The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-15
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woman's hfe is growing to be quite as
Important as the purely social, but in no
phase Of her varied existence does she
ever divest herself of the never falling
query-What shall / wear?a Nor is ii
possible for the most mildly athletic
woman to provide herself with a single
costume, saying, This is my gown for
athletic exercises" for such costumes
are as varied as the lowers Of the Held
even when designed for the same kind OF
exercise. There are as many different
kinds of cycling costumes, for instance.
as there are bicycles. ana as much differ
ence of opinion as to which is correct.
The comparative merits Of two wheels
form a sufficient topic of conversation for
any two cyclists, be they men or wom-
en-: and the correct costume for women
a-wheel is discussed by everyone re-
gardless of wheeling propensities. 1t is
the person who does not ride who is the
most critical. The bloomer has come il.
Tor the greatest share of criticism. and
the effect of such criticism is beginning
to show itself by the gradual wane in
popularity of the bloomer Take the per-
centage of skirts and knickerbockers in
any large city. and the petticoat win be
found to do much more than merely hold
its own.
Nearly all the newly patented armen
in the bicycling line are skirts of one
kind Or another. There are four principal
varieties of bicycle petticoat. all Of which
are in more or less general use.
First. there is the ordinary short
skirt, not very full. and without any I'M
feminine notifications. In spite of as
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which is worn by the general run of
people. Prominent fashionable women
have not been riding the wheel for very
long. and are not ready for the advanced
costume yet. Nor does the everyday
woman wish to make herself conspicuous
by appearing in public in the much
criticised. .b.furcated costume. Mrs.
John Jacob Aston wears a skirt when she
rides. So do other leaders of fashion.
Thu bloomer usually goes with the pet
ticoat but does not appear. Some women
have adopted the practice o. wearing a
skirt while riding in the city. and then
removing It and rolling it up in the car
rser provided for the purpose by enter
prlsing inventors.
a more convenient arrangement than
this is the skirt, whose inventor is an
Eng1ishwoman. The skirt is the product
of her own experience and is very SIM
pie. yet very effective. The idea was to
arrange the skirt in such a manner as
net to interfere with the free manage
nient of the pedals. and to prevent its
catching on the wheels. The. skirt is
practically converted into q pair of
boomers By drawstrings running up and
down the naddle of the front and back
of the skirt. These strings may be pull
ed as tight as is desired, raising or low
ering the skirt at will, and they are pro-
vaasd with catches 10 hold them in
place. The skirt may thus become a
pair OF Knee boomers. or be allowed to
hang loose like a divided skirt; and when
worn amidst "the busy haunts of mem
neYen-A-suspicion of maseuiinity about it.
The divided skirt comes in. two varie-
ties, thus making up the four mentioned |
at the beginning. These are the regula.
ton Jenness Miller skirt and the one
that Is only divided in the back.
tThe latter style is the special property
of q large New York store and has many
qualities IN Its favor. On the wheel it
hangs Ike an ordinary skirt. and on the
wheel it stays put. in exactly the same
folds each time. being cut and fashioned
to fit the saddle. In the front this skirt
usual has a broad box pleat to admit |
of the free action of the knees while
pedalfhg. Some of these bicycle skirts |
are surprisingly full around the bottom,
being stitched down in box pleats from
the top. and then flowed to flare for
about fourteen inches.
The girl who wears a diamond frame |
gets no advantage from this skirt, be-
cause of the undivided front. NOTHING
but bloomers or wholly divided skirts |
v IL serve her. One can buy bloomsrs |
Just like a pair of trousers, separate
from the rest of the suit. The best ma
terial is alpaca, for spring and summer
but they are made Of satin for the ex-
f~ravagant few. |
Leggings to match the suit are the cor
rect thing. and are sold with the rest of |
the costume. The English Tweeds in
pepper and salt mixtures are the favor
fte materials. brown and white being |
the fashionable as well as the serviceable
eolors. W~hdpcerds. cheviots, brilliantines |
and corduroys are also popular. Mrs.
Jangtry wears a corduroy suit with leg |
g.ngs Of the same. Some Of the prettiest
corduroy suits are double breasted and
button up diagonically to each shoulder.
fhss style is more sensible than the Elton |
Jacket. which flares open and catches the
wind. The Norfolk jacket is very popu-
lar because. being well adapted to the
use for which 1T Is intended. it affords
such good opportunity for the display of
the new belts which are SO pretty and so
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