One of the important factors of a fashion magazine is that it helps to determine why certain materials are used for certain styles. You will find that two or more materials are used at times in styling an outfit. A wise designer planning an outfit for herself will not be inclined towards a material simply because she likes the texture and the fall of the material. This is where fashion magazines help you to select the right kind of material for the design of your choice.
While designing a garment, certain materials are used for certain sections of the garment and not simply whatever may catch your fancy. For example crepes are manufactured to be used for clinging styles and not fluffed up designs. Materials such as taffetas, organdies and crisp batistes are used in suit styles where fluffs are involved, as against the crepes, which are used for the clinging styles. A very important point to be observed is that fabrics are designed to suit styles and styles to suit fabrics.
Color Suggestions
Studying individual designs helps in making the right selection of pattern and material. Then comes the choice of color to be adapted to the lines of the garment and the fabric used. The end result will be a pleasing and appealing garment.
A factor to be considered, though, when choosing colors, is that the color portrayed in the fashion plates will not be an absolute replica of the color produced by the textile manufacturer. Neither would a true outline of the garment as it will appear with fabric, be presented in the magazine by fashion designers.
However, it is possible to get suggestions from the color plates shown in fashion magazines, once you have understood about lines. Keeping this knowledge on lines in mind, you will be able to give prominence to a color that will most effectively bring out the garment. You will be able to bring out the soft, silent tones or tints of a color where desired, while you choose a fabric that will best bring out the lines suggested by the designer in a fashion drawing.
Interpreting Fashions
In the market, you will find a number of fashion magazines that suggest only style tendencies, color and fabric combinations. Such magazines will still be of value, if you have studied patterns and lines. It will help you with ideas and suggestions to incorporate in your garments.
In most cases, you would be able to apply these ideas even more successfully than the artist himself in his drawings. You would be able to bring out the practicability of the garment by adapting it to the material to give a harmonious outline to suit you.
When I recently advised a client to study a few fashion magazines to glean some ideas for the
upcoming season, she flatly refused.
“I HATE those things!” she told me vehemently. “Skinny girls, expensive clothes – what does that have to do with my life? Nothing!”
Now since this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this argument, I realized that she was missing
the point of the exercise – much like the women who tell me that VOGUE or W are “their bibles.” In this corner, we have someone who’s way too caught up in her own reality; in the other, we have someone who’s much too caught up in someone else’s. Let’s all move a bit more to the center and learn how to read these things properly, shall we? We’ll all dress a lot better for it.
Let’s start with a little dissection first, then move on to the “how to” part of the lesson.
THE MODELS
Overall, fashion magazines tend to show young, thin, attractive people in their pages for the
exact same reason that grocers tend to polish their apples and car dealers tend to have you
test drive clean cars: because it sells more. It’s as simple as that. Fashion Marketing 101.
Whether you agree with it or not is beside the point; it works — VERY well.
So well, in fact, that somewhere along the line, many women went from trying to determine whether the clothing being shown would work well on their bodies to bemoaning the fact that their bodies don’t look like the mannequins. Let me let you in on a secret: those girls don’t look like that every day, either. They have an army of people to get the hair, makeup, clothes, and lighting just right. If that doesn’t work, they airbrush the photos to get the right look. And if the model packs on a few pounds or starts to show signs of ageing, she’s replaced. Nothing like being a “has been” by the age of 30, eh?
What a shame that so many teenage girls and women have allowed the slick marketing to muddle their thinking and impact their self esteem. Don’t be one of them. Look at the clothes and the mood that the picture evokes; don’t compare yourselves to the mannequins.
THE SETTINGS
In fashion magazines, you’ll often see a beautiful girl in gorgeous clothes in an enviable
setting surrounded by handsome men. If only, right? Well, that’s part of the marketing. It’s
called projecting, and if you’ve ever envisioned yourself swapping places with the gal in the
picture, the marketers have done their job. It’s a set up. A complete fabrication. A ruse.
Remember that the next time you see a shot that makes you want to rush right out and buy the
clothes you see so you can be just like the girl in the picture.
THE ADS
Ever wonder why you see so many high end designers advertising in fashion magazines and
why the fashion magazines, in turn, show so many of those same designers in their editorial photo spreads? It’s no coincidence. Those one-page ads are VERY expensive, often costing tens of thousands (or more), depending on the magazine’s circulation. So the fashion houses don’t spend all their advertising dollars in one place. Oh, no.
They’ll put a portion of their budget into ads, a portion into lending clothes to magazines for
photo shoots, and a portion into creating clothes for celebrities for red carpet and other media events. That way, they spread the name recognition around. It’s clever – and expensive.
But it works. If you love labels and see a look you like in a couple of fashion magazines and on a favorite celebrity, wouldn’t you be more inclined to buy it if you had the money? Many
are. A look through the society pages will tell you as much.
THE LESSON
So now that we’ve addressed the models, ads, and editorial spreads, here’s what you SHOULD be
looking for when you read a fashion magazine (and yes, it’s okay to rip out pages and put them in a file for future reference – but only if you own the magazine!):
1. The Trends
Fashion magazines will call them “must have” items, but look at trends skeptically to see
whether they fit your body, clothing personality, and lifestyle. Don’t worry about the price. If you find something you like and want to wear, look for an inexpensive version of the trend at your favorite discount or outlet store. Buy cheap, wear often, and discard when then trend is over.
2. The Updated Classics
Most women recognize that classic styles are a good value, and fashion magazines know this. So
they’ll show trendy new ways to wear classic styles and give you plenty of ideas in the
process. All you have to do is take a moment to break it down to see how you can apply this to
your own closet.
3. The Designers
If you have a “thing” for designer labels, high end fashion magazines (Vogue, W, Marie Claire,
Town and Country) are a great place to learn about the different fashion house philosophies.
Even if you can’t afford those brand names, don’t fret. If you find a look you really like, you’ll probably be able to find it a little later in the season in a budget-friendly copy-cat version.
4. Styling Ideas
Styling refers to the way the clothing and accessories are presented in a picture. Look at
how the clothes are layered, draped, or wrapped. Look at how the jewelry is worn. See what they did with the bag and shoes. Look at the hair and other accessories. If you see something you like, try creating a similar look with pieces from your own closet. You’ll be surprised how you can breathe new life into your old standbys just by wearing them a different way.
5. Hair and Makeup
Are you in a hair and makeup rut? Peruse a few fashion magazines to see what’s hot for the
season. Not only will you glean some new looks, you may discover that a new ‘do may be all you
need to look “au currant” this year.
Fashion magazines are a great way to learn all about what’s happening in fashion AS LONG AS you
remember that they’re created to sell clothes and accessories. Forget about the models and the
price tags and focus instead on the clothes, trends, and styling ideas that might work for
you. Then copy or adapt them to your own budget and lifestyle. Before you know it, you may look like you stepped out of a fashion magazine – whatever your age, shape, size, or budget.
As a person, of course there are so many things you want to achieve in your life. You want to achieve happiness because when you are happy, there is nothing you cannot do to be the best. You also want to achieve self satisfaction because by having this feeling, you know you have contributed some great things to the society or to the community. To achieve these goals, there are so many things you can do and one of them is to utilize the fashion world.
Why you want to utilize the fashion world is because you have deep interested and passion for it. Somehow you know that fashion plays a great role in human’s life. With fashion, people can cover themselves and show their character at the same time. It is one great achievement to have. And based on this fact, you also want to be a person who creates a style that says all about warmth and freedom. It is not an easy thing to do.
However, as long as you have your willingness, there is nothing impossible. You can begin your project by combining small things first such as high heels with a dress, or flat shoes with shorts, or other more. By making minor practicing, you will gain more experience before you finally decide to publish your artwork and see in the public respond.