Girl Crush Zine

For those unfamiliar, a girl crush is when a girl has such a deep admiration for another girl that it becomes an infatuation of sorts, though platonic in nature. Editors Jenna Wortham, a reporter for The New York Times, and Thessaly La Force, former blogger at The Paris Review, have taken this concept to the next level by celebrating girl crushes in an online and paper zine aptly called Girl Crush. Spawn by a brainstorming session “on a hot Sunday afternoon over a big pot of summer tea”, Girl Crush hit the pulse of enthusiastic ladies everywhere as user submissions are temporarily closed due to overwhelming initial feedback.

Have you ever admired someone so much that you’ve wanted to be her?

Well, no, it’s not that exactly. Let’s avoid the single white female. Rather, it’s this idea that “like” is too soft of a word, that the admiration is almost an infatuation. It’s finding the intensity from the kind of friendships we once used to have, friendships that were closer in form to a relationship before we had actual relationships.

But it’s also that she’s inspiring. That she’s doing something cool and with style, that she has found a voice that’s totally hers and also totally relatable. That, in some weird way, she makes you realize that it wouldn’t be hard to do what you’ve always dreamed of doing.

It should be no surprise that my own girl crush as a ‘tween was actress Virginia Madsen, star of 1980s awesome computer flick, Electric Dreams. I imagined that at some point that her character would ditch the cello and embrace the magic of technology (alas).

The Girl Crush zine release launch party happens on August 12, 2011 at the swank Thom Bar in New York City. Be sure to RSVP now if you are in the area.

image via Girl Crush