Life, 1914-10-01 · page 48 of 48
Life — October 1, 1914 — page 48: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes McCallum brand silk hosiery from Northampton, Massachusetts, dated October 1, 1914. The illustration shows a tall, formally-dressed gentleman in top hat presenting hosiery samples to a shorter figure (likely a male customer or shop clerk), suggesting the product's quality and elegance. The ad emphasizes that quality hosiery deserves the same care as selecting neckwear—a notable concern for well-dressed early-20th-century men. Three specific hosiery styles are promoted: black silk for evening wear, reinforced medium sheer hose (described as the market's "most satisfactory"), and a "swagger two-tone" style. The page reflects period attitudes about masculine appearance and consumption while demonstrating how hosiery was marketed as a prestigious, carefully-chosen accessory in 1914.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
RS Callum Silk Hosiery for Men and Women The man who chooses his hosiery with as much care as he chooses his neckwear will find McCallum silk half-hose equal to any handmade imported hose, not to be duplicated in appearance and durability at any price. Test the following: No, 308, black silk hall-hose, heavy weight, extra fne geuge—en excellent hove for evening wear. No 326, » medium sheer hose, reinforced in heel, sole and toe. This is known 5 the most satisfactory haif-bose on the market and has proven it for year, No, 329, « swagger two-tone hore. Sold at the Best Shops Everywhere McCallum Bosiery Company Northampton Massachusetts