You Can’t Tell Me What to Wear

Polyvore Website

There was a time when magazines such as Vouge and Elle  showcased for its devoted readers the lastest fashions from leading fashion designers using amazing photography and top models.  These reader were eager and thirsty to be told and shown the newest colors and styles but more importantly how to acheive the look and where to buy the necessary pieces to complete the look.  It was designers’, advertisers’ and the magazine publishers’  dream. But that dream is quickly becoming a nightmare and the pages of magazines are  becoming fewer and fewer as their readers are able to create and show to others their own fashion style through the popular fashion website Polyvore.  New York Times fashion blogger, Cathy Horyn, commented in a recent blog titled Thinning Out   the occurance of the slim April and past issues of leading fashion magazines.  She also commented on the influence and abilities of Polyvore which was featured in The New Yorker as leading the way to fashion democracy.

It has always been the misconception that designers, along with advertising and promotions, dictated the style and trends. As The New Yorker articles comments fashion magazines dictate to “American woman who stands out there naked waiting for [magazine editors] to tell her what to wear.”  Amazingly, it is one big misconception . It has always been the customer that decides what he or she will wear. And now that readers, particularly the technological savvy, prefer creating their own visuals of looks they like for presentation to others via the web is causing designers, advertisers and even retailers to rethink promotion and sells of their products. 

For me reading a fashion magazine is exciting. I cannot wait to hold it in my hands and flip the pages, look at the beautiful people, observe the artisty and creativity used in the glossy full color spreads — particularly in putting the outfits together.  After reading the publication from cover to cover, I know that I can return to something that sparked my attention again and again. I can tear it out and hang it on the wall and be reminded of it daily.  Although the fashion-related magazines for which I subscribe are falling into the same fate of thinning down it has not discouraged me as a reader nor encouraged me to only seek online resources for fashion styles and trends.  I will continue to anticipate the magazines’ arrival each month.  There is nothing like getting a new magazine in the mail then flipping through its pages to get to the beauty and fashion spread for the month. I love it!  I can take the magazine to bed or relax on the couch ingesting others ideas and opinions and using it for inspiration to change up my own style.  A style that I really feel the rest of the world does not need to know about on a regular basis.  So to all of those who must share with the world what you are wearing, how you put it together, and where you bought it, keep right on, I will try to remain the individual I am.  I will continue to support the fashion magazine!!