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Top Three Australian Fashion Magazines

Top Three Australian Fashion Magazines
Carly Jacobs

I don’t have many vices. I don’t drink (much), smoke or do drugs. I consume sugar and caffeine in limited quantities and I haven’t eaten Macdonald’s in 6 years. I don’t even bite my nails anymore. I don’t spend money on nights out or expensive shoes and even though I am a total style addict I rarely spend money on clothes. Wow I sound like somewhat of a loser. I do however harbour a secret fetish that chews it’s way through my salary like a toddler eating Skittles… Magazines. It’s so shameful. The obsession began when I spent four delightful years during high school working in a newsagent. I discovered the truly perk-some ritual of magazine topping. This is a common practice where the agent rips the cover from a magazine that isn’t sold before the next one is released and the cover is sent back to the distributor for a partial refund. The magazine is then thrown away. Or pilfered by desperate teenage girls hungry for their weekly trash fix. I blame Top Newsagency for my inability to function a full week with out Who or New Weekly magazine. Since quitting the newsagent to get a grown ups job I now have to pay for my magazines. And holy crap are they expensive. This fact does not stop me from buying them. Or trying to hide the fact that I spend more money on my glossies than on basic living essentials. I’m like a binge eater who secretly hoards food and tries to hide it from her loved ones. I have magazines everywhere – in my car, at home, at work, rolled up in my handbag… I need therapy. But you will be pleased to know that I am getting more discerning in my old age. I love to read a Cleo or Cosmopolitan at the hairdresser but I rarely buy them because I have issues throwing them away and they just pile up and take over my house. I will occasionally spend $4 on a weekly mag but only instead of a take away coffee. What can I say? I’m my father’s daughter and we are both tighter than Paris Hilton’s pants. So I have a mini New Year’s resolution that I will only be spending money on pre-selected magazines. I have narrowed it down to the top three essentials. All fashion. All Australian. And all a bloody good read and a fabulous waste of money…

* Frankie is my baby. This bi-monthly joy has me hanging around the mail box awaiting ‘Frankie Day’. All the Smaggles know that on Frankie Day no one is to speak to me unless it is in response to a witty gem I have read from said magazine or to discuss one of the fascinating articles I have told them about. No one is allowed to read Frankie until I have completely finished with it. If there is no hot chocolate in the house on Frankie Day, Mama Smaggle needs a talking to. The writing in this magazine is EXCEPTIONAL!!! The best I have ever read. I adore regular Frankie columnist Mia Timpano. Although I’m not sure if she allows people to adore her. Anyway Frankie is full of awesome articles, independent designers, musician profiles and funky fashion. It’s everything I have ever wanted in a magazine and because it’s quite new and little there are hardly any ads in it. I had a Frankie Day in December so my next one is not until February but I will be sure to let you all know when the special day comes. Oh and in the last issue there was a craft section on how to make a teddy bear from a pair of socks. The cuteness is astounding.

* Russh is like the uber cool kid at school that everyone wanted to be friends with but no one ever really understood. The kid that wore knee high socks with sandals and for some reason no one payed them out. Oh and they wrapped a random piece of ragged fabric around their hair one day and a few weeks later everyone started doing it. That’s Russh. It has a bigger fashion component than Frankie and their fashion shoots are awesome. They do profiles on independent designers and foreign fashion identities. In a recent issue they had a super cool spread on what’s fashionable in which states of Australia. Sadly there was no ACT in the line up but Tasmania was covered so I was very impressed. They also cover style icons and have ‘It’ girl pages with unexpected and unique guys and gals. There is also this air of truth about the magazine and I just feel that they don’t bullshit me which is rare in the world of glossies. They have also just branched out and are releasing Russh Japan. Just in time too because I plan on becoming Japanese this year.

* Oyster is the magazine that I have a love/hate relationship with. It’s a bit more expensive than I can cope with and it’s not terribly heavy on the articles. But the photography in this magazine is perfection and they always include some kind of street style spread. They also feature every month without fail an accessory or an indie designer that I discovered before them and it makes me feel really cool. What can I say? I’m easily pleased. I try to convince myself that there is not enough articles to warrant the $15 plus price tag but I adore it. It’s visually spectacular and makes me feel all arty and sophisticated. It’s sort of like a younger and more fashionable version of Black and White magazine. Only more entertaining and ego-stroking.

 So next time you’re hankering for a magazine session go for something a little bit different. It will be worth your while. To be honest if hardcore fashion isn’t your thing then don’t go for Russh or Oyster as they might be little frightening for you. However if you want a sweet and interesting read Frankie will be the key to your heart if you would only let her be…

Love Lady Smaggle xxx

8 Comments

  1. Gervy 16 years ago

    Thanks for the tip-offs, Lady Smaggle. I will definitely consider Russh & Frankie.

    I am similarly obsessed with magazines… or at least I used to be. Started off with Dolly at the age of 15 (everyone else discovered it at about 5, I was a late bloomer), as well as my mum’s Vogues; followed by Cosmo & Cleo; and then it snowballed… But they do seem ridiculously expensive so I’m trying to cut down also.

    Btw I’ve tagged you for a meme on my blog, hope you don’t mind…

  2. Lady Smaggle 16 years ago

    I am having a love/hate relationship with Instyle. The last few issues have been so boring that I haven’t even read the whole thing. Is Another magazine really expensive? I guess it doesn’t really matter as it’s twice a year anyways…

  3. princessnaea 16 years ago

    I, as always, recommend Another Magazine for global style PLUS actor and muso profiles, art (they have a commissioned work in every issue which I think is rad and where I discovered one of my fave contemporary artists, Nigel Cooke), literature, architecture,…. its beautiful, huge, glossy, chock full of ads, and it only comes out twice a year which is what I’m restricting myself to now.

    and the occasional InStyle which I sometimes can’t go past because they have no models to give me a complex.

  4. Bader 9 years ago

    thats probably the only 3 you can even find babe 🙂

  5. probe97 9 years ago

    I am totally obsessed with those glossy sweet smelling international gorgeous fashion magazines, love their feel and soft fem pages they excite me .

  6. francesmagiera 5 years ago

    No never apologise for purchasing magazines! You are single-handedly keeping the journalism and publication/print industry alive.

Pingbacks

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