• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Monocle (the magazine)

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,595
Reaction score
54,357
Also, the Monocle men fashion spreads are probably the best styled (at least to my taste) of any publication, print or online.
 

Fuuma

Franchouillard Modasse
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
26,940
Reaction score
14,529
Originally Posted by holymadness
I had no idea.
laugh.gif


I don't begrudge magazines the need to sell advertising space. But how useful would your copy of the Economist be if articles on financial reform in the US were an Economist x Goldman Sachs collaboration? There's be no point in reading any more.

I only expect two things:

1. Sincere attempts at profound or meaningful content2. Some measure of journalistic independence

I don't think that's very tinfoil hatted of me.


Once again how do you classify something as "profound"? Is it a matter of form vs content or some other bullshit dichotomy? Monocle is, once again, a consumption bible.
 

holymadness

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
3,609
Reaction score
11
Originally Posted by Fuuma
I'm not a Marais hipster, just saying that behind the crap items and gaudy campaigns there is a venerable luggage company that is among the best in the world. I'll go tell all my friends at La Perle that you're a loser. :p
Je prenais mes gouters là l'Ã
00a9.png
00a9.png
dernier quand je travaillais aux archives nationales. : O Small world. Plz tell them I am not a square.
peepwall[1].gif
Can we say Monocle is the Paris Hilton of the publishing industry?
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,071
I stopped in the Monocle store in Brentwood. It is just OK, but hardly worth a drive out of your way to visit. They have very limited inventory and are out of stock of many items even though they are advertised in the magazines catalog.

Tyler is one smart and smooth guy. He has an amazing concept. I mostly enjoy the magazine due to the interesting variety of stories that would normally not make it onto my radar.

However, I am getting really tired of their recommendations on how to improve cities, companies, etc. It is becoming tiresome, and self serving. Hardly realistic in many cases. But, it may be the "I know it all" tone that is the turn-off.
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,071
Originally Posted by holymadness

2. Some measure of journalistic independence

.


I doubt you will ever see it at Monocle. Their advertisers are paying to be given the Monocle seal of approval by a "hip and smart" publication. That is what they are paying for.
 

holymadness

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
3,609
Reaction score
11
Originally Posted by Fuuma
Says who though? Monocle concept is hype consumption, you know authentic vacations, designer hotels, cool clothing. It's a bible that explains what to do, buy and talk about to build up your hype capital.
Hype capital? WTF is this nouveau riche crap?
Originally Posted by Fuuma
Once again how do you classify something as "profound"? Is it a matter of form vs content or some other bullshit dichotomy? Monocle is, once again, a consumption bible.
You define profound the same way you would define it if you were telling a classroom full of kids to write you an essay. Those who say that the way to best fix American cities is to set up, in mafoofan's excellent description, "a high-end grooming lounge, bespoke tailor, and antiquarian book shop" on every street get an F+. Those who make an informed effort to explain the issues and offer knowldgeable criticism or an informed opinion get higher marks. This is not a post-modern existential dilemma, it's a matter of common sense.
Originally Posted by gdl203
Also, the Monocle men fashion spreads are probably the best styled (at least to my taste) of any publication, print or online.
I know you hate Belgium, but I have never seen better dressed mannequins anywhere in my life than at Crossword in Brussels.
teacha.gif
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,576
Reaction score
8,071
Originally Posted by gdl203
Also, the Monocle men fashion spreads are probably the best styled (at least to my taste) of any publication, print or online.



Agreed. I like that they show most of it in settings that reflect travel and urban exploring. It gives it authenticity. It shows me where and how to wear it. It makes it practical. I like that.
 

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,595
Reaction score
54,357
Originally Posted by holymadness
I know you hate Belgium
I don't know where you got that idea. I like Belgium - I just never especially enjoyed spending my free time there.
 

Fuuma

Franchouillard Modasse
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
26,940
Reaction score
14,529
Originally Posted by holymadness
Hype capital? WTF is this nouveau riche crap?

You define profound the same way you would define it if you were telling a classroom full of kids to write you an essay. Those who say that the way to best fix American cities is to set up, in mafoofan's excellent description, "a high-end grooming lounge, bespoke tailor, and antiquarian book shop" on every street get an F+. Those who make an informed effort to explain the issues and offer knowldgeable criticism or an informed opinion get higher marks. This is not a post-modern existential dilemma, it's a matter of common sense.


I know you hate Belgium, but I have never seen better dressed mannequins anywhere in my life than at Crossword in Brussels.
teacha.gif


"hype capital" is a joke on Bourdieu's social and cultural capital...

Once again I give you a F+ in understanding exactly what it is Monocle is offering to its readers. Keep in mind I don't especially subscribe to it or want to be part of their group.

As a friend likes to say "Beurk ce soir c'est soiree DA au Baron!" well at Monocle every issue is DA or designeur graphique special issue. It's about getting the right wayfarer for your prescription glasses and being able to have a veneer of int. living conversationational tidbits.
 

jpeirpont

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2004
Messages
3,781
Reaction score
69
Originally Posted by mafoofan
They are consistently anti-American and anti-free market--hence the dozens of articles per issue about improving urban life through heavy-handed regulation and planning and touting the superiority of northern European cities. It's as if they believe the reason why there isn't a cobblestoned main street--with a high-end grooming lounge, bespoke tailor, and antiquarian book shop--in every town is simply because people are too stupid to realize they need one and local authorities didn't write the right laws.

That said, I buy the magazine from time to time. It's very pretty and very pleasant to flip through.


Is their constant celebration of small businesses also apart of their commie sentiments?
 

indesertum

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
17,396
Reaction score
3,888
-_-

haters.

every thread on here where the op extols something always ends up being up about how much whatever the op is about sucks.

hating doesn't make you a superior person.
 

holymadness

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
3,609
Reaction score
11
Originally Posted by Fuuma
"hype capital" is a joke on Bourdieu's social and cultural capital...

Once again I give you a F+ in understanding exactly what it is Monocle is offering to its readers. Keep in mind I don't especially subscribe to it or want to be part of their group.

As a friend likes to say "Beurk ce soir c'est soiree DA au Baron!" well at Monocle every issue is DA or designeur graphique special issue. It's about getting the right wayfarer for your prescription glasses and being able to have a veneer of int. living conversationational tidbits.


Give me a little credit. I've nailed down their game, up to and including the disingenuousness that you seem to have missed.

Monocle is as crass as it can be without being unabashed. As soon as it admits that it's purely a commercial vehicle, the jig is up. It has to maintain its pseudo-political illusions in order to keep selling the bobo lifestyle and its attendant accessories. This falseness is in part what sickens me.

So I understand perfectly well what Monocle is *really* offering. I just reject it as a worthwhile endeavour. We can discuss whether it has any intrinsic merit, but please don't assume that I've naïvely convinced myself that Monocle is just a shallow urbanism/sustainability/artisanal craft magazine that only needs to write more profound articles to become relevant. The whole thing is just a sham.
 

indesertum

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
17,396
Reaction score
3,888
i feel like the points you are mentioning have more to do with disillusionment in general of print media.

i honestly am not a connoisseur of the consumer goods monocle writes about, but i think a lot of them are pretty good deals for what you get. i remember that they had a small blurb about a company in korea making high quality nylon socks that were handtied? i forget what the term is when you sew the end of the sock by hand. pretty cheap for what it was.

i like their photoshoots a lot. i think they do a lot better job than any of the magazines you see on any newspaper stand.

i dont see anything wrong with the collabos. if i owned a magazine or a apparel shop i would make collabos with only the brands that i really respect and a lot of their collabos are with really top notch classic labels
 

gdl203

Purveyor of the Secret Sauce
Affiliate Vendor
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
45,595
Reaction score
54,357
Originally Posted by holymadness
Give me a little credit. I've nailed down their game, up to and including the disingenuousness that you seem to have missed.

Monocle is as crass as it can be without being unabashed. As soon as it admits that it's purely a commercial vehicle, the jig is up. It has to maintain its pseudo-political illusions in order to keep selling the bobo lifestyle and its attendant accessories. This falseness is in part what sickens me.

So I understand perfectly well what Monocle is *really* offering. I just reject it as a worthwhile endeavour. We can discuss whether it has any intrinsic merit, but please don't assume that I've naïvely convinced myself that Monocle is just a shallow urbanism/sustainability/artisanal craft magazine that only needs to write more profound articles to become relevant. The whole thing is just a sham.


The more I read your posts about it, the more I like Monocle.
 

holymadness

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
3,609
Reaction score
11
Originally Posted by gdl203
The more I read your posts about it, the more I like Monocle.
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif
Originally Posted by indesertdum
i feel like the points you are mentioning have more to do with disillusionment in general of print media.
Maybe, but there are still lots of very good monthy periodicals out there that don't stoop to Monocle's level. You can see the same sort of thing in online blogs. Pardon me if this analogy is somewhat tenuous as it's difficult to find 1:1 comparisons. Consider a blog like Uncrate or Incredible Things. These sites merely offer advertising in the guise of reviews for products that are sent to them by producers for promotion. No matter what it is, the recommendation is always: buy it. One week they could write that they're sick of nylon and goretex and that's why they love brand xxxx's return to using retro wool fabrics, the next it's describing how roughing it in the elements sometimes requires durable nylon and goretex at the expense of aesthetics. Well, gee. Then consider a real review blog like Gizmodo. They get products sent to them all the time. They even run advertisements from the very tech companies whose products they talk about all day. Yet they're not afraid to criticize and give you what they consider to be a balanced view of the product under discussion. Apple's even pulled their advertising from the site ever since they reported on Steve Jobs' cancer, yet they haven't bowed to corporate interests. I'm not saying they're necessarily the paragon of journalism, but they manage to keep their priorities in line all while securing sources of funding.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,159
Messages
10,578,927
Members
223,882
Latest member
anykadaimeni
Top