First wave feminism addressed women’s suffrage, rights to education, need to end Comstock laws and the early fight against gendered and restrictive dress.

The red cap was a symbol for French revolutionaries, but it was the source of a major women’s civil rights set back.

A group of women revolutionaries wearing trousers were accused of accosting other women for not wearing the red cap.

This led France to pass a law allowing anyone in France to wear what they please, but the clothing items must adhere to current gender roles.

Women would not be legally allowed to wear trousers in France again until 1800.

Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for cross-dressing centuries before, but this red cap incident opened fashion discourse up to the blossoming feminist movement.

French women began ramping up the fight against gendered dress in the 1830s with a subgroup dressing solely in men’s clothing and leading masculine lifestyles.

Across the pond, American suffragist Amelia Bloomer introduced the Bloomer costume or reform dress to her readers in 1851.

Photo illustration of the Bloomer costume. (Contributed/freethoughttrail.org)

The outfit consisted of a short skirt or dress over big pantaloons.

The reform dress became a symbol of suffragists, but it went out of style in 1855 because those who dared to wear it publicly were often harassed for their perceived beliefs.

Bloomers gained popularity again in the 1890s due to the rise of cycling, but the Rational Dress Society of England had been advocating for its reinstatement since 1881.

The society fought against restrictive dress practices for women, and rational dress was adopted by a few privileged women in 1895.

After years of public backlash against reform dress, early 20th century suffragists devised a plan to present themselves in a new light.

Long white dresses represented purity, while purple sashes represented loyalty to the United States, and yellow represented hope. English suffragettes used green instead of yellow.

After World War I, women’s dress dropped the more restrictive undergarments and waist lines were raised for the first time in centuries.

Suffrage was achieved, but the feminist movement would see many changes of the century.

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