[After Mrs. Bloomer, an American lady who introduced the costume.]
1. (More fully Bloomer costume, dress): A style of female attire consisting of a short skirt and long loose trousers gathered closely round the ankles. So attrib. Bloomer principles, movement.
1868. Reade, True Love, II. iv. 154. At sight of Miss Courtenay in a Bloomer he was ravished.
1875. Miss Bird, Sandw. Isl. (1880), 85. Deborah looked very piquante in a bloomer dress of dark blue.
2. A woman who wears this dress.
1868. Reade, True Love, II. ii. 153. She then burst out crying, which was an unfair advantage the Bloomer took over poor Reginald.
3. A kind of hat with a broad brim worn by ladies.
1883. Life Mrs. Prentiss, vi. 177. A small shawl and my bloomer on.
Hence Bloomerism, the principles of Mrs. Bloomer as to female costume.
1857. C. Reade, Course True Love, II. ii. 134. She was pretty far gone in bloomerism.
1882. Lady Harberton, Dress Reform, in Macm. Mag., XLV. 456. ‘Bloomerism’ still lurks in many a memory.
