POISE can be a number of different things to a number of different people, though all involved agree on one thing: POISEfashion is a fabulous way of life, in which the ideals of class, personal style, and social etiquette dominate all else. From a student’s perspective, POISE is an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge of the production and publication of a fashion-based consumer magazine. As it is stated in the Staff Agreement Contract, it is POISEfashion's main objective to provide its staff members with experience in magazine production and publication, as well as to present them with opportunities for expanding clip portfolios and résumés. Because POISE is a bi-annual student-run magazine that strives to present its readers with original, top quality material tailored specifically for college-age students, staffers continuously work to improve and create future content, further helping to improve real-world, professional experience.
From a professional perspective, POISE is an innovative venture, which provides its members with an uncommon, and much respected asset. As Ohio University’s first and only fashion-based magazine, POISE is able to present employers with superior, highly motivated individuals, who have knowledge of and skills in the production and publication of popular media.
From a reader’s perspective, POISE is a realistic and attainable publication that feeds any Athens socialite’s hunger for a chic existence, because while it resembles most popular consumer fashion magazines, such as Glamour and InStyle, POISE adds its own twist by directly relating every issue to college age men and women.

 

As a fashion-conscious college student, POISEfashion founder, and current President and Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Huddleston was aware of the frustrations young men and women face while reading the popular fashion magazines of today.  Often times readers are consumed by fabulous fashion goals, but lack the means of achieving them, which is why she gathered a team of style-savvy journalists, photographers, and advertising gurus to provide an outlet of everything she loved about those other magazines, but presented in a way that is both realistic and attainable to any college student. Alexandra wanted to create a publication that would help its readers recognize their own inner class and sophistication by uniting them through fashion, pop-culture, personal advice, and the long forgotten rules of good manners and self-worth. After much hard work and dedication, POISEfashion became an official student organization, and Ohio University's first and only fashion magazine in the Spring of 2005. POISE has since been a direct representation of the simple, eloquent lifestyle its editor envisioned.

 

Currently a staff of over 20, POISE is primarily composed of upper-class students focusing on journalism, public relations, advertising, photography, visual/web design, retail merchandising, and business. POISE also incorporates a “Tag-Along” intern program, available for freshmen and sophomores hoping to work on the POISEfashion staff. In order to maintain POISEfashion's respectable and sophisticated reputation, staff members must participate in the Spring-Training program, maintain a 2.5 GPA or better, and must adhere to certain high standards of personal conduct.
POISEfashion also works with numerous organizations and businesses, including SPi, Speakeasy, NPPA, Fashion Associates, FACES Modeling, NOIR, The Other Place, and Fig Leaf.

 

 

The Internet is currently the fastest growing outlet of popular media, so what better way to gain a large, strong fan-base than by starting online? In terms of print media, magazines are extremely expensive to start and continuously publish, so as a novice in the industry, POISE felt it would not only be cheaper, but safer to work online, as well.

 

Yes. The biggest, and most obvious difference is the aspect on interaction. While a magazine may be easier to carry with you at all times, a web-page can give you endless opportunities to pick and choose exactly what you want to read. Think of it this way, instead of leafing through ads to find the table of contents, you can simply click “Content,” and instead of racking your brain about that missing page number, you can merely click the story you want, and voila – there it is!
In terms of how our staff works, there isn’t much of a difference between print and web publication. We try as much as possible to operate as a professional print publication would while incorporating the know-how of Internet capabilities at the same time. So, not only do POISE staffers have experience in print-production procedures, but they have the added skills of Internet actions, as well.

 

We hope so! Even if we do incorporate a print version or an annual print supplement, though, our Internet edition will always hold the most weight. If you would like help quicken the possibility of a print version by advertising with us, or helping to fund our publication, please contact POISEfashion founder, and current President and Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Huddleston, via email at: <poisefashion@ohio.edu>.

 

If you’re interested in becoming a member of POISEfashion, or if you have questions, comments, suggestions, or overall feedback about POISEfashion, please send an email to: <poisefashion@ohio.edu>.

 

Finding someone who epitomizes the ideals POISEfashion stands for is the single most important aspect of the publication. A POISEfashion Covergirl should be confident, courteous, involved, and classy. Her motivation and sincerity should inspire those around her, and her sense of individual style should set her apart from the rest.
            So how does POISE find these one-of-a-kind ladies? Well, to be honest, we usually don’t. We sort through nominations, and then vote as a staff as to who we feel best represents POISEfashion.
If you think you or someone you know has what it takes to be the next face of POISE, you may nominate yourself, or a friend by sending an email to <poisefashion@ohio.edu>, subject "POISEfashionista." Tell us why you, or your great gal-pal deserves POISE status, and who knows – we may be voting on you!

 

<poisefashion@ohio.edu>

 

To check out our 1st issue, click here.
To check out our 2nd issue, click here.