A broadside and two music sheets relating to Bloomerism Amelia Bloomer c1851-55

A satirical response to Amelia Bloomer's campaign for women to wear pantaloons

Bloomer, Amelia (1818-1894). A group of three illustrated publications relating to Bloomerism and women's dress reform. London: N. Hodges and the Musical Bouquet Office, [c.1851-1855].

An illustrated broadside, New Song and Dialogue on Bloomerism. The Men Wrong and the Women Right, printed by N. Hodges, 31 Dudley Street, Seven Dials, 190 x 260 mm; together with The Bloomer Polka; & The Bloomer Schottische, Musical Bouquet no. 317, four pages on two loose leaves, and The Bloomer Valse; & The Bloomer Redowa, no. 322, two pages on one leaf only, lacking the second leaf. Both music publications approximately 250 x 350 mm, with large illustrations above the opening music and dedications to "Mrs. Col. Bloomer". All three in good condition only: toning, tears and edge wear, with marginal losses and a small repair to the broadside; reinforcements along the edges of both music publications. Some pencil annotations to the Valse.

A scarce group documenting the popular British response to the dress reform associated with American journalist and women's rights campaigner Amelia Bloomer. Bloomer owned and edited a newspaper called 'The Lily' that promoted temperance and other issues relating to women. Around 1850 she took up the cause of reform of women's dress, and adopted the style of dress known then as 'reform costume' based on Turkish pantaloons. What followed was a tone of hostility or mockery, seeing the style as an affront to masculinity.

This is reflected in the seven dials broadside. Its song and dialogue imagine women assuming authority while husbands wash clothes, nurse children, clean the house and bring breakfast to bed. An invented "Bloomers Act" threatens punishment for men who contradict their wives. The accompanying music sheets are not so biting with superb illustrations on both. The Polka features a portrait explicitly captioned "Mrs Amelia Bloomer", surrounded by smaller scenes of women wearing the costume; the Valse depicts two women in short skirts over full pantaloons. A scarce group with none for sale in commerce, and a handful of the music sheets in institutions.