TeenVogue, August 2011, editor-in-chief Amy Astley

TeenVogue, edited by editor-in-chief, Amy Astley, Condé Nast, August 2011
ISSN: 1540-2215

Plot Summary

Fashion magazine TeenVogue is divided into several sections including Talking Fashion, Teen Vogue View, People Are Talking About, Beauty & Health, Fashion & Features, Last Look and the largest category, Fashion. While each issue of TeenVogue features different topics there are some articles that appear in every issue. For example, readers are always sure to find the article 10 Most Wanted in the Beauty & Health section. 10 Most Wanted details items with a different theme every month; for example, the August 2011 issue highlights items that are pink. Readers will also appreciate learning about the latest flicks and tunes in the monthly Movies and Music article found under People Are Talking About. Each issue also showcases different fashion, style, and music bloggers while promoting the latest trends. Ultimately, TeenVogue is a fashionable teen’s go-to magazine as it is packed with styling tips for make-up and hair and filled with the latest news on budding teen actors and musicians.

Critical Evaluation

While TeenVogue’s August 2011 issue contains informative articles on how to become famous and handle stress, it is difficult to discern where the articles end and the advertising begins. Half the magazine consists of advertisements for everything from Ugg shoes to Neutrogena face wash to Tampax feminine products. Because of the wealth of advertisements, it is difficult to differentiate between TeenVogue’s message and that of its advertisers. Although editor-in-chief, Amy Astley claims that the magazine’s goal is to spur teen girls’ creativity while encouraging them to be their natural selves, many readers will feel intimidated by the tall, thin, primarily Caucasian models within TeenVogue’s pages (Murg, 2009). And while the magazine includes articles on positive female role models such as country legend Taylor Swift, it simultaneously supports advertising showing provocatively posed women hawking razors and jeans. Of course, because TeenVogue is primarily a fashion magazine perhaps it is simply providing readers with the information they want which includes knowledge of the latest products but if Astley is going to claim that the magazine emphasizes creativity over idealized beauty then the models within the pages should be more diverse.

Despite, TeenVogue’s inclusion of alluring advertisements, Astley is correct in that the magazine does promote creativity as it showcases a variety of styles. For example, the August 2011 issue features denim and boots alongside flirty sundresses. Also, several different hairstyles appear towards the end of the issue including looks that the magazine terms grunge rock, little miss perfect, and boho baby (Astley, 2011, 130-134). Perhaps one of the most helpful articles within the August 2011 issue is Suite Dreams where TeenVogue shows off one reader’s complete room makeover. Although primarily pictures, the article explains each of the feature pieces including why they were included and where to buy them. Overall, many teen girls’ will enjoy reading TeenVogue as it allows them to easily learn about fashion, movie stars, and the latest look. However, overall, the magazine promotes style over substance which will surely lead some teens to question their own non-model like bodies.

Murg, S. (2009, Sept. 2^nd). So what do you do, Amy Astley, editor-in-chief, TeenVogue? Retrieved from

http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a10632.asp

Reader’s Annotation

Filled with fashion advice, celebrity interviews, and real life stories, TeenVogue helps teen girls stay abreast of the latest trends.

About the Editor

Amy Astley, editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue began working for Condé Nast as an editorial assistant and editor of the magazine HG (House & Garden). In 1993 she began work on Vogue and, in 2002 joined the Teen Vogue team. Astley sees TeenVogue as a place where teenagers are encouraged to be creative. “Teen Vogue is about fashion and style, but it's really about creativity,” she explains in an interview with editor Stephanie Murg, “What I wanted Teen Vogue to be about was telling girls ‘Be an individual, be creative, have fun.’ It's not about ‘How skinny can you be?’ or ‘Do you have the right bag?’ (Murg, 2009).

Astley enjoys watching television in her free time, in particular Mad Men and Hannah Montana. She also enjoys eating ice cream with her children.

Murg, S. (2009, Sept. 2^nd). So what do you do, Amy Astley, editor-in-chief, TeenVogue? Retrieved from

http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a10632.asp

Genre

Celebrity watch, Fashion, Teen magazine

Tags

Ads, hygiene, horses, makeup, school, fashion, trends, Taylor Swift, skin care, perfume, movies, music, America’s Next Top Model, denim, jeans, Jane Keltner de Valle, Lelia Broussard, Levi, Rebecca Black, hair

Curriculum Ties

This would be ideal in a unit focusing on advertising or different styles of art. It could also be used in a unit on article writing or one on exploring the shifting standards of beauty.

Booktalk Ideas

N/A

Reading Level/Interest Age

Reading Level: 8^th grade

Interest Level: 7^th-12^th grades (12-18 yrs.)

The reading level is according to the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level tool found in Microsoft Word.

Challenge Issues

N/A

Why Was This Included?

I wanted to include three magazines in my blog and I had a subscription to this one. I chose the August 2011 issue for its currency and because it features one of my favorite female vocalists, Taylor Swift.