The Wasp — 1893 — page 98: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a satirical society/gossip column page rather than a political cartoon. The main article "The Glass of Fashion" mocks Colonel Moreso's fashion choices and social pretensions in San Francisco society. The satire targets his wearing of blackened Oxford ties, white cotton socks, and a polished chimney-pot hat—an outdated, mismatched combination that marks him as unfashionable and socially inept. The article ridicules him for wearing beach attire around town and generally failing to understand proper etiquette. Additional gossip items mock unmarried pregnant women, debate whether lightning can strike twice, and critique working-class preferences. The humor relies on class-based social commentary typical of Gilded Age satirical journalism, targeting violations of unwritten fashion and behavioral codes among San Francisco's elite.