Mabel Bowden Howard (18 April 1894 – 23 June 1972) was a well-known New Zealand trade unionist and politician.

[1] She is remembered for waving two large pairs of bloomers in Parliament in support of her successful campaign to have clothing sizes standardised.

She moved to New Zealand with her father (Ted Howard) and sisters after her mother, Harriet Garard Goring, died in 1903.

Mabel Howard hoped to be chosen to stand for the 1939 by-election after her father's death,[7] and although she had local support, the Labour Party chose Christchurch mayor Robert Macfarlane.

In 1943, Mabel Howard was elected Member of Parliament for Christchurch East at a by-election, becoming the fifth female MP.

Although opposed by clothing manufacturers, she received much support from the House, including from National Party members and standardisation was legislated.

Harry Atmore, the Independent MP for Nelson, recognised Mabel Howard's contribution to New Zealand: "She is a real advocate for the women of this country and with the experience she has had – much wider than ladies of her age usually have – she can speak with authority".

I suppose this was because I was more manly than most women; that’s why I never married.She worked as a volunteer for many organisations, among them St John's Ambulance and the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RNZSPCA).

[2] She successfully fought to enact the first Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Bill in 1960 and was president of the Canterbury branch of the RNZSPCA for nearly twenty years.