UK Vogue - February 2009 - First Impressions

I've read every issue of British Vogue since September 1992, and seeing that silver envelope land on my doormat every month still gives me a big surge of excitement and intrigue. I tear open the packaging with gusto, wondering who'll be on the cover.

This month I was so surprised the cover star is Cheryl Cole!


I think it's a shame that someone as beautiful as Cheryl Cole feels the need to colour her skin with orange paint, that makes her look like she has psorosis of the liver. So it's fantastic that Vogue persuaded her to change the habit of a lifetime, and now her skin tone looks of nature.

The main downside to the cover, is that Vogue couldn't persuade Cheryl to ditch those hideous unreal-looking real hair extensions. When she started in Girls Aloud, Cheryl had gorgeous natural hair, untainted by Russian imported extensions, but now she has so much extra hair it looks like a wig.

However,it's a much better cover than tango-skinned Victoria Beckham's:


WORST COVER-LINE
Cheryl Cole - The story we all want to know
Really? I think it's one I've read a million times (and written a bunch of times) in OK! magazine.
I haven't read the piece yet, but one of the pull-quotes made my heart sink:
"I never denied hitting her and, yes, I would have hit her again at the time. That's what we were taught on the estate: you have to defend yourself."

It is folly for Cole to say that she'd hit the nightclub worker again, after having been convicted of assault, and being a role model for such young girls. However, I haven't read the whole feature yet (by editor-at-large, Christa D'Souza) so I'll reserve my judgement.

BEST COVER-LINE
World Wardrobes - Who's wearing what where
I love these kind of articles. Last year Vogue had a fantastic feature that was such a talking point for my friends and I, called "I Always Wear". It had pictures of notable women talking about their wardrobe staples, whether it's asymmetrical (Tamara Mellon) or bright red (Jasmine Guinness).

This month it features business women from around the world and what they wear every day for a week. The most interesting wardrobe is that of managing director, Roohi Jakishan, who lives in Mumbai and has a spectacular east-meets-west wardrobe, comprising of jewelled saris, lace, mini-kimonos and tiger prints.

CAN'T WAIT TO READ
-Meet The Parents
Hadley freeman on what on earth you wear to meet your new boyfriend's folks.

-Bad Karma Clothing
Clothes that have brought you bad luck

-Sale of the Century
Janine Di Giovanni, one of the best writers to have their work featured in Vogue, writes about YSL's personal art collection.

WILL PROBS READ LAST
-Style and Sensuality
It's about sex and fashion.
In all my years as a Vogue reader, the magazine has never really had a successful sex feature.

SPRING SUMMER 09 CATWALK REPORT
Best Bits:
-Finding out that Vogue is trying to bring back mini-rucksacks 90's stylee! Their most coveted item is a python leather (boo!) rucksack by Gucci. Looking forward to seeing them made out of other fabrics.

-The list of things designers from Stefano Gabbana to Giles Deacon would be if they weren't in fashion.

-Emma Watson and Her Front Row Friends
Loads of pics of the young fashionista with other A-Listers.

Worst Bit:-Being told we're going to have yet another summer of a rehashed boho and nu-rave colours.