The Lamentations and Celebrations of Glossies

I lamented the death of glossies. But not all glossies died. If you are not under the powerful mantle that is Conde Nast ( you know this for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and New Yorker), then chances are your magazines will succumb to the demise. It's inescapable. Or I can call it as a scapegoat. At least they will no longer have to produce monthly content that no one really reads about. Everything, including food deliveries, has gone online and for someone like me who reads these magazines from cover to cover during the glorious days of the pre-Internet era, this deserves a good cry.

Lucky me, because I've been collecting some copies of the magazines that I really care about. And they were kept in good condition as these magazines served as relics of some sentimental pasts where I always got lost in their colors, in the illuminating texts, and in the subjects that have shaped my writing today. And although the online version is just as stimulating as it is fascinating, nothing replaces the romance of turning the pages and sampling the dried-up perfume essence on the sides( remember those?).

But here's an unpopular opinion: I am not really heavy on Vogue and those doorstoppers because I found fashion to be high brow; I just don't get the cut and seams and those terms that make me long for my favorite Taiwanese balm but I ADORED The Devil Wears Prada because it's a hoot and iconic but that's only it. I only have one Vogue magazine at home, the one with Sienna Miller on the cover, and I only flipped it once. I might've even donated it, sorry Anna Wintour, but that's just me. To each his own.

Anyway, few moons ago, I received 3 huuuuge bookshelves from my forever favorite Cecile Zamora as a Christmas gift and my magazines are happy because at last they will be placed in situations that will not crease their pages. But I am actually thinking of donating the copies that I have grown tired of, you know to free up more space. But that will take a whole lotta convincing in my part.

I also have a magazine wishlist because 1. they are not available locally and 2. they have also stopped publication even before I have the chance to buy them.

1. Lucky Peach ( which according to Washington Post had a mysterious demise)

2. Flow  ( this is a dream magazine and this is not available here!)

3. Frankie

4. Darling

But these are the magazines that I like to hoard. All of these are bought in Booksale (I didn't even bother defacing the sticky tags) which is one of the awesomest bookstores on the planet. This is in no particular order, regardless of centric.  And this is my own favorite list, we might not have the same taste since that is subjective as well, too. I also linked their official website because it's the next best alternative. And also if they are still available ( because some websites also died down from oblivion).

1. The New Yorker ( THE BEST writing everywhere)

2. O, The Oprah Magazine ( I mean this is Lady O we are talking about and I love the Reading Room parts and Elizabeth Gilbert in May I help you? )

3. Martha Stewart Living ( The homemaking queen whose Martha Stewart Craft line is to die for!)

4. Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion ( my ultra favorite home decorating magazine! I only have one copy, super tattered and gifted by a neighbor because I couldn't return it to her)

from ebay.com

5. Good Housekeeping ( this magazine has been around since the early days and it's a gold standard in decorating, food and basically just making sure your home is where your heart is )

7. Bust ( I only have one because it is super rare to find copies of this magazine in Booksale but  I have the Bust DIY Guide to Life which will make up for inadequacy. More of the Bust DIY book in the coming entry)

8.  Bookmarks ( really, a whole magazine dedicated to books? you know i'll suck up to this but I always got a serious case of envy because I LIKE TO APPLY HERE TO WRITE BECAUSE IMAGINE FREE BOOKS TO READ AND REVIEW!)

9. Vanity Fair ( back in Masbate, I had my steady supply of VF courtesy of my favorite teacher Ike Arevalo and I will spend countless afternoons reading the lives and misadventures of the rich and the infamous and swoon over Hollywood portraits done by Annie Leibovitz! and don't forget about the writing which I always try to emulate but always fail!)

AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE OF ALL

10. Jane Magazine ( oh Jane mag, how do I love thee?? Everything about this magazine sparks mad fanaticism, at least to me. It's a shame that this ceased publication after a few years of empowering women to own their sexuality absolutely giving no **ck over things! I super love this magazine that I always refer to this whenever I am stuck somewhere! SADLY I ONLY HAVE FOUR COPIES!)

* Read about Jane's death in The Huffington Post feature here . Brb tears won't stop falling. I haven't read Sassy mag so I really can't compare. 

* And apparently there are New York Times and Buzzfeed features on Jane that I know nothing about! 

So the question remains, What is your favorite magazine? 

Top image from Tumblr

xoxo,