I'm starting to wonder if our ancestors found the idea of women in pants as
shocking as we think they did. I keep finding examples of women wearing them in
the 19th century. The bloomer costume as reform dress, the bathing costumes,
women in camping and hiking situations, women on the westward
I have pictures (somewhere) of my great-grandmother working on the farm
in pants. I also seem to remember that when my grandmother was very
small and left out to herd the sheep, that she wore boy's clothes. I,
of course, was more shocked to learn that an eight-year-old would be
left alone
I agree, Maggie, if my conservative proper ancestors wore'em so
early. . .
Perhaps the shocking aspect we hear so much about in fashion history
texts was when *fashionable* women wore them! Perhaps little worn by
the anonymous classes was considered shocking: only in the upper and
I was astounded to learn that my very proper great-great grandmother
and her daughters wore bifurcated garments on the Oregon Trail-- in
1852, very soon after Amelia Bloomer was named as their creator. One
of the older daughters wrote about their experience and how the
garments made
