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The image of The New Woman is classically portrayed here in the depiction of the woman riding a bicycle. The bloomers make the riding easier. In this image, the women is seen to be alone--showing how rational dress enabled women to live more independent lives, not having to rely on a male counterpart for happiness. In this book, called "Revolted Women: Past, Present, and to Come" and published in 1897, the author makes commentaries about how the New Woman had been perceived in Victorian Society. Making references to Punch and the degrading poems they had published, the author analyzes the hesitancy to support women in their efforts in attaining independence.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.31175026118797

Both the women in hunting costumes and the woman in straddle position on horseback are images taken from the book, "A Study in Bloomers OR The Model New Woman". Now instead of portraying the New Woman only with a bicycle, society started imagining and observing rational dress opening up opportunities for women. Being able to ride horses and hunt, rational dress gave women freedom. This collection was published in 1892.

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The New Woman was a label given to the social progress that was most prominently observed around 1894-1896. During this time, women began to break through societal gender roles that had restrained women's freedoms. Typically associated with women who smoked, wore bloomers, rode bicycles, the New Woman was mocked and looked down upon.

In this exhibit, I gathered a collection of images--drawings, caricatures, and comics--from Victorian era magazines and newspapers that depict the 1890s perception of "the New Woman" through the lens of the bloomer. How "rational dress" had transformed from a pile of clothing to a gateway to social progress.

To navigate the exhibition, simply start a the top right and follow clockwise--or not! Choose however you want to browse through the images, for the existence of the new women was a concept from 1890. It is now 2022 and believe it or not, you have the independence and freedom to do what you want.

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Jarring men and conservative women,  rational dress  became popular for women in the 1890s and later was a symbol for "the new woman". This image was exhibited by the Warwick Modern Records Centre in the gallery for "the New Woman and the Bicycle". As independence became a prominent focus for women, accessibility and efficiency for transportation was a necessity. Riding a bicycle in the traditional clothes women were expected to wear was impossible.  Women who rode bicycles were immediately associated with rational dress--the clothing that women decided to wear to make the activities they more comfortable. In this image, we see a man mock the woman for wearing rational dress--calling her a man. Though it might've been a genuine questions because at the time it was rare to see a woman be unaccompanied nonetheless sporting activities such as biking without supervision, the question made visible the deeply ingrained gender roles that the Victorian Era cultivated. This image is from "The Hub" and was published on February 26, 1898.

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This catalogue collected images and depictions of society that the magazine, Punch, had created. This parade of the new woman was one of many that Punch had made to distort the image of progressive women. Though the caption simply explained the new clothing that women wore, Punch decided to  describe the clothing as "offensive". Published in 1895, the catalogue gathered many images of women who were experimenting with independence and the rational dress was a very viable way some women were pushing their freedoms in society.