Genre codes
Conforming codes and conventions: Oh Comely includes fashion content as a women lifestyle magazine and features a female model with fancy jewelleries as the main cover image, directly addressing the audience => contains a few repetitions of genre in which female audiences are stereotypically more conscious of their appearance and actively searching for fashion trends and inspirations compared to male audiences. They often look up to female models and aspire to achieve the same look as them, and the direct eye contact will form a personal relationship between the model and the audience.
Subverting codes and conventions: many mainstream magazines use popular and recognisable stars/celebrities to attract the audience, whereas Oh Comely features an unfamiliar, anonymous model as the centre image. The model is unconventionally attractive, androgynous and not sexualised in any way, with a challenging posture and facial expression. Her clothes are rather ordinary and not conventionally feminine, flashy, or luxurious. The framing is also unconventional as her body is not the main focus of the image => promotes distinctiveness. The cover lines are also unconventional as they mention masculine traits that are often not used to describe women.
The magazine does not rely on repetition and offers unusual and uncommon elements that help the product stand out from other women lifestyle magazines. Occasionally, women’s magazines subscribe to the patriarchal discourse which places emphasis on sexual desirability above other concerns, but Oh Comely subverts this. There are a few familiar elements that match the genre conventions in order to be identified as a women lifestyle magazine, however, there are lots of unfamiliar elements introduced that make the product unique and appeal to a niche audience group (Steave Neale – Genre Theory).
Narrative codes
Enigma: the cover lines use enigma by not telling the audience what will be mentioned specifically in the magazine and instead gives a brief overview of the magazine and what is to expect - this goes against the key convention of loads of cover lines to do with magazine content which is usually used on covers. The cover lines suggest that the magazines content is based around empowerment and success.
Todorov’s Narrative Theory: the equilibrium state is that of decline and lack of female confidence and strength. Buying the magazine promises the start of a disruption in which the audience gain more confidence and embrace their masculinity and femininity. The disruption will lead to a new equilibrium of female empowerment, using the cover lines. The audience could utilise the cover lines to find ideas and inspirations regarding art, film, music and fashion (embracing femininity), as well as stories of strong, powerful and hardworking women (embracing masculinity).
Propp’s Narrative Theory: using Propp’s character types, the audience may perceive themselves as heroes who are on a quest to achieve the ideal exemplified by the front cover model and the magazine is the helper that supports them achieving their goal. The buyer is not a confident individual who may struggle to reject patriarchal ideologies or embrace their masculine and feminine aspects. The villain is the male gaze, the misogynistic and patriarchal society that we live in which the hero must fight back.
Claude Levi-Strauss's Structuralism Theory (Binary Oppositions): the magazine challenges theory of binary opposition. The theory suggests that everyone thinks of the world around them in terms of binary oppositions (male - female, masculine – feminine, etc.) but the cover lines and the model have traits and characteristics of both genders.
Lexical codes
Masthead/Magazine name – ‘Oh Comely’: an old word which means ‘attractive’ but not in a sexualised manner. The name is a reference to a Neutral Milk Hotel song on their 1998 album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, which is an indie, folk song and gives off a nostalgic, unconventional and comforting feel, and connotes that the product contains beautiful representations of people and ideas inside. The ‘oh’ adds further to the poetic and archaic elements of the magazine.
‘Mischief’: emphasises the target audience as those who are youthful, carefree and adventurous. The idea of breaking rules – to be unique and subvert magazine conventions.
‘Ideas’: reinforces the target audience as creatives within society.
‘Fashion’: establishes the stereotype and genre conventions in which women are interested in fashion and their appearance.
‘Power’, ‘hard-won’, strong’: typical masculine attributes but are included in a women magazine => reinforces the magazine’s ideology of feminism and female empowerment, rejects patriarchal gender stereotypes, anchorages the model’s androgyny and gender fluidity (both feminine and masculine traits).
Typographical codes
Masthead/Magazine name: cursive, handwriting font which connotes femininity and sophistication, reinforces the target audience (female audiences). Lack of capital letters and proper grammar which exudes an approachable, casual vibe, carries child-like, carefree connotations and appeals to the target audience. The lowercase’s simplicity juxtaposes the cursive’s sophistication which shows the magazine’s versality.
Coverlines: an informal, rounded sans-serif font is used which gives off a contemporary, friendly and comforting tone => appeals to the target audience.
The typefaces suggest that this magazine is unique and different to others as it doesn't use conventional/typical font that a magazine cover would use. The typefaces used also suggests that the magazine is aimed at a niche audience.
Cover image – Model
The model has unconventional and rather masculine features (bushy eyebrows, short haircut). She is androgynous, possessing both masculine and feminine characteristics, which subverts stereotypes of how a woman looks like.
The model is not easily recognisable, which is unconventional as magazines often feature famous celebrities who have a well-known status and reputation on their front covers to attract readers.
Dress code/Costume and makeup
Costume: the model is fully clothed without exposing her flesh (jacket and turtle neck) => no elements of sexualisation and female objectification. Her clothing is quite plain and gender neutral with a simple colour theme (black and white, a hint of blue and pink), which further reinforces the androgyny of the model. It is neither hyper-feminine or overtly sexualised, an ordinary, everyday outfit which makes the magazine appear approachable. The earrings, however, are the only items that seem luxurious and expensive (juxtaposition), which could connote middle class identity.
Makeup: light, natural and realistic, unlike the polished, heavy makeup looks you typically see in women lifestyle magazine (red lipstick, dark eye shadow/liner/mascara, heavy blush, etc.).
The model is not sexualised and dressed up to be objectified by the audience, subverting genre conventions and rejecting the male gaze.
Framing/Cropping and camera positioning
Medium close-up shot: draws attention to the model’s face and emotions rather than her body => breaking magazine conventions, anchors and emphasises Oh Comely’s feminist and empowering brand values and ideologies. Women are not useless objects and dolls; they are human beings with personality and emotions. The framing applauds and promotes women for their accomplishments and wisdom instead of their appearance.
Non-verbal codes
Facial expression: serious, stern, challenging and direct mode of address => subverts typical genre conventions as female models/celebrities on front covers often have seductive facial expressions (open lips, direct but inviting eye-contact, etc.) and conform the male gaze. The model on Oh Comely’s front cover, on the other hand, challenges the male gaze and emphasises female empowerment and the theme of the issue – strength.
Body language: open but not available, her hands are raised above her head which is a powerful gesture, an expression of power/standing up tall => connoting strength and confidence. She is laid back, fearless and inviting the audience in as a challenge, not an act of conformity. She is resisting and rejecting the male gaze => female empowerment.
