81
'"rhcse divided skirt. are made very long are gam
The .neci around the bottom Is plain ana smoo,h,
Ike the dc Of skirt rhsy ar amy suggestion
~ the vulgar At the same tim" the wearsr Is ns,
| ,..,fV up,rammellcd In her noVtnh'h'T ""'.
| - 'S,.,Isn, has an excellent chance OF extrcat,s
bcrscf 4 skirt Of nne cloth made IN thls 49, ,,
~ mo matted Jacket 81 lighter weight fnaterla
~, IN. same color for warm weather. wou,n pe u"
,d.aI costume The paits on this sVe OF l ,aSkea,.
i,",h come be.ow the belt and form niue iuhess
,o Inc hack are particularly becoming when the
rider IL mounted ,,.,. =, .dyIs. AZ n
,o,,niry costume for them? Alas, there - no way
~ ,r,iing n stout woman look well on vince; IL
~ ,",rs a long skirt she il In danger OF sunnrn
,a,b and II she boomers she IS III uh'.EEe =.
't,,,n,sa criticism more deserved thah ua'
oieaNofoI 90 nor elm sisters The riding Will bene
u, her so much. however that II pehooves nr' to
make the venture: and ENJOY he'se"' ""e'"' DIV
io "Wh " do think about boomers FOR bicycle
W IN IN r.n.,ted another New-York woman; whose
W. ,s are IT uch sought after. j think they are
o,r"cons The idea Of women In trousers; mOa'T
oi ", can't engage In certain species OF amuse