The Wasp — 1892 — page 495: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a serialized humor column titled "The Old Maid's Diary," not a political cartoon. The illustration shows a woman in Victorian dress at a doorway, introducing the diary format. The text is a satirical account of an unmarried woman's observations about San Francisco society, particularly targeting milliners and dressmakers for their exploitation of women. The narrator complains about their greed, their promotion of impractical fashions, and their gossiping about styles. She also recounts an encounter with a woman in a widow's bonnet, mocking widow's bonnets as an advertising gimmick rather than genuine mourning wear. The satire critiques both the fashion industry's manipulation of women and the vanity of female consumers who chase trends.