The start of the fall season marks the arrival of fall fashion — along with the “September Issues,” our go-to source for deciding whether Philip Lim or Marc Jacobs will be hanging in our closets for the next six months.

I remember anticipating the day when the weighty 300-plus-page editions showed up in my mailbox; I was eager to delve into the fantasy world of fashion I knew Vogue, Elle and Lucky promised each month. Flipping open to a photo spread by Mario Testino offered a quixotic getaway into the land of high fashion, rife with haute couture gowns and jewel encrusted baubles one could only dream of possessing.