Conceptualizing Riding Habits in the Late Victorian and Edwardian Periods: the Emergence of Middle-Class Horsewomanship in Britain
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日本家政学会誌 Conceptualizing RidingVol. 66 HabitsNo. 12 603～614（2015）in the Late Victorian and Edwardian Periods: The Emergence of Middle-class Horsewomanship in Britain Paper Conceptualizing Riding Habits in the Late Victorian and Edwardian Periods: The Emergence of Middle-class Horsewomanship in Britain Taeko SAKAI1* This essay explores how riding habits became a symbol of Englishwomanhood roughly between the 1870s and the early 1920s in Britain. During this period, as riding became popular among affluent middle-class people, riding habits came to be distinctively associated with Englishwomen and their personality. I will first provide evidence that riding from the 1870s onwards had been peculiarly transformed into an occasion of self-regulating middle-class women, while offering them a new respectable form of pastime. Then, in the second part of the essay, I will explain how the modernization of the riding industry shifted the ethos of riding (horsewomanship) toward middle-class taste and lifestyle, which played a key role in transforming riding into a recognizable sign of “English” womanhood. Key words：Riding Habit, Middle Class, Urban Lifestyle, Victorian England, Modernization the important social segment which benefitted the most 1. Introduction from contemporary social changes, and through such This essay explores how the riding habit became an experiences shaped the ideals of Englishness4), the image emblem of English womanhood between the 1870s and of their riding habit and the dynamism to develop it into the early 1920s. As riding became popular among the their own symbolic dress will be pursued. The materials affluent middle class during this period, the riding habit to be examined are contemporary essays, novels, fashion came to be strongly associated with English womanhood journals and equitation manuals. In examining them, the and its characteristics. In the first part of this essay, I essay will show how the knowledge about the etiquette provide evidence that starting i n the 1870s riding became of riding were disseminated to middle-class novices, a means of self-regulating middle-class women, and and how the arguments of improving riding habits in an offered them a new respectable pastime. In the second urban environment created middle-class riding habits that part, I demonstrate that during modernization, middle- became the symbol of the English woman. class tastes and lifestyles transformed the ethos of riding 2. Riding as a Fashionable Pastime for Middle- (horsewomanship) and played a key role in shaping class Novices the riding habit into a recognizable symbol of English womanhood. It is true that riding had long been a major means Many researchers have studied the style of the riding of transportation and an elite pastime. It has also been habit, its history1) and its gender implications2). But suggested that the riding habit started to b e seen as a as Alison Matthews David succinctly states, “existing particularly English garment for fashionable women in studies are more concerned with changes in material the early eighteenth century5). In the last quarter of the and structure than historical context”3), they seldom nineteenth century, however, English middle-class novices have discussed how a woman’s riding and her habit were increasingly became the focus of public attention. In 1874, conceptualized. In this essay, by focusing on affluent Hippolyte Taine, a French thinker, critic and historian, middle classes in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, acknowledged in his essay, Notes on England, that English Affiliation: 1Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Japan Women’s University Received May 27, 2015 Accepted September 3, 2015 * To whom correspondence should be addressed E-mail：[email protected] Copyright © 2015 The Japan Society of Home Economics （603） 1 日本家政学会誌 Vol. 66 No. 12 （2015） travelling dress and riding habits were“ [t]wo exceptions＂ white throat, and the curves of her cheek and chin were for his criticism: always set off to perfection by the compact simplicity of her riding dress. He could not conceive a more perfect As a general rule, costume ought to imagine the body, girl…11). and here it nearly always does so badly. Two exceptions are the riding dress, the black habit which fits the Although Gwendolen is a frivolous girl, ＂the compact shape, which is simple, devoid of ornament, and exhibits simplicity for her riding dress＂ in this equestrian scene hardihood, strength, physical health; the travelling signals her to be a competent horsewoman and master of dress, the little straw hat with a single ribbon, the both style and equitation. plain gown, the small boots of solid leather, everything These writers demonstrate that the practical riding habit showing the good walker, without trace of coquetry, confers the polished beauty to individual women, while the capable of ascending with her husband the top of a simple elegance of the habit is understood to represent a diligence, of being a man＇s real companion, and not a common characteristic of Englishwomen. The emphasis is delicate troublesome doll. With the exception of these on the riding habit＇s plainness both in design and materials, two costumes, their showy and overdone style of dress and on its practicality. Therefore, habits are likely tailor- is that of a lorette or an upstart…6) made. In Lady Barberina, Henry James explicitly describes the habit as women＇s ＂firm, tailor-made armour＂. Although Although Taine does not describe in what way non- women began wearing men＇s jackets as a part of their English women (most likely French women) and their riding habits in the late seventeenth century12) (therefore, dresses are better than their English counterparts, from the riding habit was made by tailors, not dressmakers), and the quotation above he seems to think that English taste in Blackman argues that“ [b]y the early 1700[s], the riding clothing style and color combinations are hideous (＂their habit was already well established as an essential element showy and overdone style of dress is that of a lorette or an of the fashionable woman＇s wardrobe＂13), the habits studied upstart＂)7). In contrast, he clearly appreciates the plainness here have significant differences from those worn in the and practicality of the English riding habit and travelling previous centuries. Although the women described are dress. He links them to such merits as the physical relatively affluent, they are not members of the upper class, strength of the English woman who ＂exhibits hardihood, and their well-made habits are not exclusively identified strength, physical health＂, and her moral superiority in the with high fashion. ability to ＂ascend with her husband the top of a diligence, These points are clearly demonstrated in the of being a man＇s real companion＂. Interestingly, what Taine contemporary equitation manuals. In the mid and late appreciates as the merit of English dress is essentially the Victorian periods, handbooks for female riders proliferated. sartorial virtues which English middle classes aspired in Although equitation manuals for men had been published their own dresses8). before14), it was not until the 1850s onwards that the genre Taine＇s exaltation of the English woman＇s plain tight- was widely cultivated by ＂professional horsewomen＂15). fitting habit is shared with Henry James, an American Similar to conduct books, these manuals were aimed at author. He similarly portrays young Englishwomen in inculcating middle-class women in upper-class decorum, ＂their tight-fitting habits＂9) in Lady Barberina (1884), and as well as disseminating the basics of the equestrian. The ＂a young girl… perfectly mounted and equipped＂10) in A Barb and the Bridle (1874) was a typical handbook for such Passionate Pilgrim (1875) as extremely attractive to the purposes, although its author was male. According to the foreigners, and as a special feature of England. George author, increasing numbers of middle-class women had Eliot, an English authoress, also describes a young female become interested in riding within the past twenty years: character in the habit: Nor is riding confined to those only whose names figure …the groom was dismissed, and the two [Gwendoren in the pages of ＂Burke＂ or ＂Debrett.＂ Within the last and Rex] rode away in delightful freedom. Gwendolen twenty years the wives and daughters of professional was in her highest spirits, and Rex thought that she men and wealthy tradesmen, who were content formerly had never looked so lovely before; her figure, her long to take an airing in a carriage, have taken to riding ₂ （604） Conceptualizing Riding Habits in the Late Victorian and Edwardian Periods: The Emergence of Middle-class Horsewomanship in Britain on horseback. And they are quite right. It is not (with traditionally been monopolized by country gentlemen and management) a bit more expensive, while it is beyond aristocratic ladies. This shift reflects later contemporary comparison the most agreeable and salubrious mode of social transformations; the boundaries between the social inhaling the breeze16). classes and the genders became increasingly blurred, as members of the middle classes improved their standard The merits of riding were maintaining the health and of living, and middle-class women also became aware of keeping the body fit. Most riders who had the means their potentialities. However, the evidence indicates that for the experience but not names in the almanacs of for many middle-class women, learning the elegance and peerage, also had the ambition to ride on the Rotten Row, decency of riding was difficult. Cartoons in Punch regularly in London＇s Hyde Park. Since the beginning of Queen mocked middle-class novices in the Row who were either Victoria＇s reign, ＂a ride in the Row＂ had been a privileged ignorant of etiquette, or needed basic practice24). activity for leisured class17). Considerable numbers of Unlike fashion magazines, the handbooks for female riding schools were close to the Park18), along with riders did not detail the styles of women＇s outfits, but their photographic chambers to capture riders in the Row19).