EOTO Reaction Post: History of Gossip Columns & Fashion Journalism

Gossip Columns and how they began

Gossip has existed since the beginning as a way for people to receive and contribute information to the social scene. However, the first time a true gossip column entered society was written by James Gordon Bennett for The New York Herald. The stories and columns he contributed to the newspaper mainly focused on the New York City elite. 

Since their humble beginnings, gossip columns have evolved and changed as society has also evolved. This change was first noted during the 1930s and 1940s as Hollywood was on the rise. This was when the first official American gossip column was created by  Walter Winchell, entitled On Broadway. However, he was not the only one to write pieces on Hollywood's elite. 

Hedda Hopper, who was an actress at the time, created her own column that focused on rumours regarding fellow celebrities, relationships, styles, and professional choices. She established the trend of "pitting" actors and actresses against each other to increase readership and promote their new movies. 

Just like the rise of Hollywood, the late 90s and early 2000s brought another surge of gossip columns.

Photo cred: The Cut

However, these columns were not just single pieces. They became a crucial aspect of the larger entertainment magazine, whose sole focus was dedicated to publishing celebrity gossip. Magazines such as People, US Weekly, and TMZ soared during the 90s and the 2000s because of the heavy emphasis they placed on exposing scandals. These magazines focused on the personal lives of celebrities, alcohol, partying, sex, and drugs because that is what the American people had a common interest. 

While celebrity gossip still remains highly consumed by Americans today, the mode of receiving the information has shifted. Now, society relies on social media platforms to stay "up to date" on the happenings of celebrities and the elite. 

The History of Fashion Journalism 

The first known fashion magazine was published on November 15, 1785, in France, and was named "Cabinet of Fashions or New Fashions." It was eight pages long and contained three hand-painted engravings. 

However, fashion journalism didn't start to rise until 1867 when Harper's Bazaar was created. This publication prided itself on understanding the lives of women through fashion. Not only did the 19th century bring Harper's Bazaar to the social scene, but it was also when the most famous fashion magazine in the world was first published: Vogue. 

Vogue was founded by Arthur Baldwin Turine, and it targeted New York's upper class, highlighting their leisure activities and fashion trends. At first, the magazine cost only 10 cents, and was published weekly. 

Now Vogue is one of the most famous magazines in the world, is published monthly, and features different celebrities on each cover. The highly coveted cover of Vogue is what marks it as one of the most prestigious fashion magazines. 

With magazines like Vanity Fair, GQ, and Cosmopolitan still skyrocketing in the digital age, it is safe to say that fashion journalism will never go out of style.