Magazines have evolved significantly over time in terms of their content, style, and presentation. Early magazines in the 1700s covered a wide variety of topics but had technical limitations in printing and distribution. Over centuries, magazine covers have increasingly featured attractive models and bright colors to draw readers' attention. Publications like Cosmopolitan, GQ, and Seventeen now show more skin and modern fashions compared to their historically more conservative presentations. Meanwhile, magazines like Time and National Geographic have maintained their simple, recognizable styles while improving print quality. Overall, magazines have modernized greatly in visual presentation while expanding their subject coverage.
2. Magazine History
• A magazine is a periodical publication containing articles and illustrations, often on a particular subject or aimed at a
particular readership. The first ever piece of writing which can be called a magazine, was the German Erbauliche Monaths
Unterredungen, released in the year 1663. The term magazine hadn’t appeared till 1731, until the Gentleman’s Magazine
was published. The gentlemen s magazine was founded in London, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It was published
monthly until 1907, and its distribution was very widely spread. The magazine covered a variety of topics in essays,
biographies, articles, illustrations, poetry, reports, and historical passages. From 1731-1868 the magazine included listings of
births, marriages, and deaths. Although the magazine was very popular and its success was great, it also had some
problems. The costs of issuing one magazine were very high, printing was expensive, and the number of copies produced
could not be over one hundred thousand due to it being impossible to squeeze that amount of paper through the ancient
machines. Another huge problem was distributing the magazines due to their being very large quantities to transport and
very far off distances to cover.
3. How different magazines have
changed
The cosmopolitan magazine cover pages in the 1930’s has women dressed very smartly and
conservatively. They never used very bright and eye catching colors, nor had very good
paper quality. But now in the 2000’s they have young beautiful women showing off their
bodies. They also pose better, and show more skin. This which would make the magazine
more eye catching.
4. Time magazine
Time magazine 1925 Time magazine 2010
Time magazines haven't evolved such as other magazines like GQ and Seventeen have.
They have done a good job branding its recognizable red border. They still have kept it
simple. Time always features American celebrities and famous personalities on its covers.
5. GQ magazine
1962 2015
We can see a huge change in the GQ magazines . The print quality has
improved immensely, as well as the color schemes. They have overall
become more attractive and refined.
6. National Geographic
1896 2015
The National Geographic magazines use to be very simple, having a very
dry look. The modern ones have become much better. They always have
the yellow borders and are well known because of the yellow border.
7. Seventeen
1955 2014
The seventeen magazine models at first use to wear dresses
and clothes famous of that era. But now the models wear
modern and more attractive clothes. They also use more eye
catching colors which would attract young women.