Life, 1909-03-11 · page 14 of 36
Life — March 11, 1909 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes early 1900s women's fashion, likely following a high-society event (the "inaugural ceremony" referenced). The left column mocks excessive, absurd clothing details through mock-serious fashion descriptions—women wearing enormous hats secured with "miniature harpoons," garments trimmed with "Pittsburgh smoke," and impossible construction details. The bottom comics mock vanity and physical appearance: a woman asks her doctor to reduce her hips through medicine (he suggests cosmetic surgery instead); another wants a painter to "paint out" excess flesh. The "All Wants Supplied" section parodies self-help books and memory systems popular in the era. The right panel, "A Far North Scandal," shows a woman leaving her husband—a domestic crisis contrasted against the frivolous fashion obsession above, suggesting satirical commentary on women's priorities or the disconnection between fashionable society women and real life concerns. The satire targets conspicuous consumption and women's preoccupation with appearance over substance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
What They Wore DLESS to say, the clothes worn at the inaugural ceremony were of the hip-hip: less variety, and all that could be desired by the most fastidious fashion editor The following were a few of the most conspicuous. Glossaries furnished on ap plication: itian, the dashing grass-widow, was ex hipless and superlatively chic in amethyst Mrs. Polly ceedingly A FAR NORTH SCANDAL 18 THE HAPPY HOME FoR! ”’ “THERE, CHILDREN, WOMAN THAT YOUR TATHER LEFT IIS mauve shoes and stockings with scarlet heels and garters, surmounted by a sequin and dia brilliant cerise gown of glittering nond embroideries over a complete collection of net, chif- fon, tulle and mousseline de soie. Her delightfully immense hat was skewered by a miniature harpoon, which is one of the latest things. Mrs. D. Livermore Votes had a Par ianed Beef Eater hat, the brim of which, as far as the eye could reach, was out- lined by a passamenterie of jet cabochons and enormous cut beads, together with a motif of Pittsburg smoke with a pearl Supporting the decolletage was a frayed lattice-work of silver galon dotted with gate rosettes. Here and there was a skeleton feather with a few wrinkles, Hat, gloves, shoes, automobile and um- brella to mateh All Wants Supplied OOK AGENT: Can I sell you a copy of Loisette’s “ Memory System PAINTING HER DOWN “Doctor, I'm wretchedly out of style Can't you do someth “ Impossible, could reduce them the style would chan; ng for these hips madame; by the Retter send for the artist who made you.” shaped pendant dangling in front and a tuft of ostrich plumes placed about half way around on the left side rather far bac! Mrs. Vaux Turr Straight wore a guimpe which formed the motif for a flat, lineful gown of prunelle. On top thin empiecement edged coarsely-woven écru, soutachée was a velvet with : arly, won't you come over at ith your paints? The matter is very “Certainly. Any superfluous flesh can simply be painted out, and when this is done—" Baxxer: Not much, young man. 1 don’t need it—my memory is perfect Book Acrxt: Then you must want Boisette’s “ How to Forget It." This is the same method used by Rockefeller, Perkins and many of our noted citizens 0-DAY Kipling would have to say “A rag and a bone and twent hanks of “A few touches in the way of a Paris hat and veil will make you a very modist woman.” comicbooks.com