The Wasp — 1891 — page 149: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical comic strip by Kemble & Coneyer mocks the pretensions of nouveau-riche Americans at seaside resorts. The narrative follows a working-class man's transformation: he acquires striped bathing attire and beachwear, adopts aristocratic mannerisms ("Out of sight!—A real English lord!"), and presents himself as nobility to impress fellow vacationers. The final panels show him established among the resort elite, lounging under an umbrella while others defer to him. The satire targets the American aspiration to European class status and the shallow social climbing enabled by summer resorts, where temporary costumes and affected behavior could temporarily elevate one's social position. It suggests that "summer resort noblemen" are fraudulent social climbers reinventing themselves through appearance rather than genuine breeding or wealth.