The internet is becoming the preferred platform for magazines. This is making it harder and harder to go 'magazine-ing.' The act of flipping through the pages of a magazine.
Most of my 'magazine-y' type of reading has been relegated to blogs.
But, I like touching the pages, carrying the magazine with me, being able to take it in every single room in the house (try doing that with your laptop,
without getting strange looks).
Three of my favorite magazines have folded.
Blueprint
A Martha Stewart creation. This was the hipper/younger version of Martha Stewart Living. There were interesting crafts, decorating tips, even a fashion section. And, the page layouts were attractive. My sister bought me a subscription for my birthday one year.
I received 2 or 3 issues before the plug was pulled on Blueprint. My subscription was substituted with
Martha Stewart Living.
Living is a pretty mag, but it doesn't take the place of Blueprint.
Domino
Whereas Blueprint was a DIY decorating/life magazine, Domino was more of a dreambook for me. It was a good mag to play 'Let's pretend I have a bottomless checking account.' I couldn't afford most/any of the things in there. But, it was fun to imagine.
Suede
Suede was a fashion/entertainment magazine created by Essence. It folded after only 4 issues. I only owned 1 issue (the one with Eve on the cover). I'm not into fashion magazines; it's not really my interest. But, what made it such an interesting 'zine was that the models were women of color. It is so rare (very rare) to find fashion magazines with models of color (Suede even had them on the cover!). It was definitely a good change.
But, Essence closed it. It never had a chance to reach it's full potential.
Magazine cemetery. Sigh. What magazines do you miss?
October 1975| cover design by art director Ed Towles, graphic designer George Smith, and researcher Gail Smith
