Fashion magazines have long been criticized for promoting unrealistic standards of beauty, especially when it comes to weight and body shape. Despite this, fashion magazines are more popular than ever, and are often the source of inspiration behind new trends in fashion and beauty. What effect do fashion magazines have on society? Do they promote unrealistic body image ideals? Or do they inspire creativity in women and men around the world? This guide will explore these issues as well as many other fashion magazine facts you might not have known before.
A brief history of fashion magazines
Fashion magazines (often called fashion mags) are pretty much as old as fashion itself. In fact, some of these publications date back to late 18th century France. The first American magazine devoted entirely to fashion was Vogue, which launched in 1892 (although French Elle claims it started publishing a year earlier). Since then, scores of popular fashion magazines have hit newsstands around the world—and many more digital-only titles have emerged online.
What is the purpose of fashion magazines?
It’s a difficult question to answer, as each publication has its own agenda. Some target an audience with specific interests—like American Girl, which focuses on empowering young women—while others target multiple audiences. Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, for example, are aimed at fashion-savvy adults; Teen Vogue aims at teenage girls; Seventeen is geared toward younger teens; while Allure is targeted towards older women who want more information about anti-aging treatments and beauty products. The goal of each magazine is to entertain, inform, or both. You might be surprised to learn that only a small percentage of readers actually purchase most magazines—most people just look through them in doctor’s offices or hair salons.
Who reads fashion magazines?
While it may be true that fashion magazines have lost a significant portion of their print readership in recent years, people are still reading them. About half of American women and 16% of men read at least one fashion magazine. There’s a substantial difference between different demographic groups when it comes to who reads these types of magazines. Women with annual incomes over $75,000 are more likely to subscribe than those with lower incomes. And while 38% of older women age 65 and up read at least one fashion magazine each month, only 19% of younger women 18–44 read that frequently.
Why are they so popular?
Although fashion magazines seem to be a staple of our society today, it wasn’t always that way. In fact, before World War II, there was no real market for such publications. But when photographer and filmmaker Cecil Beaton launched Picture Post in London in 1938, everything changed. Like many great ideas before and since, Beaton’s publication came about because he realized he could save money by simply making it himself instead of paying someone else to make it for him. He also recognized an opportunity to create something new—something people would want.
That’s exactly what he did with his first issue featuring iconic photos of British royalty including Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip as well as high-profile celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo. The magazine sold out immediately, catapulting Beaton into fame and cementing his status as one of history’s most important photographers. From there, other entrepreneurs took notice, launching their versions across Europe until finally reaching America where Vogue made its debut in 1892 (it became Vogue Paris in 1945). Since then, hundreds more have followed suit creating an industry worth billions of dollars every year.
Exploring body image in fashion mags
Fashion magazines provide a two-way flow of influence. On one hand, models and celebrities set an unrealistic standard for an appearance that can negatively impact body image and self-esteem in people who are constantly inundated with images of these perfect people, but on the other hand, fashion magazines can influence society for good—especially when it comes to gender roles.
For example, women’s magazines have often been credited with helping to usher in second-wave feminism by encouraging women to be more independent and assertive. The same goes for men’s magazines like GQ, which has helped redefine masculinity from a tough guy image focused on physical strength to something more inclusive of sensitive emotions.
How should we as consumers be reacting to this?
The fashion industry has a serious problem, and it’s called retouching. Fashion magazines photoshop models to make them look slimmer and more idealized, but these images affect our culture. We all know magazines are photo-shopped but do we think about what that means for society as a whole? Fashion is not just about clothing; it’s about self-expression, cultural identity, and socialization.
If fashion magazines are altering their models to be thinner than anyone can realistically be, then how does that affect people who see those pictures? What does it mean when everyone in your favorite magazine looks like an impossibly thin model with perfect skin and hair? It says you need to change something about yourself if you want to fit in or be accepted. It tells you there is only one way of being beautiful or handsome.
The problem with TV ads about perfect bodies
Contrary to what some people might think, fashion magazines don’t just put unreasonable expectations on women—they also put them on men. According to one study, about one-third of American males are dissatisfied with their bodies. Whether or not it’s true, many believe that ads in popular magazines present only images of men who are muscular, youthful, and hairless.
If all you see is smooth skin and bulging biceps, your body will feel inadequate by comparison. A 2008 study found that male consumers were more likely to buy a product if it was endorsed by a model with a chiseled physique, even if that meant buying something completely unrelated (like a vacuum cleaner). Another study found that men were less likely to buy food products if an ad featured too much eye candy (i.e., good-looking models). The results suggest advertisers should be careful how they use attractive models to maximize sales.
Conclusion
Fashion magazines can influence society in a variety of ways. They have a big impact on what people want to wear, who they want to look like, and how they want to appear. Often these ideas are unhealthy and cause self-esteem issues or eating disorders because women feel like they need to achieve an unrealistic standard of beauty. It also perpetuates cultural biases such as race, gender, and class. However, fashion magazines can also be used as positive tools when approaching diversity in terms of body types, race, and beauty ideals.
