1897 Convertible Cycle Skirt
by Agnes Henderson,
Dressmaker
About the Patent
- NAMEAgnes Henderson
- PATENT APPLICATIONAU1314913166
- DATEApplication received March 9, 1897
- LOCATIONPatent applied for in Australia – inventor residing in Melbourne, Australia
- INVENTION“An Improved Cycling Skirt”
- THEME Moving [more about our themes]
About the Inventor
Born in 1856, in Fife, Scotland, Agnes Henderson (neé Cunningham) emigrated to Australia and by the late 1880s was working as a skilled and respected dressmaker at George and George’s, a large department store in central Melbourne. Around the time of Henderson’s patent application, cycling was so popular that, in addition to supplying tailored garments, the store also housed a cycling school.
Henderson was an excellent cyclist and had an eye for business. She promoted her invention at the department store and people could order and try out the skirt in the cycling school. She also specified a brand name for her unique invention – the “Eclecta Skirt”.
About the Invention
PROBLEM
Henderson designed a skirt that offered the wearer choices while walking or cycling – acts of independence for women, which were frowned upon by some parts of society. It was also very dangerous to cycle with flapping materials near wheels and pedals. By changing the length of the skirt, wearers could adapt the garment to reduce the risk to their physical safety or to minimise the risk of harassment.
SOLUTION
Three long cords are sewn into the skirt. Two are outside, one on each side, and the third is inside, hidden in the centre back seam. All end in tassels. The wearer lifts the cords and the skirt raises up. The side cords lift the skirt for ladies’ bike riding, the centre back cord raises it even higher for a diamond frame (men’s) bike riding. The cords wrap around the waist in a decorative style.
Open Access Patent Document
See the complete Australian patent application.
“The invention consists of an improved cycling skirt which is made suitable for being used as a walking costume for use by lady cyclists and of being further draped to suit ladies who ride the diamond frame bicycle.”
— Agnes Henderson, inventor
Henderson’s Invention in the Press
Speculatively Sewing Agnes Henderson’s Invention
Learn more about speculative sewing here
Reconstructing Henderson’s design seemed easy at first. It appears to be a simple A-line skirt with a series of cords attached to it. What is unique about this invention is the location of the cords — two on the outside and one inside — and how many options they offered for adaptability.
We were impressed by the different mechanisms for raising the skirt to different levels. A series of loops guide the cords, inside and out, ensuring easy movement of the material. A set of open hooks lower down on the skirt enables it to be lifted to different heights — the ankle, knee or higher still. This infrastructure gave the wearer many options. Lifting the side cords produces a pleasing gathered or ruched effect. The wearer could ride a step-through ladies frame bicycle, and her legs/bloomers would remain covered at the sides.
Pulling the inside cord, located in the rear centre seam, raises the skirt higher still. This mechanism clears the material from the rear wheel. This is very clever and enables the wearer to ride a diamond frame, a man’s bicycle of the period. The effect again is a pleasing ruffle of fabric at the back, not too dissimilar to a bustle. The skirt can be easily reverted back into an ordinary long skirt when the cords are released.
All the cords end in tassels, which make them look decorative when wrapped around the waist. We were interested in how the convertibility of this skirt is both exposed and hidden. Henderson draws attention to the unique design while also concealing its quite radical possibilities.
You can read our open access journal article about speculative sewing here.
Henderson’s Invention in POP’s Short Film
POP invited The Adventure Syndicate (TAS) and Mòr Diversity to try out a collection of reconstructed convertible, reversible, multiple and hidden sports- and active-wear in the Scottish hills. We made 5 customised costumes spanning from the 1890s to 1940s – including Henderson’s convertible cycling skirt.
Together we went running, jumping, hiking, flying, cycling, swimming, hunting, riding horses, catching trains, driving cars, climbing up and rolling down hills, and otherwise putting these amazing costumes through their paces. We made a short film (20 mins) called “Women On The Move”, directed by Alice Lemkes of TAS, which is currently being shown at international women’s and sports/adventure film festivals.
The initial launch of the film on International Women’s Day 2023 coincided with the publishing of a journal article in the Sociological Review which goes into all of this in more depth. See below for more links to events and research.
More Research Relating to Henderson’s Invention
Below is a selection of research activities relating to Henderson’s invention and activewear more generally. Click through to learn more.
The Speculative Sewing Inventory is part of the Politics Of Patents project, which has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Grant No: 819458. Politics Of Patents is hosted by Goldsmiths College, University of London.
