Bloomers perhaps inferior to flower (9)
I believe the answer is:
underwear
'bloomers perhaps' is the definition.
(bloomers are a type of underwear)
'inferior to flower' is the wordplay.
'inferior to' becomes 'under' (I've seen this in another clue).
'flower' becomes 'wear' (river in the north east of England).
'under'+'wear'='UNDERWEAR'
(Other definitions for underwear that I've seen before include "Garments worn beneath other clothes" , "Garments worn next to the skin" , "Nether garments" , "Hidden clothing" , "Combinations, say" .)