Life — August 9, 1929 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a Life magazine cover from August 9, 1929, advertising a puzzle contest ("Something New! Crossword Picture Puzzles!"). The illustration depicts a stylized 1920s woman in fashionable attire—short bobbed hair, revealing clothing, and decorative accessories—positioned suggestively. The caption reads "The Great American Skin Game," a double entendre referring both to sunbathing (a leisure activity gaining popularity in the 1920s) and to the woman's exposed skin. The phrase "skin game" was also slang for a swindle, adding satirical bite. The image epitomizes Jazz Age attitudes toward women's liberation and changing fashion norms. The cover promises "$100.00 in Prizes! Every Week in Life!" to promote reader participation in the puzzle competition.