Weighing in on the September Issues

 
Someone's been on a diet this year. At 9 pounds, the Fab Five September issues (Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, and In Style) weigh half a pound less than they did last year. My Fab Five are Vogue (the winner by far at 596 pages and down 50 from last year), followed by Harper's Bazaar at 396. Nipping at its heels are Elle (364), followed by InStyle (324). Marie Claire wafts in at a mere 210. Vogue was the biggest loser. Elle lost a few. Everyone else pretty much stayed the same.

The number of pages in a magazine says more about the economy than the state of fashion. Those page numbers equal ad revenue, and that's what's paying for your magazine—not your subscription or the $9.99 you paid on the newsstand.

What's so interesting is fashion, style and design are as hot topics as ever. Kids as young as six can go to "fashion camp" (in LA anyways). Decorating tv shows are ubiquitous, from to-the-studs renovation to pillow-fluffing. Instagram has yet to implode from too many influencers. We still want to know "Who wore it better?"

Fashion Camp, Los Angeles

 
The choice of cover models is always telling, and this year's September models are not all that (models that is). Christy Turlington, supermodel extraordinaire is on the subscription copy of Bazaar; Alicia Keys, sans makeup as usual and looking lovely, is on the newsstand.

That's Cara Delevingne and her bare back on the fold-out cover of Marie Claire. She was a model; now she's an actress. Maybe she's both. Is the lack of clothes meant to be an editorial statement?

Angelina Jolie is on Elle and Taylor Swift on Vogue. Joan Smalls, a model, graces the cover of InStyle wearing a dress designed by Rihanna. I wonder why Rihanna isn't wearing her own dress, but maybe she's just a fashion designer now.

I have not peeked inside. Labor Day is coming, and we usually stay close to home. I will crack them open on September 1. It will be a labor of love.