Life — September 13, 1923 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine focuses on women's fashion, specifically high headwear. The upper section satirizes the trend of excessively tall and elaborate hats through illustrated examples: a "bon voyage bonnet," an ornate "Snyler creation," a jeweled "Pilgrim turban," and a "frontispiece of palms." The accompanying text mocks these impractical designs with dry humor, noting that even modest variations might seem excessive to observers. The lower section provides a practical sewing pattern for a "beveled camisole" that readers can make at home, addressed to "those designing women in our Pattern Department." The satire targets the absurdity of Edwardian-era millinery fashion—when women's hats were famously enormous, decorated with feathers, fruit, and other ornaments—while simultaneously offering readers a useful DIY alternative.