Cycle Clothing

 In the 1880s, cycling became a fad of major proportions in both the United States and Europe. By the 1890s the "Golden Age of Bicycles" had arrived, bicycling clubs for both men and women flourished on both sides of the Atlantic and touring and racing were the rage.

Men wore jackets and trousers which were adapted to the needs of cycling, having shorter jackets and knee-length trousers in combination with long woollen socks. Special cycling shoes could be bought which were light and pliable with smooth soles.

At first women wore their everyday long skirts but this often proved dangerous when they tangled with the chains or spokes. Soon special cycling clothing for the bicycling lady was introduced which included the divided skirt and the more extreme "bloomers".