Women have always been present in the labor force, but labor was chiefly agricultural work. Helga Estby was a typical western mother. Her work included household chores required when living in the country, as well as the traditional role of mother. As the Industrial Revolution (1850 and 1914) rolled on, however, the labor market transferred from the home to factories. Women began to enter the public workforce. Positions for female workers, generally, related to their established domestic roles such as teaching, seamstress, nursing, and bookkeeping. During the late 19th century, these jobs were growing in demand and could be filled by women for less pay.

A bigger presence in the workforce helped shift women’s fashion from embellished dresses to more mobile, practical designs. But it was not only the increase of women in public labor that so drastically changed women’s fashion. A substantial part of that shift was thanks to the 19th- bicycle craze. 

Bicycles were around in the early 19th century but did not develop into the modern form we recognize until the later part of the century. The large front wheel and small back wheel known as “penny-farthings” or the “ordinary bicycle”  was the first design to make biking popular. However, this design proved dangerous to ride due to the height and in 1885 the “safety bicycle” was introduced. With two equal-sized wheels the “safety bicycle” opened up options for all who wanted to ride, now that women could actually mount the bicycle. For many, women riding bicycles was not received lightly. For one, the need to straddle the device was indecent. She could also escape her guardian or ride away from home! Like most opportunities at this time that offered women a glimpse of freedom, biking was perceived as a threat to a women’s virtue. The cycle craze also reignited an earlier feminist debate. Enter the bloomer.

Like bicycles, bloomers had been around for a while – since 1851 when feminist Amelia Jenks Bloomer started wearing a shorter skirt over a pair of pantaloons in an attempt to make women’s fashion less restrictive. The combo became known as “bloomers”. The style was not well received and was put to rest in only a few years later because suffragists worried dress reform may distract from the main female equality efforts. Women cycling helped revitalized the Rational Dress movement.

The Story of ​​​Helga Estby - Madam!

The Nineteenth Amendment was passed August 18, 1920, years after Helga and Clara Estby's walk. Still, during the Estbys' journey women's suffrage was a

widely discussed subject. They

passed through towns where

suffrage meetings had recently

taken place and through the

Estbys' walk one can observe

the movement taking place in

different parts of the U.S.