FashBlog.com

Do you subscribe to any fashion magazines, or do you just flip through them while you’re waiting at the hairdresser’s or doctor’s offices? My daughter and I just started receiving one from a free subscription against my airline credits. I’ve never wished to subscribe to one in the past because it seemed that I’d be paying for a lot of rehashed information and too many ads. However, on the assumption that we needed (OK, I needed) to be up on what’s happening in the international arena of style, we decided that this would be useful.

Well, this first issue was pretty much what I expected. I’ll share some of what I ventured upon-in the event you haven’t been privy to the latest-as well as some of the problems I have with such print media.

The first thing that caught my eye was an ad for a new line of Max Factor mascaras. They are referred to as vivid impact highlighting mascaras. They turn eyelashes gold, silver, pink, blue or lilac. Now, the model wore gold, in conjunction with shimmering pink and blue eye shadow that swept out at the corners like batwings. It was paired with iridescent pink lipstick. On a 20 year old girl with streaked blonde hair, the effect was stunning. I could only wonder how it would look on a dark haired, darker complexioned, older woman like me. I figured I’d look bizarre. As intriguing as the perfectly lit headshot was, if I saw a girl-even a young one-strolling through the local Target with spiky silver lashes, I’d end up staring against my will. I keep going back to the opinion that cosmetics should enhance what one already has, instead of calling attention to something that nature would never provide.

Another invention was a new foundation by Revlon called Custom Creations. Now, this I like. It’s a makeup that comes in a special jar, where you turn the top to varying degrees to adjust if from darker to lighter, for the perfect skin tone match. I think this is wonderful. How many millions of women have opened up makeup they believed would be a good match, only to discover the color looked like a mask on their face?

Those were the high points for me, but it could have been due to it being the February issue and torn between winter fashions almost over, but too early for spring items. One interesting, 3 page photo shoot showed how some clothes could make a transition from winter into spring. That, and another spread of outfits that can be made from 6 tops and 6 bottoms are the kind of articles I’ve always liked. They’re pretty standard for most fashion magazines, though.

That brings me to what I don’t like in fashion magazines, and what I believe editors should rethink. First, they assume that readers are all under 35, and post the young ages of women mentioned in every piece. That’s not the way to influence readers older than 35, who will surmise that the fashions and magazine are obviously too young for them. (In some cases, it’s true, but fashion magazines should do a better job of appealing to a wider market.)

Another annoyance is the fashion photographers and the style in which they shoot. I truly doubt any woman poses herself seductively on cushions in front of a window, in her bra and panties, and stares into space as if to solve the world’s problems. That kind of ad does nothing to make me want to rush out and buy undies. Plus, why are so many of the pictures taken with models wearing scowls or pouts? They’re young, beautiful and rich, so why do they look miserable? Don’t photographers know that people are attracted to smiles, which are more influential?

Finally-please stop with the “must haves” section…Don’t tell me I must have a skinny, long, black scarf to pair with a white t-shirt to be style-smart. I may just hate black, white, scarves and t-shirts in general. Most women don’t like feeling coerced.

Yet a woman can’t help but be motivated by fashion magazines. It spurred me to my closet to mix some winter and spring pieces together. Fashion magazines do help women realize that what they currently own has the potential to look better, and for that we must thank them.