I just had heard for so many years that Vogue was the gold standard of magazines. I finally broke down and subscribed. Here is what I found.
80% or more of the thick glossy pages are advertisements for items that 98% of the world will never be able to afford. Granted, high fashion is akin to art. I understand that is comes with a high price tag. But, still. Don’t you think it is a little depressing to readers that they are looking at items they will probably covet forever and because they have a family to support, will not whimsically part with $14,000 for an Hermes bag.
The articles are weird. They have a sort of ingenuine feel to them. As in, most of the garbage I read was completely unrelatable. Almost sickening. I think one of the only articles I read in the last installment was about a rich girl who went to Africa to volunteer and met her prince charming. I guess this may be interesting to some. But reading about a privileged white upper class college-age girl, doesn’t appeal to me at all. It is almost as if she had to go to Africa to volunteer and help others because she was so wealthy she had nothing else to do. She wasn’t truly committed to her work, she was to busy being wealthy to worry about that, and she was there to sort of have an adventure so she could return and tell others of her amazing work. Volunteer your time or give to charity in a way that is selfless. Don’t do it so you can remind others what you do.
There was also a very weird insincere attempt at describing the cleanse that utilizes water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Not once did the author really get into the health benefits of doing a cleanse. Where the idea of cleanses originate from. What to truly expect while doing a cleanse and that it is hard. Had I known nothing about cleanses, I would have had to do additional research elsewhere.
There was another article I thought I would be interested in since I recently had a baby. Nope, that one was almost worse. Some Vogue staffer had IBS, she went through a terrible pregnancy and was ill. Her story was life changing for her. I feel for her. But there are amazing stories everyday. Vogue should be writing about women who have no health insurance and are pregnant. Those who create organizations to help those who are working hard at two jobs and supporting their families. That is fashionable to me. Not some wealthy individuals who sit around performing cleanses with their wife in their home in the Hamptons.
I believe most magazines will eventually disappear, which is definitely too bad since I will always love the idea of holding a book or paper in my hand to read outside. That being said, the differentiating factor as far as the magazine business goes, is the functionality and the content of the magazine’s websites. I know that magazines will be gone someday and their websites will remain.
Vogue could definitely capitalize on their website much more effectively. The Vogue website needs fashion at all prices. Just a click of the button could take me to the high-end pieces I covet or might buy once in a while. Or another click could link me to various affordably-priced fashion for less. Ms. Wintour, use that amazing fashion sense of yours to tie fashionable know-how together for the less affluent-set. The less affluent set that might not have vacation abodes in the Caicos. The set that makes up the middle class, probably the 90% that don’t bother subscribing to your magazine because it is becoming useless.
