For the images I am going to use in my magazine, it is crucial that the

costume code fits in with the genre and theme of my magazine. This not

only will keep a consistency of magazine, but also appeal to my

desired target audience as if they can identify the magazine as a genre they would like to read, by looking at the

costume code presented in the image. Fir this I will have to investigate

iconography for different genres of music magazines.

COSTUME CODE:

Messy hair and dark eye make-up is an iconography of rock music. By looking at this image it is easy to identify that the music is rock music.

Gold chains are an iconography if R&B music, this will be present as part of the costume code for an R & B magazine.

In folk music, you would typically expect to see floral, country, older in style, clothing. If one was writing a folk music magazine, a common convention would be the use of a floral headband and waistcoat, or the use of puffed sleeves.

EXAMPLES OF ICONGRAHY:

CLASSICAL MUSIC MAGAZINE: COSTUME CODE

These are all examples of classical music magazines, currently available on the market. From what I can see the majority of subjects in the image are female, which could suggest that classical music magazines are aimed primarily towards women. The women in all the pictures, are modelling smart, formal dresses or skirt suits. This is accompanied by make-up, glamourous jewellery and bare skin being shown. This could suggest that Mulvey’s’ Male gaze’, is used for pictures for this particular style of music magazine. Furthermore all the women, are wearing their hair down, further emphasising their femininity and glamour. This gives me examples of the types of clothing that typically are worn in classical music magazine, and by using these as potential templates, I can start to pick out items of clothing for my model to wear when photographing them for my magazine.

The model is wearing her hair down, emphasising her femininity.

Make-up includes eye mascara, blusher and lip tint/gloss, again emphasising her femininity and attempts to make her look attractive.

The model wears a feminine black, silk dress, which highlights her femininity and makes her look attractive and elegant. The texture of the silk emphasises softness and luxuriousness

The emphasis of revilement of skin, in particular the bust area, supports Laura Mulvey;s male gaze theory, as it appeals to a male audience because of the emphasise of very feminine biological aspects. High key lighting is presented over this area, to again enhance the femininity and Male gaze theory.

CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING shows contrast between the modelAnd the dark background. This supports Laura Mulvey’s male gaze because the lighting causes the female, who is sporting feminine, glamourous clothing and makeup, to be in the centre of the image and the person of whom is seen first.

SHORTLISTED DRESSES:

I asked my model ‘Rebekah’ to show me a few of her dresses that fit within the glamour, sophisticated nature of the typical classical music magazine, I chose between 5 of her chosen dresses, and shortlisted them down to two of which I will now analyse which appropriateness for the purpose of my music magazine.

This is the first shortlisted dress, I really like the design on this dress as the crystals add sparkle and an element of ‘magic’ to the dress. This fits within the sophisticated element of the classical genre. In addition the tight fitting crystal waist element of the dress accentuates her figure, fitting within the theory of the Male gaze, which I identified to be on the majority of classical music magazines.

The dress is knee length, which although shows skin, fitting with the male gaze, also stays within the decent range, as the amount of skin showing is more sophisticated and hidden than that, of which may be shown on an R & B magazine, for example. The Dress could be accompanied by jewellery and makeup to her look even more glamourous and as if on a night out.

The colour is dark and blends in well, meaning that I am not restricted with the colour scheme I can use, however the dress is not black(which was picked up on my mock ups feedback) and overly dark, which could although add enigma which could attract an audience, does not get rid of the pure nature of the classical genre.

Overall I really like this dress and am considering using it as the one I place Rebekah in for the photo-shoot.

SHORTLISTED DRESSES:

This is the second shortlisted dress, that could be a possible costume for Rebekah to wear when modelling for my magazine.

I really like the lace embroidery on the shoulders of the dress, as this adds not only an element of interest but also accompanies the sophisticated nature of classical music magazines, as well as the more old period of classical music, which is less popular now than it was.

However saying this because my target audience is university music students, I think it is better to emphasise a postmodernists feel to the dress, juxtaposing the typical ‘stereotype’ of classical music.

The length is similar to the previous dress, which also supports the male gaze but has sophistication and decency.

The shoulder and neck part of the dress, is higher and more reserved than the previous dress, in other words it shows less skin.

This is less conventional compared to other classical music magazines, of which the subject bares more skin in order to fit within Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze. I think this could be a limitation to this particular dress.

Furthermore the colour of this dress is somewhat darker than the other, which although previously suggested adds enigma, it could also be too solemn and dark for the type of magazine I am going for.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:• “I like both dresses, as they are both very feminine and smart which is really important for classical music, however

my preference is the first dress (blue one) as its just more glamorous and even more feminine and would really go nicely with the use of a classical instrument”-Miss Patterson

• “Lovely dresses, both of them! I think yhey7 are both really elegant, however the length of the blue one is that bit more elegant as its less party-ish and more evening wear which I think fits the criteria of classical music quite a bit more, so yeah that would be the one I would go for”-Sarah-Louise

• “ They are both so nice, I personally prefer the black one though because of the lace trimming along the top, I think its just so nice, and elegant which matches your brief and genre of music magazine”-Kim

• “I personally like the blue dress, which is the first one, as the crystals along the waist not only emphasise Rebekah’s figure which adds femininity but they are also really elegant and glamourous, whereas the black dress is kind of plain!”-Jana

• “I really like both dresses, they both show elegancy and glamour, but I personally prefer the black dress as its more formal which is actually how the classical music industry is run, I think the model needs to be dressed as if they were performing at a classical music concert”-Winnie

• “Both dresses are very nice, but I personally prefer the blue one as its just a softer colour and the crystals and pleats on the bottom half are more feminine than the plain black one, which because of the darker colour could come across as more masculine in my opinion.”-Rasses

MY FINAL DECISION:

After reviewing the customer research I have decided to use the blue dress, instead of the black one. This is because the blue on has features that add

glamour and femininity, that the black dress unfortunately lacks, such as crystals, pleats at the bottom, open shoulder neck line and hugging material. This means

it fits the typical costume code, worn by models, of whom are on the front of classical music magazines. Therefore this is the dress that I will use for my

photographs to be included within my magazine.

Crystals lining the waist and neck.• Figure

hugging material to emphasise waist.Knee length emphasises

elegance and decency

Navy blue colour is not too striking and outgoing but adds more interest than black.