Life — June 13, 1901 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a fashion illustration and social commentary from *Life* magazine (page 513). The sketch shows a well-dressed man in dark formal attire surrounded by elegantly dressed women in white gowns and fashionable hats, arranged in an admiring circle around him. The caption satirizes engagement ring conventions by praising "a rich but simple solitaire" as the most attractive choice. The humor lies in the irony: the illustration depicts multiple women fawning over a single man, implying that what's actually "attractive" in winning a husband is displaying wealth—specifically through an expensive diamond solitaire ring. The cartoon mocks both marriage market dynamics and materialistic courtship practices of the era, suggesting women's primary interest in engagement is the visible symbol of a man's financial resources rather than romantic attachment.