Magazine Textual Analysis

Magazine Textual Analysis: Miley Cirus Issue of 'Fashion' Magazine.

 

The main attraction on the front cover of this magazine is the large, medium-long image of Miley Cirus. The sultry, voyeuristic pose implies the sexual implications of this magazine, and that this “fashion” magazine is specifically targeting female audiences due to the issue having a female model representing women bang in the centre of the cover and so also is representing women’s fashion. Also, by using Miley Cirus as the model of this issue, they make the magazine relatable to young girls as they will recognise the woman on the cover and therefore subconsciously feel more connected to what the magazine is stating.

Firstly, the bright blue eyes of the model is making eye contact with the reader initially reigning in the admirer, along with the boldness of the eye make-up emphasising the pale blue eyes which in turn matches the mast head of the cover, linking in the model precisely to the issue. Also, the harsh, dark eyebrows and blood red lipstick emphasises the voyeurism of this issue and suggests representations of ‘femme fetale’ which links to the theorist Steve Neale. According to Neale, genre is developed through ‘repetition and difference’. Within the models aesthetic, she is accompanied with red lips, red nails, finger biting, and an extremely scandalous dress including many holes revealing much skin. This creates a convention for sex appeal and confidence which is seen throughout the cover. Not only does the dress imply confidence (and the many holes connotes a ‘web of lies’ through the clothing looking like a spiders web), but the suggestive pose by Miley creates a voluptuous representation of women and that now young girls should look this provocative to be ‘in fashion’ and to fit in with society.

In addition, a technical code is applied in this issue, with the colour red of Miley’s nails and lipstick connects with the other red features of the magazine that is highlighted in red, implying the other red text is important to the reader of the magazine and the editors want this information to stand out to the reader.

Moreover, Barthes theory is also applied in this magazine with again the colour red. For the women reading, this colour red could be interpreted in many different ways, with it either meaning confident and sultry, aggressive, or passionate, and so this magazine will therefore be viewed in many different fashions, however it is suggested that the editor of this magazine rather wanted the audience to think of passion and voyeurism due to other connotations made through the image of Miley.

Furthermore, the contrast of the red, blue and black (all bold colours) against the white background only emphasises the bold statement about women this magazine is creating. This issue of ‘Fashion’ magazine is making a daring implication about women proposing that this image of Miley Cirus is what you fantasise and wish you could look like, and that by reading this issue you can then learn how to draw people (mainly men) in just like this magazine drew you in as a reader. This links to the theory of Stuart Hall. According to Hall, it’s not the denotation that creates meaning, it’s the connotation. This issue is all down to representation, and how today’s society now represents women with these sexual implications, not even implicitly with the provocative medium-long shot but even with denotations such as the text submitted around Miley, such as: “Why you should want sex” or “Shocking is what I’m good at”.