Who doesn't want to be part of a club that has its own lingo?  Who doesn't throw around the alphabet soup in front of people they know won't understand?

It' all going back to that neo-tribal post you made awhile back.  People want to draw lines in the sand: I am like you, I am not like them.

I'm not sure I call 50% of the world a "club" or really even specific, but I thought your post from fierce, fxs.  For really interesting perspective, check out magazines like "Cute" or "Fashion", part of an entire class of publications in China that translates to WomenFriend magazines, or any of the Asian American fashion pubs that have sprung up over the past few years.  Beyond the fact that bronzing cremes are replaced with porcelain powder, there's nearly no difference in how women around the world talk about fashion and beauty.  In fact, I would argue that fashion and beauty publications are some of the most connected in terms of content and flavor if you look just at print pubs.  Pubs like Jane that have tried to talk about beauty in a different way from the global norm have failed miserably despite solid staff and connections to bigger pubs with good advertisers.  

Oh, and Frank, next time I'm in Civica, remind me to show you my new lip gloss.  It makes your limps plump up.

I've always wondered what it would be like to PR fashion or makeup. Fashion PR could (arguably) be pretty cerebral because you would need working knowledge of fashion history, cultural influences, textiles, and social mores. But with makeup -- once you strip the celeb endorsement, the high-gloss, artsy-fartsy photography and hope-inducing claims -- what can you possibly say about eye shadow that would fill a 1.5 page press release? What would your spokesperson say about a new lipstick? 'I'm really excited about this new shade, 'Fierce', as it harkens back memories of scraped knees, cherry Slushies, Strawberry Shortcake and other vestiges of lost youth.'

I really admire your candor in admitting the vastness of your interest in print pubs - kudos!  

This is a great reminder that there is so much of our prospective vocabulary we put on the back shelf inadvertently, and a terrific incentive to harness the power of words that bring images, emotions and color to the otherwise mundane (read: applying makeup).  

Can we take it a step further and go beyond considering this in our client product/segment/issue?  Can we describe our own work with better color, beyond driving, covering off and scooping?  Is it possible we can engender value-add through a more colorful description of our role?  Not puffery - but skillful communication of our actions and contributions.  

Having started my career in fashion and beauty PR (Henri Bendel, Vogue Magazine, Nina Ricci Parfums, DeBeers, JC Penney, Saks Fifth Avenue, and a few others are on my list of former clients), I am of the firm opinion that the people who name lipsticks and nail polishes first take heavy drugs then spend several sleepless days/nights before stepping in front of a blank white board, sniffable marker in hand, for a creative session.  The magazine writers then take their lead from the resulting "fashion forecast" missives distributed with far too much seriousness by the products' PR team.  The ranks of which I once belonged.  Fire 'n Ice anyone?