More DASH than Cash

Over the years, the coveted 'Vogue' brand has become less alluring to me and more depressing. As a struggling student, trying to style an outfit means devoted hours sifting through the musty piles at local opportunity stores, my Saturdays excitedly following the twists and turns of 'This Ways' to garage sales, and occasionally scraping out the piggy bank for that 'must have' brand new item. Hence why the pages of couture in Vogue, at prices matched to the down payment on a house, have seemed less enticing and more enraging. Sure they could serve as inspiration; foresight into coming seasons trends or, if nothing else, collage material. Though even when I have on some whim or another bought a copy ... my attempts to emulate the fantastical arrangements within are to a result that pales (the colours of second hand items are typically faded) when compared. I hadn't bought a Vogue in a long while; preferring to save my dollars for devoted purchases of my favourite 'Russh' and, when I can get my hands on a copy, the beautifully whimsical biannual offerings of UK magazine 'Lula.'

It wasn't until late last year when landed alongside my tea at the hairdresser was a UK vogue with a splashy headline cover 'more dash than cash.' I spent those typically droll hours under the dryers pouring over the issue and was surprisingly impressed. I even went home to tell my housemate of the feature and how cool an idea I thought it was. I assumed that this was a one off occurrence amidst the cataclysmic market events of 2009 and its fallout, of which especially hit the UK. And so, I went back to my Vogue avoidance except for when ticking over waiting room minutes....

UNTIL, I glimpsed a familiar looking splashy headline on the cover of the April 2010 Australian Vogue. The 'More Dash than Cash' feature adopted by Vogue headquarters here at home? Intrigued, I bought the issue and found to my delight that this was being run as a trial to becoming a fixture feature. Yes please! The section was young and playful; a mixture of late 80's bold individualism and 90's eclecticism, painted in a palette of musks and lollipops, and then all wrapped up in gran's finest lace. Kirstie Clement's editor letter requested reader feedback as to whether the high street supplement should be seen on a regular basis; and the answer is yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, YES. Smartest thing Vogue has come up with in a long while - because all smart fashionistas know it is not what you are wearing, but how well you work it. Ye-ahhh.