Life — August 6, 1914 — page 29: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts three women in different bathing suit styles at what appears to be a beach resort (visible pier and buildings in background). The caption "Fashions in Bathing Suits" suggests the cartoon comments on evolving swimwear trends. The figure on the left wears minimal clothing—essentially just swim briefs—while the two women on the right wear more modest, fully-sleeved bathing dresses typical of early 20th-century fashion. The stark contrast suggests satire about rapidly changing standards of female modesty and acceptable beach attire. The exaggerated physique of the nearly-nude figure emphasizes how dramatically swimwear conventions were shifting during this era, likely poking fun at both conservative and progressive attitudes toward women's fashion and public exposure.