SET THE TRENDS. BE A TASTEMAKER. LOVE YOURSELF.
“Tags belong on clothing, not women,” says Sicka Than Average founder Celia San Miguel. “The notion that women’s style personalities can be neatly divided into monolithic groups with labels like “Bohemian,” “Preppy,” or “Rocker” is out-dated and narrow-minded: our aesthetic sensibilities tend to defy clear delineation, instead spanning across a wide range of categories.” Embracing the forward-thinking mindset, risk-taking spirit, rebellious edge, and brazen confidence of style and beauty icons like Marianne Faithfull, Debbie Harry, Josephine Baker, Sophia Loren, Katharine Hepburn, Gwen Stefani, Jane Birkin, Diana Ross, Kate Moss, Grace Jones, Carmen Miranda, Brigitte Bardot, and Edie Sedgwick, Sicka Than Average appeals to discerning, strong, independent women who carves enjoy mixing and matching elements from streetwear, couture, vintage, ready-to-wear, and more. The Sicka Than Average reader is interested in sneakers and stilettos, luxury handbags and eco-friendly totes, red-carpet ready baubles and handmade artisan jewelry, understated makeup and flashy, bold cosmetics. She’s brave in her choices, constantly experimenting with new looks. By reporting on the newest fashion, beauty and lifestyle products across a wide range of spectrums, Sicka Than Average provides a more comprehensive and satisfactory experience for these trendsetters-in-the-making.
Empowering women and encouraging them to find their voice via fashion and beauty, Sicka Than Average steers clear of wildly disseminated photos of celebrities and models, instead focusing on still-life images of coveted products. By concentrating on still-life imagery, we keep the focus on fashion and beauty rather than exacerbating the existent cult of celebrity. By having these products to shine based on their own merit, we put the power in the hands of our readers, allowing them to determine which of these they believe to be must-haves. Rather than encouraging women to conform to pre-existing beauty standards or to mimic different celebrities’ styles, we urge them to nurture their own aesthetic sensibilities. We also sate the voracious appetite of these pop culture and design savants via coverage of home décor items, books, DVDs, collectable vinyl figures, and other items of interest.
Launched in 2008 by Harvard graduate and seasoned journalist Celia San Miguel (a former editor at VIBE, Complex, GIANT, In Style, and the New York Post), Sicka Than Average appeals to women reared in hip-hop culture through its smart, edgy, and hip look and tone. Our editorial content, particularly in the realm of beauty, is largely driven by both research and anecdotal accounts, enabling us to report on featured products with the detail than can only come from first-hand experience. Similarly, San Miguel shares her own style savvy through outfit photos, tutorials, and DIY projects, thereby helping to inspire readers to find their own unique aesthetic. By combining these personal accounts with insightful observations and thorough research, we create a multidimensional, comprehensive, seamless experience for readers.
Our vision is clear: to make every woman feel like she’s at the top of her game, that she is, in fact, “sicka than average.”
