When I was a teenager I read magazines backwards starting with the last page first. This is still how I read magazines, but I didn’t realize it was odd until I told my husband, who thought this habit was very bizarre. On a superficial level, I can trace my backwards-reading to my rebellious teen years where I did everything opposite from what I was told. However, it’s a bit deeper than that. No matter what magazine you’re reading, each issue seeks to tell a story crafted by editors, photographers, writers, advertisers. They all intend the story to be told from front to back, and by reversing that, readers create their own stories.
Me and My Lookbook
I’m no stranger to taking magazine content and repurposing it for my own needs. Over the past eight years, I have kept a lookbook that features clothes I like, haircuts I might try one day and articles that got me thinking. This is just one way I choose to use magazine content to create my own spreads from neutral color palettes to bright red lips to ethereal dresses. Every page tells a story. One of these days I swear I’ll get around to making my own zine.
There’s One Last Thing . . .
Reading magazines backwards not only personalizes the content, but it highlights “One Last Thing” pieces that encapsulate what the magazine ultimately stands for. These are usually short pieces with more images than text. They’re a sign off for each issue–something to leave readers thinking, which is why I love reading them first.
Of all the magazines I read on a regular basis, I definitely have my favorite sign offs and the ones I hate:
Love It, Can’t Get Enough of It: Lucky: For how much I rip on Lucky week after week, it may surprise some that their sign off feature, “My Mom: The Style Icon,” is one of my all time favorite sign offs. I love to see women talk about their moms, show photos of them from their fashion heydey along with suggested pieces to make their mom’s look work. “My Mom” has a nostalgic simplicity to it that can be found running through the rest of Lucky.
Hate It, Never Want to Read It: Glamour’s “Dos & Don’ts. I subscribe to the the Bill Cunningham philosophy that there’s no such thing as a fashion don’t, so to me this sign off just seems cruel and helpful to no one. One thing that bugs me specially about this feature is they never name the celebrities featured in the “don’t,” only the ones in the dos. Seems kind of cowardly to me!
How Do You Read Magazines?
Do you have some special way of reading magazines? Do you read yours backwards like me? Share your thoughts!
I am dying to make my own zine! I’ve been wanting to make one ever since I found out they existed!
Vanessa, Take only Memories recently talked about Rolleiflex vs Hipstamatic
Me too! For like the past 10 years!
I have read magazines also from the back to front. There always seems to be something inspirational on that last page!! i HOPE TO INSPIRE OTHER READERS
You are crazy, Mommy!
Courtney recently talked about Can You Wear Pants to a Wedding?
My magazine habit was to go to the table of contents and find the cover stories that grabbed my attention in the first place.
Laura Connell recently talked about Elizabeth Hurley’s bikini line for kids sparks discussion
That makes the most sense! Half the time, I can’t find the Table of Contents hidden between all the ads. I usually just give up and jump right in.
Courtney recently talked about Can You Wear Pants to a Wedding?
I’m totally with you and Bill Cunningham – I also despise those do’s and don’t lists – they are aimed at making people insecure and sheep-like. Surely that kind of thinking kills off creativity! If we all did their do’s we’d look like a bunch of clones. Truly fashion forward people aren’t afraid to break rules so seeing these kind of articles in “fashion” magazines always smacks of hipocrisy to me.
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Not to mention, half the time the Dos and the Don’ts look exactly the same. It just seems like whatever celebrity suits their fancy makes it on the Dos list. How lame! You really learn nothing from a Dos and Don’ts list, especially a cowardly one.
Courtney recently talked about Can You Wear Pants to a Wedding?
I also read them backwards to forwards! I started that habit with my Highlights magazines as a kid (the puzzles were in the back!). I think the main reason I start from the back with grown up magazines is that the bulk of full page ads are up front, and I don’t love those.
Tashia recently talked about From Dusk til Dawn
I’m glad I’m not alone on this! That’s so cute about highlights!
I hate the ads in the front–they’re almost always ones that you can see in any magazine. They’re usually boring, too. What’s the point?
Courtney recently talked about Can You Wear Pants to a Wedding?
My mom always actually read her magazines backwards to forwards too. I can’t recall why now, but maybe it had to do with something like most of the actual content being at the back anyhow?
Ashe @ Ash in Fashion recently talked about BaBW: Building Your Seasonal Wardrobe from Your Basics
That’s a great point! If you start at the beginning, you have to wade through at least 20-30 pages of ads.
Courtney recently talked about Can You Wear Pants to a Wedding?