Improvements in Combination Garments for Female Bicycle Riders.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Combination Garments for Female Bicycle Riders.
1, MARGARET HOBUS LAWSON. of No. 11 Irvington Street, in the City of Boston,
County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Costume Maker, 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 :—
This invention has for its object to provide a combination garmont for the
use of female bicycle riders, which shall combine the desirable qualities of trousors
and skirt. The invention consists in the improved garment, which I will now pro-
ceed to describe.
Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification :
Figuro
reprosents a view of my improved garment as it appears when the
wearer is in a standing position.
Figure 2 represents a front view of the garment, the skirt portion being turned
up to show the bifurcated portion.
Figure 3 representa a side elevation of the garment, and
Figure 4 represents a perspective view of the cushion which is used to supplement
the saddle of the bicycle.
The samo letters of reference represent the same parts in all the figures.
In carrying out my invention I provide a garment which comprises the legs a a,
which are connected at their upper ends to form a bifurcated garment which may
be confined to the waist by a drawer string b, which is passed through a hem formed
at the upper end of the garment. The legs a a are made quite full or ample, and
are ornamented at their lower portion by pleating, as shown at a'. I may provide
the interior of the seat of the trousers with a cushion c, which is sewed or other-
wise secured to the trousers at the crotch, and in such position that it is interposed
between the person of the wearer and the saddle of the bicycle on which the
wearer is mounted, the cushion supplementing tho saddle and enhancing the comfort
of the wearer. The cushion is preferably provided with a detachable cover, which
can be removed to be washed when soiled. d and represent skirts or flounces,
which are attached to the upper portion of the trousers and are made of different
lengths, said skirts being preferably proportioned about as shown in Figures 1
and 3, so that when occupying their natural position tho garment will have the
appearance of a skirt having three parts or divisions, or, in other words, a skirt
with two flounces or overskirts, the lower ends of the trousers being sufficiently
ample to present the appearance of a single skirt of ordinary dimensions when the
wearer is standing. The skirt effect of the trousers is enhanced by the pleating a²,
which conceals the division between the legs and makes the two appear practically
as a single skirt, as indicated in Figure 1.
It will be seen that the trousers portion of the garment, presenting the appearance
of a skirt when the occupant is riding, enables the wearer to readily mount a
bicyclo and ride the same without inconvenience attending the use of an ordinary
continuous skirt of usual length.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
The improved bifurcated combination garment, comprising full leg portions
Provided with pleats at thaim laman a▬▬
fabious

page_text: of different lengths outside the garment, the said skirts or flounces being per-
manently connected to the trousers at different elevations thereof below the waist
band, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of January 1893.
MARGARET HOBBS LAWSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.