Life, 1921-06-09 · page 11 of 38
Life — June 9, 1921 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
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.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FE smoke receive a, Tes. al El. essmen where st him. Il priv- ~el hips ct they Nations itted to do not t dress -neigh- iMegal ngress- Explo- gotiate, -eedom. y golly, Aunty shment t week, Uppers O pass taining | set in salaries >. nereast arriagt, Jel valk ia ound. ir dark edicinal “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF, ¢ “1 WAS REMEMBERING THE COSTUME THAT 1 USED TO CO d—Dancing not permitted axcept for religions purposes. Moki Indian snake dances allowed to go on because of their painful nature. Lip-sticks forbidden axcept in following colors: Blue, Orange, Purple, Green. i—Class Reonions at Vassar, Wellesley & Barnard hereafter under management of Dept. of istice, g—Kissing only permitted after ow-up of Doctor’s Prescription on blank furnished by State Board f Farmacy. Same cannot be re- peated oftener than twice in six 6) months, An a—(Sce article ¢, subject: Emotion ‘ictures.) L—All Statues shall be compelled to sear Y. M. C. A. uniforms, fur- uished at price set by National ard of Scentors. c—A\ll painters painting Venus must © obliged to put on a second coat Ml this information to little Annie 1 who make swift pencils in her ok with Japanese shorthand. WHAT your GRANDDAUGHTER WOULD WI “Uncle Togo,” she ask to know, “with such purity raging on all sides would this not become one Ideal Republic ?” “Thave fear it might.” This from me “With the pure all things get purer. Inquisiti, der: ANY WHAT ARE. YOU WING TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP? Rembrandt: WetL—1 THINK I'LL BE AN “OLD MASTER.” AND 1 WAS WONDERING Purity are hardest of all diseases to dis- hinfect. Soonly America will become so sinless that everybody will become a so- prano. People will move softishly from places to places, wearing smiles because afraid to look sorrow. The National Pure Happiness Law will punish all who feel otherwise. “Everybody will be smokeless, sinless, loveless. Prize-fighters will go into punching-match with hands full of roses. Curse-words will be prayers for family use. Street piannas will play sacrid selexions, babies will be taught to sing before they learn to cry. Clothing, souls, everything will be white. Even the mud.” “This would be Heaven, would not ?” require Annie Anazuma with rapid ste- sweetened into nography. “Maybe so, maybe less so,” I negotiate. “Tt could be Hell very conveniently. For Hell are mercly Heaven spoiled by too much management.” Hoping you are the same, Yours truly Hasnimcra Toco, comicbooks.com