Make Magazines Great Again

When I was in the ninth grade, I spent a great deal of time stressing out about what I wanted to be in the future. I had such a wide variety of passions and interests that all seemed to fall under so many different industries and fields, that just the thought of it alone made me anxious. I had not even chosen my subjects yet but I was already stressing about which university I wanted to go to, which courses I would take and how I would balance all of that on top of being a best-selling recording artist (yes I had big dreams, still do).

For me, the clock was ticking and very quickly at that and I had to get my sh*t together soon. It was amongst all the stress and sleepless nights that came with thinking of my future that I found not only an escape and hobby but the start of a very beautiful obsession. One day I went to woolworths to do some shopping as per usual, however this time I left with something new. My very first ELLE magazine. It really was the start of something beautiful, with every page captivating me more than the last. The burst of colours, the clothing, everything about it invited me in.

After months of collecting each magazine issue and reading them from cover to cover (literally) I decided that, THIS is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life (no, not read magazines, however that would be a sweet gig too). I decided then and there that I too wanted to be a contributor to one of the best-selling magazines in the world. My obsession with my magazines, fuelled my passions and really made me feel like I was working towards something. It also played a major role in me deciding to start my own blog. I fell in love with the behind the scenes of fashion, from writing to photography to styling. I loved it all and it was all thanks to those pages that I paid for every month.

Now imagine my dismay after hearing that the production of monthly issues from my favourite magazine will cease to continue. The very same magazine that gave my life meaning and my future, purpose would no longer be printing issues. To say that I was saddened by this news would be a gross understatement.

Soon after this came the rise of many of our loved magazines coming to an end. Perhaps it could be from the infamous introduction of the 4IR, with online reading being the new wave, or maybe people were growing bored or tired of magazines. Whatever it was, it did not sit well with my soul. Magazines had become as necessary to my daily life as toilet paper or milk and their absence is still greatly felt till this day.

For many, magazines were an escape, for some like me, a great source of inspiration and a great addition to the perfect flat lay for an instagram or tumblr picture. Where is a girl supposed to get her monthly dose of all things fearless and female without a good old Cosmopolitan (not the drink...this time). Or without her Grazia or ELLE! These magazines not only gave me a ton of entertainment, but they also gave me a lot of hope too. They made feel like I was working towards something and that one day my name could also be in the pages of the best-selling magazine in the world. Yes, I know, everyone is making the transition from print to digital, I need to get with the times! But there really isn't anything quite as satisfying as running out of space on your shelf because you have too many magazines. And what about the little ninth grade girl panicking about her future? Which magazine will be there to give her hope?

Okay granted, I might be overreacting just a tad bit, but I did say that it was an obsession. Nonetheless, magazines will always have a place in this world as long as there's a woman somewhere out there sitting with her glass of wine reading about the latest fashion trends, horoscopes or needing tips on how to keep things spicy in the bedroom , Magazines will always have a home.

I honestly think it’s time that we Make Magazines Great Again. Because just like a little black dress, they will never go out of style.