Customer Reviews

Vogue (1-year auto-renewal)

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(23)

 

 

If you're into fashion, but prefer getting it without a daily dose of whats happening in the lives of nyc socialities, then opt for Vogue Paris. Its in french of course, but who 'reads' vogue. Its also much pricer ($15), but if i wanted to see what Paris Hilton was doing, I'd buy YM. Shockingly enough, Vogue Paris is actually about fashion, not about what fashionable celebrities are wearing.

As Vogue documents the hottest looks from the world's best designers, the entire fashion industry holds its breath in anticipation- then scrambles to interpret what Vogue dictates: the magazine is that influential. If you're looking for good, practical advice on cosmetics or picking the right style swimsuit for your body type, you're better off with Glamour or Marie Claire. What you'll find in Vogue is not really "practical" but rather high falutin', haute couture kind of stuff. Compared to other popular women's magazines, what distinguishes Vogue from the rest is how it successfully situates the fashion/beauty business as a vital, viable and artistic component of culture and society. So you're not just getting fashion layouts to look at, but also great articles on writers, architects, actors, art exhibits, and so on. Most everything pictured in Vogue is of course, out of the average person's price range, and the overall magazine's tone makes no apologies for this snobbery. But I still think it's a beautiful magazine to look at for its artistic vision, and for well-written articles on culture.

Oh, I love Vogue and its flashy, flaunting of fashion, its articles lauding vacuous socialites, "it-girl" actresses and the occasional over-40 writer/power moguls, and pages of outerspace-priced clothing on willowy martian-looking mannekins (who we all know now on a first name basis). Really, I love it! Okay, well, it is a bit in love with itself and its authority on fashion, but really ladies, fashion won't save the world, no matter how many charity balls you cover. It's hard to get as worked up over a (last season) pair of ostrich shoes or clutch purse, and enter a mosh pit at some Barney's outlet sale at your "insider's" behest. It really could whip some impressionable young people into a froth of rampant materialism! Makes one wonder if those bound-in perfume samples are starting to smell like "advertorial!"

Vogue does have its merits, including great photography, the occasional thought-provoking article by a guest writer, and bits on designers lurking on the fringes of affordability. Still, it's a fun bit of eye-candy and fantasy/vicarious luxury living each month. Yes, I do have a subscription, but I read it with a boulder of salt lodged firmly in my cheek.

This month's issue of Vogue (July 2008, with Nicole Kidman on the cover) clarified for me the significant drop in quality at American Vogue over the years. The magazine has reduced in size, now smaller than US letter paper. The spine measures less than 1/4 inch. The printing and paper quality are low. The content of the July issue, in particular was watery. Vogue used to contain expansive descriptions of trends and details, but if the last few issues are an indicator, they must have fired a lot of writers. What exists now is not much more than product placement ads. The photo pages are few in number as well. I know that there is much more to fashion now that what was in Vogue lately. What's going on? Maybe there needs to be a change in editorial leadership. In the meanwhile, sadly I probably won't renew.

Vogue is full of ads. I pick this magazine up and I don't start getting to the articles until I am a fourth through the thing. I find the articles quite boring and not informative at all. One good thing about Vogue is the photos are pretty artistic and you get an idea of how fashion is art, but that is about all I get out of it. So, if you like advertisments this mag is for you.

The clothes are fun to look at too - even though most of us can't even dream about buying stuff by Prada or Carolina Herrera. Maybe that's WHY Vogue is so much fun. This mag evades the snob category by covering very serious subjects in its articles and interviews, and they do slip in affordable fashions for the average woman. Fun, so it rates a five for me

Vogue is serious fashion. This magazine is for followers of couture designers and the fashion industry. It is not for those who want 10 ways to Drive a Man Crazy in Bed! Vogue offers the most complete coverage of seasonal shows as well as beautiful fashion layouts....Mine arrives in the mail about two weeks after it is out ont he stands.

For me, the September issue of Vogue, with its 700 page issue, is more than eye candy. It's art. It's that simple. I no longer look at most of the fashion in the magazine, nor the models, as realistic, something that can ever transfer into my own life, nor would I want it to. It reminds me of trips to art museums where I can admire one painting half the afternoon, but it doesn't mean I want it hanging on my wall at home.

Vogue's photography is exquiste, pure art. The glossy pages, the vibrant, sometimes muted colors, seem to jump off the page. The images make my mind wander and explore. When I finally got over the ridiculous prices and the more ridiculously thin models with legs longer than I am tall, I was able to fully appreciate the artistry of the ads and fashion spreads. I find the ads are as engaging as the fashion spreads, which is a good thing, for the magazine is at least half ads.

Some of the articles are quite good as well. I scan the few society articles, and I've been surprised at the high number of well-written pieces that apply to the average world-wise woman. Cosmo readers most likely won't find much in Vogue, but I'd say women over 30, who are relatively sophisticated, will find articles geared toward them.

Overall, Vogue is a high end publication with excellent, artistic photographers and produces rather sweet eye candy with a good number of current, well-written non-fashion articles.

Vogue fantastic high fashion photos. If you love to look at beautiful clothing and shoes you need to look at Vogue. However, as other reviews have indicated, the articles are quite lacking. They are often flat without much substance on topics that are frankly not interesting. So, you get Vogue for the pictures. If your looking to ogle pretty clothes or for inspiration for an art project this is a great magazine, if you want something to read get something else.

Vogue self proclaims to be the fashion authority but alas it no longer is the case. Articles are insipid and tabloid gossip has taken over. If you truly want to see fashion, buy the French Vogue or better yet, "Numero". In the US, I now read Harper's Bazaar.