Life, 1922-05-04 · page 4 of 34
Life — May 4, 1922 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a **straight advertisement** for Phoenix Hosiery, appearing in Life magazine (page 2). The ad uses patriotic rhetoric, opening with "Democracy! All America has come into the silk stocking class" to appeal to democratic values and economic progress. It positions Phoenix hosiery as making luxury affordable to ordinary Americans of all classes—a notable claim for the early 20th century, when silk stockings were expensive items. The ad emphasizes durability ("mileage endurance") and aesthetic appeal ("good looks"), targeting "men, women and children." The ornate Art Deco border design typical of period advertising reinforces the product's claimed elegance and quality. This represents how companies marketed goods through patriotic and egalitarian messaging.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SSE) Democracy! All America has come into the silk stocking class. Because of its remarkable economy, Phoenix has been an im- portant factor in bringing hosiery elegance within the reach of all. Long strands of the sturdiest silk, woven by the Phoenix method, have given it the great mile- age endurance. And for men, women and children it holds good looks to the end of its long journey. PHOENIX HOSIERY yp Cm _ AS ee eer comicbooks.com