Magazine inspiration

About the Author

Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Magazine inspiration

— by Angie

on July 12, 2010

I love fashion magazines and purchase many throughout the year. My favourites are British Vogue and In Style, American Glamour, Lucky, Allure and Elle. The main reason I purchase them is to check out upcoming trends and designer collections. I also enjoy taking in the advertising.

My own style is very seldom inspired by the outfits I see in magazines. To date I have never cut out tried to recreate a look that I saw in a magazine. But I am inspired by upcoming trends and designer collections because I’m hungry for new stuff and excited to know in which direction fashion is heading. Designer collections often showcase new trends through their ads and it’s fun to watch them trickle down to retail level.

Do you purchase fashion magazines and are you inspired by their content? If so, how do they inspire you?

Individual Style

43 comments · Add a comment

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Occasionally I will buy a magazine- usually Lucky or In Style. I like the ads as much as the content, but I don’t think that I’ve ever tried to recreate a look that I saw.

July 12, 2010 at 8:17 am

Janice

I used to have a subscription to In Style but found that it made me unhappy about how I look.

July 12, 2010 at 8:27 am

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I am inspired by colors and silhouettes in fashion magazines, although I rarely truly end up mimicking them. But they get me to dream and to think more creatively about my outfits.

July 12, 2010 at 8:32 am

Active Member

I read Vogue and InStyle every month. Vogue is my “Dream World”. I study each page – ads, fashion, make-up, food, travel, books, every single thing. Even though I can not afford a $45,000 gown, or to dine in restaurants in France, or to rent a villa in Italy for the Summer, I love to know about those things. And once in a while I read about a person I have actually met (through my work with art) and that is very exciting! I do think I am inspired by the designer collections featured in Vogue. July’s “Magnificent Obsession” showcased 1950’s fashion and I can not wait for that to filter down to real life. What you see on the runways does not show up literally in stores in the midwest but you can see what shapes, colors, hem lengths

July 12, 2010 at 8:35 am

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I currently subscribe to Lucky, but don’t plan on renewing. My stylist gets every magazine under the sun so I’ll browse those and if I see an outfit I like, I’ll try to replicate it or try it on sometime, but it’s more the creative juices I appreciate than literal looks.

July 12, 2010 at 8:35 am

jerseyjan

Active Member

I never *understood* fashion before YLF. Now when I pick up InStyle or such, I’m amazed the I *am* wearing what they’re showing. How about that for not being behind the times anymore!

July 12, 2010 at 8:40 am

Active Member

Sorry! Posted accidentally!
— hem lengths will be in our future.
InStyle is much more down to earth and I actually see fashion that I own or could own. Even the articles on entertaining and decorating contain ideas that fit into my lifestyle. I enjoy both of these publications very much.

July 12, 2010 at 8:40 am

Carole

I used to get Instyle and really liked the content and it seemed to offer realistic outfit inspiration. So many other fashion magazines are over my head. The pictures are fun to look at, but I can’t for the life of me see how a normal everyday person would ever wear some of the styles.

July 12, 2010 at 8:41 am

Debbie

Veteran

I buy In Style and sometimes find pieces I love. I have a brand new one I haven’t even looked at. Hopefully tonight!

July 12, 2010 at 8:41 am

Rose

Active Member

Who needs these when one can go to YLF
I don’t buy any fashion magazines mainly because I would not have the time or the eye to get much from them. For me, I think it is kinda like trusting the experts in that I prefer if Angie and others read these magazines and translate the info, trends, styles, inspirations, and ideas etc down to a level accessible to people like me .. that probably only makes sense to me, but oh well.

July 12, 2010 at 8:43 am

Cecilia

I subscribe to Lucky, InStyle and People Stylewatch. I like looking through the magazines and seeing trends and what is available out there. I do occasionally use some of the photos as inspiration to make purchases for my own wardrobe, but I seldom find ideas that I feel would work for me. I have a hard time translating what some people find fashionable into my own life, but trendy is not what I’m going for, either. I rather prefer a timeless look

July 12, 2010 at 8:46 am

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I used to be such a fashion magazine addict, and they still are pure escapism for me BUT their online partners have become so good I very rarely pick a glossy mag off of the newsstand.

I’m not directly inspired to replicate a look but I do mentally jot the details for future reference, for example the weight of shoe paired with volume or a fresh colour combination.

Sometimes it is the overall vibe, formal dress with relaxed hair or the absence of accessories which will feel right for the time.

Oh no, I think I may just have to buy a magazine after all this week.

July 12, 2010 at 9:15 am

Lisa

Veteran

I used to subscribe to a lot of magazines: Allure, Lucky, Instyle, Vogue, Marie Claire, and the People’s Style Watch when that comes out periodically. I’ve slowly let all of them expire. Out of 10 years of reading multiple magazines, I’ve never recreated a single outfit from them. Many times I’ve tried to purchase a piece listed and it’s sold out or too hard to even find! Many more times, that item looks great in the magazine and one the model, but not on my real life person.

July 12, 2010 at 9:21 am

Stylegal

(website)

I am a magazine junkie! I subscribe to Bazaar and Vogue, and while I can’t afford the clothing they typically show, I love keeping up with the trends and inspiration. What I also love about these mags is the articles. Since I’m in the fashion industry, I’m looking for some education. I also subscribe to Lucky, but I won’t renew-there’s nothing to read!

July 12, 2010 at 9:23 am

Stylegal

(website)

Oh, and I meant to mention that I love YLF. I just started subscribing and I really look forward to the posts every morning!

July 12, 2010 at 9:25 am

klauren

Active Member

I do subscribe to a number of magazines, but the only ones I try to recreate from are Threads or Belle Armoire or such – sewing and art to wear magazines! Vogue, W, and InStyle types tell me what’s happening in ready-to-wear and what’s coming so I get lots of ideas and also start training the eye to whats going to worn, how designers and stylist see colors together, what combinations are happening, etc. I think it’s all inspiration for what I might do or wear. Plenty of fuel so I can pick and choose.

July 12, 2010 at 10:11 am

Laura

(website)

I used to subscribe to Glamour and Lucky; I probably should subscribe to Glamour again, for the decent non-fashion articles in a fashion magazine if for no other reason. Lucky was getting a little young and repetitive for me. I can’t stand In Style – too much celebrity worship. Vogue has never done it for me, too needlessly posh and overdone, although from a ‘the creative process’ standpoint their documentary The September Issue was fascinating.

I like to scan catalogs and online retailers to get the vibe of what’s new and different each season, although I rarely recreate an outfit literally. I also like sewing magazines for inspiration – I read Threads at the library and often buy Stitches and similar one-offs. The thing I’m using most for inspiration at the moment is Knipmode, a Dutch pattern magazine. I like their patterns as well as the accessories and styling they use. It’s expensive to get to the US, but if I count it as serving double-duty as both a fashion magazine and sewing patterns, it’s not so bad, right?

July 12, 2010 at 11:09 am

Isabel

Veteran

They don’t much inspire me as they make me aware. I just don’t know what is out there. This site does the same for me….how would I have ever known about Second Base camis and now ( thanks to Medusa) I know about invisible belts. Though this site also inspires me because all the women are real and lead normal lives so I really learn about applicability.

July 12, 2010 at 11:36 am

Rosie

Veteran

I read way too many magazines – sometimes it’s overwhelming. I clip lots of photos and gets lots of ideas for outfits or things to buy, yet rarely get around to actually following through. This is one of my goals – to actually recreate the looks I love, within my style and wardrobe.

I just enjoy reading them and looking at the pictures; however, with the $$ I spend on magazines in general I could get some really nice clothes! So, I am starting the let them expire and shift towards reading them in the bookstore and snapping shots of things I love.

July 12, 2010 at 12:12 pm

Lena

I used to check out different editions of Elle and Vogue, and don’t do it anymore. Sure it’s nice to have all the pictures and color ideas (and the ads, yes, I check them out, too) in one place, but I can look things up online too. I pay attention to interesting silhouettes, color combos, fabrics, hair and makeup, general feeling of outfits.

Strangely, I’ve never found InStyle very useful or very entertaining.

July 12, 2010 at 12:14 pm

Sihaya

Veteran

I don’t purchase them. However, I do tend to gravitate towards them (in addition to car magazines) when I”m in a waiting room of some sort. I like seeing how they put together their outfits. While it’s rare for me to copy an ensemble outright from a fashion magazine, I might more typically walk away with an idea for how to combine something together.

July 12, 2010 at 12:28 pm

Joy

Veteran

I don’t subscribe to any fashion magazines and rarely buy one. When I do it’s because someone mentioned it on the forum. I’ve yet to learn how to translate their most of their features and ads to what I actually wear. I get more inspiration from this blog and occasionally other blogs showing outfits. I’d rather spend the money on accessories than on magazines.

July 12, 2010 at 1:36 pm

Shari

Active Member

I subscribe to several fashion magazines: Lucky, People Style Watch, In Style and Glamour. I only allow myself to read them on the treadmill. They are my treat for getting myself to the gym and as so are my indulgence. If I did not use the magazines for this purpose I probably wouldn’t subscribe.

I actually like Lucky best even though it is the “youngest” and I am in my mid 40s. I guess I like the urban/New Yorkness of it. I don’t love the trend toward celebrity fashion so much (ie. the majority of In Style) but I do like the pages where they show how to wear a trend in your 20s, 30s and 40s+.

I do cut out pages from Lucky for inspiration. I don’t recrate the outfits per se, but I look at things like the proportions, colors, mix of patterns etc. and then recreate with my own stuff in an age appropriate way. I also like Lucky’s capsule wadrobes. Glamour and People Style watch will have items I will actually search out in the stores. I can rarely find them, though!

Oh, and I can now run a 5k! : )

Shari

July 12, 2010 at 1:52 pm

Inge

I don’t subscribe to any fashion magazines at the moment, but I do buy them regularly and love browsing them, especially when they are featuring the new season’s collections. I don’t recreate exact outfits, but I do get inspiration from the way they combine things.

Oh, and it’s also the perfect way to brush up on my language skills (I read loads of magazines in several languages;-).

July 12, 2010 at 2:00 pm

taylor

Veteran

I am lucky that I can flip through them all at the salon when I have a few minutes. I love to see the way celebs mix things up. I have my favorites that I look for:)

July 12, 2010 at 3:58 pm

Adrienne

Where to begin on this topic. In the 1970’s when I was a teen I bought every Glamour mag I could. I was so inspired by the models Cheryl Tiegs etc. I tried to sew outfits that copied the looks in the magazines. I now use the on-line stores for inspriation pictures of how to put outfits together. What has taken me a really long time to figure out is what style and cut of clothing works with my body shape. That is the real challange as I am not built like any of the models. I get bored wearing the ‘safe’ outfits for my bodytype. I like to experiment with versions of the new cuts of clothing. I can still sew but now a days it is really difficult to find fabric that is high quality and that makes the sewn item affordable and worth all of the effort. Some times ready to wear is just more cost effective. YLF has helped me to get back in touch with my style and to redefine it for who I am now at 56! I am ever so grateful to all of the people who post and of course to my style guru Angie!

July 12, 2010 at 4:36 pm

Frances

Active Member

I don’t subscribe to magazines anymore. Though I’m tempted to leaf through them in waiting rooms and salons, and though I will occasionally purchase “O” or “Women’s Health” to make a long cross-country flight a little more bearable, I find that most other magazines’ very thin content can be found online, in addition to their archived material. And honestly, I don’t know what it is that I expect to find within these glossy style magazines anymore. Though I love the beautiful Oscar gowns and can appreciate an actress with consistently great style, I don’t worship or follow the lives of celebrities. I can’t afford most of the magazines’ featured clothing, nor do I intend to spend $55 on a candle or $220 on a throw pillow. The repeated monthly promises to firm my abs and improve my sex life in 10 minutes per day only depress me. The layouts for “office wear” certainly wouldn’t translate to appropriate “office wear” in my work environment, and I don’t need “weekend wear” for my secluded country home because I don’t have a secluded country home. In short, though they sometimes stimulate my imagination in fun ways and can even inspire, these magazines are completely out of touch with the lives of average women like myself. I’ve learned far more about style from the extraordinary “everyday” women on YLF and other blogs than I’ve learned in a lifetime of reading glossy fashion magazines.

July 12, 2010 at 7:34 pm

Meredith

I don’t purchase fashion magazines, because my magazine budget is is completely consumed by my subscription to Martha Stewart Living.

Also, I just can’t stand the advertisements with the women wearing clothes I could never afford and looking absolutely miserable. Finally, as odd as this sounds, I find that my perception of my own body image is much more positive when I stay away from fashion magazines.

July 12, 2010 at 8:21 pm

florida

Veteran

I do enjoy an occasional Vogue, but other than that, I don’t read fashion magazines anymore; I think it’s more of a time thing than anything else. I only have so much time to read and relax, and I find blogs so much more enjoyable lately. Perhaps I’ll give magazines another shot some time in the near future.

July 12, 2010 at 9:19 pm

san

I don’t receive any fashion mags in the mail. I will look at them in places where they are setting on the table. They are all pretty much over my head and show a lifestyle I don’t under stand nor identify with.
I like to know things about putting together relevent looks, as far as I know I am learning that right here. The magazines seem to be a bit like eye candy. I just don’t know who are all of the people attending these fancy galas and such pictured on the pages.
The magazines are so thick and full of advertisement, they seem to be overkill.

July 12, 2010 at 10:01 pm

MLC

I’ll look through the magazines after Oscar season to check out the gowns, but that’s pretty much it. For fashion inspiration and tips, I’ll simply sit at a cafe and watch the parade of people walking down the street!

July 12, 2010 at 11:23 pm

GingerR

I don’t subscribe to any fashion magazines right now, but if I’m flying I’ll always buy some.

I like American Vogue. I don’t buy it intending to actually buy anything in it but I like to see the looks. Harper’s Bazzar is another I’ll buy at an airport because they always have stuff for all age ranges.

Oprah is a magazine with stuff I might buy. I swear, I never read that magazine but that I’m thinking I need a make-up or pair of shoes they highlight. That magazine highlights stuff that’s in my price range.

July 13, 2010 at 3:58 am

carrie

(website)

Active Member

I usually only buy Lucky. It seems to be the most relatable as far as what I would pay and what clothing pieces I might actually add to my wardrobe. But mostly, I look through to know what patterns, colors, and cuts are going to be popular this season.

July 13, 2010 at 4:01 am

Phoebe

Veteran

I subscribe to Vogue and InStyle, and I do recreate some outfits. The articles are plain silly, I don´t even read them, but the pictures are an inspiration to me. I select pictures of outfits that I can already copy with what I have and pictures for my shopping list.

July 13, 2010 at 7:51 am

April

Veteran

I subscribe to Lucky because I love to read it when I’m on Amtrak. I do cut out things I’m drawn to — not to recreate the outfits, but to help me understand “my” style a little better. I do the same with interior design magazines.

I don’t like the way InStyle focuses on the Hollywood crowd, because I’m not at all interested in what the it girls are wearing. I’m not a big fan of Glamour, either (“50 Things You Never Knew He Finds Sexy!”), and the others (Vogue, Elle, Bazaar) are more high-fashion than I want.

July 13, 2010 at 8:31 am

Beth

Veteran

I’m drawn more to interior design magazine than fashion magazines. Besides, I can keep up with all the trends (in a realistic application) here on YLF!

July 13, 2010 at 9:13 am

mamark

I love fashion magazines as an escape and I buy them all. Actually I subscribe to them all because for the price of two issues at the grocery store, you can have a whole year mailed to you in most cases. I get Vogue, InStyle and Harpers Bazaar. I also get Oprah because I like their monthly down-to-earth fashion segments. Most of what I see in Vogue and Bazaar is aspirational (too expensive and not in my size anyway) but I enjoy knowing where fashion is going. I also find the photographs to be quite artistic.

I used to get Lucky mag but it skews too young for me.

July 13, 2010 at 10:55 am

Gracey

I subscribe to Lucky and In Style. And my sister subscribes to Marie Claire. I’ve tried Vogue and Elle, but even though I know Vogue is supposed to be more inspirational that actual (for my tax bracket at least), it was hard for me to appreciate stuff I found to be overpriced. And I just didn’t like the layout of Elle. It was almost too packed with stuff – I couldn’t see the forest for the trees, if you will.

I do find inspiration in the magazines that I do read, but don’t think I’ve ever tried to re-create an entire look. I’m more apt to “copy” a look from one of the blogs I read (including one of Angie’s looks not too long ago – and I loved it (Thank you for the inspiration, Angie!)) than from a magazine. I think because I relate more to the blogs than some of the stuff in magazines. And I’m too literal. When Lucky shows how to wear the “lingerie-inspired pieces” I can’t see myself in the exact outfits they show and yet can’t seem to figure out how to make it work for me. With blogs, if I can see myself in it, I recreate it and don’t have to tweak anything.

July 13, 2010 at 2:42 pm

Barbara

Veteran

Vogue is my favorite and has been for decades! Harpers Bazaar and Elle are excellent sources of inspiration for us gals over 40. I do enjoy perusing Lucky and In Style, but these publications definitely (as Kendall Farr would say) “skew” young. I design and craft my own jewelry and I must say that the high fashion spreads in Vogue continually inspire me. Especially the sometimes outrageous colors, shapes and fabrics!

July 14, 2010 at 7:17 am

gina

(website)

I subscribe to Vogue, Elle and Teen Vogue. I regularly purchase Vogue Espana and Vogue Latinoamerica. In Borders, I regularly read: In Style, British Vogue, Vogue Australia, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia and Nylon.

I really enjoy the ads and the editorials in the various Vogues that I read.

As to specific outfit inspirations, I usually get those more from blogs, catalogs (J. Crew and Boden in particular) and Teen Vogue. Particularly from blogs.

July 14, 2010 at 12:42 pm

Tanya

Veteran

I have subscriptions to In Style, Lucky and Glamour. I do find some outfit inspirations, but read more for info on newest trends.

July 14, 2010 at 8:50 pm

Antje

Veteran

I subscribe to InStyle and Lucky, and actually rip out pages with outfits or pieces of clothing I like, for inspiration. I’ve never recreated a complete look but I get influenced by them for sure! I have a whole drawer full of magazine photos, and always think that at some point I’m going to get organized and create an “inspiration board” or something, but so far it’s all just scraps and pages…

July 15, 2010 at 2:53 pm

Cathy

I have a lot of fashion magazine subscriptions that, some that I deliberately set up myself and others that were an accident I think and have continued even though the card was cancelled. Yikes. Anyway, right now I get Harper’s, Vogue, Elle, Allure, and Lucky. I occasionally pick up In Style. For on the spot gratification I like Life & Style. Last year I ripped out a lot of pictures and info but this year have been too bogged down and anxious. Now I flip through for a quick glance at what’s next but I don’t keep up much beyond that. I have a hard time deciding where I should get my information from. At the moment Harper’s is my favorite. I like Lucky a lot but am too old for the demographic. I’m afraid if I start doing Shop Style or any of that that I will be pulled under. It can be such an addiction. I don’t even wear most of my clothes.

July 15, 2010 at 3:39 pm

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