US versus UK Magazine Covers: February 2012

1. VOGUE

Vogue US: A really really great cover. The blue of Taylor's eyes matching the blue text just makes them pop. I'm so happy Vogue decided to do away with her tween-ish curls and give the girl some chic bangs! Best move they could have done.


Vogue UK: This cover looks like a vintage Vogue from the 1950s, with the coif and high-waisted skirt. I can really appreciate this cover, but another part of me is just too fixated on the bright blue eyeshadow and bright lip. It's a lot of bright. I might have mentioned it before, but I'm just not loving how they always take out the "G" in VOGUE. I think I'd rather have all the letters there, set behind her head.


WINNER: Vogue US for me. It's bright, chic and very appropriately country-style.

2. COSMOPOLITAN

Cosmopolitan US: Everyone loves a good controversial cover, don't they? There was plenty of talk online (and even within my group of friends) about Dakota Fanning gracing the cover of Cosmopolitan-- a very adult magazine (my mom doesn't even want ME reading it, and I'm almost 20). Dakota was 17 when this came out, but turned 18 a couple of days ago. I don't know how I feel about it, I don't really care too much. What do you guys think? Styling-wise I think she looks fantastic though. I love that fun pink dress on her, light smokey eyes and straight hair. One of Cosmo's better covers-- no overwhelming obnoxious colors. I actually dig the gold on top. 


Cosmopolitan UK: Pixie is very conventionally pretty-- her look is actually very California to me, with the bright blond hair and pretty face. This is actually a really nice, graphic cover. I love a great white cover with bold colors contrasting it. I'm just a tad overwhelmed by the amount and size of some text.


WINNER: Cosmo US. Yay controversy! A great sultry, smooth cover. 

3. GQ

GQ US: Okay, I do feel weird seeing Michelle Williams on the cover of GQ looking like that because she is just not a "sexy" person! She is sweet, soft, timid little Michelle who speaks in basically a whisper all the time. Plus, Michelle looks like she's been photoshopped to high heaven. Everything is way too smooth and bright and flawless. And when I look at her hair my mind is just screaming: WIG WIG WIG. 


GQ UK: I'm a little confused with this cover. Michael Fassbender looks like he is in the middle of shooting an action flick; he has this sheen on him, and the cover looks edgy in the way that in reminds me of a film magazine. And the circle with Miranda Kerr? Super distracting and very odd. Then all of the bold font. 


WINNER: How very odd that Cosmopolitan is doing so well this month, while GQ has disappointed me. How the tables have turned. I'll have to go with GQ US here. Despite my nitpicking, design-wise it is stronger. 

4. GLAMOUR

Glamour US: If Rachel McAdams or Glamour made this cover any cuter I would just die. It is SO CUTE. The colors are cute, her outfit is ADORABLE, the hearts are cute (and actually work), her makeup, smile and hair are all cute... That's the only word I can think of right now. I'm not a girly girl, but I love this. And it's perfect for February. I love the alternating sans serif "Men, Men, Men!" text especially. 

Glamour UK: I didn't realize this when I first glanced at this cover, but that shirt is very much a see-through shirt! I love her smoldering eye makeup and lighting her. It's very glamourous. There is a lot of text on there-- actually both covers have similar amounts of leading lines, but the difference is Rachel McAdams being in FRONT of "GLAMOUR". Kelly Brook is behind it, so she seems very crowded in comparison to Rachel. 

WINNER: Glamour US for me. Cute. 

5. INSTYLE

InStyle US: I'm not a fan of the hair, and I will tell you why. First of all it looks a little mop-ish, then having to cut Drew out in order to put the InStyle banner in the background, you can see they had to cut around her hair which is supposed to be natural and wavy with lots of texture. The edges are unnaturally smoothed out (especially at the top and left side), if that makes sense.

InStyle UK: See, on this cover her hair looks more natural in the cutout because her hair was styled more smooth. Obviously textured hair CAN be done, (just look at the other covers in this post), but InStyle US just had a little trouble with it. Anyway, I love the curve of Nicola's body here and her voluminous hair! It's a clean cover with a little bit of attitude. 

WINNER: InStyle UK.  

6. ELLE

Elle US: I don't love this type of look on Reese-- rocker chick. The eyeliner is so harsh, and the quality of the photo doesn't really match the mood. I don't know, maybe I'm being too picky. I mean, I love Reese, but that eyeliner...


Elle UK: I love the different textures on this cover-- the feather (boa?) looks so soft, the dress so sheer. An interesting position for her leg there, it's a little bit odd, but not too distracting. It's a very pretty, soft look, and I love the very thin font. 


WINNER: Elle UK.

7. ESQUIRE

Esquire US: Oh my, I LOVE this. This is the Esquire I love and adore. It's clean, the text is perfect, everything I see, I love. And I mean, EIC David Granger is such a genius to run an issue that is good for the world to read! Things to agree on when our country is so divided all the time. The font, the placement, it's all just brilliant.


Esquire UK: On the other side of the spectrum is Esquire UK, with another super hot girl on their cover. But I actually really like this, if you're going to do a hot-girl cover, this is a good way to do it. You don't put her on the cover showing everything, you make it a tease: cover some things up so then the reader will open your magazine and find more. Sort of like a classy girl in real life-- you cover it up and leave the boys to wonder... But I really like the highlighter yellow, orange and black combo. Bright colors are becoming Esquire UK's new thing.


WINNER: Esquire US, even though they are both great.

8. HARPER'S BAZAAR

Harper's Bazaar US: This could be a really great cover. If the TEXT wasn't so damn random and in my face! I've seen worse from Harper's Bazaar, but there is just too much thickness in a majority the font. However, the photo is really stunning of Demi Moore. She looks natural and beautiful.


Harper's Bazaar UK: A very simple cover here with a gorgeous photo of Uma Thurman. She looks picture perfect with any super obvious photoshopping. But once again, my favorite part is how little lead lines there are. Three words and the name of the cover girl... that's all I need!


WINNER: Harper's Bazaar UK.

9. MARIE CLAIRE

Marie Claire US: A pretty decent cover-- Marie Claire always does a good job of making it clean and consistent, but sometimes I get a little bored. So maybe they are a little too consistent. They never go out of the box, but if it works then they probably wouldn't want to risk anything! On a side note, I really enjoy when colors match the cover star's eyes.


Marie Claire UK: I love this. I love the British patriotism here, because I haven't seen any Olympic-themed covers yet! And on a women's fashion magazine, it's just really cool. I like her holding the UK flag, and her body is rockin. Even though the serif font is a little questionable, I still enjoy this cover a lot.


WINNER: Marie Claire UK. 

FINAL COUNT:

US: 5

UK: 4

My favorite for the month is Esquire US. The magazine that inspired my love for magazine design. I mean, you cannot deny-- this cover rocks. Plus... a very well dressed Bill Clinton.