Publications targeted towards teenage girls normally have articles discussing “What One Direction Member Is Your Dream Boyfriend,” or “How to Look Like Selena Gomez on Your Sad 14-Year Old Budget.” While Rookie Mag understands the importance of One Direction, the online publication talks about issues that rarely are discussed in public forums for teenagers, such as feminism, sex, and other personal issues that teenage girls may feel lost and confused about.
Rookie is an online magazine created as an open space for teenage girls by Tavi Gevinson. The magazine is updated three times a day, and collects submissions from anyone who wants to submit their writing. Most of the content is built around a theme for the month, such as this month’s theme, “Forever.”
Although it is an online publication, Rookie can be found in print in the form of a yearbook filled with content published online throughout the year. Rookie held a party Saturday, Dec. 7, for the release of Rookie Yearbook Two at Saki in Logan Square, located at 3716 W. Fullerton Ave.
The theme of girl power that is so relevant throughout Rookie was alive and well as the record store hosted hundreds of “Rookie girls,” as well as a scattered few Rookie boys to celebrate the Yearbook.
The night started with readings by contributors to Rookie and the second edition of the Yearbook. Gevinson also read her editor’s letter from December to the crowd awed by the immense talent and creativity packed into a 17-year-old.
After the readings, Chicago natives The Lemons took the small stage and lifted the already high spirits of the crowd to a new intensity with their dance-friendly, energetic music. The Lemon’s music consisted of incredibly poppy songs sung by numerous members of the band, with some songs about ice cream, and of course a song about the best day ever, which could have described the day many of the Rookie girls and boys were having by looking at their faces.
Gevinson signed yearbooks, and received plenty of praise from fans, after The Lemons, while a dance party raged on, featuring music from the Grease soundtrack, along with Riot Grrl classics such as Bikini Kill and Hole. The praise does not go undeserved for Gevinson. She has been writing a fashion blog since the age of 12, and her self-created publication has received attention all throughout the country. Rookie is currently a force to be reckoned with in regards to online magazines, and now, published yearbooks.
Rookie is currently collecting submissions for January 2014, the theme of which is “Vision.”