Puck — January 22, 1879 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration, titled "À LA MODE" (visible at bottom), depicts a fashionable woman displayed like merchandise being examined by well-dressed men. Her dress is literally labeled with marriage-related text including "WAITING," "MARRIED JONES," and "MARRIED SMITH," suggesting she's a woman of questionable marital history or dubious reputation. The satire appears to target Victorian-era attitudes toward women's fashion and marriage prospects. The woman is presented as a commodity on display, while the men inspect her with interest—critiquing both the superficiality of fashion obsession and the transactional nature of marriage in society. The smaller vignettes on the left side appear to provide additional satirical commentary on related social topics, though specific details are difficult to discern.