“The love for the poppy never dies” – The Discussion of Opium in Town Topics
A divisive topic throughout the 19th and 20th century, the habitual use of opium was as much discussed in New York high society as it was anywhere else. Be it in advertisements for rehabilitation facilities, theater reviews, short stories and poems, or scandals involving the drug – opium gets a mention on Town Topics’ pages again and again. The following timeline attempts to demonstrate the history and social perception of the drug, specifically in 19th and 20th century America and as described in Town Topics, in the hope of illustrating the social climate which allowed it to flourish and ultimately be penalized.
The Socialite's Map—Ads and Travel Reports at the Onset of WWI
Any socialite of the early 20th century knew that relevance in the circles of high society meant showing up, being seen, and being known. As much as balls and dinner parties were occasions to make an appearance, so was travel. In the early 1910s, a New York City, NY, socialite might have spent the summer in Newport, RI, visited the hot springs of Virginia, and sailed to Europe, taking a room in Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St. Moritz (Switzerland). But when World War I broke out, Europe became a war zone and American travel there was radically transformed.
Hemlines & Headlines
Step into the stylish (and cutthroat) world of Town Topics, a New York society magazine that turned gossip into social regulation. Behind its witty tone and polished phrasing was a sharp eye for missteps, especially regarding how the wealthy dressed and broke unspoken rules. In the Gilded Age, fashion was used to signal status, and it quickly became a tool for policing society.
Using theories from Maureen E. Montgomery’s Displaying Women and Thorstein Veblen’s Conspicuous Consumption, the collection, in the style of an online tabloid or magazine, looks at how Town Topics both reflected and reinforced class expectations in the Gilded Age, especially for women. Because in this world, fashion could make or break someone.
Selling Status — The Evolution of Advertising in Town Topics, 1887-1906
Around 1900, advertising was more than marketing—it was a display of identity, class, and power. In Town Topics, ads reflected and shaped ideals of luxury, gender, and status. This project explores how these advertisements changed between 1887 and 1906 in content, placement, and volume. Drawing on Veblen’s concept of conspicuous consumption, it analyzes how wealth was performed on the page. By digitizing one issue per year, the project makes visible how advertising mirrored and reinforced the social order of the Gilded Age.
All content for educational purposes only.
University of Greifswald
Seminar: Editing Scandal
(Summer Semester 2025)
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Katrin Horn