On one hand, I’m not sure that her face looks like this anymore — who can tell, given that she’s usually buried under various expensive eccentricities? — but it certainly COULD, and, frankly, she looks fantastic here, so let’s just decide it’s accurate and give three cheers for its fabulousness. I feel like this top-knot/feathers/strong brows/red lips combination is what US Vogue was trying to do with Sienna Miller on the cover that was chronicled in The September Issue except, you know, this cover is actually good. (Re-reading that post, it kind of cracks me up that I complain about Sienna’s hair so much in it, when of course there is this whole running theme in the movie [which is excellent, if by some chance you haven't seen it] about how Sienna’s hair looks bad and yet she will not wear a wig WHAT TO DO???) Keep up the strong work, British Vogue.
Fug File: Vogue
Well Played Cover, Helena Bonham Carter
Jun 11, 2013 AT 1:00 pm
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43Fug file: Fug The Cover, Well Played, Hot Right Now, Vogue, Helena Bonham Carter
Fug or Fab the Cover: Princess Charlene
Jun 7, 2013 AT 12:00 pm28
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I love looking at covers of magazines which are published in languages I am unable to read, because it means I can invent the headlines. I’m sure this issue of Japanese Vogue is touting the usual Vogue articles, which I imagine to be universal — something about a weird new plastic surgery meant to alleviate a cosmetic problem we weren’t even aware was a problem, something about a rich and expensively dressed woman who also runs an art gallery/investment brokerage/dermatology practice and everything she wears therein, something about a new starlet whose parents are obscurely famous and the charming dinner parties she gives for hipsters, the end — but I like to think it’s sporting things like, “Princess Charlene: She Wore Color Once. Can It Happen Again?” and “Women Who Might Hate Their Husbands: How To Talk To Them” and “So You Tried To Flee The Country: Three Women Speak Out.”
Loading ...Fug file: Fug or Fab, Fug the Fromage, royalty, Vogue, Charlene of Monaco
Well Played The Cover: Kate Upton
Someone send Anna some flowers:
Kate Upton looks better in her swimsuit on the cover of Vogue than she did on EITHER cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. Admittedly, I am more the target market for THIS cover rather than the SI ones, but I’m even just talking about From The Neck Up. Namely, she looks like she hasn’t been totally sedated here. Admittedly, I am fond of the Dark Eyebrowed Blonde 50s Bombshell look with regards to a swimsuit cover, but this is basically the only time I’ve seen Upton photographed and thought, “oh, I GET IT.” I guess this is what is supposed to happen when you bring Mario Testino into play. (In comparison, Upton’s always charming on Today; I think she sort of works better in motion than otherwise, which is weird for…you know. A model.)
Additionally, congrats to those of you who predicted she’d get a cover; I never EVER thought Anna would touch Kate Upton with a ten-foot Photoshop tool. As Heather noted to me today when we were talking about this, it seems apt that this happened during the same month that Anna had to bring KimKard to the Met Ball. “Maybe she was taking her medicine all in one go,” Heather noted. Wise words from my better half.
[Photo: VOGUE/Mario Testino]
Fug file: Fug The Cover, Vogue, Kate Upton
Fug or Fab the Cover: Carey Mulligan on Vogue
3 photos in galleryWhen Carey was cast as Daisy in The Great Gatsby, it seemed perfect. There is something about her that really lends itself to this role, at least conceptually (we’ll see when it comes out), and the 1920s garb seemed like a great match to her cherubic face. Which is why, for me, this Vogue cover is a discordant disappointment. And further, does it strike anyone else as unimaginative — basically, a glorified poster for the movie? We’re going to see PLENTY of Carey Mulligan in period costume when the movie comes out; wouldn’t it be cool to see her another way, especially if you don’t know much about her? Or even to see Carey Mulligan, period, and not Daisy Buchanan? I understand it as a publicity push, I guess — that movie is the big thing that’s going on with her right now — but I’m not sure I concur with it from an editorial/art direction point of view. Zzz, basically.
Let us discuss — and also, pat yourself on the back if you predicted this in our Vogue Cover Predictions post. Jessica got it right. I will buy her a cocktail for you.
[Photos: Vogue]
Fug file: Fug The Cover, Photos, Hot Right Now, Vogue, Carey Mulligan
Fug or Fab the Cover: Michelle Obama on Vogue
Things I like about this cover: It’s simple, it’s uncluttered, that shade of green on the wallpaper is awesome, Michelle Obama looks really fit and healthy, her lipstick is a good shade, and nowhere is there an arbitrary number of things being bleated at me. Somewhere at Vogue — and every magazine — I imagine there to be a database where you can look up whether 342 or 197 has been used before, and if so, at least make sure it applied to something else rather than repeat that there are exactly 218 ways to work your left ab, or whatever.
Things I am not sure about on the cover: Whether her dress looks like it’s being blown open by accident, the haircut (I think it is too severe on her), the stiffness of the pose; the fact that the only thing they could think of to do with Michelle Obama was plonk her on a table and arrange her arms. This looks like a sitting for an Official Portrait, not a compelling Vogue cover.
Things I understand about this cover: Vogue probably isn’t allowed to get too Vogue all over Michelle Obama, because it would probably in some way scandalize everyone and be perceived as disrespecting the role of the First Lady.
Things I nonetheless wish about this cover: that Vogue pushed harder to find a creative approach. I bet Michelle Obama wishes she got to have crazy fun more often, because when you’re First Lady it’s nigh on impossible to throw caution to the wind and do things that are insane, like say, allowing Vogue to feature you in a spread where you’re using gym equipment in huge wigs and ball gowns with insane makeup. But it might be nice to think people can do more with and for you than just Executive Head Shots.
Loading ...[Photo: Vogue]
Fug file: Fug or Fab, Fug The Cover, Vogue, Michelle Obama
Fug or Fab the Cover: Katy Perry
I don’t think ANY of us called THIS (wait! Two of you, in fact, did. I am impressed):
That being said, while I’m impressed by the psychic skills of Fug Nation, I don’t know that I am that impressed with the cover. I feel like we’ve all seen that dress, or a version thereof, a thousand times before today, and — more importantly — I actually think Katy Perry is much prettier than this. Her face is lighter than her chest (which, honestly, come on. If Photoshop is good for anything, it ought to be able to make one’s foundation match one’s actual skin) and she looks like she’s in the middle of an attack of hay fever. Is being allergic to your dress really THAT hot for summer?
What do you think? (PS: I DO want to read that Extreme Detox article, I’m not gonna lie.)
[Photo: Vogue.com]
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