“Another common criticism of women’s magazines is that they make women feel bad about themselves. Their repetitive celebration of a beauty ‘ideal’ which most women will not be able to match, but which will eat up readers’ time and money – and perhaps good health – if they try, as well as the many pages of advice on how readers can improve their looks, sex skills or personalities, are likely to make some readers feel somewhat inadequate.” This is an excerpt from Gauntlett, chapter 9. Um, duh! Sometimes it seems as though magazines are designed to make women feel bad about themselves (maybe they are). Many women are constantly looking up to the next model or two-bit celeb to try and measure up to a morphed and distorted standard of our society’s definition of “beauty.” Yet the reason the magazine business is in jeopardy right now has nothing to do with the recognition that these standards are ridiculous and unachievable for any normal woman; rather it is because our country is in economic flux. There has been no real revolt against these impossible ideals and as a woman, I don’t see one coming anytime soon.
To be perfectly honest, I thoroughly enjoy reading Vogue (the only reason I canceled my subscription is because I’m a broke college student). When I flip through the pages, I realize that real women are not supposed to look like this. In any given monthly issue you can open a Vogue and read about high-powered career women, succeeding in the corporate world, intelligently written articles by various high-ups in the fashion, art, entertainment, and business worlds. But you know all of these women aren’t naturally possessed of flawless skin, perfectly plucked eyebrows and enormous pouty lips; they are not naturally this thin. And herein lies my frustration. How and for what reason DID they get to be 105 pounds? "Clothes look better, in all our eyes, on people who are thin.” Alexandra Shulman said. Shulman has held the position of editor-in-chief at British Vogue since 1992. It is disturbing to me that this issue is not only unresolved but actually encouraged and sometimes demanded by significant decision-makers within the industry. This may seem like the most obvious statement in the world but we do in fact live in a society that has been shaped and molded in a way for each generation to place an increasingly higher value on physical appearance.
To be perfectly honest, I thoroughly enjoy reading Vogue (the only reason I canceled my subscription is because I’m a broke college student). When I flip through the pages, I realize that real women are not supposed to look like this. In any given monthly issue you can open a Vogue and read about high-powered career women, succeeding in the corporate world, intelligently written articles by various high-ups in the fashion, art, entertainment, and business worlds. But you know all of these women aren’t naturally possessed of flawless skin, perfectly plucked eyebrows and enormous pouty lips; they are not naturally this thin. And herein lies my frustration. How and for what reason DID they get to be 105 pounds? "Clothes look better, in all our eyes, on people who are thin.” Alexandra Shulman said. Shulman has held the position of editor-in-chief at British Vogue since 1992. It is disturbing to me that this issue is not only unresolved but actually encouraged and sometimes demanded by significant decision-makers within the industry. This may seem like the most obvious statement in the world but we do in fact live in a society that has been shaped and molded in a way for each generation to place an increasingly higher value on physical appearance. 
Why do you enjoy reading Vogue if it makes you feel bad about yourself?
ReplyDeleteGood question. I suppose I (and probably many other Vogue readers out there) view Vogue as an outlet of artistic expression. That is to say when I pick up an issue of Vogue and see clothes by specific designers hanging on stick figure models, I don't look at the model and envy her body. I look at the clothes and either admire or critique the creative ability of the one designing them. That's what Vogue is for me and it may sound materialistic and/or somewhat pretentious but it's about the clothes.
ReplyDeleteFashion is very much about self-expression and I view these pieces as an artistic formulation of one's self. Does that mean I am completely content with my own body image all the time? Not at all. But I think I have a better view point than some in that I don’t normally feel inadequate when I read Vogue because I am acutely aware of the difference between the models on the page and my own day-to-day reality. I’m aware of the effort that goes into making those women appear the way they do. It’s not something I would ever desire for myself. I read Vogue for the edification of my own artistic sensibilities.