Top 5 Reasons Why Vogue Is Out of Vogue

Top 5 Reasons Why Vogue Is Out of Vogue

Friday, January 16, 2009

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Once upon a time, Vogue was undoubtedly considered the Bible of high fashion and a must-read for women everywhere. Nowadays, not so much.

There's been a lot of talk in the media lately about why Vogue has fallen out of vogue. In fact, The New York Times recently did a piece which called Vogue "stale and predictable." The Times also noted how Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, made the highly unusual move recently to publish a reader's letter to the editor which was critical of the magazine. The reader complained that Vogue features the same women over and over again. After flipping through some recent issues, we have to agree with both observations. But not only do we find the magazine "stale and predictable," we also find it pretty darn ridiculous.

So here they are, our official Top 5 Reasons Why Vogue is Out of Vogue

They're supposed to be called cover girls -- not cover-to-promote-my-latest-project-girls. Get those celebrities off the cover. We know the only reason Anne Hathaway posed this month is because she has a film to promote ... ditto with the recent cover of Nicole Kidman. And by the way, next month's cover features "Gossip Girl" star Blake Lively. Hmmm ... any coincidence that sweeps is coming up?
We're sick of reading about skinny, rich moms and their perfect children and gorgeous homes. No, they're not "just like us." Next time you're planning on profiling a mom, try finding one we can relate to, one who doesn't "summer in the Hamptons" or hand the kids off to the nanny the minute the camera crew leaves.
The rest of the country does not care about New York socialites. Seriously, maybe Manhattan is fixated on these trust fund brats running around in size zero designer loan-outs, but the fact that these rich kids brag about borrowing designer dresses really annoys us -- and the fact that they can fit into the sample sizes annoys us even more. They're spoiled rich kids, not celebrities ... nuff said.
We want to see the clothes -- not an emaciated model riding elephants, not a bag of bones swinging from a trapeze ... THE CLOTHES. Seriously, how the heck are we supposed to know if hemlines are up or down when the model is hanging upside down from a helicopter? We're all for cool photo shoots, but not when we can't see what the heck the model is wearing. And while we're at it -- someone hand those girls a burger -- last time we checked clothes were supposed to hug a woman's body, not hang from it like a clothes hanger.
Ummm...in case you haven't heard, there's a recession going on. Newsflash to all you Vogue writers and editors, maybe you can afford to blow 5 grand on a gown or six figures on the latest "must-have accessory," but the rest of us could use that cash to pay a bill or two. While we're all for fantasy window shopping -- but there comes a point when it becomes obnoxious and obscene. How about throwing in something affordable now and then?

11 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

It’s called Vogue - it’s meant for rich people. When has fashion in Vogue been relatable and affordable??

- Somebody

Posted 01/16/09 03:01 PM

We totally agree with you!! It might have worked when women were stuck at home and needed a reason to dream, but I am pretty sure that most of us are savvy enough to recognize when we are being sold, and know well enough that those skinny women with the perfect homes all have issues of their own, and life is not perfect for them! Life is not prefect for anyone! I think that Vogue may have had its fifteen minutes - its time for a more modern approach to fashion, one that will appeal to todays intelligent women! Cheers, love your blog!

- Erin

Posted 01/16/09 03:04 PM

Yes to all five—and more! I know it’s hard but vogue should be so much better. Did you read Cathy Horne’s article in the ny times last week? Ugh, and the others are just worse—uninspiring and poorly designed. Where is the magic I long to see?

- Adriana

Posted 01/16/09 03:30 PM

I love Vogue and have for years. I am torn because I would never want to see this icon leave yet I can relate that more intellectual articles should be writtin, but as Somebody wrote above it is about rich people and rich fashion. I do want to see more clothes though I love that.

- Me!

Posted 01/16/09 04:11 PM

I agree somebody..but don’t expect to sell magazines when most of the country isn’t in that small target audience.

- rugbymom

Posted 01/16/09 04:28 PM

I used to read it as an escape from reality but now it just pisses me off, they are so out of touch. I really never want to see another article about that gaggle of righ girls Anna Wintour seems obsessed with. enough already

- Janice

Posted 01/16/09 05:19 PM

I agree wholeheartedly with the article. Also, who wants to pay four, five or six bucks for a magazine that is about 50 percent ads? Pass.

- Anne

Posted 01/18/09 10:19 AM

sorry but the clothes they feature are so crazy i know it’s supposed to be “high fashion” but often the looks are plain silly and unwearable, I don’t care how much money you have.

- Karen

Posted 01/18/09 11:21 AM

it’s about 50% all ads anyway.

- Anonymous

Posted 01/18/09 11:44 AM

$5 or $6 bucks? Try $10 that’s how much it was going for at my local bookstore. Give me a break. Vogue does need to realize that NYC is not the center of the universe. And not all of us want to wear a leather poofed hoop skirt, with fish-net stockings under an $4000 swing coat with a fur boa around our necks wearing a purple fedora hat walking in 6 inch Monolo’s to the office.

- mina

Posted 01/24/09 08:51 PM

You should proofread. The word ‘but’ should appear in the second to last sentence.

- Nick

Posted 02/24/09 09:58 PM