Even though modern eyes might consider the young lady's skirt to be quite long (in the image below), she's wearing the "short skirt now in vogue," making her vulnerable to casting a disreputable shadow. We generally love that one might be scandalized by one's shadow. A true character must cast a fascinating shadow, one way or another. Note that the tricky "witching hour" here is sunset and not midnight.
Jeff shares:
After careful analysis of the photograph, I note the following:
1) The trollop's ankles cast the shadow of a wading bird, thus creating the overwhelming sensation of familiarity in the average seaside lothario.
2) The upper portion of the trollop's shadow appears to have a bun in the oven, creating, in the average seaside lothario, the overwhelming desire for family.
3) Neither the lustful dandy nor the translucent salt behind him have shadows of their own, therefore they cannot be true characters. I blame Photoshop.
4) Upon closer inspection, the cad sneaking up the stairs is Puss 'n Boots, not Jack Sparrow.
5) The trollop's right hand is not a hand at all. It is a pincer, leading me to suspect that she is either Crab Woman or Lobster Girl. If the former, she may be harboring a crab cake in the oven instead. If the latter, she has simply lost her mittens.
6) She and the approaching cat in the hat are merely going out for seafood and a movie. It's 1868 after all.
