Life, 1898-12-29 · page 17 of 21
Life — December 29, 1898 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. The main content promotes Vogue magazine to women lacking access to urban fashion resources—positioning the publication as essential guidance for appropriate dress across social occasions. The advertisements target early 1900s consumers: Dr. Jaeger's wool undergarments (marketed as "sanitary"), Rhine Violets perfume (emphasizing refinement), Spencerian pens (with a humorous diagram explaining the pen's hole), Abbott's Angostura Bitters, and Prudential Insurance. The Vogue pitch reveals contemporary class anxieties: women outside major cities supposedly struggle with dress codes because they lack "access to the best shops and dressmaking establishments." This reflects genuine disparities in retail availability before mail-order became standard. The Prudential ad's "strength of Gibraltar" imagery uses a natural landmark to suggest reliability—common insurance advertising strategy of the era. **No satirical content is evident.** This is straightforward commercial messaging reflecting Edwardian-era consumer culture and social hierarchies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
= DON. and Die. Worthing. ete, By 1 Richard R. Bary | v YORE. ren Stot Madeletce WOMEN who go continually into society know how to dress appropriately. They know exactly what to wear on all occasions. Such knowl- edge is very difficult for women to get who are notin society, who live away from large cities. and who do not have access to the best shops and dressmaking establishments. VOGUE The articles that appear every week, viz.: “What She Wears,” “smart Fashions for Limited Incomes,” “Seen in the Shops,” help one immensely. VoGue answers questions and has the best chosen fashions with good workable descriptions Also special articles and stories. No other paper is at all like it. VocGue will be sent every week for three months on receipt of $1.00, mentioning this advertisement. Address VOGAE,?** New vor” The highest degree of refinement.—Wonder- fully delicate and last- ing.—Absolutely true 4 odor of the living & flower.—Be sure to 3 get the “No. 4711.” Sole U. 8. Agents MULHENS & KROPFF NEW YORK OG x Fits Perfectly, ‘Wears Well, Absolute Comfort. For Men. Women and Children. Made in all sizes. all } weights. with finest E possible finish. . DR. JAEGER'S Sanliary Woolen System Company Ew York Motn Retell Store 16 West 234 St. Brasches: 166 Broadway 248 W. 125th St. Spencerian Pens New Series No. 37. Sec <i That <a lole?—=<xaaa ‘That is for inserting a pointed instrument to eject the Bit from the bolder, and to prevent the ink from flow- back on the pen and soiling the fingers. jamples on receipt of return postage. Ask for Vertical No. 37, Spencerian Pen Company 450 Broome Street, New Y The Prudential HAS THE STRENGTH OF GIBRALTAR. LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES $45 to $50,000 Furnish absolate Protection to the Whole Famly Write for tatormation THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO. «OF AMERICA... Joba ¥, Dryden, Pres, Home Office: Bewart, B.