Codes and conventions of fashion magazines
Magazines typically feature conventions such as:
- The Masthead - the masthead is one of the most important features of a magazine other than the model, it identifies the name of the magazine and for some is a part of their brand identity on their own.
- The contents page - the contents page is where all stories in the magazine are features and numbered so that they are easy to find in the magazine. They are different in almost every magazine with some featuring photos as stories.
- Slogans - Magazines use slogans to interest and inform the reader in a few simple words. They often have some form of rhyming or play on words to read easier.
- The main image(s) - The main images are pictures that link directly to the larger stories in the issue, they usually feature elite people that are easily recognised by their public such as actors, fashion stars, models etc.
- The pugs/ puffs - pugs or puffs are used on covers to catch the reader's attention; they usually are offers or things that would attract the reader. They can also advertise the stories inside of the magazine to compel the audience to buy the magazine so that they can find out.
- Headline - these usually are the main statement of the issue, headlines advertise the main story in a way that advertises itself to their audience. Generally, they are the largest font on the front cover other than the masthead and take up a large portion of space on the front cover.
- Ranges of font styles - magazine covers often have a large range of fonts they use in other features such as headlines, offleads and slogans. This gives variety to the cover with the fonts giving depth to the cover instead of one set font such as a newspaper.
Fashion magazines:
With the models head interacting with the masthead - popular mass media fashion magazines can afford for the model on the front cover to obscure their own masthead as they know that they have a large enough following that know and recognise the magazine without fully seeing the cover or masthead. Large fashion magazines often have higher priority models such as high ranking actors or pop stars which means that their cover caters not only to their audience but the model's audience as well as increasing audience readings.
Typical fashion conventions would be features such as talking about the newest fashion, borderline 'erotic' or inviting model poses, the latest trends and advice on fashion, drama in the fashion world. They would use multiple different models and stars to cater to large audiences, advice from these elite people with terms such as 'how to dress like...' Fashion magazines cater to people who are interested in physical change and are influenced by people they consider more fashionable and as such use these people to influence their audience to read their magazine.
