Conde Nast shuts down two bridal magazines: good riddance!

October 6, 8:55 AMOklahoma City Women's Issues ExaminerSpring Houghton

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Oklahoma City Women's Issues Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

First and foremost, it is never pleasant to hear that people are losing jobs; so the news yesterday that Conde Nast Publications is shutting down four magazines and about 180 people will lose their jobs is terribly disheartening. It is sad and maddening to think that yet another round of hard workers may have been victimized by the irresponsible financial practices of corporate executives.

 The company is already drawing comparisons to General Motors because of lop-sided, out-dated, lavish spending on a few, top employees. Not to mention the “generous spending on projects such as an office cafeteria designed by architect Frank Gehry and budget items that include $1,000 nightly expense limits for traveling staff.” Hardly smart business in an age of recession and declining interest in print media. (I think there’s even an Ugly Betty episode about this.)

So which magazines got slashed? Gourmet, Cookie, Elegant Bride and Modern Bride. Which brings me to my next point. Does one company really need two bridal magazines? What’s in these magazines that’s so interesting?

• Lot’s of diversity representing the many marriages that happen every day in America? No. Mostly white, privileged types.
• Lots of real women that look just like you and me? No. Mostly stick figures that make you feel too fat/ short/ tattooed/ shy/ etc. to wear your expensive dress in front of hundreds of friends and family members.
• Lots of affordable, clever, original wedding themes, dresses, and cakes? No. Mostly just expensive, traditional displays of superficiality.
• A focus on the love, respect, and hard work that goes into a marriage? Nope. But you can find plenty of competitions to enter, including a Bride of the Year contest! Do you have what it takes?!?!?

In short, if this publishing downsizing is the beginning of the end of the ridiculous and degrading bridal/ wedding industry, then good riddance. Anything that perpetuates the antiquated, crap ideas that an ideal female body exists, that a woman’s most perfect day ever will be her over-priced wedding day, that a woman should compete with other women and aspire to be “princessy”, that pretends that only skinny, pretty, rich, smiley, white, hetero brides exist was always already bankrupt.