Fashion Industry discussion, review, analysis, news, and information

I recently came upon a vintage fashion book  (can’t even find it on Amazon!) titled “Super Chic” by James Brady.  Brady, spending his life in journalism with a couple stints with Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Wear Daily, shares his thoughts on what it was like reporting for these fashion publications.

I have yet to form an opinion of the book being that I’m only on Chapter 2, but I wanted to share a passage from the first chapter which I still think applies today.  Here he talks about fashion journalism:

“...What they write is not really journalism at all but advertising puffs in the guise of critical reports.  They do this on behalf of the local retail stores that stock, and anxiously hope to sell, the clothes being puffed.  Since local department and specialty stores are the major advertisers in local newspapers you stand a gaudy chance of ever reading that a dress being promoted by one of those stores is badly cut or poorly made...”

Fashion journalism is quickly changing with blogs taking precedent over fashion magazines (*gasp* yeah, I said it).  Now we can find out about the good, the bad, and the ugly about products and clothing - it’s no longer exclusive to magazine fashion editors to make opinions.  We all have a voice now.  Finally.

Read more on James Brady at Forbes - "Resume of a Life in Journalism"

Check out other vintage fashion books at enokiworld