Pass The Buck?

If you haven’t already seen it, we have a contender for the most ridiculous concept for a magazine ever award; ‘Buck’ is a men’s magazine devoted to - get this - ‘fashion, furniture and food for men!’ FUCKIN’ FURNITURE! Maybe I’m wrong but somehow I don’t think there are many men out there who’ve been waiting expectantly for this bizarre alliterative fusion of men’s interests. Yeah maybe some of us were getting cheesed of with boring old fashion and food or maybe even food and furniture and now can rest assured that all our fashion, food and furniture needs are encompassed in one pseudo-foppish journal. I can’t imagine the pitch for this getting beyond any half conscious publishing exec;

‘It’s a magazine with a twist. We cover fashion’

‘Seen it’

‘Food’

‘Boring!’

‘And……furniture!’

‘Wait a doggone minute, fashion, furniture and food for men? There’s a concept I can sell! When do we start?’

No, as usual with these self-indulgent meta-niche (or is it micro-niche?) concepts, I suspect some rich kiddy playing around with daddy’s millions here. The likes of ‘The Chap’ have staked a claim for ‘new fogeyism’ by keeping their production values low and their standard of japing journalism reasonably high. Buck must cost a fortune to produce as it’s glossy and highly visible, not only available in Borders and specialist retailers but on the shelves of WH Smith. In these cash strapped times, Buck’s self-conscious ‘eccentricity’ must appeal to a tiny microcosm of the male population ie. professional ‘bohemians’ and self-styled ‘dandies about town.’

You know the type; self-consciously studied twats with Victorian patriarch or Salvador Dali muzzies, tweed bowties, 30s architect gigs and Cary Grant haircuts riding up Greek Street on penny farthings. With FHM, Loaded, GQ, Esquire, Arena all on their arses, I suppose these niche ‘men’s interest’ mags are atleast attempting something different and have curiosity value. I’ll give it another issue.

More new niche titles for 2009

Puck - a satirical magazine for Victorian gentlemen
Pike – fashion, furniture and fly-fishing for freaks
Puke – food, fridges and frottage for fuckwits
Puss – cats, cars n’ kinky boots for creeps
Pube – hair, hogroasts and hats for hillbillies

Anyhows, here's Buck's guide to tieing a bow tie, if you should ever attend a 'black tie event' such as a boxing dinner or the annual Billy Childish Appreciation Society AGM.

http://buckstyle.com/detail.php?s=9&page=153&p=1

and here's a picture of soemone who knew how to rock a bow-tie and cape ensemble....

http://manolomen.com/images/Oscar%20Wilde%20with%20bow%20tie.jpg