The Significance of Vogue’s September Issue and Why — in Particular — it Matters! 

Every August, something magical happens: Vogue magazine’s September issue hits newsstands. Immortalized in The Devil Wears Prada and a documentary called The September Issue, it’s clear this is no ordinary fashion magazine. It’s an arbiter of all things trendy, high-end, and unattainable for the average woman. So why does it matter if you’re not in the business of fashion?

I’ve personally been a subscriber to Vogue since I was a preteen. My father owned an eyeglass store, and he received complimentary magazine subscriptions for selecting certain lines of designer eyewear to sell in his shop. I can still remember the excitement of getting this magazine each month, and especially the gigantic September issue. And interestingly, what I remember most clearly are some of the seminal ad campaigns of the time. Like the Moschino ads of the 80s and 90s – so brazen, and definitely not ambiguous in meaning. Or the always-sexy Guess ads of the Claudia Schiffer era and beyond. Or Kate Moss and her controversial heroin-chic look for Calvin Klein in the 90s. And so on…

Fast forward to present day. My husband is always puzzled as to why I would care about a magazine with so many advertisements. And I see where he’s coming from – in other parts of life, we find ourselves quickly moving past ads to get to the good stuff. Ah, but in The September Issue, alongside the rich editorial content that team at Vogue puts together, the ads are nearly just as important. They are harbingers of the next big thing. Inspiration for a regular person, as much as for a fashionista – and  many of them, works of art in their own right.

So, how can YOU put The September Issue, and the legions of other giant fall fashion magazines, to work in your life?

• Step Away from the Pinterest. As easy and ubiquitous as it is for us to pin everything online ad infinitum, consider making yourself an old-school, real life inspiration board. I’ve had this up in my home office for years, and each season, I delight in the process of dog-earing my favorite ads, ripping them out of magazines with abandon, and posting them up here as inspiration. Each day, this visual reminder of images that excite me provides inspiration as well as a beautiful background for more mundane tasks.
• Get in Touch with What you Love. Once you’ve ripped and posted, take a step back and look at the big picture. You will soon see that you have a perspective, a clear aesthetic preference, which will run as a common thread in your selections. Maybe it’s a penchant for prints, a certain silhouette, or a particular color scheme. Whatever your preference is, knowing it and owning it is the key to developing your personal style. Linger over this for a few minutes before your next shopping trip, and you will find yourself much more focused and clear about what you love and what sartorially sets you apart.
• Escape! Sure, The September Issue will not win you any points in book club. You can’t add it to your list of recently-devoured highbrow novels in Good Reads. But it will afford you some good old-fashioned escapism. Steal away from that busy life of yours for twenty minutes, and leaf through the glossy pages. Before long, you’ll be on holiday in Capri, strolling the Champs-Elysées in Paris, or climbing into your helicopter à la Michael Kors, perfectly outfitted for whatever luxurious adventures lie in store. For most of us, this is not real life. But it is really fun to imagine and may just inspire you to try something new or look at the world through a different, more fabulous — and most likely tortoiseshell-framed – lens!

So now, when you see the ginormous September Issue on newsstands (August 14, 2015) or cramming mailboxes, you may find yourself wanting to sneak a peek or grab your own copy. There is plenty of time for being serious and high-minded in life. But sometimes a girl (or woman, as it were) just has to lighten up a little and relax with a glass of something sparkling and a fashion magazine.

You never know what that leisure time might inspire.

Feature Photo: September 1943 Issue –  Archives – Caption “Take a Job! Release a Man to Fight!”