Life — August 20, 1925 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Phoenix Hosiery Advertisement This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but rather a **straightforward advertisement** for Phoenix Hosiery from Milwaukee. The ad promotes a significant fashion shift: hosiery transitioning from hidden undergarment to visible fashion statement. The elaborate decorative illustrations surrounding the text showcase ornate stocking patterns and designs, emphasizing that stockings now display personal taste and individuality. The advertisement claims Phoenix leads this market trend, offering "smarter hosiery" in "sumptuous colorings and patterns" that are durable for "longer miles" of wear. The key message: stockings are fashion accessories deserving attention, no longer merely functional undergarments. This reflects early-to-mid twentieth-century fashion evolution when women's legs and stockings became increasingly visible and fashionable.