Obsessions: Magazine Top Ten

Ok, so It's the first day back to work after Christmas for me and I was up until 2:00am with my nose buried in a computer game (don't ask which one, you won't be impressed and you won't say, "ah, I play/played that!") where it's been since Monday morning and I gotta say, I'm a bit shell shocked. The frost on my car window this morning didn't help. Standing there shivering in my new Christmas clothes and very cute leopard skin peep-toe heels while I scrape ice off the window with a credit card (maxed out) and numb fingers is something I'd be totally fine never experiencing again.

Anyway, the copious caffeine is kicking in now and something on my home page's headline section caught my eye: Ad Age announced it's top 10 magazine covers of 2006.

I kind of like the list, two of my favorites ended up there which are the B. Spears "About to Pop" cover for Harper's Bazaar and the "Youngish" cover for the New Yorker. (About aging hipsters? I can only guess. I just look at the pictures.)

The rest of the list is sufficiently slathered in shock and awe and plenty of snark, but what I want to know is, where are the top ten lists for consistently good design and great content?

I'm sure they're somewhere, but here's mine:

Best Overall: Ok, maybe some of you are over it, but my favorite magazine is Real Simple. They get it, and they are exactly what they say they are. Clean lines, straightforward and innovative content, balanced fashion features, and consistency. There's never any filler in this magazine, there's never anything goofy or kitschy, they have something a lot of magazines are lacking: class. Something else I like about Real Simple? Almost universal appeal. Ok, maybe not for the heterosexual male, but I don't know a single woman who, once exposed to the greatness that is RS doesn't like it. That's tough to do.

As a runner up, I'd have to say Dwell. For a broke twenty something who's never owned her own refrigerator much less a high end home boasting design and architecture of the modern persuasion, the appeal of this magazine is kind of inexplicable as I definitely don't relate to the content. Again, it's a design thing. Maybe it has to do with the paper, since both RS and Dwell use approximately the same weight and finish.

Best New Magazine: Blueprint. Following some of the same rules as Real Simple, the Martha Stewart empire launched its bi-monthly women's lifestyle magazine this fall and it's awesome. Again with the class and the good design, with content a little more specifically aimed for a slightly younger or more cosmopolitan set.

Best Redesign: I'm sticking close to home on this one. I actually can't remember if Memphis Magazine launched its redesign in early '06 or '05, but I love it deserves a place on any "Best Of" list, so it's getting one. (Plus, look for my article on raw foods diets in the January issue!)

Best Fashion/Makeup: This is a hard one since I'm sure there are lots of stunning magazines out there with mind-blowing fashion and makeup spreads which I've never seen, but one of my favorites which I HAVE seen is ZINK. I think I talked a little shit about them in some post earlier this year, but with a summer fashion spread recreating scenes from The Royal Tenenbaums, I offer enthusiastic apologies for any ill will and proclaim my adoration.

Other than ZINK, it seems like a lot of regional and city publications are really strong in these areas. Any suggestions for me to check out? Nylon and Tokion are fine, but for some reason starting to seem about as generic as American Apparel to me. I need something more! (And not the $25+ per issue kind of "more".)

Best Old School Women's Magazine: There are certain classic magazine staples in every woman's mind, if not on her coffee table or discreetly tucked behind the toilet in the bathroom. You know the ones, they're the magazines our mothers read and sometimes our mother's mothers. I happen to despise the majority of them. Redbook, Vogue, Cosmopolitan. They seem to have all gone in one of three directions as they mature: your momma's tabloid, 75%+ shiny advertising from names I'll never afford, or recycled crap issue after issue. One of the few I actually still enjoy is Harper's Bazaar. Their spreads are classy and very much haute couture, (even though they do tend to use pop/movie/music stars instead of actual models,which annoys me to no end,) with the production values of a grown up magazine with some money to spend. The layout is still tending towards cluttered and the content mostly either kind of blah or totally recycled, nothing very innovative, but the dose of high fashion in an otherwise kind of low-brow world makes it worth it.

Best Shopping Magazine: Lucky. I love this magazine, even though I don't shop all that much. (Unless we're talking about odd vintage collectible office machines or magazines.) Their covers are without fail cheesy and uninspired, but what's inside is not. Plus, their beauty editor is one of my new favorite people and can be one of yours, too, if you read Free Gift With Purchase by Jean Godfrey-June.

And now, getting a jump on the old Oh-Seven, here's a secret: he best new launch of the year will be [insert drum roll here] Pulpfaction Magazine! Just a little FYI.