£39.60. Thats the exact amount i have spent in the last month on magazines.I'm not talking your weekly fixes of grazia (though granted,i have binged on the odd one) nor your brash,voyeuristic dailies. I'm talking proper solid,thick magazines.
I think I subconciously set out this month to try and find 'the magazine'- the sort you count as a regular fixture in your monthly purchases- and i can honestly say i'm no nearer to finding it now the month is over.
While i reguarly buy nylon magazine and vogue in some shape or form (i'm veering more over to the foreign alternatives now due to the layout in both english and american becoming increasingly bland) i've found that there just arent enough beautiful pictures to satisfy my appetite. This month however,i bought Tank- only in its second publication,it has enough quirks to become a favourite.
The front cover alone is beautiful- a model poised with pinks and dark,rich orange lights dancing across herself and the illustrated-chiffon prada top shes sporting.Inside does not disappoint either with murky black and white stills reminscent of old photo prints from the the 70s,delectable fashion collages of spring/summer 08 shows-put together in a creative,more unusual manner than alot fashion folds.
Theres something about the layout of the photoshoots too- not a standard white screen,model-in-the-middle shot but a series of snaps which tell a story almost about the clothes being shown.To put it simply,they just seem alot more interesting than many i've noticed in magazines today, likening themselves somehow to the sort of shots you'd find in say, dazed and confused- a prominent and outrageously 'quirky' 'zine.
Aswell as the focus on fashion and the arts (it also contains interviews with lesser known indie artists such as 'the teenagers') it also contains photo projects shot in south america and japan,taking an insightful exploration into the culture and history of both places.
I also bagged myself a copy of 'amelias magazine' which is, for want of better words, too cute.
Its far more disorganised than Tank but it seems far more personal,almost like a scrapbook with a collection of varied photoshoots and delicate illustrations lacing the boards of most pages. It featured an offbeat interview with Erdem with a simple nautical-esque shoot paired with it. Interestingly,the magazine doesnt pick up on 'key trends' or 'must haves' like mainstream types but instead encourages the throwing together of looks,an eclectic guide if you will, all topped off with dusky lighting and etheral models with thick manes that make you wish you'd been born in some eastern european country.
The scrapbook comparison is clear when you come to the pages and pages devoted to art and illustration which just seems alot more personable than magazines aimed at those with large bank balances- its more of a girly,people sort of magazine. I particuarly love the photoshoots which actually look like the models have just raided a dressing up box and really played about with the close,not worn them for show.
so anyway,i still cant make my mind up as to which magazines should become a staple. As well as these two, french and australian vogue have worked their way onto my radar as i've become increasingly bored with what the english one seems to offer.In my opinion,magazines should be playful and personable and allow you to raid dressing up boxes,inspire you in original ways.
I've always had a bit of a 'thing' for past objects, dressing table goodies if you will. My room is pretty littered with old glass bottles, empty perfume bottles, standing mirrors covered with jewellery,a birdcage, glass dessert bowls filled with makeup and obligatory 1930's style Paul and Joe makeup. 
