What gave you the idea to start Worn Fashion Journal?
There are dozens of reasons that all came together when I was walking down the street one day and decided I could just do it, but essentially I worked at a record shop and the staff talked about starting a publication together, and I took over the fashion section. Needless to say, nothing ever came of that publication, but it put the bug in my head. I had recently read three books that I directly credit for WORN: Mike, Spike, Slackers and Dykes by John Pierson; 40 Watts From Nowhere: A Journey into Pirate Radio by Sue Carpenter; and Thrift Score by Al Hoff. All three of these books where about people who had no experience in their fields but charged ahead regardless. Big inspirations!

What’s your deal with advertising?
Most mainstream fashion magazines are businesses – making money is the bottom line. Commercial magazines earn revenue through advertising, not through readers’ patronage. This produces a shift in power: to get paid, a magazine’s content must please the advertiser first – and the reader second. In many markets, but most obviously in fashion, advertisers have such an upper hand that they’ve not only leaked into editorial content, but now dominate it. Instead of getting a little advice, readers are given a purchased opinion.

WORN refuses to operate this way. We’ve structured our sales to guarantee that the majority of our revenue comes from our readership – they alone ensure our survival. Yes, we accept advertising. But we have a strict policy of hands-off-ness from our advertisers. Our advertisers think WORN is worth supporting and our readers worth informing, but they know, understand, and applaud our policy of independence.

Want to become one of those advertisers? See Advertise.

photography by Danijela Pruginic

Are you a vintage magazine?
Well, we are a publication about clothing: past, present, and future. Since clothing has been around a long time, a lot of what we work with is considered vintage. But it’s not our primary focus.

Why journal and not magazine?
Sounded smarter?

Who did the illustration header on your website?
Her name is Susan Belle, she is a very talented artist and also did the cover of issue 5 for us. Check out her website here.

Where can I buy WORN?
Lots of places! Online in our web store, on our etsy site – the House of Worn – on buyOlympia.com and on reprodepot.com. We’re also for sale in lots of independent clothing and bookstores in Canada and the U.S., see our list under Where To Buy. Lastly, every year we have a table at Expozine and Puces POP in Montreal; Canzine, Word on the Street, and City of Craft in Toronto; and Ladyfest in Ottawa.

What if I want to order a copy of WORN but I don’t have a paypal account?
Paypal lets you pay with credit card even if you don’t have a proper paypal account. If you don’t want to go through any online transactions, call our office at 416-531-3145 Tuesday to Saturday between 12-6, or email serahmarie @ wornjournal.com and we can work it out.

I moved, how do I change the mailing address for my subscription?
Send an email to dearworn @ wornjournal.com, clearly stating your old address and your new address, and wait for a confirmation email. If you don’t get a confirmation email in a week, feel free to email again and use profanity. Please note that we need 20 days notice before you move. WORN is not responsible for issues sent to the wrong address if you gave us the wrong address. And thanks for subscribing!

Can you profile my band/short film/book?
If your band/short film/book has a really interesting take on clothing, we would love to hear from you. Please send some info to dearworn @ wornjournal.com. If your band/short film/book has nothing to do with clothing (besides the fact that people wear it), it won’t be considered for WORN.

Can you profile my clothing/jewellery/bags?
In general this is not something we do, but we are always willing to give it a look. If your items are not trend driven, but are revolutionary, radical, and interesting, send some info to dearworn @ wornjournal.com

Can I send you free stuff?
Nope. WORN does not accept any free stuff, for fear it may influence how we talk about that stuff. The exception to this is books. We do this because the book industry has a much more established understanding of a no-strings-attached policy, and have an expectation of an honest review.

What is a Wornette?
A Wornette is anyone (boy or girl) who works to make WORN possible. A common misconception is that the title is only for interns, but everyone on our staff, past and present, are Wornettes. It’s kind of like a sorority, but without the bulimia and pledging.

I’m not a fashion writer, can I still write for WORN?
Yes! You don’t have to be a “fashion” journalist to write for WORN. Sometimes it’s better if you’re not. We are looking for a myriad perspectives on clothing and some of our best contributions have come from historians, feminists, environmentalists, psychologists, and novelists – everyone can have an opinion on clothing. For more information go to How to Submit.

I’m a student and I wrote a clothing–related essay, can I submit it?
Definitely. Worn has found that some of its best and most interesting content has come to us this way. Please submit the paper in its entirety (even though it will be way too long). if we see potential, one of our editors can then help you to rework the paper into a more accessible article. Your article does not have to be from a fashion-related major, we have found success in submissions from departments like woman’s studies, fibre arts, decorative arts, communications and cultural studies, among others. For more information go to How to Submit

Can I take pictures, illustrate or create graphic design for WORN?
We have a regular assignments for creative people. Send some of work or a link to your website to art @ wornjournal.com

Can I do a photoshoot for WORN?
Each issue we run one black-and-white and two colour photoshoots. If you have an already-completed photoshoot, you can send us a small res version of it for consideration – but it’s best to consult with us first, as we may be able to provide some tips and tricks to ensure publication. Most importantly, we are interested in all kinds of beauty, and insist on including diversity of culture, subculture, gender identification, sexuality, size, race, and age. It is very important that our photoshoots reflect this. And please don’t have anyone looking bored. Fashion is not boring. any questions should be directed to submissions @ wornjournal.com

Can I be on staff?
We are looking for people to volunteer at WORN. There are lots of roles behind the scenes that make what we do possible. See Get Involved.

Can I be an intern?
At this time all internship positions are volunteer and are only available in Toronto. Find out more about applying here.

Are you going to pay me?
The answer to this is, regretfully, no. We are a small non-profit publication that is currently operating out of a living room. So far no one, not even the editor, gets paid. However, we are working hard to change this sad, sad fact, as we believe that all contributors deserve to get paid.

Any rules as far as commenting on the blog goes?
Anybody with an e-mail address is free to comment on the blog. We love hearing different points of view; nothing makes our day like a good discussion about fashion. However, please remember to be respectful when voicing your opinion. Nasty comments, personal insults and bigotry will be met with the wrath of many Wornettes, and have the possibility of being deleted. We hate snuffing conversation, so please make our jobs easier and play nice.

What can I do to support WORN?
The best thing you can do for WORN is to buy our issues, tell stores you love they should carry us, and tell everybody you know about us! If you still ask “what more can I do?” we have developed a wish list of things we could use. If you have any of these items kicking around and want to donate them to the House of WORN, or wish to purchase any of them for us, contact serahmarie @ wornjournal.com The Wornettes will thank you forever!

WISH LIST

a flatbed scanner native to OSX4 or higher
YAY! We got one! Thanks Heartbreak Karaoke Fundraiser!

a couch

a mini-fridge

sturdy chairs

really good quality light-weight hangers and clippy ones for bottoms

not wobbly collapsible rolling rack

fabric steamer

a car that is in runable condition

professional lighting

PA system

colour laser printer with a low per-page cost YAY! We got one! Thanks Heartbreak Karaoke Fundraiser!

old copies of: Dazed and Confused, POP, ID, Sassy, Fashion Theory, Selvage, Tank, Lula, Ruush

any books on any aspect of fashion, including but not limited to: clothing, accessories, textile, style, colour, design, illustration

Subscribe to WORN Fashion Journal here.