Life — June 9, 1921 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine features a satirical beach scene with the caption "What are you thinking of, Granny?" The grandmother responds about remembering her bathing costume and wondering what her granddaughter would wear. The joke appears to target changing standards of modesty and women's fashion. The illustration shows beachgoers in what was contemporary (likely 1920s-era) swimwear, contrasting the grandmother's recollection of much more conservative Victorian or Edwardian bathing attire with the increasingly revealing styles of the younger generation. The right column contains unrelated content about "Purity" and social regulations, appearing to be editorial commentary or a letter. The page also includes various footnotes about conduct rules and artistic guidelines typical of the era. This reflects period anxieties about evolving social morality and generational differences regarding women's dress and public behavior.