Teen Vogue. Editor-in-Chief Amy Astley. Condé Nast Publications. ISSN: 1540-2215Description:
Teen Vogue is the flashy younger sister to the original Vogue magazine. It was launched in January of 2003 and prints 10 issues a year. Its format is smaller than traditional American magazines, measuring only 6¾ inches by 9 inches. Each magazine contains a series of regular features such as “Fashion Features,” “People Are Talking About,” “Horoscopes,” and “Style Blogger.” In addition to these features, the magazine includes articles over a number of topics relating to fashion, beauty, music, and Hollywood. The magazine also includes articles that focus on more serious topics that affect teen girls such as drug use, eating disorders, and education. The December/January issue featured article titled “Going Green: Friend Envy Is More Common Than You Think” which focuses on competitiveness and jealousy between close friends and how to deal with it.
Critical Evaluation:
Teen Vogue is, first and foremost, a fashion magazine. Though less sophisticated than its adult counterpart, it’s no less beautiful in its presentation. The fashion pictorials are colorful and eye-catching. Rather than being runway ready, most of the outfits featured are easily copied and could be worn by any fashion-conscious teenager to school or out with friends. Though the clothing featured is a little expensive for most teenagers, the magazine often offers advice for similar outfits at a more reasonable price. There are also the requisite beauty articles but, to its credit, the magazine focuses on healthy practices. The celebrity interviews, such as the adorable one with Cory Monteith and Lea Michele in the December/January issue, feature celebrities and musicians that are currently some of the most popular with teens. This offers something for those teens who like to keep up with pop culture. As a magazine whose tagline is “fashion starts here,” it has accomplished this goal and could be satisfied with that. It does offer more than that, however. It also tries to focus on more serious issues that are important to teens and is successful in doing that in a helpful and non-judgmental way. The article about friend envy offers simple advice about both dealing with being jealousy of a friend and dealing with your own insecurities. Teen Vogue does have a specific target audience, that of the fashion conscious teenage girl, and it will definitely satisfy that audience.
Reader's Annotation:
Teen Vogue is a fun and flashy look at fashion for teen girls.
Editor-in-Chief Information:
When the launch of Teen Vogue was announced in 2002, Vogue editor Anna Wintour named Amy Astley as the editor. Astley had been on the staff of Vogue since 1993 and the Beauty Director since 1994. Before working at Vogue, she spent four years at HG, another Condé Nast magazine.
Astley is from East Lansing, Michigan. After graduating from East Lansing High School she attended the Michigan State University Honors College, where she received a B.A. in English Literature.
Genre:
Young Women's Magazine
Curriculum Ties:
None
Booktalking Ideas:
N/A
Reading Level/Interest Age:
13 and older
Challenge Issues:
None
Challenge Defense Ideas:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
This is a flashy and entertaining look at fashion for teen girls. It's also an age appropriate sister magazine of a popular fashion magazine for adults.
