Fashion magazine textual analysis

2. Masthead: The masthead featured on the contents page is
quite small compared to the issue date of the magazine ‘January
2010’, this shows individuality as it contrasts to other
stereotypical fashion and beauty magazines. Which makes it
more attractive to the public to buy due to their individuality.
However, the masthead is featured in a website link, therefore
leading readers to the website, as well as being a masthead on
the contents page.
Although the masthead is printed in a small sans-serif font, it is
more visible to the eye due to the fact it is in capitals, therefore it
is more attractive and eye-catching to the reader/target
audience.
However, a downfall of having the masthead printed in a small
font is that it isn’t really visible if someone was flicking through
the magazine, so they may not be sure where the contents page
is.

3. Main image: The main image used for this magazine shows the
whole of her outfit in a medium long shot photographed from
straight on; this means that they want you to purchase the outfit
and possibly gain inspiration from it, as they are promoting a
clothes company. Also, the main image is trying to connote the
summer theme to the magazine, emphasising the season, helping
the readers enter summer with the latest trends, tips, and styles.
Also, using a yellow bikini expresses the summer theme in which
they are trying to portray, it also can be linked to happiness which
many people feel in summer.
The background which is featured in this shot connotes summer
very well, as the background shown is on a beach, looking like a
seaside resort/old town etc. Also, the way the model is composed
is very dramatic but relaxed, emphasising that you should feel
chilled out in summer, as it is a time for relaxation.
The female gaze is applicable to this image as women may aspire
to have her figure or get the perfect bikini body. However, this is
majorly frowned upon in the print industry, as editors are
supposedly photographing non-realistic body images of women.

4. Plug: The plug featured in this magazine is there to entice
readers/the target audience to quickly flick the pages to page 192
to get the juicy insider featured in the magazine. This kind of
feature on a contents page is very effective within these kinds of
products as it stands out to the audience, catching their
attention, pushing them to read the magazine. Also, it adds the
idea that there is a lot of information within the product.
The word used ‘Shh!’, emphasises the secrecy of the
article/feature, which could potentially make the target audience
feel more involved with the magazine and the ‘secret’ involved.
The word ‘Now’, emphasises the direct message to the reader
that they need to go to the page immediately, that the ‘secret’ is
crucial information.
Using a black circle background for the plug makes the
typography featured stand out more to the reader, as it is in
white capitals in a sans serif font, which also makes the message
seem more direct to the target audience.
Also, using a serif font for the word ‘Shh!’ makes the magazine
have a more girly/feminine feel to it, also linking to the
stereotypical view that women gossip a lot.

5. Typography: The mixture of sans-serif and serif fonts across
the contents page, expresses individuality, emphasising that
the magazine is aimed at a young (18-25) audience, as this is
stereotypically the ages in which young women find their
identity and bloom into their individual self, experimenting
with their styles/looks etc.
The use of serif font for the sub-headings ‘Love, sex & destiny
special’, ‘Fashion & beauty’, ‘Freebies’ and others, links to the
femininity of the magazine. It also creates a girly feel, as this is
typical within gender norms for women’s handwriting to be
like the sub-headings printed on the contents page.
The use of bold font for the features, for example “Hollywood’s
biggest bitches”, draws the attention of the target audience if
they were flicking through the product. Alliteration is also used
in this heading with ‘biggest bitches’, which has a hook to it,
meaning that the reader is more likely to read the article. Also,
by using colloquial language ‘bitches’, this connotes that the
magazine/brand is aiming their product at a specific
demographic/target audience.
Also, all the topics featured in the magazine are all that would
stereotypically apply to young women and what they would
have an interest in possibly; for example: “Confessions”, “Get
your kink on tonight”, and “How does a celeb look stand up in
real life?”

6. Colour Palette: The colour palette featured on the contents
page of the magazine goes against conventions and gender
norms; this is due to the continuous use of blue, which is
stereotypically the main colour linked to males.
However, it is also quite a summery colour which goes against
the conventions of the particular issue, as blue skies and the
ocean connote summer. Whereas, this issue is in January
2010; however, light blue is quite a cool colour which
connotes winter and the weather conditions of January.
The black background against the date and the masthead at
the top of the contents page adds more of an eye-catching
effect to the page as it pops out to the reader, emphasising it’s
importance. The white background of the page links to the
month of the issue also, as it is usually the time of year which
snow falls.
However, a fault I have found on this contents page is that the
page numbers in the bottom left corner ‘50’ and ‘48’ are not
very visible; this is because they are in bold and white, against
a white background which I feel is a bit too much of a clash.
Therefore, I will make sure to not use this feature in my
magazine when in the production stages.