Woman's Riding Ensemble, c.1820 (habit: silk; crop: wood, jute, silk, ivory)

Women began to wear specialized garments for riding in the late seventeenth century; in cut, ornamentation, and accessories these outfits were usually modeled on men's clothing, which had the advantages of being both more practical and piquantly novel to women. This early nineteenth-century riding habit makes reference to menswear through the short tail of the jacket and the shaped pocket flaps on the skirt, while the horizontal rows of cording and buttons on the bodice and cuffs echo a common feature of men's military jackets of the period. The femininity of the habit's wearer is maintained through the skirted silhouette, which corresponded to current fashion, with a fairly high waist, puffed sleeves extending beyond the wrist, and wide collar. The voluminous skirt, not yet specially cut for riding sidesaddle, is held up by shoulder straps and has an unusual concealed pocket. The habit's accessories include the crop shown here as well as earmuffs and a single stirrup. H. Kristina Haugland, from Philadelphia Museum of Art: Handbook of the Collections (1995), p. 88.