Ever wonder how the name for a particular article of women’s clothing acquired it’s name?

Beautiful cottons, intricate laces, and exquisite hand work were used to make a Victorian women’s wardrobe of undergarments.

Various names for these article’s of clothing are still used today.

Drawers, camisoles, Pantaloon’s,  and now today “Bloomers”.

Until a particular women of the 1850′s, the name for drawers was used in conjunction with “Bloomers”.

 

 

 

Amelia Jenks Bloomer, women’s rights and temperance advocate, adopted Elizabeth Smith Millers , new dress reform  for women of the 1850′s.  Also know as Libby Miller, she was another fellow activist,  who believed in a change in the dress standards for women that would be less restrictive.  Millers  “Trousers” were gathered at the ankles, like the trousers women wore in the middle eastern countries.

Libby Miller’s cousin,  Elizabeth Cady Stanton, another well know women’s activist, visited and encouraged Bloomer who began to wear the costume and promote it enthusiastically.  Bloomer then published articles  about the new costume in her newspaper publication the “Lilly” where by promoting her praise at this new clothing revelation for women.

Articles began printing in the New York Tribune, as more and more women started wearing  what became to be called “The Bloomer Costume” or “Bloomers”.

Unfortunately due to much ridicule by the general public even on the streets of New York City, Bloomer relented the new fashion by 1859, commenting that a “new invention” the “crinoline” is a sufficient reform that she could now return to conventional dress.

Fortunately for we women today, the name “Bloomers”  never left our fashion conscientiousness and we can have the best of both worlds wearing  these fun , pretty, and comfortable garments at will. We sure have fun making them here at  Victorian Tailor.com,  each one turns out a little different than the other.

All the beautiful one of a kind antique laces make the bloomers and other pieces of our clothing very special.

Hope you enjoy learning this one of many interesting facts from  Victorian Tailor.com.  We will be posting additional information about many clothing merchandise in the future.

 

This may be “cheesy” or “corny”, however here is a “Blooming Onion” recipe I found:

Blooming Onion and Dipping Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

  • Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
  • 1/3 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
  • 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Blooming Onion:
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions

  1. To make sauce: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, 1/3 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon oregano, a dash ground black pepper and cayenne pepper; mix well. Keep sauce covered in refrigerator until needed.
  2. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, beat egg and add milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground black pepper, oregano, thyme and cumin; mix.
  3. To slice onion: slice 1 inch off of the top and bottom of the onion and remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1 inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Now use a very sharp, large knife to slice the onion several times down the center to create ‘petals’:  First slice through the center of the onion to about three-fourths of the way down. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it again in an X across the first slice. Keep slicing the sections in half, very carefully until the onion has been cut 16 times. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion. (The last 8 slices will be difficult, be careful).
  4. Spread the ‘petals’ of the onion apart. To help keep them separate you could plunge the onion into boiling water for 1 minute and then into cold water.
  5. Dip the onion into the milk mixture and then coat it liberally with the flour mixture. Again separate the petals and sprinkle the dry coating between them.  Once you’re sure the onion is well-coated, dip it back into the wet mixture and into the dry coating again.  This double-dipping ensures you have a well-coated onion because some of the coating will wash off when you fry the onion.
  6. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the onion when it fries.
  7. Fry the onion right side up in the oil for 10 minutes or until it turns brown. When the onion has browned, remove it from the oil and let it drain on a rack or paper towels. Open the onion wider from the center so that you can put a small dish of the dipping sauce in the center.

Hope you have fun with all this info,

Celeste