ALL HAVE TO WEAR BLOOMERS. - A Woman Cycling Club Formed in This City Which Has Adopted the Garment - EVERY MEMBER MUST WEAR 'EM - Sun, Jul 21, 1895 – 18 · The San Francisco Examiner

Here is San Francisco's Alpha Club, a cycling club for women, who all wore bloomers; basically cycling pants. This was a big deal, read why.

ALL HAVE TO WEAR BLOOMERS. Sun, Jul 21, 1895 – 18 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) · Newspapers.com

ALL HAVE TO WEAR BLOOMERS.

A Woman Cycling Club Formed in This City Which Has Adopted the Garment

EVERY MEMBER MUST WEAR 'EM

The Pioneer Bloomer Club on the Pacific Coast - So They Call Themselves the Alphas

One bright moonlight night in May the California Cyclers were out for a spin on the Folsom boulevard, when they encountered the most miserable, dejected lot of women imaginable.

They were chiefly the wives and sisters of the Californias, who, after repeated attempts to ride against the wind in their heavy, cumbersome shirts, had dismounted, weary and worn, and were pushing their wheels homeward.

When the men learned the cause of their discomfort, they chaffed them about sacrificing comfort and being a slave to fashion, and laughed at what they called "a woman's false modesty."

"Why don't you wear bloomers?" they said. "You can't ever expect to go on runs with us if you wear skirts and get all tired out and want to walk your wheels."

This was followed by an animated discussion as to the advantages and disadvantages, the modesty and immodesty of bifurcated garments, and ended by the California Cyclers offering the use of their luxurious clubrooms at the corner of Twenty-second and Folsom streets as a permanent meeting-place if the women would form a "bloomer" club.

There was but one proviso. They were to admit no one to membership who would not discard skirts, which are a great impediment to free locomotion, and don bloomers, the only sensible costume for the cycling woman.

So generous was this offer that after a hasty consultation the wheel women at once accompanied the men to their clubrooms, and the Alpha, the only bloomer club in San Francisco, was organized with ten charter members.

The following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Emma F. Keller; Vice-President, Mrs. Maggie Wynne; Secretary, Miss Dorothy Pendergast; Treasurer, Mrs. A. Pendergast: Sergeant-at-Arms, Miss Mary Vermeil.

The road officers are: Captain, Mrs. Addie Wynne; First Lieutenant, Mrs. Eveline Smith; Second Lieutenant, Mrs. Nellie Yoacham.

THE FIRST BLOOMER CLUB
On the back row of picture, at the left next the wheel, are: 1 - Miss Rita Mahony, 2 - Miss May Layton. 3 - Miss Dorothy Pendergast. 4 - Miss Emma Herringer, 5 - Miss Lena Egeberg. 6 - Mrs. Annie Kerris, 7 - Miss M. E. McCarthy.
In the second row are: 1 - Miss Rose Smith (leaning on wheel). 2 - Mrs. Eveline Smith (First Lieutenant). 3 - Mrs. Addie Wynne (Captain). 4 - Mrs. Nellie Yoacham (Second Lieutenant). 5 - Miss Winnie Wall
In the front row are: 1 - Mrs. Emma F. Keller (next standing wheel). 2 - Miss Mollie F. Mahony. 3 - Miss Gertrude Bovius.

Mrs. Addie Wynne, the Captain of the Alpha Club, is the wife of Henry F. Wynne, Secretary of the California Cycling Club and President of California Associated Cycling Clubs. She is an enthusiastic wheel-woman and has accompanied her husband on many long trips into the country.

In speaking of the club Mrs. Wynne said: "The magnanimous offer of the California Cyclers and their hearty approval of the bloomers, caused us to discard skirts and don the more comfortable garment. The ease with which we ride in bloomers and the pleasure derived therefrom, cannot be imagined by those who do not wear them. They are simply lovely and none of our members could ever be induced to wear skirts on the wheel again.

"Before the formation of the club we wore skirts and could ride but a few miles before getting thoroughly tired out. Now we take long runs to the beach, Ingleside, Uncle Tom's Cabin and various other places, return to the club and after an hour spent in the gymnasium we are as fresh as at the start. The bloomer is decidedly the only cycling dress, and I think it will pave the way for more comfortable and healthful street garments." We are not new women, she said, "but merely emancipated. All the credit is due to the new man, who really wishes women to enjoy the ease and comfort over which he has so long held a monopoly."

The idea of a bloomer club is a very popular one, for though the Alpha was organized less than two months ago, it now has forty members. They are Mrs. Bessie Alcayaga, Mrs. M. Buchanan, Miss Gertrude Bevins, Miss Mary Costelle, Miss Lena Egeberg, Miss Katherine Fries, Miss Lillian Gille, Miss Etta Hammond, Miss Emma Herringer, Miss Edith Janke, Mrs. Emma F. Keller, Mrs. A. M. Kerrison, Miss May Layton, Miss Gertrude Livingston, Miss Carrie Maguire, Miss Nina Maguire, Mrs. Martha Mack, Mrs. Lizzie Mitchell, Miss Mollie Mahony, Miss Rita Mahony, Miss Alice Moore, Miss M. E. McCarthy, Miss Lillie Madden, Miss Elsie Nay, Mrs. A. Pendergast, Miss Dorothy Pendergast, Mrs. J. Robbins, Miss Kate Ruddell, Mrs. Eveline Smith, Miss Mary Smith, Miss Rose Smith, Mrs. Luli Trautretter, Miss Mary Vermell, Mrs. Addie Wynne, Miss Maggie Wynne, Miss Nellie Wynne, Miss Maggie Wall, Miss Minnie Wall, Mrs. Nellie Yoacham, Mrs. Ella Younger.

As is usual in all organizations of women, the subject of dress was for some time the all-absorbing topic. The discussion was continued long and bitterly, and came near causing the dissolution of the club. When asked why such a somber costume had been selected the President, Mrs. Emma F. Keller, said:

"I do not believe that navy blue is the choice of all our members. Many of them wanted gray and others tan, and argued that no dark material was fit for bicycling in this dusty country.

But there were those to whom nature had been somewhat too generous, who seriously objected to any costume which tended to give an idea of their actual size. Out of consideration to them, but not until after a long struggle, the navy blue serge uniform was adopted."

The bloomers are full and baggy, but not too much so, and a neat-fitting jacket is worn over a white sweater. The Greek A is embroidered in white silk on the navy blue cap and in blue on the white sweater. The gloves, which are white military gauntlets, closely fitting black jersey leggings and the regulation black leather bicycle shoes, complete the costume.

When out on the road, with the ribbons of blue and gold, the club colors, fluttering in the breeze, the natty uniforms, the shining wheels, and with the bearing of crackerjacks, the Alpha Club makes a charming picture.

Many of its members are at present making tours throughout the State on their wheels and almost all of them have cameras with them. Photographs of pretty bits of scenery along the route are being sent to the club, and already there is quite a collection of artistic views of California.

The first long run of the club will be to Haywards, under Captain Wynne, on Sunday, July 28th. The following week Palo Alto and all points of interest en route will be visited. A run to San Jose is being arranged, and a trip to the Yosemite is contemplated when the weather grows cooler.

This will be the grand finale of the season. The women cyclers will camp there for a couple of weeks, and their cameras will be very much in evidence. When they return in September they will no doubt have one of the prettiest collections of California scenes.