You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer!

by Shana Corey, Chesley McLaren (Illustrator)

Would you DARE to bare your underwear? If you like CLOTHES and people with the courage to SKIRT conventions and address injustice, Amelia Bloomer and her unFITTING ideas will charm the PANTS off you!

Amelia Bloomer, a rebellious reformer and early women's rights activist, invented bloomers (baggy pantaloons worn beneath a short skirt), thus liberating women from the dangerous and oppressive clothing of the mid-nineteenth century. Here is her story, told in buoyant, witty text and beautiful, high styled-illustrations.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Childrens, Biography Memoir, Historical

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2000

About the author

Lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloomer, an early advocate of women's rights, and a newspaper publisher hated the way "proper" ladies were expected to dress in 1850. She hated the way the long skirts picked up mud and trash from the streets. The constricting corsets made it hard to breathe. The hoops were so wide, women had trouble fitting through doors. The layers of petticoats were hot, and the whole outfit put together weighed between 20 and 40 pounds.



Luckily for Amelia, she was introduced to Elizabeth Cady Stanton's cousin, Libby, who, after a visit to Europe where she had seen women wearing baggy pantaloons covered by a short skirt, had adopted the outfit as her own. Amelia was inspired. Not only did she create pants for herself, she wrote about them in her newspaper. Soon many women were wearing "bloomers," and enjoying the freedom that light, loose clothing afforded them.



Corey presents an interesting glance at a revealing bit of history. Chelsea McLaren's illustrations are simple, yet evocative. There is also an author's note at the back of the book that provides a more detailed account of Bloomer's life and accomplishments.

[Carolyn Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, rating this one based purely on my five-year-old's response. I don't like kid's books, toys, sandboxes, or fun. She likes the book but doesn't sleep with it: thus, the four, not five. Still, the book provoked a good discussion of why I'm "not a lady" and plan to remain so. Nice bit of history here too -- the ending which fast forwards to modern slacks-wearing broads felt a bit tacked on. Otherwise, solid addition to the library for parents who have noticed that, uh, girls need active role models and a sense of history that includes them. Not just anorexic passive long haired damsels. (Even Elsa -- she needs to consume something other than ice cubes.) Yeah.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to some of the pioneers in women's rights in America. The illustrations are so charming and fun! The story itself is nothing that spectacular (I found it a bit annoying that Amelia Bloomer, who was supposedly elevating women's status, kept thinking that things were "silly." Um, couldn't we have found a more grown-up word for her to use?) but I haven't found many books on this subject and it's an important one!!! The historical note at the end is really interesting, too. Let us all be thankful to Amelia Bloomer and her comrades for their tenacity and bravery--I'm certainly glad I don't have to wear whale-bone corsets that rearrange my internal organs, or skirts that weigh 20 pounds!!!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief, humorous biography for kids of Amelia Bloomer, a suffragette and champion of pants for women, essentially. A fun book, with great illustrations, and a more complete biography at the back, for those looking for more information on Amelia's entire life, and not just the episode that led to her invention of "The American Costume."

[Emily Cardwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to have in your classroom! The main character in the story, Amelia, made a difference for women in her time period. She did so many things that were seen as "Improper" but they made her happy so she continued to do it. The illustrations in this book were beautiful and really made the book stand out. This picture book could act as a mirror or even a window for the students in your classroom. Students may see themselves in Amelia or they can learn about a person like her! This book has a low setting as it takes place just in and around Amelia's town. This book is also a low theme as it is something pretty normal and similar things could happen in anyone's life! I highly recommend this book for your classroom library.

[Garis Brauns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you looking for a book to put in your classroom library? You forgot your skirt is a Picture book. This book format is words above each picture and words that are below the pictures. This book is to inform readers about the women's rights movements, and how things were different in the early 19th century. The main character is Amelia Bloomer, and she talks about what they had to wear in the early 19th century. The setting takes place in America at the end of 19 century.

[Reem · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is about a women called Amelia Bloomer who tried to fight her society and make changes that she didn’t like in her society. Amelia try to not be a proper lady like many girls in her town who were tiny heavy dresses and can’t work or vote. In fact she think that proper lady is silly, and she want women to have right to do whatever they want. She start to do things against the norms, she start working at her newspaper and designing her convert clothes. At first, she faced resistance from the society. Later on women like her movement and start to wear her clothes design. The story is teaching kids about women's history and the importance of being an individual. The book has a gutter cover where the illustration in both sides is connected in one picture. The author used a colorful theme for his book where the font of the title is playful font. The book has dust jacket where the illustrations are the same as the illustrations on the front and back cover. The front jacket flaps contain a summary of the story while the end jacket shows the honors and acclaim for Mr. Gumpy’s outing. The book has a separate fine print page which comes right after the title page and indicating the publishing information and copyright information, as well as the ISBN number. Also, it has dust jacket where the illustrations are the same as the illustration on the front and back cover. . In terms of the overall rating, I believe the book worth 4 stars. I like the detailed style that the author used and the sketches are amazing. The beautiful drawing made a nice touch to the story.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Biography

Summary: This book tells the story of Amelia Bloomer and how she fought for women's rights by creating her own newspaper and suggesting that women wear less restrictive clothing.

Critique: A. Captivating visual representations
B. This book told the biography of Amelia Bloomer in a beautifully visual manor. The illustrations were rich, colorful, and alluring. The simplistic descriptions of how and why Amelia thought the way she did and how others viewed her were purely brilliant. I feel any student will be able to understand the significance of Amelia Bloomer's accomplishments and the visual representations will stick in readers' minds.
C. For example, there is a visual of Amelia carrying a stack of newspapers that she created and also on the page is an illustration of a personal checklist written by her which stated, "To do: Women Vote Work." These words and pictures are so simple yet so powerful.

Curriculum Connection: This story would be wonderful to use when talking about women's rights. This story could be used to show how women had to fight to defend their opinions and ideals and many things that we view as normal today were against the social norms of previous times. This is a wonderfully written book that will help children to remember the significance of Amelia Bloomer forever.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This candy-colored dazzler introduces young readers to the legendary historical figure Amelia Bloomer and her influence on everything from women's suffrage to the styles of clothes girls and women wear this very day. Horrified by the highly impractical, nonsensical fashions of the time, Amelia refuses to conform to her era's ideals and embraces the traveling costume she sees on her friend's visiting cousin, Libby Miller. Adapting the European style to be accessible for the average American woman, Amelia bravely campaigns for the freedom her "bloomers" offer through her suffrage activism and her newspaper reporting. A fizzy spree of beautiful, saturated colors and lovely sketch-like illustration, this book can function in many ways, from a first foray into biographic work to an easily digestible glimpse into women's history. An author's note gives further detail about Amelia's legacy in back. Ages 5-8.

"She ran and jumped and twirled... and did all the things she had always wanted to do".

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: PB13

A great story to start teaching kids about women's history and the importance of being an individual. The story by Shana Corey gives the reader a small taste of who Amelia Bloomer is and the role she played in history. Readers get to learn that Amelia was a lady ahead of her time and that her beliefs were very strong. Amelia wanted to make changes in her part of the world for women and found many ways to start making changes happen. The illustrations as well as the writing style heighten the story to a level that is perfect to be read aloud as well as read alone for historical information. This story can be used in many age ranges and would be beneficial to have in every classroom. I love the way the story progresses and shows that by being strong and using your mind you can accomplish anything. this story will give readers a look into the past that will also help them in their future. I will be buying a copy of this book for my own library.

Three words to describe this book: Historical, positive, amazing

[Brittany Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic. You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer, is a work of historical fiction that is appropriate for elementary aged students. It discusses gender roles and individuality.

This is the tale of Amelia Bloomer- a woman ahead of her time, and an early women's rights activist. This story follows Amelia as she creates all kinds of ruckus in her town, from opening her own Newspaper- The Lily, to petitioning for a woman's right to vote, and finally- popularizing bloomers.

This is a silly, yet important tale that is interesting to children. The language, plot, and illustrations are sure to keep children enthralled, and offers children many, many things to ponder as they are reading. Shana Corey utilized her insider knowledge as a woman to address women's issues in a charming and empowering way. No negative stereotypes of women are represented.

[Nomre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amelia Bloomer is a historical fiction account of one of the pioneers for women's rights. Unhappy with the inequalities that women faced, she became editor of a women's news paper where she advocated for women's rights. She also helped change the fashion of the time with the introduction of bloomers. The dresses, corsets and petty coats women wore were very restrictive for woman and dangerous to their health. She was introduced to bloomers by a friend and wrote about them in her newspaper, changing fashion for women.
The brightly colored and fun illustrations along with the playful fonts made the retelling of historical events enjoyable and relatable for children to understand. This book is a great platform for opening up conversations about women's rights but also tells a fun story that stands on its own.

[Katie]

This book is about a lady named Amelia Bloomer who hated everything that was considered "proper" for women to do. One day her friend showed up in an outfit that was not a dress, and she loved the idea. She made the outfit for herself, and women from all over were sending her letters wondering about the outfits called bloomers. She was a women's rights advocate, and she became known for bloomers even though she did not invent them. I thought this book was very interesting, and it shows a person that was part of the woman's rights movement. It shows how different people used to dress, and it shows how much times have changed. This book would be good in the classroom when discussing that time period.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia Bloomer was the editor of the first woman's newspaper, The Lily, and a leader of the woman's movement. This book highlights her support for woman wearing bloomers instead of 40 pound hoop skirts that limited the mobility of woman and proved to be hazardous to their health. There is an author's note at the end of the book that offers a brief biography of Amelia Bloomer. Whimsical font and illustrations paired with interesting text placement, and bright colors give this nonfiction text a fun appeal to young readers.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars, I liked this children's historical non-fiction story. The artwork was a lot of fun, fully an important part of the story. I'm grateful for the accomplishments and achievements of those who fought for women's rights, grateful that we are fully participating citizens, with just as many rights as men, but oh, I don't think I could have the courage Amelia Bloomer had to wear something so strikingly against societal expectations! I actually sometimes mourn that women don't wear dresses more often today. But that opinion isn't part of a book review. Fun book, interesting story.

[Alyssa Durant · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer is a silly book about Women's rights and a lot of things Amelia Bloomer did to help in that area, but mostly how women started wearing pants! I think this is a cute book that definitely reflects the attitude of Amelia Bloomer, and also tells kids that it was once taboo for women to wear anything but a skirt or dress.
Another funny thing is that a lot of older people call pants "Bloomers" and you might not even know that the word has meaning behind it. Super cute and great book!

[Mallory Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a great read for students learning about women's rights. It really gives insight as to how women felt during the time when they were constantly being overshadowed by men. It gives the readers a point of view from the women that conformed and the women that rebelled. This book really allows students to see how women used to be treated and shows how they overcame all of the negative treatment. This book is also very colorful and tasteful in the fact that it isn't sad and depressing, but instead delivered in a funny and child friendly way.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

YES!! This book would have received a full-five star review had the text been in a different font; as it is it's a little too hard to decipher for younger readers. Other than that, this book is fantastic, from it's charming illustrations right down to it's fantastic, almost-unheard-of historical plot (but it really did happen!).

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

These days it's hardly considered what fashion was like over 150 years ago, and that women's clothing was extremely limiting and uncomfortable, and even dangerous for them. Amelia Bloomer brought a different style to women's attention - which became known as bloomers - a style that is still in effect today in one way or another. Fun illustrations.

[Jada Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The genre of this book is NonFiction. This book is intended for readers ages 4-8 years old. This book tells the story of Amelia Bloomer and how she fought for women's rights by creating her own newspaper and suggesting that women wear less restrictive clothing. This book told the biography of Amelia Bloomer in a beautifully visual manor. The illustrations were rich, colorful, and alluring. The simplistic descriptions of how and why Amelia thought the way she did and how others viewed her were purely brilliant. I feel any student will be able to understand the significance of Amelia Bloomer's accomplishments and the visual representations will stick in readers' minds. For example, there is a visual of Amelia carrying a stack of newspapers that she created and also on the page is an illustration of a personal checklist written by her which stated, "To do: Women Vote Work." These words and pictures are so simple yet so powerful. I found the illustrations in this book to be kind of ironic because they are super "girly", but they are historically accurate and fun for children. The author uses repetitive language and incorporates the text into the illustrations. However, it only shows representations of white privileged women during this time period. The book also seems to simplify the struggles of women by glossing over some important topics (like women in the workplace and voting rights). Not one of my favorite books, but it does portray what life was like for (some) women in the past. I would recommend any teacher to read this story to their students because it is very informative in a child friendly way. I do think young readers would like this book because it draws you in by the colorful pictures on the front cover of the book.

[Enis Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biographical nonfiction is one I personally believe everyone should pick up and read. Not only can children enjoy a somewhat comical take on the societal norms and struggles of 19th century women, but adults alike can leave with a new perspective on what it means to be "improper". The plot does not go greatly into depth about who Amelia Bloomer was nor does it explain her contributions in detail, but it does offer enough pivotal instances where Amelia went against the grain to leave a strong impression in the reader. Much of the stylistic illustrations provide a very carefree, flowing sense of imagery that reflects the unique lifestyle of Amelia and her followers. From the very beginning of the book, the problem is directly given to the reader, and Amelia takes it on herself to guide them through the process of making a change. In a beautiful manner, the book solves this by emphasizing just how important it is to display YOURSELF to the world, not what they created for you to follow.

Amelia lived a life with minimal rules simply because that is what she chose for herself. She refused to allow others to manipulate what she wore or even try to justify the position women found themselves, and sadly continue to find themselves in, within a society dominated by male influence. If presented within a classroom setting, this book would be great to discuss not only the historical background the premise borrows from, but the concepts of gender norms, stereotypes placed on both women and men, as well as what could be accomplished if you embrace your unique ideas and traits. Like that of Amelia, many people will notice when you are passionate in what you do, what you believe, and that will ultimately influence others to express themselves in a similar, empowering way.

[Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a biography of how one lady decided to stand out and go against the stereotypical rules of her gender. In Amelia's culture, women were supposed to be prim and "proper" but Amelia could not make sense of what was so great about being proper. She questioned heavily the attire for women as the dresses were heavy, too long, too tight, and too wide. She also could not make peace with the fact that women did not work and were not allowed to vote. In the plot, Amelia disagreed with the so called "culture norms' so much that she decided to fight against them. She first started her own newspaper and invited other women to work at "The Lily." Then, with inspiration from a friend's cousin from Europe, Amelia decided to change the way she dressed. Of course, the "proper" people disapproved but Amelia did not care. Thus, began the wearing of pants for women, adapted from European culture. The illustrations show what Amelia's thought were relating to things she disagreed with, like the long dresses that swept up mud, the wide hoops in the dresses that made women get stuck in doorways, the tight corsets that made women faint, and the new design of clothing that were more comfortable than the heavy dresses that proper women wore. Amelia thought the proper ladies resembled walking brooms because of the proper dresses. In New York where Amelia lived, she protested the right for women to vote while the proper women condemned her for it. In the end, Amelia Bloomer helped change history by advocating for women's rights, operating the first women's newspaper, and adjusting the societal dress code.

[Samantha Ledesma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amelia Bloomer was a brilliant woman and a courageous advocate for women's rights. This story does a great job of portraying her plight and her lion's heart. It's also a fun history lesson about a topic that isn't traditionally covered in school: fashion history.

I love how it ends with an open-ended question that invites students to analyze fashion trends for themselves. The art style is also very pretty and reminiscent of the waspy Gibson girls of the Edwardian era. The sort of amorphous shapes lend a lot to the imagination, which is always fun to see.

I did have one issue with the book: the portrayal of women's fashion prior to Amelia Bloomer. While tightlacing was certainly an issue (and the first global discussion that included women that is definitely worth researching yourself), it wasn't very widespread. Corsets were and still are very important because they provide support and structure. The fainting anecdote is a very old myth used for years to advocate against corsetry. In all reality, corsets were the only thing that allowed women the freedom and support to hold their own outside of the home. The same goes for hoopskirts.

So while I think the book is adorable, it leans into very old rhetoric that fights against women having a say in their own appearance.

[Assal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia Bloomer with the help of just one more advocate for women's rights, is able to make a dent and affect the rights of women at the time and in post years. The story is informational for children and adults whilst still being lively, simple and enjoyable. The gouache used as media to illustrate the tiny yet heavy and spacious dresses that women were expected to wear. The orientation of the book is square and although the pages do not have defined borders, there is quite a bit of white space on a handful of pages. This could be to bring out more emphasis on the size of the dress. That ties in with the explanation in the back that women were being judged and labeled by how "proper" they look and it was time for someone like Amelia Bloomer to help women take roles of change and charge. The author's note is especially helpful for adult readers to analyze and perhaps share bits with children. For example, knowing that Amelia stopped wearing bloomers since they did not want the women's rights movement to "be reduced to a battle over clothing" reiterates Amelia's standing up for her beliefs.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer
Reviewed by Holly Koch

I liked this book. It went through the mindset and process of a woman, Amelia bloomer, starting a trend. All women were wearing skirts and dresses at the time and ridicule came when one decided against that. Amelia and her friend created a type of pants connected with their outfits that were more like men’s. People were shaming and saying it wouldn’t catch on. By the end of the book, you see the brief evolution of how women went from that to the type of pants we wear today. I really liked that part because who would’ve known things would work out in that way? Everyone who was against it would be eating their words by the end of it. It took one woman to decide to not comply and think of an alternative and from there she started a movement. It began in the community but then turned into something much larger.
I liked the illustrations. They were minimalistic but it was good because you were not taken away from the story and the social issue here. It reminded me a lot of the illustrations in Madeline.

[Caitlin Denney]

Awards:
2000 Publishers Weekly Flying Start Award
Booklist Editors Choice
Children’s Literature Choice List
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books
Grade Level: Pre-K-5
Summary: Amelia Bloomer does NOT want to be a proper lady! This book follows Amelia Bloomer, who fought for women's rights and invented Bloomers, the first pant for women. Despite what the townspeople say, Amelia won't give up on making lives better for women in America.
Review: This book is a funny, captivating way to teach children about women's rights. There is rich language for children to discuss as a group such "proper" "suffrage" and "bloomers" as well as relatable terms kids can understand. I definitely believe this book inspires kids to go beyond the status quo and stand up for what's right even if it's hard.
In Class Uses: This book can accompany a history lesson about women's rights and the importance of equality. The repetition in the book and rich yet understandable vocabulary give students the tools to understand and practice equality in their daily life.

[Reese Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Amelia Bloomer and how she fought for women's rights by creating her own newspaper and suggesting that women wear less restrictive clothing.
This book told the biography of Amelia Bloomer. The illustrations were rich, colorful, and alluring. The simplistic descriptions of how and why Amelia thought the way she did and how others viewed her were purely brilliant. I feel any student will be able to understand the significance of Amelia Bloomer's accomplishments and the visual representations will stick in readers' minds.
This story would be wonderful to use when talking about women's rights. This story could be used to show how women had to fight to defend their opinions and ideals and many things that we view as normal today were against the social norms of previous times. This is a wonderfully written book that will help children to remember the significance of Amelia Bloomer forever.

[Tiana Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer, by Shana Corey, is a true story about the first woman to ever wear pants. Long ago, woman were only allowed to wear skirts and dresses. Amelia Bloomer thought this was absurd, so she decided to step out of the norm and wear a pair of pants in public.

I believe this is a great story to read to students because it shows how times have changed. I read this book to a group of students I subbed for and they couldn't believe that woman and girls weren't allowed to wear pants! They were intrigued and wanted to learn more about it. Some of the kids even said that they were thankful for Amelia!

This story reminds me of the book, Mothers to Tigers. I compared the two in my previous review about the book. Both of the characters are strong woman who are trying to change society for the better.

"Amelia Bloomer was not a proper lady. In fact, Amelia thought proper ladies were silly."

[Mackenzie Blackwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It shows the separation in women and men perfectly, and is so empowering for women. I really like how the book is set up in the time-frame of the 1900's, I always love reading about our history! I love Amelia's attitude and how she has her heart set on her beliefs and she will not stop to achieve them. The illustrations in the book are colorful and represent the storyline greatly and are detailed in the best way. I plan on reading this again soon!!!


As a teacher, I absolutely loved this book! It teaches children about women fighting for their rights (and to wear what they want) in the past. At first glance, you wouldn't think this story would be about its topic. After reading a couple of pages, I was fully invested in the book. I loved the illustrations and think that this would capture readers attention very easily. I do recommend that this book should be geared towards higher ages that understand the concept of separation in the sexes.

[Myielle Kimbrough-Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story tells of the experience of a young woman named Amelia Bloomer, who thinks the idea of "proper ladies is silly". Amelia tells the story of the different ridiculous ideas placed upon women of her time in her newspaper. And one day, when her friend visits (without wearing a dress!), she creates the bloomer pant and it takes off running (no pun intended)!

This story is exactly related to the Anyon piece that discusses social class. Amelia is immediately identified as an "improper lady" as the story begins and she even takes pride in this label. There is an instance after Amelia debuts her bloomers in which a "proper gentleman groans" because he recognizes that this new style trend will soon lead to "more women's rights" (a thought that fortunately reigned true).