Hello, Vogue.com. Goodbye, Newsstand Vogue?

If the Internet is truly the future of journalism and print copies are on the way out, no one heard the message louder than Vogue in 2009. It's true that other publications fared just as poorly on the newsstand (according to The Cut, Marie Claire, Allure, and Lucky were also down), but Vogue is supposed to be the exception, a shining beacon of light for the fashion industry. That may have been true ten or even five years ago, but there is more competition than ever to grab readers' attention, and Vogue has had trouble holding that spotlight.

So, why have sales been down for Conde's flagship? I have a few ideas.

1) The cover choices have been staler than week-old bread lately, with the exception of the January cover with Rachel McAdams. Jessica Biel in dowdy denim (Jessica Biel in anything isn't too exciting...)? Cate Blanchett for the nine billionth time? If you're not a subscriber, the cover is the main thing that is supposed to catch your eye and reel in a sale. So how about fashionable newcomer Carrie Mulligan? Vogue.com loves her. Or, even better, how about Chanel Iman? If Vogue puts her lovely face on a cover, my faith in Anna will be restored.

2) Vogue.com has been overshadowing the hard copy of the magazine. It's fresher, the articles are more interesting, it's updated throughout the day, and more of Vogue's young writers (Christina Han, Veronica Gledhill, Sophie Pera) contribute features to the site, offering new perspectives. I've spent hours reading the features on Vogue.com. I can't even remember the last time I was that engrossed in a hard copy of Vogue.

3) Certain segments in Vogue are dull, dated, and depressing. For instance, the "Up Front" section. Who reads that anymore?? Each month that space is occupied by a woman confessing her adulterous ways or how her husband cheated on her. Well, someone must be reading this dribble because month after month readers complain about it in the "Letters to the Editor" section. Couldn't they write about something else, or just nix this column altogether?

4) There's still too much emphasis on the lives of Vogue writers and contributors. (Cathy Horyn called Vogue out months ago for this.) Marina Rust only writes about herself when she contributes articles (visiting an exclusive spa, the time she tried shoes with lower heels...) and good luck making it through fifty pages without coming across ten million photos of Lauren Santo Domingo. It's boring! No one cares! Could we see more fashion and reviews from Sarah Mower, please?

5) The entire masthead needs to be shaken up. I love Grace, Anna, Hamish, ALT, Virginia, and Eve possibly as much or more than anyone. I grew up reading their work and I still aspire to emulate them. However, some fresh talent to the masthead might spice the magazine up a bit. I noticed that they have a new design director in Raul Martinez. That's a start, but we still need to see some fresh faces, or have the younger writers contribute more pieces. Christina Han did an excellent job for the website chronicling her first marathon. I looked forward to her updates at the office everyday. She seems more than capable of contributing full-fledged articles to Vogue.

This is the year for change, so let's see it happen, Vogue!