The Fashion Facade

Popular women’s magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour restrain the body-image of females in their publications. The expectations they portray for women to fulfill at the most basic level can be described as unattainable. Both David Gauntlett and Diana Crane have concluded that fashion magazines depict an unrealistic and severely unhealthy ideal for women to meet. How can a magazine that is supposed to promote female self-confidence in fact portray the contrary? These magazines claim to empower women, but in reality they only create a barrier between a woman’s healthy self-image and the image that is suppose to support this ideal. There is so much pressure on the modern woman to use the right make-up, wear clothes that will flatter her body, fix her hair to attract men, and keep up with the latest fad diet. How do these pressures embody female self-esteem? Basically, these magazines put on a fabulous façade.

These types of magazines mainly targets younger women (teenage years to twenties). In her article Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines, Diana Crane describes how older women admit that they have come to the realization that they will never be able to achieve such a body as the models on the front cover. These women did not see it as a personal failure, but as a misconception within the magazine itself. This is a very healthy outlook in regards to these glaring images that are being flashed in every form of medium. Females are beginning to be portrayed more as an empowered business woman. This is a wonderful reflection for older women as well as a role model for younger women to aspire.

For the most part, I have avoided these types of magazines because I am aware of how vulnerable I am to their subliminal messages. As a middle school and high school student I was able to steer clear from their powerful images. (However, this does not mean I was not affected through other media or friends). Now that I am engaged, I live for Bridal magazines. I love pouring over the advertisements of the countless designs for wedding dresses, the articles on how to budget, tips for the honeymoon, and guest list etiquette. Also, included in these magazines are article about brides and dieting. I remember one editorial being very down to earth and truthful about the dieting craze in the bridal world. One bride said she could not wait to get married not because she wanted to be with her husband, but so she could stop starving herself to fit into her dress. I laughed at this article in good humor, but as the wedding draws closer the pressure is on. Ever since I have ordered my dress people have asked if I have started to lose weight, or make sure I will be able to fit into my dress. Talk about being on the stop while I am downing my morning latte!