An Improved Skirt Holder for Lady
Year: 1896

page_text: An Improved Skirt Holder for Lady
I EMILY CHRISTABEL WOOLMER of The Vicarage, Sidcup, in the County
of Kent, Spinster do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I have devised an improved skirt holder suitable for use by lady cyclists which
consists in its several parts of :-
(1) A tape or elastic sewn or fastened to the skirt on the inside near the side
pleat, and about 4 inches long.
(2) A loop made wholly of elastic, or partly of elastic and partly of a leather
strap, of such a size that it admits the foot and fits tightly round the instep. In
case the loop is made partly of elastic and partly of a leather strap the leather
strap is intended to be used as the lower half of the loop and should be in contact
with the instep of the sole of the boot or shoe worn. This loop is provided with
a strip of elastic some three inches in length which is a continuation of and part of
the elastic of which the loop is made. To this strip of elastic forming as described
a continuation of the loop is fastened by sewing or otherwise a buckle.
The improved skirt holder is used in the following manner.
The loop having been slipped on to the instep the tape or elastic sewn into the
skirt as described is passed through and secured by the buckle of the elastic strip.
forming as described a continuation of the loop.
Two such skirt holders are required, and are attached as explained above to the
dress at the sides near the side pleats (if any).
Any suitable arrangement, for example a hook & eye, preferably a safety one,
may be used in place of the buckle.
Dated shin Lith dauint Ma 1906
EMILY CHRISTABEL WOOLMER,
By Shirley Woolmer,
Her Agent.
An Improved Skirt Holder for Lady Cyclists.
I, EMILY CHRISTABEL WOOLMER, of The Vicarage, Sidcup, in the County
of Kent, Spinster, 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 :-
My said invention relates to an improved skirt holder for lady cyclists and has
for its object to obtain a simple and inexpensive device readily applicable to a
lady's skirt, and which in use will effectually hold the skirt in place and prevent
the same riding up without causing discomfort to the wearer.

page_text: In carrying the invention into effect, a short length of elastic or other suitable
material is attached to the inside of the skirt at or near the side pleat and this
skirt strap might conveniently be about four inches in length.
In connection with this skirt strap is employed a loop formed wholly or partly
of elastic material, that is to say, it might be wholly of elastic material, or it might
be partly or wholly formed of leather or the like and it is formed of such
dimensions that it may be expanded to pass over the toe of the boot or shoe to the
instep around which it tightly fits and when the loop is formed partly of leather or
the like such material may be arranged to form the lower half of the loop and pass
under the waist or shank of the boot or shoe, whilst the elastic portion constitutes
the upper halt thereof and passes over the instep.
To the loop is connected, preferably by forming it in continuation of the other
elastic portion thereof, a short strap provided with a buckle which latter is adapted
to receive the skirt strap, so that those two parts may be securely connected
without possibility of accidental separation, whilst by means of the buckle
connection any desired tension may be put upon the compound strap.
In applying the device, two short lengths or skirt straps are first secured to
opposite sides of the skirt in the manner hereinbefore described, and in using the
device the loops are distended and slipped over the feet until they occupy a
position over the instep and under the waist or shank of the boot or shoe.
The skirt strap is then introduced into the buckle and the compound strap is
tightened to any desired extent when the skirt will be reudered secure against
riding up whilst it will not offer any impediment to mounting, dismounting, riding
or walking and furthermore the loops may be quickly detached by disconnecting
the straps at the buckle.
And, in order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings fully to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a side view of a shoe and a portion of a skirt partly turned up
showing the skirt holder applied thereto.
Figure 2. is a sectional view showing the device attached to the skirt in readiness
for use, and,
Figure 3. is an inside view thereof.
Figure 4 is an edge view of a modified form of holder and showing the skirt
strap detached from the buckle strap, and,
Figure 3 is a face view thereof.
In the several figures, in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference, Figures 2. to 5. are drawn to an increased scale with respect to
Figure 1.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a represents the skirt strap which consists of a short
length of elastic or other suitable material attached at 6 to the inside of a skirt b.
preferably at or near the side pleat thereof, and this skirt strap a might
conveniently be about four or five inches in length.
In connection with the skirt strap a is employed a loop a. formed of elastic
material or it might be partly or wholly of leather or the like as hereinafter
described, and this loop a. is formed of such dimensions that it may be expanded to
pass over the toe of the boot or shoe to the instep around which it tightly fits, as
shown at Figure 1.
To the loop a, is connected preferably by a continuation of the elastic loop a. a
short strap af which may conveniently be about three or four inches long, and this
strap a' is provided with a buckle a which is adapted to receive the skirt strap a
as shown in the drawings, and thus the two parts as a' may be securely connected
without possibility of separation, whilst by means of the buckle connection the
tension exercised by this compound elastic strap a' may he adjusted in the
manner desired.

page_text: It will generally be preferable to form both parts a³ a' of the compound strap
of elastic material but either of such parts might, if desired, be of leather or the
like.
In applying the device two of the buckle straps a are first secured by sewing in
the manner represented in the drawings to opposite sides of the skirt b. and in using
the device the loops a. of the co-acting parts are distended and slipped over the
feet until they occupy a position over the instep and under the waist of the boot
or shoe as represented at Figure 1.
The skirt strap a³ is then introduced into the buckle a aud the compound
strap a a¹ is strained to any desired extent, when the skirt b. will be rendered
secure against riding up, whilst, at the same time, it will not offer any
impediment to monnting, dismounting, riding or walking and furthermore after
riding the loops a. may be quickly detached by disconnecting the strap a' from the
buckle a².
In the example given at Figures 4, and 5, the loop a. is formed partly of elastic
material and partly of leather or other suitable material a and in this case the
elastic part a. is intended to fit over the instep of the boot or shoe, whilst the
part a of leather or other material is intended to form the lower half of the loop
and occupy a position beneath the waist or shank of the boot or shoe.
Although it is preferable to form the loop a. wholly or partly of elastic
material, it will be understood that it might be formed entirely of leather and in
that case it would be split and provided with a button hole and button, a buckle or
other means of connecting and fixing it around the boot or shoe whilst the elastic
straps a¹ a³ would still be retained.
When desired, any other suitable connecting devices, for instance, hooks and
eyes, or safety pins, may be substituted for the before mentioned buckle.
By the means hereinbefore described, a simple inexpensive and efficient device is
obtained which may readily be applied by any rider without previous instruction
and which will effectually prevent some of the inconveniences now met with by
ladies who engage in cycling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said iuven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A skirt holder, comprising a short strap adapted to be fixed with the skirt, a
short strap carrying a buckle or other suitable connecting device, adapted to engage
the skirt strap and a loop connected with the buckle strap and adapted to encircle
a boot or shoe, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
2. A skirt. holder, comprising a short strap adapted to be fixed with the skirt, a
short strap carrying a buckle, or other suitable connecting device, adapted to
engage the skirt strap and an expansible loop connected with the buckle strap and
adapted to encircle a boot or shoe, substantially as herein shown and described and.
for the purpose stated.
3. A skirt holder, comprising a short strap adapted to be fixed with the skirt, a
short strap carrying a buckle or other suitable connecting device adapted to engage
the skirt strap and an expansible loop connected with the buckle strap and
composed partly of elastic material and partly of leather or the like and adapted
to encircle a boot or shoe, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated.
Dated this 15th day of March 1897.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.