Magazines Are Back: Our POV on the Resurgence of Print

I think we all thought magazines were dead, including myself. I remember reading magazines as a young girl, leafing through my mother’s copies of Elle and Vogue. I remember when my older sister got me my first copy of Teen Vogue when I was 13, officially too old to read my American Girl magazines. I used to spend my summers playing outside, going to the library while my mom was at work, and spending the entire day reading novels and daydreaming about all the doll accessories I was going to beg my mom for from the American Girl store.

As I got older, my magazines got cast to the side in favor of ebooks and Youtube channels, and eventually Instagram and VSCO (I know you girls remember VSCO). Print died with the rise of social media, but recently, it seems like magazines, especially those in print, are making a surprising comeback. Print publications have a magic and nostalgia that digital media can’t replace, and I think the rise in reclaiming girlhood may be playing a role in why print is captivating audiences once again.

Vogue Paris, December 2004/January 2005 by Sofia Coppola

TANGIBILITY

My favorite thing about printed media is the tangibility of a finished magazine. As someone who stares at a computer regularly, I get sick of being on my phone wasting hours every day scrolling and observing the lives of other people. Lately I’ve been trying to reach for more paper copies of books instead of reading on my iPad. There is something magical about sitting on the beach with your headphones, feeling the texture of the pages and the smell of ink in a new book that makes you feel more connected to the material you’re reading. In a world of screens, having a physical copy of a magazine can give readers an escape from constant notifications and sensory overload.

CURATION AND VIsual appeal

In the world of Instagram, we know that it is all a highlight reel. It’s mostly curated content, and it’s ads. Influencers are shoving affiliate links down our throats, and I know, like me, you’re tired of the constant overstimulation that comes from scrolling and running up your screen time. Print magazines are curated, but they represent a cohesive and immersive experience with articles, features, and visuals that inspire thought, spark conversation, and invoke connection and depth that keeps a reader’s attention.

A celebration of girlhood

The rise in themes of girlhood within the last few years has resulted in the romanticization of femininity and creation. A lot of us look back on our childhood and wish for a time when things were simpler and easier. Print magazines remind us of a simpler time. They have a collectability element that digital media lacks, allows us to put our favorite issues on display, or keep them as part of a private collection to revisit later with the people we love and adore. For fashion magazines in particular, it’s so fun to swap issues with your best friends, have coffee while talking about Zendaya in Vogue or the new shoe brand you have your eye on. Our mothers and sisters and aunties used to read magazines while sitting under a hooded dryer at the salon, or while getting their nails done and gossiping with their girlfriends. To me, magazines are a celebration of girlhood, and I think with girlhood making a comeback, magazines are resurging, too. After all, we live in a girl economy!

Final thoughts

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, print magazines are reclaiming their relevance and proving that there is still a place for tangible, tactile media in the digital age. As we navigate an increasingly digital world, perhaps the resurgence of print magazines serves as a reminder of the enduring power of tangible media in an ever-changing media landscape. But let us know what you think! Is print making a comeback? Let us know on Instagram @itgrlarchive_ what you think of magazines coming back!