Fashions for Cycling

The Ladies Standard Magazine
Vol. XVII, No. 4 (June 1897)
General Collections
Copyright deposit, 1897 (209.2)

In the 1890s, bicycling became a popular past-time for many American women. The delight of healthy exercise, speed, and freedom from chaperones coupled with long, flowing skirts made this new form of entertainment both dangerous and indecorous. After experimenting with tricycles, side-saddle seats, and screens to keep ankles from view, women pushed the fashion industry to offer new clothing styles for bicycling. This illustration shows a split skirt and a skirt "designed to fit the saddle." These slight changes satisfied conservatives, but most women cyclists turned to a more radical outfit--bloomers.