Cosmopolitan / Paige Leopold

I know Cosmopolitan magazine is the typical girly choice but I love the way that the type is arranged plus I knew no one else was going to do it. It is the same kind of style that I like to use and plus, why not do a blog post over my favorite mag? I couldn't pick a particular issue so I went through and found a few that interested me the most.

This issue is the newest one out, February 2013. The Cosmopolitan text at the top is very blocked lettering and my guess is that it is Bell Gothic. Cosmopolitan uses serifs on only one word on this cover which is to help emphasis "LOVE" and I think the serifs help create the mood that the viewer feels when he or she reads that particular word. The rest of the fonts are various colors and sizes which helps distinguish topics from one another. All of the other words are simple fonts but are arranged in such a way that makes them work together dynamically. Cosmopolitan uses about 3 to 4 colors per cover designed also. This limited color palette helps keep the covers simple but is a unique trait that distinguishes Cosmopolitan from other magazines.

This next issue seems to use a Didot looking font for the DIY CATWALK HAIR to the right of the issue and also on the name Kimberly at the top right. The "Instaglam 432" at the bottom is simple but cute and gives the word a whimsical essence. The letters look playful and draw your attention to them. Cosmopolitan typically uses the same layout stance the big COSMOPOLITAN letters at the top with a lot of kerning in between the letters. Sections on the cover are placed with elements to separate them from each other such as the use of the dark pink dot on the right and simple italicizing, underlining, and varying font sizes. These elements make the magazine fun and exciting and draws you in.

I save the best cover for last. This is a cover from a 1983 Cosmopolitan magazine. I love the old school vintage look and simplicity of it also. It would be really neat if they went back to the old school style or at least incorporated elements of it. The saturation is really low in this particular cover however it looks a little cartoon-y in my opinion. I love the idea behind it though and it's perfect for Cosmopolitan because it reflects the content of the magazine.

Here are a few inside spread to show the text layouts that have been used.

There's a lot more content in Cosmopolitan magazines today than there used to be obviously. The last spread photo is so much more complex than earlier issues. The images in the first two spread photos are very illustrated and graphic while the last spread has real images and has a geometric feel to it. It seems geometric to me because of the straight columns and text alignment. Also there are color blocks that add  add to that as well.
The way that Cosmopolitan arranges its typography in its magazines is useful to me because it is a successful example of how to use type. I think Cosmopolitan is something I could refer to if I ever had trouble with columns or grids or perhaps if I needed ideas on how to make type stand out against other type.