Improvements in Costumes for Bicycling and other Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: TRUVIDIONAL SEMIFICATION.
Improvements in Costumes for Bicycling and other Purposes.
I, FREDERICK JAMES HAWORTH HAZARD of 81 Victoria Street, in the City
of Toronto, in the County of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The object of my invention is to devise a bicycling costume for women which
may be worn either as a skirt, bloomers, or divided skirt, and which may be quickly
changed from any one to any other, and it consists essentially of a skirt divided
both at the front and back from the bottom to a point about half way towards the
top, fastenings being provided whereby the edges of the opposite halves of the
skirt may be connected together to form an ordinary walking skirt, or the edges of
each half fastened together round the leg to form a divided skirt. In addition
tapes and suspenders are provided whereby the halves of the divided skirt may be
drawn in at the bottom and raised to form bloomers.
The opening at the front is provided with buttons on one edge and on the other
edge with button holes. The opening at the back is similarly provided with
buttons and button holes.
A casing or tuck is formed round the bottom of each half of the skirt.
Tapes are run through each casing or tuck, being preferably fastened to tapes.
hanging from waist band at one end the other ends being drawn through holes in
the edge of the skirt.
The visible ends of these tapes are provided with button holes so that when not
in use, they may be buttoned on to buttons inside the skirt, or when the garment
is used as bloomers, on to buttons on the suspenders from the waist band.
These suspenders are of ordinary construction, and are connected to the waist
band of the skirt, somewhat towards the front. The waist band is preferably
divided at each side, and may be fastened by hooks or buttons or in any other
suitable way.
When the costume is to be used as an ordinary walking skirt it has the openings
at the front and back closed by buttoning.
If it is desired to use it as a divided skirt, the openings at the fro t and back
are unbuttoned.
If desired to use it in the shape of bloomers, the tapes are drawn up so as to
gather in the bottom of each half of the skirt. These tapes are then buttoned on
to their respective suspenders. By adjusting the suspen-lers, the leg of the bloomer
may be made of any desired length.
As it is desirable to give the garment a greater amount of fullness round the
upper part of the leg, I connect a leg piece to the button side of each opening,
each leg piece has buttons connected thereto. By buttoning these buttons into
the corresponding button holes when the garment is worn as a divided skirt or
bloomers, the extra fullness will be given.
From the above description, it will be seen that I have devised a bicycle costume
for women which may be worn either as a walking skirt, divided skirt or bloomers,
which may be quickly changed from any one to any other.and will look equally
well however worn.

page_text: It should be mentioned that openings are made in the side of the waist band, so
that the hand may be.inserted to reach the suspenders and tapes when converting
the garment from a skirt to bloomers.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1895.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Costumes for Bicycling and other Purposes.
1, FREDERICK JAMES HAWORTH HAZARD, formerly of 81, but now of
77 Victoria Street, in the City of Toronto, in the County of York, and Province
of Ontario, Canada, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a skirt which can be readily converted
into a divided skirt or bloomers as the wearer desires.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 illustrates my improved skirt.
Fig. 2 shews the skirt converted into a divided skirt.
Fig. 3 shews the divided skirt converted into bloomers.
The skirt is preferably about 3 yards in width having a straight back, plain at
the top but gored at the front to give flare and full freedom to the knees.
The skirt opens in front on both sides of the front breadth, to the depth of 8 or
10 inches as shewn at A; the pocket being inserted here for greater convenience.
Large buttons B are provided to form an effective trimming, although hooks and
eyes or the like may be used as fastenings if preferred. By this arrangement the
usual unsightly placket opening in the rear is dispensed with.
At the back and front respectively, the skirt is cut upwards from the bottom
edge to about 15 inches from the top as shewn at C, and provided with flys D
extending from one side of each of the cuts. These flys have two rows of buttons E
and F, one on each edge. When the skirt is buttoned as shewn in Fig. 1; the
buttons form a neat trimming.
In order to convert the skirt into a divided skirt (Fig. 2) the cuts are unbuttoned
in front and at the back, and each of the side parts are buttoned together; the
buttons Fon the outer edge of the fly, being used in each case. This provides for
the requisite fullness and better shape. The division in the skirt properly
cut should be scarcely discernible.
A drawing tape runs through the lower hem of each side part of the skirt as
indicated at G. When it is desired to convert the skirt into bloomers (Fig. 3)
these tapes are drawn in at or near the knee and tied, as will be readily
understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) A skirt having openings on both sides of the front breadth extending from
the waistband downwards, and adapted to be closed by buttons or the like, and a
pocket inserted in one or both openings, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
(2.) A skirt having cuts at the back and front, which extend from the lower
edge upwards, adapted to be closed by buttons or the like, and one side of each cut
formed with a fly having preferably a double row of buttons substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described.

page_text: (3.) A skirt having cuts which extend from the lower edge upwards and adapted
to be closed by buttons or the like, a draw tape or tapes inserted near the lower
edge of each half of the skirt divided by the cuts, substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore set forth.
(4.) A skirt, having openings on both sides of the front breadth, extending
from the waistband downwards, and adapted to be closed by buttons or the like, a
pocket inserted in one or both openings, a cut in the front and back of the skirt
respectively and extending from the lower hem upwards and adapted to be closed
by buttons or the like, each of the cuts preferably provided on one edge with a
fly having a double row of buttons, and a draw-tape or tapes inserted near the
lower edge of each half of the skirt on each side of the cuts, all substantially as.
and for the purposes hereinbefore described, and shewn in the drawings hereunto-
annexed.
Dated thie 4th day of May 1906
PERCY R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.