The Wasp — 1893 — page 158: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon depicts three women in Victorian-era dress with the caption "Tabitha in hoops." The illustration satirizes women's fashion, particularly the voluminous hoop skirts that were fashionable at the time. The accompanying diary entry humorously chronicles a single woman's social frustrations: her awkward attendance at gatherings, failed romantic prospects, and the indignity of wearing uncomfortable clothing. The narrator complains about corsets, the impracticality of full dress for social events, and her inability to attract a husband. The satire targets both women's constrained social roles—where marriage was the primary objective—and the absurdity of restrictive Victorian fashion that prioritized appearance over comfort or practicality. The "old maid" persona invokes period-specific anxiety about unmarried women.