Life, 1916-03-02 · page 15 of 44
Life — March 2, 1916 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical definitions of fashion, presented as humorous observations rather than traditional dictionary entries. The satire mocks fashion as: - A pastime for idle wealthy people unable to pay bills - A business exploiting artists' talents unnecessarily - A nuisance forcing people to discard perfectly good clothing - An excuse for socially questionable behavior - A custom people break when unwatched - A "farcical" social performance - An unbearable convention The decorative border features classical figures in various poses, suggesting fashion's supposed connection to timeless elegance—ironically contrasting with the text's cynical view that fashion is frivolous waste. The "Fashion Note" section discusses husbands becoming smaller/less visible in fashion, likely satirizing women's liberation or changing gender dynamics of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
What Is Fashion? s a pastime indulged in by some folks who have noth- ing else in particular to do. “ ““ Iluff which enables some who do not pay their rent or grocers’ bills to put on the front of millionaires. “ business which supports a vast army of “artistes,” who might be utilizing their talents to better advantage at blacksmithing and carpentering. nuisance’ to those who would like to get three seasons’ wear out of a perfectly good overcoat or hat. an excuse employed by some people for doing things which otherwise would come within the pale of indecency. a custom which almost everyone would be glad to break if everybody else wasn’t watching. ““ farce with those playing the “leads” usually tak- ing the fool’s rdle. “ convention, which, like table manners, is painfully endured by most of us. Fashion Note URING the coming season husbands will be worn much smaller, if at all. Those which appear at fashionable gatherings will be only large enough to carry pocket money, and will not be conspic- uous. The old-fashioned husband, once considered a most important item in a stylish outfit, is scarcely ever seen nowadays; women of the modern, dashing type found them an incumbrance in many kinds of sport. Probably no husbands at all will be imported from Europe this year. The supply on the other side has been much cut down in the trenches, and unreasonable prices are said to have resulted in mar- kets where American women have been accustomed to trade. comicbooks.com