Judge — October 2, 1920 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cartoon (October 2, 1920) This cartoon by Warren De Vilss depicts a couple viewing a woman's dress in what appears to be a shop window or display. The satire addresses women's fashion economy during the early 1920s. The husband's comment—"Think what an economy it would mean if our modern woman were to dress as simply as that!"—sarcastically references the minimal clothing worn by the classical female figure displayed. His wife's response about the "price of sheets" suggests the joke: dressing in simple draped garments (like classical togas) would be cheaper than buying the expensive fabric required for modern fashionable dresses. This reflects post-WWI anxieties about women's changing roles, rising costs of living, and evolving fashion standards that required substantial fabric and expenditure.