If I Were EIC of Vogue...

I would have more model diversity: skinny, plus-size, young, old, voluptuous, black, white, Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian, established, new, etc. You'd find them all in the magazine every month.

I would put more models in general on the cover: Arlenis Sosa, Hilary Rhoda, Lily Donaldson, Jourdan Dunn, Kristen McMenamy, and some fresh faces who are just breaking onto the scene.

I would have more high/low fashion spreads. Pairing something from Target with something by Chanel (Lagerfeld would probably kill me, but anyway).

I wouldn't put Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover for at least a full year. Or maybe more. Or maybe forever.

I would accept short story submissions from writers whether they were previously published or not. Vogue used to do this back in the day. I think it's a great way to discover new talent. Plus, short fiction rocks.

I'd have less society pages. They'd still be there, just not as often. I know the socialites featured probably donate money to Vogue or whatnot. But they'd have to settle for being featured less often. Unless someone truly fabulous came along. Someone like Babe Paley.

My motto would be: Always keep them guessing. I'd keep readers on their toes, wondering what would be in the magazine for next month. In other words, I'd try not to be as predictable as the current Vogue.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Well, nothing. It's Halle Berry! She looks gorgeous and this cover is at least ten times better than last month's with awkward Gwyneth.

But you know what is wrong? That Halle is the first black woman on the cover of the September Issue (the biggest issue of the year) since 1989! That's right, it's been almost TWO DECADES since a woman of color was on the cover of this coveted issue. In 1989 the honor went to Naomi Campbell, and she was the first black woman ever to be on the cover of the September Issue.

I know I've talked about lack of diversity in Vogue's covers before, but I still don't get why Vogue won't address it. Or why Vogue is so stingy with putting women of color on the cover.

I. Just. Don't. Get. It.

It just makes me sad that in 2010 we're still talking about these issues. I feel like I'm living in the Dark Ages.

No More Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is to me what wire hangers were to Joan Crawford. Okay, so maybe that's not the most appropriate comparison. I don't hate Gwyneth (in fact, I used to worship her), but I'm so tired of seeing her on Vogue covers at least once a year. Is she really that fascinating? Does she really have that much to say? I will leave those up as rhetorical questions.

Also, this cover? Standard Vogue fare: Boring, bland, and just plain bad. There's absolutely nothing special about it. Vogue is supposed to be the bible for fashion and this is the best they can come up with? In a word: Uninspiring.

I want to be wowed for once. I want to keep each issue like I used to instead of dumping it with relief into the recycling bin. If I wasn't a subscriber, I would never ever EVER buy this off the newsstand. I mean, the hair is stuck flat against her face, the dress is unremarkable, and is it just me, or does that pose look really uncomfortable and unnatural? I just wish Vogue would step it up. But I'm starting to think that Vogue doesn't care anymore. Or it has a completely different agenda than what I used to think it had. And I'm not sure what that agenda is now.

I'm Yawning Furiously (Yes, It's Possible)

So, Blake Lively is on the cover of Vogue again. She was also on the January cover last year (correct me if I'm wrong because I'm too lazy to fact-check--hey, it's a blog! I don't have to fact-check). Ahem, anyway, the cover is...pretty. Aren't most magazine covers pretty? Yeah, sure they are, but pretty is also boring. Pretty doesn't have to be boring. Pretty can be interesting and sexy and fun and ferocious and, dare I say it, fierce. But this cover? It's just pretty and bland and vanilla. And it's making me yawn every time I look at it.

I wish Vogue would use more fashion models. I wish Vogue would put Chanel or Jourdan or Sessilee on the cover, and not all at the same time, but individually. I'm a subscriber so I'm kinda stuck with the covers I get no matter what, but if I weren't one, I would never pick up this copy from the newsstand. Never. Ever.

There's nothing on this cover that jumps out and says, "Read me! Or if you don't want to read me at least buy me and look at the awesome pictures within!" I mean, let's take a look at the cover headlines: "A Golden Boy's Tales From The Dark Side." Okay, I guess that is sort of interesting, except that I have no idea who this "golden boy" is. Is it Brad Pitt? Then I might care (but mostly not). Also, "tales from the dark side" is such a cliche. I think I heard it for the first time when I was, like, 9 and watching Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Another headline: "65 Cool Swimsuits For Every Body." This is mildly interesting because summer is almost here and we're all gonna be hitting the beach soon. But, alas, it's only mildly interesting. If I want to look at swimsuits, I'd just get a copy of Shape or I'll just--gasp!--check out this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

The headline for the cover girl just says "Blake Lively Heats Up The Beach." That's it? Um, 'kay. That's fascinating. Really. It is. /Sarcasm

Also, who wears a sweater over her swimsuit when she's supposed to be "heating up the beach"? Is she heating it up because she's wearing a sweater and sweaters usually function as clothing items designed to keep you warm? I don't know. Do you?

The one thing that did actually excite me was the headline "Glee's Matthew Morrison." Vogue, you had me at Glee.

There's also a story and pictorial about Jack White and Karen Elson. Karen was also featured in Marie Claire this month (Yes, I subscribe to way too many mags), so why is she in the June 2010 issue of Vogue? I think she's a great model and she has a great look, but I've been seeing her in Vogue for about a decade now. That's great. It's awesome to see models who have longevity in this business, but FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, can you please feature other models once in a while? Pretty please? I know there are plenty to choose from.

What Vogue Covers Should Be

Finally, a good Vogue cover. Actually, a GREAT Vogue cover. One that actually makes you want to pick up the magazine from the newsstand or actually open the issue if you're a subscriber like me. Gisele Bundchen (looking great after recently giving birth to her first child with husband Tom Brady) sells all the sweet promises of spring with her fresh-faced good looks, gorgeous skin, and playful yet seductive style. This is the kind of cover that might actually inspire consumers to buy all the goodies within (if they had money or a job, that is). After the horrendous cover with Jessica Biel that made both her and denim look like the unsexiest things EVER, I'm beyond pleased with this cover. For now, at least. Hopefully, this is the start of Vogue's covers going in a new, better direction.

Color and Size

So, I also subscribe to Teen Vogue (I know, right? I'm totally crazy) and I got my November 2009 issue in the mail today. I am very happy with the cover. It's beautiful, stylish, wholesome. The red lips and sleek ponytails are in great taste.

Recently, I've noticed that I actually crave women of color on my magazine covers. I'm white, and I don't know if certain publishers think white women only want to see other white women on magazine covers, but that is not the case with me and with many other white women that I know. I love seeing black, Asian and Hispanic women on magazine covers. I'm glad Teen Vogue is acknowledging that non-white teens read their magazine, and that the powers that be have chosen to represent them. Enough with the insipid Lauren Conrads. I am, quite frankly, getting bored with seeing the same cookie-cutter and rather bland blue-eyed blondes staring blankly at me from the covers of pretty much every single major magazine. I'm willing to bet many others are bored as well.

Adult Vogue has been pretty good lately about featuring women of color on its covers what with Beyonce and Michelle Obama landing the coveted spot this past year. But they still have a long way to go. Most of the fashion editorials feature white models, and it's been a while since a black model has been on the adult Vogue cover.

Before I praise Teen Vogue too much though, I have to say that Chanel and Jourdan are a bit too skinny for my taste. I mean, they're really really ridiculously skinny. Just take a look at that first picture of them walking arm-in-arm. Their legs are basically stilts! Let's be honest, they do not look healthy. Although the color issue has not been completely resolved, I think a lot of attention needs to be paid to how skinny these models look.

Although, at this point it's like beating a dead horse. We can talk about it all day, but nothing is ever going to be done about it. Even with the recent deaths of two models from complications arising from eating disorders, the fashion industry barely batted a faux eyelash. Yes, I'm sure some of these girls are truly blessed and are naturally (and infuriatingly) skinny. But most of them? No way. Seriously, Chanel and Jourdan could both put on at least 20 pounds, easy, and still look great. Get on it, Vogue. I'm watching, and blogging.

Vogue Doesn't Care About Women

This is the conclusion I must come to after seeing a two-page ad for Davidoff cigarettes in the September 2009 issue of Vogue. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought cigarette ads were outlawed on billboards and in magazines. Has this rule changed? Maybe, but in any case, I think it's incredibly irresponsible of Vogue to feature cigarette ads and, thereby, to continue glamorizing this deplorable habit.

Vogue is always telling women how to look their best and feel their best and be their best. The importance of taking care of one's body, exercising to stay healthy, following the macrobiotic diet a la Vogue darlings Madonna and Gwyneth, and other such be-good-to-yourself messages are touted in every single tree-destroying issue to the point of redundancy. Over the years, I've seen numerous editorials about cancer research, articles written by cancer survivors, etc., and now seeing this ad is like a slap in the face, and just downright hypocritical. They do know that cigarettes cause cancer, right?

Smoking is not sexy or cool or fashionable. It's disgusting. It ceased to be "en vogue" years ago. Yes, many models, editors and designers smoke. Many of them also do hard drugs. It doesn't make it OK to feature ads glorifying the act. Vogue prides itself on having good taste in fashion, beauty and art among other things. Well, the decision to run this ad was in very poor taste.

I know that ad sales are a magazine's bread and butter, but I think Vogue should've passed on this one. I'm pretty sure they could've afforded to do so.

Vogue Hates Poor People

The much-lauded and massive (5 lbs; yes, I weighed it) September issue, in which Vogue gives us yet another yawn-worthy cover and over 300 pages of ads featuring overpriced crap no one in this economy (or in her right mind) can afford, landed with a thud on my doorstep yesterday. Once again we learn that Vogue is turning a blind-eye to the state of the economy right

now, although it's also doing a great job of pretending to care.

Case in point: Since this year's June issue, Vogue has included a regular feature called "100 Under $500" which, if you ask me, is a very sad joke funny only to the moneyed folk who appear in the magazine's society pages every month. The feature touts such "must-haves" as a hand-painted notecard set for $140 and a Louis Vuitton keychain for $250. Who the hell is going to spend that much money on a keychain and cards? These are things, I think we can all agree, that nobody actually needs. Randomly, a La Roux CD is thrown in for $24 - the cheapest thing on the list, and yet, still ridiculously overpriced for a CD.

Other items of note:

A fabric-covered caddy for $220 (and I have no idea what that is or what it's for)

A terracotta pot for $250 (seriously, it's just a pot)

A $495 scarf (which will be well over $500 after sales tax is calculated)

A $495 lipstick case (just a case, no lipstick)

Adding insult to the people battling foreclosure and debt, Vogue has the audacity to call these items, including a $450 pillow, "smart buys." Huh?

To be fair, I could never afford anything in Vogue, but I read the magazine because I love fashion and I enjoyed looking at the beautiful clothes, people and places. But in these economic times, the pages of the magazine have become a stinging slap in the face. How does that song go? "Money, money, money, must be funny in a rich man's world." Funny, indeed.

Christy Turlington in Vogue

Yay! Finally, a decent cover. My favorite model graces this month's (August 2009) cover of the magazine that is getting worse with every issue. Last month, it was Ms. It's Not Hard For Me To Fall In Love (coughwithmarriedmencough) Sienna Miller. A boring and horrible cover that I didn't even post. Hopefully, I'll remember to put it up tomorrow if anyone even cares.

This month Vogue presents its annual Age Issue, an attempt at pigeonholing women into their particular age category because we all know that that number is what defines us right? Right. Thanks Vogue. I am morphing into a confident, secure and intelligent woman with your ever helpful guidance.

Just like the Body Issue, the Age Issue is a disgrace. I mean, come on, do we really need to define women based on how old they are? Isn't it enough that Hollywood makes us all feel over the hill at thirty, anyway? Now the fashion magazines are joining the party, belittling women by making them feel too old and thereby irrelevant. And if you think this Age Issue is a celebration of women at any age, you're mistaken. As soon as the issue hits stands and mailboxes, women all over the country are frantically flipping to their age category, hoping a beautiful, young-looking woman was chosen to represent them. Then, they can feel "okay" about themselves. Sad.

Honestly, if I see another cover line that states "Fabulous at Forty" or something similar, I will stick my head in an oven. When did 40 become so old that we have to heap praise upon anyone who reaches that age and manages to look remotely human? I didn't realize that we were all supposed to drop dead at 39. Just stamp an expiration date on our foreheads and get it over with.

On a happy note, if you're over 35 and don't want to commit suicide, you've won. Congratulations.

Green, Literally.

The June 2009 issue of Vogue with a smiling and radiant Cameron Diaz on the cover leaves very little to the imagination. It has nothing to do with Cameron's clothing (she's bundled up in a white cotton shirt and pants by Stella McCartney), it has everything to do with the overwhelmingly green font color. You see, this is the GREEN issue in case you couldn't realize that just by looking at it. Btw, could there be anything more ironic than a Vogue Green issue? Especially, when the EIC and her minions have no qualms about wearing fur and flying in private jets. But I digress.

Anyway, about 60% of the cover lines are in a bright Kelly green font just to drive home how much Vogue cares about the environment because you would never guess that if you solely judged them on their actions.

Vogue Jumps on the India Bandwagon In an Attempt to Stay Relevant

In the May issue of Vogue, the editors once again prove that they don't have an ounce of originality left. Thanks to the success of Slumdog Millionaire, people are suddenly remembering that there's a country called India with a unique and rich culture (and aren't you surprised that greedy Hollywood and Madison Ave are all of a sudden so eager to capitalize on it?).

Not to be outdone, La Wintour and her army of Botoxed minions put together a fashion editorial complete with Indian model Lakshmi Menan, young Indian children dancing around in colorful costumes, and a title that reads "India Are We." Let me get this straight: Vogue is "India" now? Of course, it is; now that it's profitable and popular to be associated with anything remotely Indian - God, Vogue makes me sick.

I haven't read an article in Vogue in months because, quite frankly, they're completely irrelevant; but now even the pictures offend me.

Vogue's May 2009 Cover: Gorgeous!

I was happy as a clam to find the May issue of Vogue in my mailbox today. It seems Vogue has temporarily returned to its senses and finally put supermodels on the cover. This particular one features one of my all-time favorites: Liya Kebede.

Liya's one of those faces that is so preternaturally beautiful that you never tire of looking at it. I'm really glad she's on the front cover this time and not relegated to one of the other two pages of the fold-out. You may have noticed the phenomenon of putting black and other models of color inside the folded sheet so that their faces are essentially invisible on the newsstand.

To be fair the fold-out pages in this issue are beautiful, too. Moreover, the editorial articles inside feature a look into the lives of these great beauties, and I must say I'm truly grateful to La Wintour for sparing me yet another mundane celebrity interview.

Hooray for models, and keep 'em coming!

Unfortch, it's only a matter of time before Vogue goes back to sucking again...Let's give it about a month.

Vogue's Shape Issue: A Lesson in Fail

Once a year, American Vogue presents a charade known as the "Shape Issue." It chronicles different women of various shapes - short, thin, tall, pregnant (I didn't really think that was a shape but whatever), & curvy. They do this by featuring a famous woman (singer, model, actress) and talking about her particular shape, somehow making her body sound like some disease that the person has courageously learned to live with. For example, "Best friends Olivia Thirlby and Zoe Kravitz are New York girls with an answer for everything - especialy, Sally Singer learns, how to be small yet staggeringly stylish." In case you were wondering, Olivia and Zoe are "short" and they have to somehow figure out how to be stylish and look good in clothes because this is clearly impossible for people who aren't 6 feet tall and 120 pounds, right? "Olivia and Zoe are tiny, and the most wackily charming New York double act since Madonna and Rosanna Arquette," Singer writes. I'm sorry, but I don't get it. This is like saying, "they may be tiny, but they're still human - amazing!"

Cue to me rolling my eyes. Oh LORD, Vogue often makes me laugh my ass off. But why am I surprised? This is the same magazine that convinced Laura and Kate Mulleavy to lose weight and actually have the experience chronicled in its pages for all eternity.

There's also a feature on Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon, "two spirited sisters who treat being thin like a birthright," but I'll get to those two sad saps later.

Cool! Beyonce on Vogue Cover

Did Anna Wintour somehow stumble on my previous post about the twisted logic behind her magazine's illustrious cover choices? Probably not. But check out how cool this is: Beyonce Knowles on the cover of Vogue, FINALLY!!!

I must confess she looks gorgeous and stylish. Yes, the fashion bible's covers are still pretty safe and boring, but I have to admit that the last two covers have made me happy. For the first time in a long time, I don't see pale anorexic triplets looking at me with empty eyes from the cover.

As much as I like this cover, I can already tell that the inside pages are going to be as out-of-touch and irrelevant as ever. But I'll have to reserve that judgment for when I actually get this issue in the mail. Here's hoping I can bring myself to actually remove it from the plastic cover.

Ummm...I don't know what to do with this...

As you can see from this photo, I still haven't ripped the cover off of my March Vogue. Isn't it sad? I have NO desire to read it at all!!!

It's kind of unbelievable, but after, like, 12 years of being obsessed with Vogue, I suddenly just don't care.

You know how some people get divorced after like 20 years of marriage and everyone is totally shocked by it? This is exactly like that.

OMG I just had a brilliant thought! I will keep this issue in mint condition, still in its plastic cover and then sell it on eBay in about 15 years...I'm sure it'll be worth something by then. Hooray!

A Sad Truth

So, I finally received my March Vogue in the mail a few days ago. It's still covered in the plastic wrap and waiting to be opened. It's been about 3 days and I just have absolutely no desire to remove the plastic and actually read the magazine. I remember the days when I couldn't wait to rip off the plastic cover and furiously thumb through the pages. Those days have been gone for a while now. It just goes to show that Vogue really really sucks. I mean, I'm a longtime subscriber and I can't bring myself to actually read this issue! Maybe it's because I already know what's going to be in it without even turning one page: rich socialites lounging by their infinity pools, overpriced designer duds that no one can afford (especially in this economy), ass-kissing advertorials, overexposed celebrities waxing poetic about how much they've "grown" since their last project, yachts and Tuscan villas, more rich pricks and anorexic models jumping up and down. I'm not sure when I'll actually read this issue; maybe I should just recycle it now.

This is EPIC! Michelle Obama on the cover of Vogue

WOW! I am speechless. I can barely contain my excitement so please understand there may be a few typos in this post. 

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA IS ON THE COVER OF VOGUE!!!

Let's get the superficial stuff out of the way first: She looks gorgeous, natural, approachable and classy. The cover lines are not overdone and don't overwhelm the photo, which is how it should always be. I hate when magazine editors bombard the cover with a hundred inane quotes.

Now, the more profound meaning behind this cover: I hope that this means that Vogue or, more accurately, La Wintour will start to embrace diversity in the pages of her magazine. In order for Vogue to FINALLY get back in touch with the world of fashion and the world at large, it needs to realize that white, anorexic blondes aren't the only people on the planet. I think this is a step in the right direction.

The Twisted Logic Behind Vogue's Covers: Keira Knightley, 4; Halle Berry, 1

OK, so this really irritates me and, quite frankly, just pisses me off to the nth degree. It seems like every time the postman/woman drops off the latest gigantic issue of Vogue, Keira Knightley is on the cover...again. In the past 4 years, Keira's been on the cover of American Vogue 4 times. That's once a year for those of you not mathematically inclined (don't worry, I'm one of you). Is Keira Knightley the last remaining actress on Earth and La Wintour has no choice but to regurgitate her as often as possible? I don't get it. Yeah, she's been in some great movies and she was nominated for an Oscar, but Vogue makes you think she's the second coming of Christ or something!

This whole thing drives me crazy when I think about the fact that Halle Berry (one of the most beautiful and talented actresses of our era AND an Oscar winner) has only been on the cover of Vogue once. Yes, just one time in December 2002 - 6 YEARS AGO!!! I mean, am I the only one who thinks there's something really wrong with this? Halle's been appearing in movies consistently since 2002; she's still an A-lister; she's constantly in the media. Seriously, what gives? I think we both know the reason, but I just don't have the heart to state it right now.

Though she may be beautiful, I am truly sick of seeing Keira Knightley's face on the cover of American Vogue and every other magazine.

BRING BACK HALLE BERRY!

Italian Vogue is Badass

Though I cannot read Italian, I love Italian Vogue for its devotion to innovation and conceptualism, its tantalizing photo spreads and gorgeous covers. Italian Vogue isn't afraid to push the envelope, if you'll forgive me for using such a cliched phrase. Like an Italian mafioso, it's truly badass.

Just a few months ago, Italian Vogue had an "all-black" issue featuring only black models on its covers and inside photo spreads. People said it wouldn't sell; it sold out. Would American Vogue ever make such a bold move? Even with the first black president in office and February being black history month? No, of course not. American Vogue is too scared of making these types of statements for some reason. It would be truly refreshing to see something bold and new and fresh from the stale and boring magazine. And it doesn't have to come in the form of an "all-black" issue.

It could be something as simple as an innovative, creative, captivating and lush cover like the one above, also from Italian Vogue. OK, obviously the cover isn't everything, but in a way it is the most important thing because it's what you look at before you decide to actually look inside. If you really pay attention to these types of things, you'll notice that oftentimes the cover will determine whether you turn even one page of the magazine or none at all.

The Twisted Logic Behind Vogue's Covers: Jennifer Hudson vs. Beyonce

I think it was about a year ago when Jennifer Hudson graced the cover of Vogue. The appearance made headlines because it's very rare for an African-American woman to be featured on Vogue's cover, especially one that wasn't emaciated beyond recognition (as most of Vogue's cover models tend to be). Jennifer Hudson was a welcome change from the usual banality of white models and actresses that look like they all came from the same gene pool. I was very happy to see J-Hud on the cover of the most prestigious fashion magazine in all the land, but it was also an appearance that made me wonder: How come Beyonce, one of the most popular and successful singers and actresses in the country, has never been on the cover of Vogue?

What's wrong with Beyonce? She's super famous, gorgeous, successful, talented and she loves fashion. She's arguably more famous than Hudson plus they were both in the same movie, Dreamgirls, together. Ok, so Beyonce didn't win an Oscar for her performance, but it's not like Vogue only puts Oscar winners on its covers. Plus, she has like a million Grammys. I can't help but think that it's because Beyonce is black, and Vogue is not about to put more than one black actress, singer or athlete (LeBron James graced a cover with Gisele a few months ago) on the cover in one year. Honestly, even that doesn't make sense to me. It's illogical decisions like this that really ruin the joy of Vogue for me. It just seems to me that Beyonce is deserving of a Vogue cover and the whole situation leaves me scratching my head. I wish I could corner La Wintour in a malfunctioning elevator and just ask her point-blank: Why Jennifer Hudson and not Beyonce?