“The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different.”

Photobucket


I tend to dislike issues of magazines that try to inform their readers what to wear at age 30...or 40...or 50... The idea that personal style can be reduced down to a calculation of what is deemed appropriate based on your age group is ludicrous, and exceedingly dated. The latest incarnation of this type of editorial (and the one that started this rant) appears in the August issue of US Vogue...the "age" issue...with editorials for each decade from the 20's to the 50's based upon the personal look of one of Vogue's stylists (though there's a bit of bait-and-switch going on as Tabitha Simmons who is the inspiration for the "20's" images is actually in her late thirties).

Apart from the suggestions for women in their fifties, which are so depressingly dull that it gives one very little to look forward to, the overwhelming impression that the reader gets is one of confusion...without the accompanying numerical indicators it would be difficult to decide which picture falls under which age group. But, if this is the case, why categorize them this way in the first place? Surely the very fact that it is difficult to look at them and say "this is the skirt that Vogue says should be worn by a 42 year old woman" shows how completely unnecessary this type of article is...

Photobucket


* today's quote, for those of you who are curious, is by Aldous Huxley...unfortunately Blogger has a limitation on title length which I often feel the urge to break.

 
 
 
 

Post a Comment 5 comments:

  • WendyB said...
    7:45 AM
    I hate those articles/issues too -- there usually seems to be minimal difference between the ages till you get to about 70!
  • Elizabeth said...
    7:19 PM
    I tend to ignore those rules, wearing what I want to as long as I don't look stupid. Stupid is relative, I understand, but I am pretty strict with myself.
  • 7:38 PM
    Strangely enough, some of the outfits magazines tend to suggest for older people are actually more appealing than the crazy ones they suggest for a younger person.
  • 3:57 PM
    I kind of ignore those 'style advice' features cos they're really not aimed at us. They're for people who don't have a clue but want to be seen 'to be wearing the right thing'. Sad but I'm sure they make up a lot of US Vogue readers. I always hate the stuff that I'm expected to wear as a thirty-something: Tory Burch flats and a Chanel jacket? Please. Fascinating fact: did you know Tabitha went out with Jefferson Hack before Kate Moss?
  • 11:21 AM
    It's all erroneous the thing you are saying.

Post a Comment

 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...