I would suspect that the skirt lifter was an adaptation of the normal
lady's accessory that was used at the dances when the women wore those full
length and flowing skirts.
My grandmother had one that is still in the family, but I don't it have to
show.
The use was the same so the ladies wouldn't trip when doing the elegant
ballroom dances.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA
>I have had a few requests to identify the "skirt lifter" device that I
> mentioned in an earlier post. If fact I am going to do a small series of
> items from that era to give you all an idea how popular cycling was and
> all the products it propagated. Should be fun.
>
> Today as mentioned will be the skirt lifter. First one has to understand
> that cycling near the turn of the century (TOC) was acceptable as a men's
> sport. Women were not well accepted into this newly found freedom of the
> road. Women who rode often were harassed and even physically threatened.
> To wear pants or bloomers was a scandal and only women of questionable
> upbringing dared to wander out in such dress. Only slightly more
> acceptable was to wear a Victorian skirt down below the ankle. You can
> imagine the difficulty with an open chain ring not to mention the spokes
> and wheels themselves.
>
> Well Yankee ingenuity created something called a skirt lifter to pull the
> skirt away from those nasty moving bits. The one shown in this photo was
> used by hooking the one end over the sash or waist wrap and the other end
> clipped to the skirt bottom effectively pulling away from danger. It was
> not very successful and soon was abandoned. Another unintended consequence
> was the exposed leg, much more offensive then the leg in bloomers. Soon
> bloomers won out and women were on their way.
>
> BTW, the other item in the photo is a period bicycle lock. Do you think
> this baby is NYC rated?
>
> http://www.auctionflex.com/
>
> Ray Homiski
> Elizabeth, NJ