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A complete, restored issue of Judge from 1888-04-07 — all 17 pages of color political cartoons and topical humor, free to page through at comicbooks.com.

On the cover: # Easter Bonnets (April 7, 1888) This satirical cartoon mocks excessively elaborate Easter bonnets worn by fashionable women in the 1880s. The two figures shown are identified as "Madame Cleveland" and "Miss Hill"—likely referencing prominent society women of that era. The joke centers on how outrageously oversized and ornate these bonnets had become. Each head sports an impractical tower of fabric, feathers, and decorative elements that dwarf the wearer's actual head. The captions express the women's vanity: one claims the monstrosity makes her "a perfect fright of herself," while the other dismisses concerns about practicality, insisting her style will "take better with the men." The satire targets both the absurdity of fashion trends and women's willingness to embrace uncomfortable, ridiculous styles for social status.

🖼️ Every page has a plain-English note on what you’re looking at — the figures, the references, the point of the satire.

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A complete issue · 17 pages · 1888

Judge — April 7, 1888

1888-04-07 · Free to read

Judge — April 7, 1888 — page 1
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# Easter Bonnets (April 7, 1888) This satirical cartoon mocks excessively elaborate Easter bonnets worn by fashionable women in the 1880s. The two figures shown are identified as "Madame Cleveland" and "Miss Hill"—likely referencing prominent society women of that era. The joke centers on how outrageously oversized and ornate these bonnets had become. Each head sports an impractical tower of fabric, feathers, and decorative elements that dwarf the wearer's actual head. The captions express the women's vanity: one claims the monstrosity makes her "a perfect fright of herself," while the other dismisses concerns about practicality, insisting her style will "take better with the men." The satire targets both the absurdity of fashion trends and women's willingness to embrace uncomfortable, ridiculous styles for social status.

Judge — April 7, 1888 — page 2
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