Cycling suit as a symbol of women's emancipation in the late 19th century

At the end of the 19th century, when cycling began to gain popularity in England, it naturally could not help but affect women's fashion. The bicycle gradually turned into not just a means of transport, but also a symbol of freedom and independence for women. As for the suit specially created for it - an important step towards women's emancipation.

Traditional women's clothing of that time was completely impractical for cycling. Lush long skirts caught on the wheels, and rigid corsets limited movement and caused discomfort. These restrictions forced fashionistas to look for more comfortable solutions, and so a cycling suit appeared, specially adapted for active pastime.

The first cycling suits consisted of skirts with long slits in the front and back, which could be worn over breeches.

The slits could be buttoned, turning the skirt into a more traditional wardrobe item after a walk. To maintain modesty, women wore wide skirts with pleats that covered their legs, since showing off their ankles was considered vulgar at the time.

In 1896, Englishwoman Alice Bygrave made an important improvement by patenting a skirt with cords that could be lifted and secured while riding.

In addition, cyclists began to wear more comfortable corsets, wider and shorter than traditional ones, with a wire frame instead of whalebone, which significantly increased their comfort.

Of course, these innovations could not help but cause indignation among the conservative part of society, which considered cycling suits indecent. Women who dared to wear such outfits were often publicly condemned and even not allowed into public places.

One of the most famous cases of discrimination was the story of Lady Harberton, who in 1898 was not allowed into the Hautboy Hotel because of her cycling suit. This situation caused a wide resonance and became a symbol of the fight for women's right to wear comfortable clothes.

By the way, Lady Harberton was the founder of the Rational Costume Society, which sought to normalize the wearing of comfortable and functional clothes for women. Among the activists of this society was Constance Wilde, the wife of the famous writer Oscar Wilde.

Cycling clubs, which began to appear at this time, became an important social support for women, helping them to defend their rights. In 1895, the Women's Cyclists' Association was created, and in Edinburgh alone, four women's cycling clubs opened.

By 1914, the situation gradually changed: female cyclists stopped being attacked, and the cycling suit began to be perceived as a full-fledged version of sports fashion.

The cycling suit played its role in the process of women's emancipation, becoming a symbol of the struggle for freedom and equality.