Marching on

The past few weeks, i’ve been looking for the April 2022 cover of InStyle. I’m interested to know who’ll be fronting their swan song issue.

Strangely though, I can’t.

The last cover that pops up online is the March 2022 issue. Grading it is the effervescent actress who’s fronted many an InStyle cover.

Kate Hudson

Makes me wonder if the March 2022 issue is the last one.

If it is, Kate is definitely an apt cover girl for effortless style.

Fashionable Farewell

The past years have seen print publications migrate to the digital platform.

With more and more people spending time online and less people going out to by physical publications, the move is expected.

Locally, Summit Publication - once the biggest publisher of magazines - shuttered down all their physical magazines and came out with digital editions. This was sad news for me because I'm a huge fan of their mags, buying Cosmpolitan, Preview, Yummy, Esquire, among many others, on a monthly basis.

Now, another fashion fave is also about to bid adieu. They announced this last month, much to my disbelief. But it's now a done deal, and it's something that I'll have to accept.

Yup, my go-to InStyle is printing its last issue by April 2022.

It's another end of a fashionable era. And this time, I'm hoping that I'll really get to grab a copy of the magazine from the US.

Seeing double

This is the first time I'm seeing this, but InStyle has a double issue!

Their December 2021 and January 2022 issues are now combined into one.

And a big issue deserves an equally big star on the cover.

Yup, Reese Witherspoon definitely fits that bill.

Gosh, if Emerald Magazines was still around, I'd probably still be subscribed to InStyle and would have this ish.

Ch-Reese-Mas

The December Issue of InStyle is one of the issues I anticipate the most. This is the issue where they countdown the 100 best style moments - something that's always a joy to read about and look at.

So, just like the September and November issues, the December cover girl is also someone I look forward to. 

And this Christmas month's headliner is someone who I've always enjoyed watching - especially during her stellar turn in "Legally Blonde."

Reese Witherspoon!

Now, how to get my hands on this issue...

State of Zen(daya)

Every year, one thing that I look forward to is the November cover girl of InStyle US Edition.

I've written about that for several years, and some of the women who headlined that issue include Taylor Swift, Tracee Ross-Ellis and Kristen Stewart.

And this November, it's her turn:

Zendaya is the cover girl for this November's "Best Dressed" issue.

Can't wait to see this magazine IRL. Just like I can't wait to see her in Dune.

Beauty. Queen.

The star of "The Queen's Gambit" makes her debut as the cover girl of InStyle's Beauty Issue!

Much deserved since Anya Taylor-Joy has that classic beauty that you can look at for hours and will never tire of it.

Now I've seen the cover. I wonder when I'll see the actual issue.

Hi Hayek!

It's been a while since I last saw Salma Hayek on the cover on InStyle.

I've always enjoyed seeing her on the cover of this magazine. One of my personal faves was her appearance in 2009 when she fronted the magazine's Color Issue.

This is a memorable issue for me. Back then, I was staying in Shanghai and it took me some time to find a bookstore that sold English books and magazines. And when I did, this was one of the first things I bought. My Chinese colleagues who'd drop by my cubicle would always pick up the magazine to check it out.

From a "Color Issue", she's back this month to front the "Women on Top Issue." And knowing her personality, she definitely deserves to be on the cover of this issue.

But the question still remains: "I wonder how I'll get my copy."

It's a new Day

Factoid # 1: I can't find InStyle Magazine anywhere. 

Factoid # 2: I can't go out to my usual magazine haunts.

Because of these 2 factoids, I just check out the InStyle website to find out who their cover girl is, and what articles are featured. Something that I've been doing since I last bought an actual InStyle Magazine last year.

And whenever I see a fresh, new cover girl gracing their cover, I can't help but wish I can get my hands on that particular issue.

Just like this June. 

Andra Day is a famous American Singer and Songwriter. She's also a very fashionable young woman. Which makes it no surprise that she's fronting InStyle this month.

While I can't get this issue now, I'm hoping that I'll find it at Book Sale in a few months.

J. Lo and behold!

This is just a hunch, but i've got this feeling that J. Lo is the celebrity that appeared on the cover of InStyle most times. 

I've got a lot of issues at home with her fronting the magazine, and she's fronting it again this May!

Even if Julia Roberts is my favourite cover girl, J. Lo comes a close second. After all, it was J. Lo on the cover of the issue where I made a small appearance. (Harhar!)

As much as I'd like to buy this issue and expand my J. Lo cover repertoire, I'm not sure where it's available these days.

The Joy of being Kate

Effervescence and Joy are 2 things that best describe Kate Hudson.

From her personality to her roles in a lot of her films, she's always that bubbly, joyful gal who lights up the room with her smile and demeanour. Thinking of her in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days" and "Bride Wars" still brings happy memories until now.

That's why she's an apt cover girl for InStyle's March 2021 issue which banners Joyful Optimism. 

We all know, of course, that there's almost no way to get this new issue here in Manila. *sigh*

Then again, seeing her on the cover is already something to be joyful about.

P.S. Gosh! She looks like she doesn't age!

King-sized Cover

One of my favourite actresses - Regina King - is the February cover girl of InStyle!

It's only fitting because aside from being funny, irreverent, and an Oscar-award winning actress, she's uber stylish as well.

What can I say, Regina is definitely King! 

Comer Hither

There's a sense of excitement whenever a new girl graces the cover of InStyle.

Make no mistake, though, that it's also enjoyable to see "reliables" on the cover. These include Julia Roberts (super fave!), Jennifer Aniston (the All-American girl), Julianne Moore (gimme Moore) and Britney Spears (Oops, I want to see her again.)

But since 2021 is a fresh, new year, a fresh, new face is much welcome. 

And that's what's happening for the January 2021 cover!

It's Jodie Comer! Yes, the breakout star of "Killing Eve" is also breaking out on the cover of Instyle.

Now, how to get my hands on this magazine. That's the question.

Et Viola!

Nope, I didn't misspell that.

It's a title dedicated to the cover girl of the last issue of InStyle for 2020!

I'm a huge fan of Viola Davis, from her earlier work, to her Oscar winning work for "Fences", to her TV work on HTGAWM.

Aside from being a great actress, she's also a fashion icon, which is why this InStyle December cover is a fitting finale to her year.

Ciao Bella!

Although her turn as Bella Swan was decades ago, and it's a chapter in her life that she long closed and would rather not go back to, I'll always remember Kristen Stewart for this role.

So much has changed in her personal life and career since then. But one thing hasn't changed, she's still a forefront when it comes to fashion and style.

That's why it comes as no surprise that she's the cover girl of my birth month's InStyle Magazine.

Now, how to get this issue, that's the question. After all, I'd like to have this molto bella issue.

Take me Back (Issues)

One thing I miss doing is going to branches of Book Sale and scouring the racks for back issues of InStyle US Edition.

Since Bufini closed and my other magazine haunts folded up, it's so hard to find current issues of InStyle. I'd often get them abroad, but even that is difficult now with all the travel bans in place.

So, my only recourse is to look for back issues at Book Sale. Which I usually get to do often at the Makati Central Square branch because they have a good selection there. But the last time I checked that store out was March. That's 7 months ago!

Thanks to the internet, though, I found them online and found out that they have these magazines on their racks.

Now that I've found them, the only thing to do now is take them!

Soon. Hopefully soon.

Back in style!

"Fashion is Back!"

That line was bannered in the September 2020 issue of InStyle. After all, September is the month of the year when fashion magazines bring out their big fashion guns and usher in the new season. Also, because of the pandemic, fashion took a back seat as people focused on more important things, like health and safety. But as the subhead so correctly states: "Let's dream again."

It's a line that's also apt for this blog as we welcome the first day of September.

Since the end of May, I made a conscious effort not to write about anything fashion-related. Even though there was a lot of possible material - most of it coming from the fact that Zalora delivered clothes at home on a regular basis - I inhibited myself from writing about them.

Frankly, it was very difficult. But I stuck to my guns and made it happen.

Each time I'd be tempted to write about the lace dresses that I got for a ridiculously cheap price, or how I visited Plains & Prints Ali Mall after many months, I'd stop myself and write about food, musings or other passions that I have. Again, it was a challenge to myself to see whether I could avoid shopping and fashion related topics for a month.

Or two. Or three. Or four.

And now that it's September, I think this would be the opportune time to start writing about fashion again. In truth, there's a lot of available material on this subject - Zalora and Plains & Prints being the most obvious topics. Yup, there are a plethora of dresses from these 2 brands that are just waiting to see the light.

Maybe not plethora. Avalanche would be a more appropriate word.

With that said, let me echo what InStyle stated:

'Fashion is Back!"

In(Style)terrupted

An epiphany came to me after looking at the August 2020 cover of InStyle US featuring Drew Barrymore.

I have not seen nor bought an issue of InStyle since October 2019!

It's a combination of non-availability, the lockdown, and the fact that my brother wasn't able to come home to MNL this June. (He was supposed to bring my stash for the first 6 months!)

This is the longest time that my reading of InStyle was interrupted.

And I can't wait to resume reading this magazine soon!

Cover rewind

In celebration of their 25th anniversary, InStyle has a digital series where they ask their covergirls to look back at all their covers and react to it.

Needless to say, it was a joy to watch. Especially Jennifer Aniston!



I'm still waiting for the Julia Roberts version.

Moore of my favorite!

As September approaches fast, I'm curious to know who the cover girls are for the US's biggest fashion magazines. Particularly, InStyle!

And it thrilled me to see that it's one of my favorite actresses, Julianne Moore!

Julianne has a long history with InStyle. I remember when I was in HKG in 2006, she headlined an issue and I read that issue voraciously. Particularly because I could relate to her stories, particularly her insights on living alone.

She's appeared on the cover of the magazine several times since then, the last time being 2017, and it would be interesting to see how much she's changed since then.

Gotta. Find. This. Magazine.

Missing InStyle

Unlike a few years before when it was super easy to get my InStyle fix here in Manila, it seems that my favorite magazine is getting harder and harder to find.

Before, i’d Buy it at Bufini. Until all their stores closed. Then, i’d Buy it at the magazine shop near SM Supermarket. That closed, too. Then, i’d Buy it at National Book Store, but now, their stocks aren’t updated. They still have the March issue on display.

Because of that, i’ve missed out on 3 amazing months already. So, I missed these 3 amazing cover girls!

InStyle, please come back!