Life — March 26, 1925 — page 24: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts three women at a vanity mirror—a classic visual pun on the "eternal triangle," a period phrase for romantic entanglement involving three people. However, the satire here appears to comment on vanity and female narcissism rather than romance: all three figures are absorbed in their appearance, gazing at themselves in the mirror with evident self-regard. The title's double meaning—transforming a dramatic love-triangle concept into a trivial scene of women preoccupied with their looks—suggests social commentary on feminine frivolity. The elaborate clothing and salon setting reinforce themes of luxury and self-absorption. This reflects early 20th-century satirical attitudes about women's priorities and the culture of beauty rituals, presented here for comedic effect.