Life — August 18, 1921 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cover is primarily **advertising disguised as editorial content**—a common practice in early 1920s magazines. The illustration shows a woman's head in profile with an elaborate upswept hairstyle, crowned by a sailing ship. The caption reads "A Permanent Wave." The satire plays on the double meaning of "permanent wave"—both the newly fashionable hair treatment and literal ocean waves. By placing a ship atop the woman's head, the artist suggests the absurdity of advertising promises: women were being sold the idea that their waves could be as grand and enduring as maritime vessels. This mocks both the vanity of beauty trends and the exaggerated marketing claims of the beauty industry in the Jazz Age.