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School Runway- To think that Easy Living mag have alientated their readers with this junk

142 replies

snapsnap · 06/04/2012 21:07

This is not a joke. Each month they visit a school and detail some of the Mums outfits. I mean I am living in the centre of Paris and am not encountering this ridiculousness

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Eve · 06/04/2012 21:09

Hate the new style of it .

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pleasethanks · 06/04/2012 21:10

I must admit I raised an eyebrow when I saw the feature. All the dressed to the nines woman in it.

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snapsnap · 06/04/2012 21:11

It really has lost something I think, although I always preferred Red.
The amount of space they devote to this school run thing is astounding. Do Mums really spend all that time agonising over what they wear on the school run. When I am in work, I obviously drop off in work clothes and when I am home, its generally verryyy casual, I just dont get it

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ThreadWatcher · 06/04/2012 21:22

link please!

Cos I dont know what school runway is?

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IamMummyhearmeROAR · 06/04/2012 21:29

I haven't seen the most recent issue as I get it as a hand me down, but yes, the previous 2 have been ridiculous. I have taught for years in many different cities, and now am on the other side of the gates but I have never witnessed women rolling up in Prada or anything similar and they are alienating a lot of their readership presenting this as an interesting or relevant feature. Mostly I am trying to get to the school having removed yesterday's knickers from the inside of my jeans.

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TheDowagerCountess · 06/04/2012 21:33

Couldn't agree more. Didn't bother renewing my subscription when I saw the new format and that feature is worst of all. Where have they dragged those mums up from? Will stick with Red now.

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Corcrikeyermintrude · 06/04/2012 21:34

Reading it, I was wondering if they give the parents warning - surely no-one goes to that much effort for the school run?

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animula · 06/04/2012 21:35

I quite like the school runway feature.

Give them credit - it's a little bit tongue in cheek: it's aimed at women of my generation, who remember i-D taking snaps of people in the street and itemising what they're wearing. Or going back a bit further: all those "vox pops" local newspapers used to fill white space with. on-line mags (I believe) still do this.

It's a sort of "real people's fashion" bit. Surely that's a good thing? Or am I missing something?

And I rather like the pictures of other mothers. On a purely human level, I just like having a nosey at other people, and making up stories about how they live.

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carernotasaint · 06/04/2012 21:36

snapsnap i prefer Red too. Its my favourite.
Easy Living used to be ok but i dont like the new style of it either.
And the School Runway feature just makes women feel more pressured. Its the sort of feature i would have expected to see in the Daily Mail.

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LentillyFart · 06/04/2012 21:36

In our Primary days - thankfully now long past - there was one woman who was the most arresting fashion victim I have ever seen. Ever. Then or since. How we laughed! In a whole school career she's the only one I recall so it really can't be that common!

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animula · 06/04/2012 21:37

... you lot are hard to please, though. How could you not love the mother in the sequin jacket this month? I loved her. I'll give my heart to anyone who stands in front of the window, cup of tea in hand, at 8.30 a.m., and says: "Today is a day that will be all the better with a few sequins."

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peeriebear · 06/04/2012 21:40

Is it as laughable as the i fashion feature where they take a selection of random 'man/woman in the street' from a city centre and give a rundown of their outfit? Only without fail they are all uber-hip, achingly trendy Fucking Hipsters with trilby hats, brogues with no socks, rolled up orange jeans and a rank sports jacket. There are plenty of different vibrant interesting styles out there but i seems to have a boner for hipster 'chic'.

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snapsnap · 06/04/2012 21:42

Here is the online version School Runway

Animula My issue with it is that it sets up this idea that women should be dolling themselves up for the school run. All I could think of with the sequin jacket was - arrgh scratchy

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animula · 06/04/2012 21:49

I don't think it is, though, snapsnap. The feature is folded away inside a women's magazine, so I think those who might be vulnerable to such pressure are shielded + I suspect Easy Living readers are towards the older end of the spectrum and probably not very susceptible at all.

Seriously, did you see that feature and think "OMG - I must dress up for school!!!!" I'm guessing no.

Four seconds in a school playground will disabuse anyone of the notion that getting dressed up for a school run is compulsory.

Quite the opposite, in fact. Those of us who have kept the joy of the dressing-up box since childhood alive in our hearts often find that adult play in the realm of clothes is, actually, quite frowned upon.

Lastly, I'd say that the economic climate ahead is going to knock the stuffing out of ostentatious "wealth" dressing. Though I would say that I don't think that feature is about that, so much, rather than (I think) being about women who enjoy clothes (of all income brackets) and also happen to be mothers.

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animula · 06/04/2012 21:52

Having said all that ... I really did like the fashion in the old-style Easy Living, which seemed to be more converse and chintz and more mature lady centred.

But I am very much enjoying their on-line presence, so I am going to give the new EL a fair go.

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peeriebear · 06/04/2012 21:55

Well, I once went to pick up DD2 from school in my lurid pink Animal 'lounge pants'. I wonder what they'd have made of that.

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myhandslooksoold · 06/04/2012 21:56

Used to love Easy Living but I've cancelled my subscription since the format changed. Its totally turned me off- yet another sensible women's glossy becomes obsessed with fashion, what the latest thing you need to buy is, and distressingly, what cosmetic surgery is a 'must have'.
Sigh

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SuePurblybiltFromChocolate · 06/04/2012 21:58

So those women send in pictures of themselves? I thought it was like the features where they stop stylish people in the street.
That lady with the red trousers really needs a wee.

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animula · 06/04/2012 21:59

I am v. v. sad that it's people sending in photos, though.

On a more serious note, though - women's magazines, of the type we say we want, are almost impossible to produce - they just don't make enough money to meet costs of circulation and production.

I'm wondering if on-line will be the way of the future. (Any journalists/media studies people out there with views?)

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snapsnap · 06/04/2012 22:02

animula judging by the Louboutin boots, Vuitton bag, Garrard necklace, Prada bag and Hermes scarf in this issue, it really doesn't look like stealth dressing is on its way out.

If EL was trying to simply show womens style, then why focus on the school run alone.

I dont think the feature is damaging or vindictive, just silly and a bit misjudged. Perhaps I am not who they are appealling to with this new look

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PatsysPyjamas · 06/04/2012 22:03

Old EL was very samey each issue,but it was different to other mags on the market. New EL just seems quite superficial. It's obviously trying to be younger and trendier, but I think people liked it because it was more real. They have cut all their books stuff, which I used to enjoy.

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PatsysPyjamas · 06/04/2012 22:04

The photos are not sent in, I don't think.

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southeastastra · 06/04/2012 22:06

i started a similar thread on here a week ago - it's a very mn type of magazine isn't it

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takingiteasy · 06/04/2012 22:10

The women in the pictures linked are hardly dressed to the nines or being OTT, just dressed from what I can see, and on the whole looking pretty sensible and stylish. The only one I think is a bit over dressed is her in the cream mini dress and fur coat thing. My school isn't in a fancy area, far from it, and I'd say 80% of the mothers in the morning manage to look put together and decent. The ones that don't, never do if that makes sense.

Why is there all this scorn for people who don't do the school run looking like worzel gumadge?

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TheDowagerCountess · 06/04/2012 22:14

I am just amazed anyone can look so glam for the school run - I don't look that good on a night out! Wish I could pull off a sequinned jacket.

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