Here are some thoughts and favorite moments of recent Vogue magazines—December 2016 and January 2017:
1. The section advertised on the cover as "creators, artists, and activists pointing the way ahead" delighted me. You all know that I love options, whether between types of ice cream or types of occupations. When I see many different people doing many different things, I am delighted and overwhelmed and inspired. This section of Vogue was like a journalistic interpretation of the options-loving part of my soul. It looks at people and places value on them for things they value in their life. In detailing their pursuits, it gave them a platform to publicize what they care about to other people. It also tacitly validated their pursuits, just by deeming them important enough to put in the pages of Vogue. When I got to the one entitled "Power Brokers," about DeRay McKesson and Tracee Ellis Ross, I noticed something that I, as a writer, loved. Whoever wrote the columns on each topic was hardly speaking at all. The columns were the voices of the people they were about, quote after quote, the writer only peaking in to organize and provide speech tags. This kept the attention exactly where it belonged, on the subjects of the column.
2. Annie Kevans.
Check out her art. Read about it. She's killer.
3. Mi Golandrina
My aunt introduced me to this brand when I was in Dallas this summer, so finding them in Vogue was so cool. I have a dress from them, and I've loved it.
4. Michelle Obama.
Everyone loves her, and the article says all the reasons why, but the thing that struck me the most was the writer's commentary on the diversity introduced into the white house staff: first (black) woman to be chief usher, first Asian executive chief, and more...ballin. Let's go, America, keep it up.
5. Wonder World: Fantastic Bests and Where to Find Them.
Couture + Harry Potter = Absolutely. Vogue writer Hadley Freeman explains that "while the film is filled with fantastic beasts added by CGI . . . for the purposes of the shoot they are represented by models in extravagantly over-the-top couture" (249). What an idea. Incredible.
6. Not Your Mother's Dior:
An article on Maria Grazia Chiuri's debut as Dior's creative director. I'm a fan. Read it here, check out the collection here. One of the pieces most hyped about on social media—the "We should all be feminists" t-shirt—was inspired by a TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I'd never heard/read it before, but I looked it up—it's incredible. Check it out too!
7. Cookies:
Vogue had an entire article on Christmas cookies. Absurd. Wonderful. Read it.
