Judge — February 25, 1893 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1893 *Judge* cartoon satirizes the cyclical nature of women's fashion. The central figure wears an exaggerated hoop-skirt (a dome-shaped petticoat structure popular decades earlier), accompanied by onlookers in contemporary dress who appear amused or bewildered by the revival. The satire targets two things: the absurdity of fashion cycles that resurrect uncomfortable, impractical styles, and perhaps women's supposed susceptibility to such trends. The grotesquely oversized skirt and the caricatured reactions suggest the cartoonist views this fashion return as ridiculous. The onlookers' varied expressions—from interest to skepticism—indicate social commentary on changing tastes and the fashion industry's influence on women's clothing choices.