Life — August 28, 1924 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine, August 28, 1924 This is the cover of *Life* magazine's "Feminine Number" issue. The illustration by Coles Phillips depicts a woman in silhouette seated on an ornate bench, holding a rifle or gun and a ruler. The satire appears to target changing women's fashions and social roles in the 1920s. The headline "Skirts Will Be Shorter This Fall" references the ongoing controversy over hemlines—a major social debate of the era, with shorter skirts symbolizing women's liberation and modernity. The rifle and measuring tool suggest women are "taking aim" at fashion standards or "measuring" new social boundaries. The small medallion image shows a crowned figure, likely referencing traditional authority or propriety being challenged. Overall, the cover satirizes the tension between traditional femininity and modern, more independent women reshaping 1920s society.