The best month of the year is September, when all of the glossies release their giant, unwieldy fashion issues. There is nothing better than walking up to your favorite magazine rack and seeing it groaning under the weight of The September Issues.
We went to three different stores and couldn't find a Marie Claire in the bunch, so we went and grabbed a Vanity Fair instead -- mostly because it had Kate Middleton on the cover. First rule of fashion in 2012: Covet all things worn by Kate Middleton.
We strongly advise picking up a physical copy of the September Issue of your favorite fashion mag. As much as we adore the Internets, it just isn't the same as spending hours flipping pages and cutting out images for your fashion vision board. What?! You know you have one.
To whet your appetite, here are the stats you need on Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle and Harper's Bazaar. And if you find a copy of Marie Claire out there, send one to us, will you?
Vogue
Weight: Approximately 3.5 pounds
Thickness: .5 Inches
Pages: 916
Cover: Lady Gaga in Marc Jacobs
Best Feature: It's a tie between "Waiting in the Wings," a profile of Chelsea Clinton (p. 828), and "The Vogue 120" (p. 836)
Keep reading or you'll miss: "What to Wear Where" photo shoot. It's an edgy, futuristic editorial--big love.
Vanity Fair
Weight: Approximately 2 pounds
Thickness: .5 inches
Pages: 358
Cover: The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton
Best Feature: "Royal Catwalk" (p. 304) featuring the Dutchess. Runner-up: "Scenes of Glamour" (p. 211), outlining Hollywood's 25 most fashionable films.
Keep reading or you'll miss: The Proust Questionnaire with Terry Gross.
Elle
Weight: Approximately 2.5 pounds
Thickness: .75 inches
Pages: 604
Cover: Katy Perry in Bottega Veneta
Best Features: "Tip Advisor" (p. 438) proves the focus on nails will hum along through the fall/winter season. "Girl on Fire" (p. 506) profiles Katy Perry -- need not be a fan to enjoy.
Keep reading or you'll miss: "Great Scott" (p. 604) is a brief but fun interview with actor Adam Scott from Parks and Recreation.
Harper's Bazaar
Weight: Approximately 2.5 pounds
Thickness: .75 inches
Pages: 550
Cover: Gwen Stefani, without her signature fire-engine red lip -- instead, she's sporting a softened hot pink. Stefani wears a Jil Sander gown and a hat by Alexis Mabille Couture.
Best Features: "Paradis Found -- Her Next Chapter" (p. 424) gives us a peek at the notoriously private actress Vanessa Paradis.
Keep reading or you'll miss: An interview with Karl Lagerfeld about his cat, Choupette.
First Impressions from the September Issues
Chanel's new ad campaign seems to be aimed at women who like looking hungry, miserable and uncomfortable. Sign us up! Also -- can we get rid of the ad where Keira Knightley is biting on the bottle of Coco Mademoiselle? 'Cause no one does that to their perfume bottles.
Love the new Gucci campaign with a glamorous, but still fresh-faced, Mila Kunis.
Montcler is using images of "adorable," anthropomorphized polar bears to tout their efforts toward sustainability. Polar bears are so cute -- until they are ripping your face off.
Banana Republic's campaign is a sharp combination of retro and modern. Bottom line: Want. It. All.
Tommy Hilfiger's ads make us wish we were in the mountains, getting cozy by the fire.
Marc Jacobs's weird, chalky-faced models are distracting.
Katie Holmes for H. Stern, in which her wedding ring finger prominently features not-her-wedding-ring? Badass, girlfriend. BADASS.
Trends at a Glance
Colors: Shades of deep red and burgundy, green jewel-tones, winter whites.
Footwear: Boots and booties, motorcycle, riding -- it's about the boot, people.
Materials: Leather, leather, everywhere -- pants, skirts, vests, tops. Chunky knits are also featured heavily in the autumn rotation (see: Hilfiger), but pair them with sleeker items so you don't look like you're about to go outside and build a snowman.
Shapes: Peplum continues to dominate, and the skinny pant isn't going anywhere at the moment (the better to tuck our boots in, my dears).
Embellishments: Heavy metal -- go for it with chunky, architectural jewelry. Bags, shoes, jackets and more feature metal studs and cool zipper details.
