Analysis of Elle's Contents Page

Analysis of Elle's Contents page

The primary target audience for Elle is females who are interested in fashion, and see it as a huge part of their lives. It is also for homosexual males, as the stereotype is that they are a lot like women, only more extreme. Though this is in most cases untrue, as the media portray people who are not 'normal' (in terms of Marxism, the dominant class; white, heterosexual, middle class males) as unnatural others, as Medhurst states 'They are awful because they are not like us'. This fashion magazine is mature, not suitable for younger teenagers, 'Have you got the balls to be an MP?' 'Naked Hollywood'. The contents page contains lexis that are not suitable for a young target audience, though a lot purchase it regardless as they wish to gain knowledge in mature fashion. The target audience is of white origin, as you can tell by the imagery of white people. They are also young, but have disposable income, as the magazine comes at a price of £3.80. This is 30p cheaper than Vogue, which connotes how Vogue is likely to be more appreciated. It is aimed towards people of 2nd/1st class.

Three columns located around the main image does not look particularly professional, but rather blocky and almost as though it has been formed like a newspaper article, which makes it look as though the layout has been fitted to the wrong genre. The masthead is located directly at the top of the page, which stands out as an iconic piece of lexis that draws the eye. My opinion is that the masthead feels separated from the rest of the text as there are lines in-between, which could be improved by removing the lines and bringing the title down a little bit. The image to the left which is a portrait and contains writing underneath, is a cover story; it has a whole section to itself showing the importance of the piece and how it is dominates the rest of the text. Another image is located towards the bottom right, the main image. As it has not been positioned near the other image, there is not a clump of imagery, rather a good sense of spacial awareness. Subheadings are present in the text above each section of writing to ensure the reader finds the process of searching for a specific article simple and flows well. 

The colour palette consists of three main colours, as a common convention of magazines. If a magazine contains more than three colours, it has the tendency to lose its professional appearance, and look as though it was created by an amateur. The predominant colour is red, even though the majority of the text is black. This is due to the large headline and the bold subheadings which draw the eye in. Black text against a white background is also very common, as it is effortless to read due to the contrast of the colours.  The imagery has been made up of warm tones to connote happiness and intends to bring out optimism and positivity in the audience.

The main image located on the page, though not the centre of attention, is of an apparently  cheerful female smiling on the beach. Females tend to have the ability to relate more to other females rather than males, which is the reasoning for incorporating a female into the contents page rather than a male. Due to the fact that this photograph has clearly been taken on the beach, it is likely to be a summer issue. This is reinforced by the warm tones of both pictures, ensuring that they are weather-related and each issue reflects the seasons through fashion. Personally, I do not feel as though this is a particularly enjoyable picture, as the blurry disposition puts me off. The other image just reminds me of an Instagram picture, which a lot of young teenagers are doing in this day and age using their synergetic mobile devices. Though this is a very old issue and would not have used the image for this purpose as Instagram, nor synergetic phones, had been invented. It looks vintage, but personally, I do not enjoy it, even though the model is beautiful.

Vintage clothing is in fashion currently, and Elle's masthead is made up from a font which looks as though it has been typed with a typewriter, a vintage and fashionable object itself. It easily adapts to the ever changing atmosphere of fashion, as it can look elegant, vintage etc. The subheadings are in a larger font than the rest of the text, excluding the masthead, allowing them to stand out and catch the readers eye, ensuring each section can easily be found with a colouful, bold font. Red connotes passion and surprise, which is what the reader searches for, and so seeing this colour in the subheadings will make them feel as though they have found it. The subheadings have been typed in capitals, which creates emphasis and ensures the readers' emotion is heightened and they become excited. The fonts are all similar and smooth, creating elegance and sophistication, something the audience seeks in a fashion magazine. If the fonts were not similar, the contents page would look messy and not planned out.



Personally, I feel as though this contents page is successful in attracting its target audience due to the elegance and sophistication that vacates the page. The colours are appealing, and portray the magazine in a positive way, as though it is incredibly optimistic. The imagery could be improved, as one photograph is blurry, and other looks as though a teenager has taken it on their synergetic phones. Another aspect of the text that could be improved is the blocky columns. But overall, I feel as though it is appealing and successful.