MAG'S

Hello all

So I have started my line drawing project and it is going well (as well is a drawing can go when your not a talented drawer). I have also done a collage from some of my favorite fashion and lifestyle publications.  Specifically company which I buy religiously and Marie Claire, which I flirt with on occasion.

Company is a publication, which I imagine, is aimed at 18 to 25 year olds and I would imagine that Marie Claire is aimed at 21 to 40 year olds. Company focuses mainly on British fashion with celeb interviews and pop culture articles. http://www.company.co.uk/  

Marie Claire is a more high-end fashion mag and its little wider spread with real life stories and popular psychology and science. Its tag line is “Think smart look amazing.”

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/

I though rally enjoy a read through fashion mags, and I realize that they are far from an accurate representation of today’s women with their skinny bendy otherworldly models draped in the latest trends (this is especially true of higher end magazines).  I do not read them to see reality; it is in fact escapism for me (and window shopping) it’s the same feeling I get when I rather ashamedly watch the hills.

However (and company is particularly guilty of this) some times I feel as though these publications read as though they are out omnipresent friend, there articles are trying to be relatable and in some cases helpful and make you feel as though you are not alone with your career or man issues and this is where I believe they run into dangerous territory. Company magazine is almost interactive, constantly telling you to get there on street fashion AP and tweet them. The editor’s letter reads like you’re far away pen pals lovely letter. It makes for a friendly and endearing read.

Now as we all know this project is an objective look at the indefinable female form, and I believe that these publications constantly bombard us with the “perfect body” and present us with articles of how to get “beach body ready” and swap out tasty treats for trimming tidbits’. I believe that they are part of the  establishment that makes women feel inadequate about their bodies.

One particularly worrying thing I noticed is after you read you monthly installment of company and caught up with the friendly columnists and relatable subjects you get to the ads at the back and one of the first and biggest ones you are confronted with just two pages after reassuring lifestyle advise for young woman has the tag line

“Confidence starts with cosmetic surgery for the experts” my reaction to this was F*** me that’s wrong.

One thing I have never understood is the horrendous slightly cheaper mags that are practically bully books. Ridiculing c list celebs bodies and looks from page 1 to 100. Call me a snob but I think they are disgusting, however I am going to have to buy some if I'm going to talk about them so wish me luck and forgive me for that.

More over an advert I have seen for a version of Cosmo focused specifically on bodies… I am intrigued to say the least.

These magazines and there relationships with the body is something I will be looking at through out this project. It you have a view please let me know J. Agree, disagree, rant whatever I want to here your opinions and thoughts.  You can leave a comment or email me at donnamyoung.89@gmail.com or look me up on facebook under the name Donna m young (just leave a message letting me know that you’re a blog reader.

I will be posting my collage up soon I just need a better camera to take the picture.

I’m of to peruse this months vogue ;P