Judge — August 22, 1891 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes the "dress reform movement" of the late 19th/early 20th century, which advocated for more practical women's clothing. The Chautauqua reference (visible at bottom) indicates this relates to the educational assembly movement. The cartoons mock exaggerated costume proposals: - A woman in an absurdly elaborate seaside outfit with a parasol - A figure in impractical "bloomer" style pants with enormous puffed sleeves - Ridiculous hybrid costumes combining multiple styles unsuitably The satire targets reformers by showing their proposed alternatives as equally or more ridiculous than the restrictive fashions they criticized. The captions like "Make duden wear this costume" suggest the reformers' suggestions were equally unfeasible for practical wear. This reflects the period's resistance to women's clothing modernization, portrayed through exaggerated visual absurdity rather than reasoned argument.