The Wasp — 1895 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertisements** for railroads and steamship lines (Southern Pacific, Pacific Coast Steamship Company, etc.), with a satirical cartoon titled "The Proper Place" occupying the center. The cartoon depicts a fashionably dressed woman with an elaborate hat featuring feathers and ornaments. The caption references "Footsie Dimples" and jokes about her golden hair and expensive jewelry. The satire appears to target **wealthy women's vanity and excessive ornamentation**—particularly the absurdity of their elaborate hats and spending habits. The woman's pose, clutching items and appearing somewhat ridiculous, suggests mockery of late-Victorian feminine fashion excess. The "proper place" title likely implies such women belong in frivolous pursuits rather than serious matters, reflecting period gender stereotypes and class-based satire about conspicuous consumption.