Life, 1923-12-27 · page 2 of 37
Life — December 27, 1923 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **clothing advertisement**, not political satire. The page features a well-dressed man in a suit sitting confidently, holding a hat and briefcase. The ad distinguishes between two types of clothing: 1. Clothes that prompt friends to notice the **garment itself** ("Look at the new suit") 2. Clothes that prompt compliments about **the wearer** ("How fine you're looking") Hart Schaffner & Marx claims to make the latter kind—garments so well-made and flattering that they enhance the person wearing them rather than calling attention to themselves as novelties. The message targets middle-class men concerned with appearing refined and well-groomed. This represents early 20th-century aspirational marketing emphasizing quality and subtle sophistication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
0. 2147. ‘ontice Der LIFE: Published Weekly by Life Pub, Co., at 698 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. at New York, N. Y., under the act of March $d, 1879. Printed ii U.S. A. Entered HERE are clothes that when you put them on for the first time, your friends say, Look at the new suit” There are other clothes that bring the comment, How fine you're looking” We make the latter kind Hart Schaffner & Marx Copyright, ry, Hart Schatfner & Marx December 21, 1923. Entered as Second Class Matter June 8. 1883, at the pts Canada’ ‘Copyright, 192%, LIFE, in the Ur Ss England and Bats comicbooks.com