"The New Woman" & her bicycle suit

It's been steadily pouring with rain again today, so time for more clutter-clearing and sorting, which throws to light all sorts of interesting things. These magic lantern slides were in a box that belonged to Mr PP's grandfather. This pair dates back to the 1890s and offers a satirical look at the new fashions for women. (Presumably they were drawn by a man!)

At a time when cycling was becoming popular with women, their long skirts being unsuitable and unsafe for this activity, bicycle suits were designed incorporating bloomers to allow more freedom of movement - and preserve a woman's dignity if cycling in the wind. The first image, labelled 'In fancy' shows a Victorian woman's practical yet attractive self-image, while the other, labelled 'In fact', reveals what the artist saw as the drab, unattractive reality of such clothing.

Personally, I'd have embraced the bloomers, and enjoyed riding my bike, and stuff whatever anyone thought! And since the age of 18, I have also always made sure to use my right to vote, as fought for by brave 'new women' of this same era.

Such fascinating glimpses of history do slow down the clearing process, but they also add interest to the task.