Puck — July 25, 1877 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Puck page satirizes early 20th-century social hypocrisy through two cartoon sequences: **"Opposite Wishes"** (top) mocks contradictory attitudes about women's fashion. The left panel shows women wanting to wear revealing "street costumes" (swimwear), while the right panel shows the opposite desire—wearing bathing costumes on public streets. The satire highlights how society imposed strict dress codes: women couldn't expose themselves swimming or in public, creating an absurd double standard. **"Street Car Regime"** (bottom) depicts crowded public transit where men smoke cigars, eat peanuts, and generally behave uncouthly around women passengers. The caption sarcastically notes smoking is "allowed," but you may spit, eat peanuts, and smell of whiskey "to your heart's content." This ridicules the lax enforcement of public decorum standards on streetcars, contrasting with the restrictive dress codes satirized above.