Bloomers

Bloomers are an article of clothing invented by Amelia Bloomer to change the way women dressed. The earliest known bloomers were like baggy pants (worn below a skirt), to preserve Victorian decency while being less of a hindrance to women's activities than the long full skirts of the period (see Victorian dress reform). In the 20th-century, they became gym shorts for girls to wear.

The modern Japanese version of bloomers has the entire legs exposed and are pronounce burûmâ:

• The Dragon Ball character Bulma is named after bloomers.
• The Street Fighter character Sakura Kasugano wears red bloomers under her sailor fuku. Most Westerners confuse bloomers with panties since their designs are almost the same in Japan, but bloomers are a bit thicker and come in bold colors.