Life — February 8, 1929 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical comic strip depicting the social dynamics of formal entertainment or courtship in what appears to be early 20th-century high society. The nine-panel sequence shows various poses and interactions between men in tuxedos and women in evening wear in an elegant parlor setting. The title "Standing-Sitting-Standing Dive" suggests the comic is mocking the repetitive, choreographed nature of social rituals—guests constantly shifting positions, sitting, standing, and engaging in elaborate conversational dances. The humor likely satirizes the artificial formality and tedious predictability of upper-class social gatherings, where interactions follow strict, prescribed patterns rather than genuine spontaneity. The "dive" suggests an exaggerated plunge into these expected behaviors.