A PATENT FOR BLOOMERS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue XII, 21 March 1896, Page 316

A PATENT FOR BLOOMERS.

Hereafter, in the United States at least, the new woman will have to pay a royalty on her bloomers Letters patent covering that up-to-date female wearing apparel have just been granted to Thomas Royce, an enterprising citizen of Brooklyn. The application for this patent was filed by Royce some time ago, when the bloomer craze was at its height. He did not claim to be the originator of this form of feminine trousettes, but based his right to letters patent op the ground that he was the inventor of some of the most essential features of the accepted style of bloomers. He also claimed to be the original applicant for a patent right on the article named.

The delay in granting letters patent io Royce was due to a long-drawn-out and rather humorous discussion among the Patent Office examiners as to whether female trousers, commonly known as bloomers, were patentable. The interesting point in connection with the granting of this patent was the official decision and recognition of the word ' bloomers,’ it being held that the term was of novel American origination, without regard to the apparel of females of the Old World or ancient times.