To start getting into a fashion is always good to check the magazines that are out there. Sadly US magazines haven't impressed me in that fashion department. Here is why...
1.I don't care for the model look. They are almost always to skinny. It's just unreal and unhealthy. I loved as a kid one of my friends bought me a Barbie comic and one of the stories covered how a friend was starving herself to get model pretty. The friend then spent a day with Barbie and saw that Barbie eat right and worked out to keep healthy. By doing this Barbie was able to keep an active life and worked well as a model. At the end a photographer goes up to the starving friend and says if she gain a few pounds that she would work. In short, I was to see average girls display their fashion love.
2. All I get are product adds. Yes I want to see product but when it's 75% of the magazine I feel that the magazine should have paid me to read the magazine.
3. Let me state I don't mind the story articles. It's nice to read a well written price and feel I am not being spoon feed with dribble gossip. Keep the gossip to the tabloids.
4. Last, scrap book fashion. You know where they show the clothing and accessories just laying down, not on a body. It's looks lazy and really doesn't do the clothing any favor as you just slabbed down some fabric and beads on the floor.
So for us market magazines I pick up maybe two a year and I found more fashion in a strawberry shortcake magazine then a vogue that I liked.
So in turn I picked up some Japanese magazine. By the way they have a ton of different magazines for fashion and they all cover different styles. The ones I have picked us so far and love are Kera, gothic Lolita bible and Cutie. Here are some key notes of what I love.
1. Models mostly wear what they love.
2. Street snaps, adore. Your not getting just one brand on a body but mix and match and working out something that works. Also giving credit to those who are in the fashion and supporting it.
3. Free product goodies. You might discard the magazine in a few weeks but they give something with it. (Usable bags, body spray etc. )
4. I don't understand kanji so I can't say much about the articles but they are there is just the right amount too.
5. Make up and hair tutorials and awesome. I don't understand kanji but there are enough step by step photos and photos of the products they use I understand.
So there is a magazine review. I have very little budget for fashion but I will support what I like and so will buy the Japanese magazines when I can. Also have the Tokyo fashion app and kawaii magazine app on my iPod and they are good. I've only used the vogue app like twice and when I have a want to look at runway fashion sure but most of the time not into runway stuff.
