Life — November 19, 1908 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes women's fashion, specifically skirt designs from Mme. Gutman & Co. (visible in the shop sign). The drawing shows fashionably dressed women on a street, with the caption "Skirt Repellant to American Women." The satire likely mocks either an overly ornate, impractical, or foreign skirt style being marketed as fashionable. The women's elaborate hats, cinched waists, and detailed clothing suggest early 20th-century fashion commentary. By calling it "repellant," *Life* magazine—known for satirizing contemporary trends—suggests American women would reject this particular design despite its marketing, either because it was too extreme, too French/continental, or otherwise unsuitable for practical American tastes.