Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-26
REzAR WV

OMEN reluctant to be the first
VAYH to wear the new trouser gown
" Ia Omaha may take heart and |
brayely venture forth. be-
tsCfSESs cause il they would they could
Vs@@sss not be the first The /
original "trouser skirt at least its most /
INDUSTRIOUS anCest.r. was worn in /
Omaha more than fifty years ago and
worn by the woman for whom 1t was
named Mrs. Amelia Bloomer.
She bears testimony in her papers, which
have been collected and pr nted in the
biography which her husband. the late ID.
c. Boomer, wrote OF her that he APP
pearsnce in the 'bloomer costume" was not
attended by unfriendly demonstrations
modern hooters 1--WE had most said hood
lums) take note. She says: In all my
travels I met with nothing disagreeable
or unpleasant Bu; was Uni ersally treated
with respect and attention by both press
and people wherever I appeared"
At tho time she wore the new costume
in Omaha Mrs. Boomer was a resident
of Council Bluffs Indeed both Mr. and
Mrs Boomer We're among Council Bluffs
most prominent and best loved citizens.
They moved Co the iowa town in 1856 from
Seneca Fails, y. y. the town whers Mrs.
Boomer had first donned the nat or-stir-
. ring costume, and where she had for sew
eral years published the paper, The LAZY, "
which won her fame of another, but not
more lasting quality. Mrs Bloomer, it
should be remembered, was one of the
pioneers In the woman movement" and
associated with Miss Anthony and Mrs
Elizabeth Cady Stanton i'm the early DAYS
of their work Her donning Of the new
costume has naturally, therefore. been as
ISOLATED in the popular mind with the
'woman's right movement" The first out
cry against the womans petit on for the
right for vote was the scornful remark
"theyu want L, wear the trousers and
Garry the fami.y p3ckttbcok next When
the boomers We're donned this was con-
sidered the FIST step toward that not
20 be desired attempt of women to usurp
mans right to bflrcatsd garments. This
association Of the "wumens right idea
with the short skirt" WAS one OF the rea-
sons the leaders n the movement aban-
doned the new COS tune; they did not want
TO put any obstacle, even boomers in
the way of the success Of their serious
project
OF course the resent day trouser skirt
idea is not even smotelF connected with
that early idea. - IL? Nobody knows.
Because nobody in5ws where an idea has
it's roots nor hog high and wide its
branches may read Nobody, for in
stance is today adj 20 say whether wO-
Hen hfty years g. ON now Will be wear
ms hoop skirt-Or trousers II op SIX rts
by the way, were another inf uence which
led 70 the desert on Of the boomers"
forty years or so ago.
The history of Mrs Boomers adoption
Of the new costume Is most interesting,
i1 hos tfr 30, bar yyh 81
are taken from her husbands story Of her
life In the first place MRS Bloomer was
not the first II wear the new costume.
Indeed, she explains the whole happen
ing:
In January 1851 an article appeared
6ditorally in the Seneca County Courier.
Seneca Falls \, Y, on Fema Attire in
which the writer showed up the inconven=
fence, unhealthfulness and discomfort ot
womsn's dress and advocated change
60 Turkish panta oons. And in my next
issue tof The Iilyp l noticed him and his
proposed style in half serious half play
ful article OF some length" The paper dis
cusSion OF the change in STYLES continued
Tor some time, Mrs Boomer finally re-
plying seriously and endorsing the idea
While the discussion was still in progress
young woman Miss Elizabeth Smith Mil
ANl NA T NltAhNlhF ~ 90 Aaillt ~ sen eN-
for visit and astounded the town by ap
pearing the streets in short skirts an.
fun turkish trousers She was visiul.
Elizabeth Cady stanton and her hoste
was the next to adopt and appear IN I.
costume Mrs. Bloomer, then as the
Nocate Of the new mood, as she say
'practiced what I had preached and don
ned the new garh. Later she explains
Al the outset 1 had no idea Of fully adopt
ing the style, no thought OF setting a fash
ioni no thought that my action would
create an excitement throughout the civil
iKed world. and give to the style my nam
and the credit due Miss Miller. / stooC
amazed al the fUrore 1 had unwittingi,
caused. Some praised some blamed, som
commended and some rid,culed and con
demned 'Boomerism' 'Boomerites' an
'Bloomers.' Letters came pouring in upol
me by hundreds from women all over TN
country. making inquiries about the dress
and asking FOR patterns-showing how
ready and anxious women were 10 throw
eff the burden OF Ions heavy skirts"
For six or eight years. Mrs BloOme
says she wore no other costume but tn
boomers. and Travelled about lecturing an
received the courtesy mentioned above
young America was less exc tally. Al least
II not more courteous than Paris!
During those years when she wore th
costume OF fame Mrs. Bloomer and he
husband came to Council Bluffs. that Is II
the year 1855. soon after coming 20 IN
new west Mrs Bloomer crossed the Mis-
souri-in a skiff she ssys-and gave lee
ture in Omaha. This lecture aroused niue
enthusiasm. she reports and the paper
wanted 70 print her talk, but as Their