Life, 1913-10-09 · page 42 of 44
Life — October 9, 1913 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **entirely an advertisement** for a new magazine called "Dress & Vanity Fair," published by Condé Nast (publisher of *Vogue*). There are no cartoons or satirical illustrations to analyze. The ad positions the magazine as an American equivalent to English society publications like *Sketch* and *Tatler*—publications that blend fashion, society news, arts coverage, and sports reporting in a sophisticated, illustrated format. The publisher explicitly targets an **elite, refined audience**, not the mass market, emphasizing "fastidiousness and luxuriousness." The appeal reflects early 20th-century attitudes toward aspirational lifestyle journalism: the magazine promises to cover high society, the stage, notable people, fine arts, and leisure activities—content designed to interest wealthy or culturally ambitious readers. The price (25 cents per issue, $3 yearly) was relatively expensive for the era, reinforcing its upscale positioning. This is a historical artifact showing how luxury magazines marketed themselves through appeals to exclusivity and taste.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DRESS « VANITY FAIR —the new magazine published by the publishers of Vogue (Look on the newsstands for the cover shown on opposite page) IN LONDON alone there are seventeen papers like the “Sketch” and the “Tatler.” In America, strange to say, there is not one. These English publications, as you know, are wonderfully interesting. Although they fairly overflow with pictures, they are not merely picture papers. Although full of news, they are not newspapers. FASHIONS enough are shown to suit the most fastidious women; everything new and noteworthy on the stage—from Vaudeville to Grand Opera—is pictured and discussed; photographs and sketches of society in action, portraits of the notable men and beautiful women that everyone is talking about; pages of humorous drawings, follow one another in fascinating succession. SPORTS have their full share of space; golf, tennis, football, yachting, motoring, all are reported not only with pictures but with authoritative calendars. Horses and dogs find a page or two in every issue. The Fine Arts, too, get ample recognition whenever they present something of unusual interest — the lover of books, music, sculpture and painting will always find in this publication something well worth his while. IT is along the lines of these English publications that we have planned “Dress & Vanity Fair” our new magazine. All the resources and enterprise that have made “Vogue” preeminent in its own chosen field of fashions, will be utilized to give “Dress & Vanity Fair” an equally commanding position in its broader field. OUR AMBITION is not towards a popular magazine with a big subscription list. We don’t expect everybody to be interested in “Dress & Vanity Fair”, and, frankly, we shall not try to interest everybody. On the other hand, there are, we be- lieve, a great number of people, who will thoroughly enjoy the cleverness, the va- riety, the dash and appreciate the fastidiousness and luxuriousness that shall in time make “Dress & Vanity Fair” the most distinctive among all American magazines. “Dress & Vanity Fair” is a new magazine—new in every way. Have you had a copy yet? The second number—October—is now on sale at all newsstands. Next time you pass his stand be sure to ask your newsdealer for this new “Dress & Vanity Fair.” DRESS & VANITY FAIR - 25 Cents a Number Condé Nast, Publisher 3 Dollars a Year comicbooks.com