Life — September 9, 1915 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Overhead Expense" - Life Magazine, September 9, 1915 This satirical cartoon depicts three women wearing extravagantly tall, elaborate hats—a visual commentary on the absurdly expensive millinery fashions of the 1910s era. The title "Overhead Expense" is a pun: the hats are literally "overhead" (above the head), while also referencing business costs. The cartoon mocks women's fashion spending during this period, when ornate feathered hats adorned with plumes, birds, and structural elements were status symbols but financially burdensome. The exaggerated height and complexity of these designs emphasize how impractical and costly such fashion statements were—the joke being that maintaining fashionable appearance represented a significant household expense, particularly for those aspiring to social status.