​​Bloomers and rationals

Young Noblewoman, Urmia Iran, c. 1839 Source: Library of Congress, Washington D.C. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.52089/

Iranian Woman wearing a Niqab, Urmia Iran, c. 1839. Source: Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.52084/

‘The American Ladies’ New Costume’, in Illustrated London News, Vol. 19, July 19th 1851, p. 85. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

Lossing & Barritt, 'Turkish Costume', in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, July 1851, p. 288. Source: Art and Picture Collection, New York Public Library. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-f203-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

‘Bloomerism. – New Costume for Ladies’, in Illustrated London News, Vol. 19, September 27th 1851, p. 396. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

William Dessier, 'Bloomer Waltz (costume for summer)'. (New York: William Hall and Son, c. 1851). Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://www.loc.gov/item/95505065/

Martha Keller, 'The New Costume Polka, Composed for the Piano' (Philadelphia: Lee & Walker, 1851). Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://www.loc.gov/item/96510135/

Women’s rights: Ladies take your own choice, 1851. Source: Library of Congress, Washington D.C. https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3a51043/

‘Halloo! Turks in Gotham’, 1851. Source: Library of Congress, Washington D.C. https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3b35975/

John Tenniel, ‘Woman’s Emancipation. (Being a Letter addressed to Mr Punch, with a Drawing, by a strong-minded American Woman)’, in Punch, 1851, p. 3. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘Bloomerism – An American Custom’, in Punch, September 27th 1851, p. 141. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘A Probable Incident if that Bloomerism isn’t Put Down’, in Punch, 1851, p. 150. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘Bloomerism in a Ball-Room’, in Punch, 1851, p. 184. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘Paris Fashions for November’, in Illustrated London News, Vol. 19, November 1st 1851, p. 540. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Tenniel, ‘The Graces’, in Punch, 1851, p. 186. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

'Reitcostüm', undated. Source: Art and Picture Collection, New York Public Library. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-f207-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

John Leech, ‘Bloomerism!’, in Punch, 1851, p. 189. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘A Probable Incident if that Bloomerism isn’t Put Down’, in Punch, 1851, p. 150. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘Apropos of Bloomerism’, in Punch, 1851, p. 160. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘A Poser for A Bloomer’, in Punch, 1851, p. 208. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Tenniel, ‘The Bloomer Ball’, in Punch, 1851, p. 209. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘Bloomeriania: A Dream’, in Punch, 1851, pp. 204-5. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘Funny Market and Witty Intelligence’, in Punch, 1851, p. 211. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘The Law of Domestic Storms’, in Punch, 1851, p. 229. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘The Ex-Unprotected Female Takes Part in a Bloomer Lecture’, in Punch, 1851, p. 218-9. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 9. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11231385074

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 14. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038927625

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 21. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038062385

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 25. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11039896135

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 28. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038997975

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 32. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038075323

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 36. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038776774

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 40. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038230234

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 45. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11039667553

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 48. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11039936684

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 55. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11039935774

Deborah Dreadnought (pseud.), The Beauties of Bloomerism [in verse]. Edited ... by D. D. Illustrated with twelve ... coloured likenesses ... from the designs of W. S. Reed (London: n.pub., 1852), p. 59. Source: The Illustration Archive http://illustrationarchive.cf.ac.uk/image/11038852356

George Cruikshank, 'Cruikshank's Exhibition of Bloomers in Hyde Park, 1852'. Source: Art and Picture Collection, New York Public Library. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-fc61-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

‘A Very Saucy Impudent Woman’, in Punch, Almanac, 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘Efficiency of Female Police’, in Punch, Almanac, 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

'The Band at St. James’s Palace’, in Punch, Almanac, 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘Mast-Headed’, in Punch, Almanac, 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘The Barrister’, in Punch, Almanac, 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘The Parliamentary Female’, in Punch, Almanac, 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

John Leech, ‘Naturally the Female Thinks Shopping Very Foolish and Tiresome’, in Punch, Almanac 1853. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

'How to get a nomination... take your friends to a primary meeting. You embrace all of the "issues", especially Bloomerism and Mormonism', in Frank Leslie's Budget of Fun, January 1872. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004670988/

'The Ladies of Lima, Peruvian Ladies', 1876. Source: Art and Pictures Collection, New York Public Library. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-17bf-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

‘Three Women’, November 7th 1879. Source: Library of Congress, Washington D.C. https://www.loc.gov/resource/pga.13004/

Edward Linley Sanbourne, ‘“The Angel in ‘the House”; Or the Result of Female Suffrage. (A Troubled Dream of the Future)’, in Punch, June 15th 1884, p. 279. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

‘Sirens in Small-Clothes’, in Lady’s Pictorial, April 25th 1891, p. 654. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

George Cruikshank, 'The Bloomers in Hyde Park, Or an Extraordinary Exhibition for 1852', 1894. Source: Arts and Picture Collection, New York Public Library. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-f206-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

‘The National Cycle Show’, in The Graphic, December 15th 1894, p. 682. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

Bernard Partridge, ‘Untitled’, in Punch, January 12th 1895, p. 23. Source: Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University.

Benjamin West Kilburn, 'The Coming Woman, Atlanta Exposition', 1895. Source: Photography Collection, New York Public Library. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-563a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

New York Sunday Herald, September 26th 1896. Source: Library of Congress, Washington D.C. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.43442/

New York Sunday Herald, October 18th 1896. Source: Library of Congress, Washington D.C. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.43445/

'Smoking Not Allowed Here', c. 1897. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004680435/

'The New Woman - Wash Day', c. 1897. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. Image used for non-commercial purposes. https://www.loc.gov/item/90706169/

Miss Genevieve Wimsatt pictured here as Cavalry Leader for the Woman Suffrage Procession. On March 3rd 1913 suffragists marched before the White House prior to the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson, challenging the exclusion of women from the ‘political organization of society’. This image was published in the Official Program: Woman Suffrage Procession, Washington, D.C., March 3rd 1913. Source: Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.20801600/?sp=10

Not in those trousers (date unknown). Source: Suffrage Collection, Glasgow Women's Library, Glasgow.

What it will come to (1929), Buckingham. Source: Suffrage Collection, Glasgow Women's Library, Glasgow.

Not in these trousers (date unknown). Source: Suffrage Collection, Glasgow Women's Library, Glasgow.

Then they will be satisfied (date unknown). Source: Suffrage Collection, Glasgow Women's Library, Glasgow.