Life, 1920-10-07 · page 34 of 56
Life — October 7, 1920 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes 1920s "flapper" culture—young women challenging social conventions through dress, speech, and behavior. The top illustration shows "The Woman in the Squirrel Coat," depicting a fashionably dressed woman in a fur coat, likely representing the stereotypical flapper aesthetic that scandalized conservative society. The main content is a humorous "phrase book" mocking flapper slang and affected speech patterns. It catalogs exaggerated catchphrases like "Oh, my dear!" and "How do you get that way?"—presented as if they're genuine social currency tested in Atlantic City (then a major resort destination). The satire targets both the artificial sophistication of young women adopting these phrases and their social aspirations. The bottom cartoon, "Off in the Distilly Night," appears to reference Prohibition-era bootlegging, likely mocking both illegal alcohol production and flapper participation in defying the law. The overall tone is gentle mockery of 1920s youth culture and changing gender norms.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HAUNTED THE WOMAN IN THE SQUIRREL COAT A Phrase Book for Flappers (A compact compendium of clever remarks, collected for the guidance of those young things who desire to succeed in a social way at the various resorts of society throughout the country. We offer a positive guarantee that every one of these phrases has been tried out at the national testing ground in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and has proved to be absolutely safe, sane and sure-fire stuff.) a H, my dear!”’—Slightly shop-worn, but still an_ indis- pensable standby in the Flappanese patois. Always effective as a means of introducing a particularly ripe bit of gossip. Very récherché, “You don’t know the half of it, dearie.”—This is perfectly great on almost any occasion whatsoever, being especially ap- plicable when delivered in reply to the remark, “T hear you had some party last night”. Should be-accompanied by a slight but expressive elevation of the right eyebrow, an equally expressive depression of the left eyelid, and a faint intake of breath at the conclusion of the final word. “How do you get that way?”—Should be delivered petu- lantly, and accompanied by that bewitching little pout that you have rehearsed so assiduously before your triplicate mirror at home. “Another good man gone wrong.” —This has been set to music, and we advise you not to attempt it unless you have learned the tune. Should be sung in a dolefully minor key whenever someone announces that a young gentleman of your acquaintance has become engaged to he married. It will “go over big” and get a good laugh—just you sce if it won't. But be sure to place the accent on the word “ good.” “How perfectly ridiculum!” —Awfully cute, and rather clever, too. A good way to get your mother’s “angora”™ (i. ¢. “goat") when she refuses, right before some of your boy friends, to let you go unchaperoned to dinner. at a nearby road- (Continued on paye 644) comicbooks.co