Fashion: It's a Culture

I would consider myself quite the avid reader, as I enjoy reading works from a wide range of genres. From Harry Potter to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I would say that I'm pretty well-read. But I also enjoy reading fashion magazines. Yes, reading fashion magazines. My friend got me a Teen Vogue subscription for my birthday and ever since then I look forward to picking up the mail.

The magazine is not comprised strictly of clothes, shoes, and accessories, as most would assume, but more of fashion as a whole. Fashion as a culture. Teen Vogue also includes new indie music and articles about designers/journalists/artists/models that talk about their life ambitions and dreams. Fashion isn't just a bunch of random clothes put on a model; it's an art form that artists(designers) use to express themselves and show the world.

And it's not just the content of the magazine that is intriguing, it's also the actual layout and design of the magazine. The bright and bold colours invite you in along with headlines screaming out at you in block letters or pretty cursive. The magazine delights all of your senses; you see the glossy bright photographs, you smell the Givenchy perfume escaping from the middle of the magazine, you touch the smooth feel of the pages, you hear that satisfying flipping sound from turning the pages, and you can practically taste that ice cream sundae that's in the background of the photo shoot.

I love how the magazine often features models of different backgrounds wearing clothing reflecting another culture. In a recent issue there was a model wearing a dress influenced by the people of Africa and another issue had Selena Gomez wearing a kimono which is obviously inspired by the Japanese. I also like the way the teen models are portrayed in Teen Vogue. It breaks the stereotype of snobby anorexic models who worry about their hair and makeup 24/7. Instead the models shown in the magazine have dreams (not necessarily relating to fashion) and have normal hobbies like horseback riding, singing, dancing, ice skating, and listening to music. I would encourage more teen girls to give this magazine a go; it's not "girly trash" as most would think. I'm not a sparkly pink loving girly girl, and neither am I tomboy, but I love Teen Vogue.