The Wasp — 1896 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and business directory** rather than political satire. The left column lists San Francisco businesses (breweries, belting manufacturers, institutions of learning). The central illustration, titled "**Why the Views of Men Vary in Relation to Bloomers**," is a humorous social commentary. It depicts various men reacting differently to women wearing bloomers (the then-controversial split-skirt cycling outfit). Some men admire them, others mock or oppose them—shown through exaggerated physical reactions and expressions. The cartoon satirizes the era's debate over women's fashion and bloomers as a symbol of female independence and athleticism. Different social classes and types (working men, wealthy gentlemen, street urchins) respond distinctly, reflecting broader anxieties about changing gender norms in the 1890s.