Here's the thing, Teen Vogue. I love you. I am interning for you & I will forever be thankful for this incredible, dream come true opportunity. You've inspired me since your inception. I love how you give teenagers the credit to be savvy, knowledgeable, creative, and conscious of fashion's history. And you usually do a really great job of making young girls feel great about themselves. Your covers in the past year have been racially diverse (i.e. there were women of African descent on your cover, including a pregnant teenager), your DIY and street style photos and articles are creatively juicy, and you always strive to include articles about issues affecting teenagers such as online hazing, drug and alcohol use, eating disorders, sexual health, and relationships. You’ve let the magazine grow Anna Wintour style by featuring celebrities on the cover since it’s inception, with the occasional exception of Gemma Ward and Chanel Iman. And while Karlie Kloss’s cover looks great, the article inside is what really disappointed me.
Printing an article about the model on the cover of a teen magazine in which she is praised, lauded, and perfected in every aspect is not going to be good for any young girl’s self esteem. Models already appear perfect in magazines and notoriously set the standards of beauty in our society today. Featuring one on the cover is a throwback to the history of magazines in the first place, that is to say, it’s totally fine. But when that model becomes the perfect human being as per her own quotes and quotes about her, she no longer becomes a healthy role model for anybody, boy or girl, young or old. In this article, Kloss is described to have perfect grades, study backstage as opposed to smoking cigarettes with other models, bake cookies for the staff backstage, be your average girl from the Midwest, and also be versatile and exuberant in her professional career, all at the age of seventeen. And while this may all be true, and props to you Karlie for living life they way you want to, it also cannot be the whole story.
What I am asking is that Teen Vogue be more conscious of their impact on the self-esteem of the young women who are reading their magazine. Now, I am older and stronger in myself, and articles and features such as these wouldn’t affect me. However, when I first started reading Teen Vogue, they certainly would. I don’t look like the models that are featured, and I am not perfect. I look up to Diane von Furstenberg, Grace Coddington, and Diana Vreeland, women who have been through immense hardship, are not your average beauty, and yet positively shimmer with their brilliance and radiance. Please feature real young women, Teen Vogue. The truth is what moves people and inspires, not a depiction of a young girl who is not only already considered physically perfect, but also perfect in every other way, too. Nobody is perfect, and a real role model is one who exemplifies their strength in overcoming challenges and personal imperfection. I’m not saying Kloss hasn’t been through anything in her life, no doubt she has, but it would be beneficial to the young women readers to learn about that side of her, too, as opposed to all of the ways in which she is the perfect seventeen year old. Ultimately, models are a clothes hanger; they sell the item, they are photogenic, they fit the popular look. Their hours are long and tiring, their work is hard and it is necessary to the industry, however it should not be idolized and the models themselves shouldn’t be either.
I completely understand that! What are your staple wardrobe items?
Anything that’s gray. Gray goes with everything, be it a gray cardigan, t-shirt, pants, it goes with everything.
You have grey pants?
Yes, just grey jeans. Anything grey and a pair of ballet flat shoes and a white tshirt.
What is your favorite white t-shirt?
A vneck tshirt from American apparel.
Can you count how many you have in your wardrobe?
Before I stained them and they’re not useable anymore, I had 3 vneck shirts and like 4 white tank tops, some from American Apparel and Aritzia.
Ok. You’ve lived and traveled all aournd the world. What would you say are your favorite places?
That’s a hard answer because each one is so different. I’m going to say Hong Kong is my favorite place on earth, but if I’d ever move back there is a different question. Vancouver is next, because it's so easy going and the people are so kind! Then comes New York and that is where I want to live. It’s been my dream since grade ten, the first time I ever went there it has satisfied everything I ever thought it was going to be the moment I stepped off the plane. Amazing places like Italy, Asian places like Bhutan and Mongolia... the people there are stunning and the cultures are crazy and amazing. And Europe in general is great. Any place can be beautiful and cultural and really interesting, it's just what you make out of your own trip.
So what would you say you like to do when you’re in a new place?
I don’t like to stay in the hotel. I have to get out there and go look around. Why are you there?? Get a guide book, try local restaurants, just go walk around, once you walk around you can discover the craziest things. Take photos!
Any travel packing tips?
I always over pack, I am always over weight. I always think I need everything! Basics, you need jeans, t-shirts, a pair of good walking shoes—flats that don’t give you blisters—a pair of Converse or Tom’s shoes, flip flops…depends where you’re going. Basics, don’t over pack, and just one nice outfit. I say this, but I make the same mistake every time!
Tell me a little bit about how you think about body image, healthy eating and exercise.
Ok I definitely think there has to be a balance between exercise and eating. Healthy eating is so essential to life. Body image is such an iffy topic and its sad in social norms and media norms, bcing skinny is NOT the best thing, its really about self confidence and if you can show that through who you are then that’s the best thing, you shouldn’t be worried about who you are or what people think about you. It’s so sad though these days, hopefully people are better than we think they are media wise—and things like that.
I hear that you have a kind of intense exercise schedule! Can you tell me about it?
It’s not that intense, but I exercised so much in high school. Just to wake me up I get up at 6:45 or 7 am and go do the elliptical for thirty minutes, then I go to breakfast, and the feeling after breakfast is amazing. Then I go in the evening to do weights, or go on the treadmill, and then I do yoga. Its so calming and it takes you out of this crazy stressful world sometimes. I also really like Pilates!
What are your favorite things to eat?
BREAD. Toasted, sandwich…
So Le Pain is your heaven!
Pastries, croissants, cakes, Indian food, rice, ice cream, fruit—mango. I miss mango. They don’t have it here! Anything that looks good, except raisins and mushrooms.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee! No, tea. I don’t know they’re both so good!
Ok, let's try this. What is your favorite in each category?
Latte with whole milk, not skim. Tea category: Coconut Chai, all the way.
Thank you, Kristina!
