The Wasp — 1877 — page 87: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical page mocks gender politics and public bathing norms of the era. The top panels show women debating whether to promenade in bathing suits versus walking costumes—a commentary on Victorian propriety anxieties around female swimwear exposure. The lower panels shift to political allegory. "Political Allies" depicts a money bag and champagne bottle (representing wealth and indulgence) as a woman being escorted—likely mocking corrupt political partnerships. "A Political Pointer on Stockton Street" shows two working-class men apparently discussing politics or corruption, contrasting sharply with the upper-class women above. The overall message criticizes both Victorian prudishness about women's bodies and political corruption driven by financial interests—two social hypocrisies The Wasp regularly targeted.