Life, 1922-07-27 · page 27 of 36
Life — July 27, 1922 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It's a full-page ad for Phoenix Hosiery that uses the metaphor of "testing time" to pitch socks and stockings as reliable travel companions for summer journeys. The ad employs period marketing language common to early 20th-century advertising: claims of superiority ("leads the world in sales"), quality assuredness ("stoutest silk"), and inclusive appeal ("men, women and children everywhere"). The decorative Art Nouveau border frames the text in the style typical of Life magazine's design. There is no cartoon, no caricature, and no political reference—just commercial copywriting dressed in ornate typography. The "testing" conceit is merely a sales pitch: prospective buyers should "test" the hosiery for durability and elegance before purchasing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*Tis testing time! Put them through their paces now. You’ll find them good travelers and depend- able companions through- out the summer stress. More feet to the mile are dressed in Phoenix hosiery than in any other. It leads the world in sales because it is Phoenix-woven of the stoutest silk—insur- ance of long mileage at small cost, to men, women and children everywhere. Friendly hosiery! Test it now for wear. Test it now for enduring elegance. PHOENIX HOSIERY A eg ca SSG LS BNF SASS \ Ns (( ‘3; , CEG LY “s tan X comicbooks.com