Judge — June 28, 1924 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Fashions for Bobbed-Haired Bandits" This satirical page mocks 1920s female criminals—particularly the "bobbed-haired bandit" gang that robbed stores in Brooklyn around 1924. The cartoon presents absurd "fashions" designed for criminal activities: a garter holster for carrying a Browning automatic pistol, a "get-away gown" enabling quick movement, striped clothing for "prison wear," and a "bracelet/cuff" (likely referencing handcuffs or jail shackles). The humor targets both the criminals' audacity and contemporary anxieties about modern women—the bobbed hair itself represented rebellious femininity. By treating violent crime as a fashion trend, Judge satirizes how these young female criminals captured public fascination and media attention, transforming dangerous outlaws into celebrity figures. The joke reflects 1920s moral panic over changing gender roles and youth culture.