I used to read those decorating magazines and go into a
tailspin. I bet half the cases of clinical depression in women are
caused by House Beautiful. Id read it and say, hey, I can make
these slipcovers! Remember those chintz ones I made for the living
room chairs? I got so excited about the fabric I dreamed about
(208). Helen Odom
Slide 3
In Josephine Humphreys Rich In Love, Lucille battles her
awareness of both dreams and reality. Southern magazines, such as
Southern Living and House Beautiful, seem to hold a sense of self
importance and social stature.
Slide 4
A Southern Home wouldnt be complete without an elegantly
furnished [] living space (Better Homes & Gardens)
Slide 5
By presenting the dream home to society, Southern magazines
suggest that material objects compose a complete home but not
necessarily a happy and functional one.
Slide 6
Magazines create an illusion of marriage and family in the
South and attempt to make one believe that the principles behind
marriage and family simply fall into place. Rich In Love shows that
marriage and familial aspects are learned.
Slide 7
Southern magazines eliminate the time and work placed into the
production of a home and make the houses seem ready-made, but even
if a house is ready-made, problems will still exist. Lucille finds
herself being questioned and expected to settle into a ready-made
house: marriage that she is neither ready nor prepared for.
Slide 8
I dreamed about slipcovers! Oh well. Then when I got them on
the chairs, they were all wrong, didnt look anything like Id
envisioned, because there was so much I hadnt taken into account
[]. Now I see that the secret is to start with an empty room
(208-9).
Slide 9
Magazines fail to show readers the emptiness and the steps
prior to making the house a home. Therefore, they sell a dream that
cannot be fully obtained.
Slide 10
First published in 1896 Oldest magazine still being published
House Beautiful is the home design magazine that puts the reader
and their lifestyle, tastes, and dreams first. We believe everyone
has a beautiful house in them and know that only you can make yours
beautiful (facebook page).
Slide 11
Rooms, like people, have admirable traits qualities that we
warm to. By accentuating the positive, we evolve a style of
decorating the exudes personality (Joann Barwick, editor of 1987
issue).
Slide 12
Slide 13
We look for paradise in the garden, that rarified, disciplined
order we dont necessarily find in life (Dec. 1987).
Slide 14
Began in 1967 Published for thirty-two years Six issues were
produced each year Focuses on appearance of the home and
sophisticated living Sets the standard for Southern women as styles
change "Now more than ever, we all realize how precious and fragile
our material culture is. - Pat C. Holden
Slide 15
Older Magazine Issues 1980 19921977 1997
Slide 16
2002 2006 2009
Slide 17
Southern Accents inspires nearly three million readers through
our beautiful photographs and insightful writing. We are passionate
about the gracious and sophisticated side of the South and infuse
our content with a uniquely Southern sense of place (website).
Southern Accents celebrates the best of Southern style: classic
interiors, beautiful gardens, gracious living, elegant
entertaining, and more. Our timeless appeal speaks both to those
who reside in the South and those who love and aspire to the
Southern lifestyle (website).
Slide 18
The attributes that define Southern style are a quiet
assuredness...a confidence...a warmth that embodies the phenomenon
of "Southern hospitality." -- Charles Gandy Southern style, to me,
is rather eccentric, embodying classic roots with a unique
application. Comfort and relating to the outdoors is always a
strong consideration for design in the South. Color is also very
important, many times pulling in color schemes from nature. --
Cathy Kincaid Our Southern roots compel us to make hospitality and
good manners a priority in our daily living. There is an underlying
quality of dignity in the way we decorate. -- Cindy Smith
Slide 19
November 1966 August 1985 October 2011
Slide 20
Southern Living celebrates the best of life in the
SouthTraveling the South from Dallas to Delaware, we share the
fascinating places, people, homes, gardens, and foods that make
this region unique, withcontent created by an experienced staff of
editors who live the life they celebrate. In 1966, Southern Living
was created to highlight the beauty and culture of the growing
SouthWith characteristic Southern hospitality, Southern Living is
committed to sharing the region we love with our readers, no matter
where they may live.
Slide 21
Southern Living would have gone down the drain if we had dealt
with the issues of the region O.B. Copeland From J.W. Englishs
article Southern Living and Southern Voices: Models of Regional
Magazine Success and Failure, presented in 1979
Slide 22
The place looks eligible for a feature article in Southern
Living, and I am happy for it as I would be for a friend who has
met with sudden success after hard times; its good fortune relieves
me Rich in Love, pg. 260
Slide 23
All of these magazines portray the Southern sense of place as a
type of dcor rather than a region or something that is tied to the
land They also portray a dream that is unobtainable, illustrating
the unrealistic dream vs. reality.