The Wasp — 1892 — page 270: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features "The Old Maid's Diary," a satirical column about women's fashion and social behavior in what appears to be early 20th-century San Francisco. The illustrated header shows a caricatured elderly woman in exaggerated dress, establishing the column's mockery of female vanity. The diary entry criticizes women's fashion choices—particularly tight-fitting bell skirts and the impracticality of stockings for carrying items. The author also satirizes women frequenting establishments like candy stores and liquor shops, suggesting impropriety. A section titled "A Rare Opportunity" advertises discounted Curtis & Wheeler shoes, using women's shopping habits as comedic material. The satire targets both female consumer culture and perceived moral looseness among young women in urban settings, reflecting period anxieties about women's independence and changing social roles.