I really wish I travelled more but in comparison to a lot of people (including a lot of my friends who’ll be getting around close to 3 continents over the summer) I don’t really travel that much. But basically at my school constant travelling is kind of the norm, I ran into 10 students and 5 teachers at the airport on my flight to London. This is a really long pointless answer, but basically I fly over the summer to see my mom’s side of the family in Canada, and usually we go somewere else for a week or so too (this year New York).
While sputtering around the bookstore at the airport this week, I was plagued with a question that’s been running around in my mind all day. What makes you buy one magazine over another. Is it the loyalty to feel to one in particular, does Elle or Glamour just somehow get you? Is it the celebrity you see gracing the cover? Or is it the cover headings/article titles on the front page? Maybe you really want to know the top 10 ways to lose that thigh fat in under a week!
Even though it shouldn’t matter, the celebrity on the cover seems to have a big effect on what magazine you buy. Despite the fact that magazines like Vogue, Elle etc. have reputations as high caliber fashion magazines, and the content remains consistently good, you can be put off by who you see on the cover. I remember earlier last year the fateful Vogue cover with Gisele and NBA star Lebron James. It gained one of the worst sales records in Vogue History. Can you imagine, ‘the Vogue woman’ showing up at a newspaper stand and rifling through to find this months issue only to see a sports star on the cover. Panic, will there be athletic undertones to the entire issue? Suddenly it doesn’t matter that Vogue is maybe the most iconic fashion magazine, all they know is that the celebrity on the cover does not represent them and therefore they reluctantly buy the month’s Marie Claire on which the razorblade cheekboned Kiera Knightley is on the cover.
So it turns out the cover star does matter. I for one will not pick up any magazine that has Kristin Stewart on the cover. I have seen her face everywhere for the past 4 years since she starred in the first Twilight movie, and lets face it, it’s a face capable of only one emotion. In the same manner, I’ve gotten hooked onto magazines by the celebrity on the cover. Last summer I started reading Glamour when I saw that Blake Lively was gracing the front page. It works both ways.
Magazine loyalty is a strange thing. They need their devoted readers to come and buy their product without fail every month and yet if you examine it closely, a lot of that content gets repeated. As someone who potentially wants to work for printed media, the relationship people have with magazine’s has always fascinated me. Next post will be about how a magazine takes itself from successful to iconic.
What are your favorite magazines and why do you read them?
I always feel weirdly professional when I pull out my laptop while travelling internationally and begin to blog. The men and women sitting around me are ardently working on solving the world’s problems, selling shares and running businesses while I type away on my laptop watching the Big Bang Theory doing super critical stuff. Right now I’m sitting sipping on my Schweppes Bitter Lemon (they don’t sell them anywhere but Britain so I drink like 10 every time I’m here) at the lounge at Heathrow in London. People are going insane. This weekend is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, meaning she’s been in power for 60 years. Its on EVERY SINGLE NEWSPAPER, EVERY SINGLE MAGAZINE, every single item of merchandise at every single store, and later I have been invited to a tea party courtesy of the lovely people at British Airways. Tea, Scones, and perhaps I can get my hands on some jammy dodgers? Rest assured I will not be leaving London without about a bazillion pieces of merchandise with the Union Jack stamped across. Like maybe the Alexander McQueen Union Jack Clutch pictured above? :)
…is that everyone is constantly moving. And when you’re the one staying and they are constantly the ones leaving its especially unpleasant. People who you’ve known for years all dissapearing into cracks all over the world, tugging at your heart strings. You take these people for granted all year long, and then suddenly the rug is pulled from beneath your feet. I guess it makes the world seem a little smaller and a little more inviting knowing that there’s someone you know pretty much everywhere. All you can do is be thankful for the memories and wish them the best on their future adventures
On New York, School, and Consumerism: KEEP CALM AND RANT ON
How exactly does one go about packing for a month in New York City? It’s by far the hardest packing ordeal I’ve been through. Do I bring my crazy high heels and pretend to be Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, or do I succumb to reality and bring along my trusty pair of converse? Are my silk snakeskin harem pants too much? Is ANYTHING too much for New York?
It’s weird…exams have been over for 3 days, and I’ve accomplished a collective list of nothing. It’s not that exams were that tiring, I don’t know, it’s like this entire school year has been exhausting. Taxing in some way or another. Mentally, emotionally…physically?
And I feel like I’m preparing to jump head first into the center of the consumerist world (North America). I should be used to that kind of pure consumerist society but I’m not. Delhi is so vibrant, disturbing and sensory at times, but some things are filtered out of our lives. I still remember the first time I was in New York (I was in 6th grade) and I had ventured out with my mom in search of a Reese’s peanut butter cup (don’t judge, I was in sixth grade, those things were the shit then, and you couldn’t get them India). But low and behold, there weren’t just Reese’s, there were Reese’s’s pieces, mini cups, extra large cups, nougat filled centers, dark chocolate etc. I would like to think I have I have moved on from Hershey’s chocolate since then but the fact still remains. You’re so bombarded with products, there’s nothing that isn’t available, and in 10 different varieties no less. It feels so excessive after being in Delhi where seeing a half squished Reese’s peanut butter cup in a store is a welcome surprise. But I guess I’m just not used to such a plethora of material goods (still it’s so ridiculous, I write a fashion blog for god’s sake)
What do you think? What’s the consumer culture in your country, or any country you’ve visited?
Ahh yes, winter, when you could walk outside of your house and not die of sunstroke or run back inside again. I’m wearing a JACKET in this picture, a jacket. What is jacket? What is cold? What is normal human sane temperatures? I need to get out of Delhi before I go terminally insane. I love this place but today it was 45 degrees outside… :/
Meanwhile I’m packing to go to my grandparent’s house in Calgary, Canada where it’ll be about oh maybe 5 degrees outside. So sitting in the middle of the heat in Delhi I’m thinking “Bah coats, who needs those” and then I show up, freeze, and end up stealing all of my grandparents coats instead….
Enter Chanel Cruise 2012/13 where the runway was at none other than Versailles, where the guest list read more like a ‘most beautiful powerful and intimidating people of the world list’ than a seating arrangement and where the scenery was almost more stunning than the clothes. A grungy French Court look with pastel colored creepers to die for and candy colored Amelie-esque wigs. Am I the only one who feels like the cruise collection came straight out of a tumblr grunge/pastel blog?
You know that party you see pictures of on facebook, and all you’re thinking is “why wasn’t I there?” All the people you love are there, having the time of their life. For me, that party, is the Met Gala, and the host is of course Vogue.
The swish of a tulle gown, the flash of cameras and people like Hamish Bowles, Lena Dunham, Lana Del Rey, and Zac Posen milling around. Kind of like the East Coast’s answer to the Oscars, but less awards and more party.
Here are some of my favorite looks and favorite people
Anna Wintour and her daughter Bee. Anna being a pro-fur warrior, naturally has a fabulous white fur coat, and looks like an old Hollywood movie star. There also seems to be an (ahem) lobster creeping up on the side of her dress, so maybe she’s a pro-seafood warrior as well?
Lana del Rey wearing a cape! A CAPE! (For those of you that don’t know, I really want a cape. Why wouldn’t you want to sashay down a flight of stairs with a cape billowing behind you?) This look is like a grungy version of Gwenyth Paltrow’s Oscar look, and I love it just as much.
January Jones wearing a fantastically yellow gown by Versace. “She looks like a bee” my friend comented, but an incredibly chic bee no?
The lovely Marina Rust, who’s been on the International Best Dressed List too many times to number
Olivier Theyskyens and Carolina Trentini
Zac Posen and Amber Heard. Not so keen on Amber’s dress, it kind of reminds me of a really dodgy looking birthday cake I had on my 4th birthday, but Zac Posen’s velvet suit is amazing.
Paula Patton and Vera Wang
Hamish Bowles and Lena Dunham from Girls. Probably two of my favorite people in one epic picture.
Alber Elbaz of Lanvin and Emma Stone
Mick Jagger and Scarlett Johanson
Coco Rocha in a vintage suit originally worn by Elizabeth Taylor
Chanel Iman and Tom Ford
Bianca Brandolini in a stunning gown.
Rosie Huntington Whitely and Mario Testino. Its so cute how he’s taking a picture of the paparazzi when taking pictures is usually his job.
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