Life — March 11, 1909 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Glass That Cheers" This 1909 *Life* magazine page features a fashion illustration with satirical social commentary. The drawing shows a fashionable woman in elegant Edwardian dress—a large feathered hat, high lace collar with pendant, and refined profile—holding a hand mirror while gazing at her reflection. The title "The Glass That Cheers" plays on a double meaning: both the mirror ("glass") and an alcoholic beverage. The satire likely critiques vanity and superficiality in high society, suggesting that women of means find pleasure in self-admiration and appearance rather than substance. The "Life" watermark on the left reinforces the magazine's satirical tone about contemporary social follies among the fashionable classes.