Kendra Brea Cooper
These magazine covers carry the stories of a decade that Gen X'ers look back on with mixed feelings, while Gen Y/Z constantly romanticize it over Tumblr. If you want to spend an afternoon in a time machine that'll take you back to flannel and surf wear, check out these mags and their companion tunes.
Sassy was a much loved teen magazine from the 90s. Inside the pages of this teen bible, you'll find the literature of generation x in the middle of the best years. Sassy's alternative edge inspired girls who didn't fit into the cookie cutter image. The Court and Kurt cover is one of the most famous covers, solidifying Sassy's place in the ultimate 90s shrine (which I think sits on Pauly Shore's bathroom counter).
90s Drew was untamed beauty mixed with Hollywood privilege and price. There's an anxiety to being on the cover of the Rolling Stone. Sometimes, it's like being on the top of a 600 ft tall pedestal, and there's an audience below waiting for you to jump. Drew had her moments on the edge, but she never fell.
The 1990s was such a big time for hip hop, that there are college courses dedicated to this era. This cover of Vibe with Notorious BIG and Faith Evans captures a pretty specific time in hip hop, like an unintentional time capsule photo. It sits as one of the best.
This cover came out just after Clueless hit theatres and changed the world (well, maybe). Alicia Silverstone graced the cover of the throne to all that is considered teen girl: Seventeen Magazine. Seventeen wraps girlhood into a pretty little package, leaving little room for agony, much like the life of Cher in Clueless.
Ellen DeGeneres' groundbreaking Time cover brought more talk of rights and sexual orientation into pop culture discourse. This was important because once in the realm of popular culture, there's more opportunity for exposure to ideas and diversity on a wider scale.
From the Backstreet boys to Hanson, Bop magazine was where it was at for cute boys. Every boy band stared out at swooning teens everywhere from teen junk mags like Tiger Beat, 16, and All Stars. They were basically giant collages made for cutting up and pasting all over walls. Maybe the articles were read and taken seriously, but I doubt it. They basically just told you which lipsmackers had the best flavour.
Pop culture and all that ideology sitting in the blind spot. Also crafts.
