Life, 1907-03-21 · page 39 of 40
Life — March 21, 1907 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a straightforward **product advertisement**, not political satire or cartoon humor. It promotes the "Boston Garter," a men's sock garter—a device worn below the knee to keep socks pulled up, essential before elastic became standard. The ad targets gentlemen concerned with appearance, emphasizing the garter's features: a cushion button clasp that "lies flat to the leg," never slips or tears, and stays fastened. The illustration shows the garter in use on a man's leg with period shoes. The tagline "Always Easy" suggests effortless elegance. Pricing (50¢ silk, 25¢ cotton) with mail-order availability indicates this was an accessible luxury item. The manufacturer, Geo. Frost Co. of Boston, leverages the city's name for credibility as "the recognized standard." This represents typical early 20th-century menswear advertising—purely promotional, not satirical.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GENTLEMEN Who Dress for Style, Neatness and Comfort, Wear the Improved BOSTON GARTER THE RECOGNIZED STANDARD s “@E The Name is stamped on every ‘ loop— THE CUSHION BUTTON CLASP LIES FLAT TO THE LEG--NEVER SLIPS, TEARS NOR UNFASTENS Sample Pair, Silk, 50c.; Cotton, 25c. Mailed on receipt of price GEO. FROST CO., Makers Boston, Mass., U. S. A. ALWAYS EASY comicbooks.com