The Wasp — 1895 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two distinct elements: **Left side:** A poem titled "The Bicycle Girl in Winter" by "The Bloomer," accompanied by an illustration of a woman on a bicycle in casual attire. The poem celebrates the "bicycle girl" across seasons, referencing her "bloomers" (loose trousers worn by female cyclists) and her fashionable independence. **Right side:** Mostly advertisements for San Francisco businesses and services, including photo-engraving, furniture, brewing, and educational institutions. The bicycle girl imagery represents late-19th-century debates about women's clothing and mobility. Bicycles enabled female independence and prompted controversy over women wearing practical (rather than restrictive) garments. The satirical tone likely mocks both the fashion innovation and anxieties surrounding women's changing social roles—though the poem reads relatively affectionate rather than harshly critical.