Lovelyish

You can’t download eyeshadow, but you can download an editorial or an article

Personally I don’t see the point in such magazines. But those companies should probably start selling their magazines both online and in physical formats. 

So that’s why I keep getting emails from Allure and Teen Vogue wanting me to renew my subscriptions…  Honestly, I don’t subscribe to most of these magazines because I can get them for free at the library and find the same kind of information that’s in them on their websites or other blogs.  I only buy a magazine now if I really like all the articles and pictures inside or it’s a special edition that I really like–which isn’t often.

Women’s magazines tell women how to satisfy men. (Get sexy to attract a mate, 10 hot moves he’ll love, what he’s really thinking, is he cheating on you?, how to keep him, etc.)

Men’s magazines tell men how to satisfy themselves and how to co-opt women, if need be. (Get the sex you want, top 10 motorcycles, how to get a raise, dress for success, etc.)

I think women are a little bored with the glorified Y chromosome and want to answer questions like, “What do I really like? What do I think? What do I want?”

These are all good points and opinions, however, as a fashion editor who recently was downsized out of her position with a magazine due to such low sales and a bad economy, I can honestly say that while most things in these monthly readings are, well, ‘meh’ in the grand scheme of things, this is a huge part of the fashion industry that’s dying in front of us, ergo, let’s change the scope and save them! Otherwise, many writers like myself are going to be unemployed for good. :-/ (P.S. Esquire really is pretty good, lol!) 

cause magazines are not worth buying -.-”
they recycle same article over and over again

“10 fab looks for under 100″ “20 sex moves that’s bound to make your orgasm” “how to drop 10lb in 2 weeks”how many times have you seen these variations ?it gets boring. If i wanna check out the latest fashion / celebrity gossip I can google
plus most of those run way fashion –> doesnt suit my style anyways

Because they are pointless, economy is bad, and there’s always the internet.

I used to subscribe to Glamour, Cosmopolitan and various other’s women’s fashion magazines but I stopped because the articles were no longer relevant to me.  Plus, you can read most of the articles on their websites.  BUT, I prefer fashion/makeup/hair blogs over the magazines because I can see a real woman explaining and demonstrating in a manner that I can relate to: for people with little experience on certain aspects, low on cash, etc.  Also, the bloggers give me ideas on how I can make a particular concept more personal and individualized for ME, not how to apply eye shadow just like all the Stepford wives.  Now, I still do subscribe to food and home decorating type magazines.  I’ve always loved to read about food, how to cook/prepare it, how to make it more unique/authentic, places to enjoy certain types of cuisine, etc.  I like the home magazines to inspire the decorating and organization of my own home.  Color schemes, how to decorate my home in a modern manner but functional and timeless looking.  And even then, I use Pinterest to find household solutions, easy ways to copy a look I like inexpensively.  Usually it leads to a homemaking blog, but it’s a good place to find new blogs to check out.

The decline is not a bad thing. It means fewer women becoming golddiggers and more of them subscribing to magazines like Forbes, Discover, SciAm, etc… 

Because I can sit and read them in Barnes and Noble while drinking some starbucks for free.

Because they keep printing the same stuff over and over and over again. Cosmo is the worst about this.

The economy’s pretty bad so why would we need to read about stuff we supposedly “need.” Magazines aren’t cheap either, their easily $5 CAN for one.

i still love my cosmo

@whiteblackgray@xanga - @phuck_diz_shiz@xanga - @Kittyluve@xanga - @x__RainOnHerParade@xanga - What they said! heehee!

I read them on occasion depending on the cover girl & articles but for me personally mainly it’s the price. $5 per issue may not seem like alot but in today’s economy, you have to prioritize. When I’m traveling, I definitely buy one to give me something to read but it’s all mostly the same dating/sex articles.

When I go to buy mags I read Seventeen (Yes I’m aware I’m a bit too old for it but they still print good articles & keep girls aware of important things), Cosmo (I liked Cosmogirl better, too bad it died), Allure, Lucky, Marie Claire, Elle (LOVED Elle girl, again that died), & Glamour. But since Lucky deals more with beauty/fashion, it probably is doing better than the relationship geared magazines. When Lucky came out, I was in high school & subscribed to it monthly before I moved.

You can scan then in the book store or simply read them in the doctor’s office.  Most of the time it’s the same read.

I’m a married woman. I’ve been reading Cosmopolitan since I was 11 years old. Nothing has changed with their articles. I have a 2.5 year old son now. I don’t care about fashion. It has always been weird and expensive for regular women. We aren’t all J-LO. We can’t have babies and just have nannies care for them while we work out and buy clothes. Fuck her and all of those celebs.

A lot of magazines you can rent for free at the library. You can also sit at any bookstore and read a magazine for free, and their content is made available online for free as well. Why buy a magazine when you can read it for free?

 Because money sucks and most of us can’t afford to buy them just now.

Personally I think a lot of women’s magazines are a load of shit.Maybe other women are realising that too

Because they’re stupidly overpriced for what is, essentially, the same recycled articles over and and over again every month. 

because they suck.

@Dawn0 - Sometimes you have to adapt to the changes, not expect someone to “save” something that is a dying industry.

It’s interesting that a lot of people have commented on here saying they need to go digital, when in fact a lot of them already have. I just bought a nook a few days ago and found that I can buy a cosmo subscription or pay per issue for much less than I would pay in the store.

The OP did not mention if Cosmo’s sales have dropped or not.

Cosmo is the only magazine like this I read and I agree that sometimes their articles aren’t relevant, especially relating to money.. most of the time they seem to forget we don’t have as much money as the celebrities. But sometimes there are good coupons, good tips and decent articles, usually something I like … so I still like to read it.

I definitely agree that women are catching onto the tricks of magazines. I can see the desperation of Cosmo, every month they make the font bigger and bigger on HOW WE CAN PLEASE MEN WITH SEX. Women aren’t that desperate, and really, men aren’t really that hard to please. Women know this now.

@Dawn0 - I think this is another part of the problem, the people in the industry think the rest of us should buy these magazines because THEY think it’s important and THEY want to keep their jobs. Well the rest of us have our own priorities, and the same old stories in the same old magazines don’t reflect that. You have to consider what your customer wants, not just try to force everyone to accept what you want

I stopped buying women’s magazines when I realized that the content is repetitive.  I like a shallow escape from the real world every now and then, but I don’t want to read the same article 20 times.   When there is an article worth reading, I just go online and browse the magazine’s site for free.  

They’re like books full of ads, especially the big high fashion ones like Elle and Vogue.  I’m into photography and graphic design so I like to look at the ads, but even I get tired of looking at what basically amounts to photoshopped bony bronze statues wearing outfits that would cost me 6 months’ salary.

A lot of times I think articles in Elle and Vogue come off as snooty.  Elle did a piece on fashion at the Iowa State Fair last summer that was very East-coast-bitchy-holier-than-thou, and so I decided at that point to never spend money on their magazine again.  And a lot of the articles just assume that everyone reading is from one of the coasts or has thousands of dollars worth of disposable income to throw into the wind.  During a recession that is not a welcome attitude.  I get sick of the perception that the area between the U.S. coasts is a vast wasteland full of hicks, and Elle and Vogue seem to think that, so this hick is just going to read the tattered copy at the coffeeshop and fuck paying 5 bucks for another dose of condescending B.S.

Instead I get Inked magazine, National Geographic, Harvard Business Review, and I read some of the science magazines my fiance gets.  Occasionally I buy a women’s fitness magazine like Shape or Self to get good at-home workouts to try.

@bombshell_couture@xanga - @Digital_Angel21@xanga

I did not say I wasn’t going to adapt to changes in my field, far from it. What I meant as a whole was, why are we, the consumers, not pressuring to change the magazines structures and what they cover? I tried when I was editing, but was often over ruled because of the past ‘numbers’ saying these recycled articles sold more copies. I know articles are repeated and shallow to the most ridiculous levels, however, why let something completely fail when it can be salvaged, even if that means they become paperless? That’s all I was trying to express. And too, in no way did I say someone needs to save my job, the other writers, and make it a priority. I apologize if it came across that way, but don’t read into something as a pity plea when it wasn’t intended to be one. It was just a statement. 

80% adds, the rest are crappy un-helpful articles…but I do love the pictures still

I actually used to read Bust and I loved it! It is highly refreshing and if I found it nearby I would purchase it. From time to time I purchase Essence because they have great ideas on natural hair styles and products for black women.

I had a subscription to “Real Simple” and plan on getting subscriptions to “Women’s Health”, “Yoga Journal” and “Vegetarian Times” I know, they are not the typical ones but when I was a kid I vowed never to get into the Cosmo’s, Elle and Madamoiselle. I stayed true to myself. . .sort of. Essence is similar but there are more articles about recipes, finances and career choices.

I get my magazines fix from the library and bookstore. I have seen Cosmo slowly declining in terms of the quality of their articles. These days they are recycling the same old news in slightly different words. I think more mags will post their articles online or in smartphone devices. Since they see their readerships turning to this digital venue to get their news.

I still read Time and Newsweek to understand what’s happening in our world. I hope their readership stays steady. Though it’s hard to find unbiased news anywhere.

Even online.

women are smarter now. trashy magz is not gonna do

i still get Allure (for beauty stuff), Women’s Fitness (for new fitness routines to try), and Real Simple (for recipes and decorating).  i’d be happy to go digital, but e-readers aren’t allowed in our office, and that’s where i do most of my reading.  

@babybug329@xanga - can you recommend some good blogs?  

@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - Most of the blogs I follow are foodie ones.  For hair, makeup and fashion inspiration, I check out the popular pins on Pinterest for ideas and tutorials but haven’t really followed any particular blogs, except for Makeup by Tiffany D and The Beauty Department.  I think I am pretty conservative in terms of style.

I don’t buy women’s magazine that much. It’s not like I can afford designer clothes, when I’m still in college.

I know some magazines are getting redesigned such as Cosmo and Harper’s Bazaar.

Female magazines do tend to get repetitive, but they are not as bad as Men’s Fitness magazine. Men’s Fitness repeat the same cover lines at least a few times during one year. Talk about lazy, but I guess it works for there magazine.

I’m a graphic design major. I’m taking a publication design class this semester. We have to redesign one magazine by doing covers, table of contents, spreads, etc. I got stuck with W magazine. I didn’t mind getting stuck with a fashion magazine. Although, I think W magazine is poorly designed. They tend to have the same celebrities on the covers over the years. And some of the layouts, and spreads are hard to navigate and read through.

Back in 2009, Shojo Beat stopped coming out and I lost interest in the other magazines because of that loss. It was sucky. But I don’t buy magazines now, because I can find out stuff faster with the internet. I do like them though, when I can afford them.

well maybe because the men are staying at home and the women are working. so who has time to read? we’d rather get our vacation…

Because they’re full of shite.

My opinion is that women are progressing and women’s magazines aren’t keeping up. Like @whiteblackgray@xanga said, women’s magazines often have insulting and degrading content. Why do I need to worry so much about pleasing him? What about me? What if I am dating a her? What if my career comes first and relationships aren’t on my list right now? Get with the times. Give me content on being strong, confident, powerful, and successful in the workforce and at home. I don’t need to be told how to look or what to buy. 

I’ve never been a fan of these magazines. I’ll buy them at the stand every once in a while, but I would never shell out the cash to have subcriptions to them. 

I’d rather be reading a book, or watching a documentary.
And if I need beauty advice, I can google it. Cosmo and Elle aren’t printing anything they haven’t printed before. 

Because YouTube starting having tutorials on makeup, fashion, and life.

Internet is a motherload of resources enriched with all types of info. What I’m trying to say is that now a days what with the internet and all that, you can save money reading an article on the internet than buying the magazine to only read a few articles of interest. I thought that these magazines also had their own websites? Maybe they should consider selling their articles in their sites on the internet. Just a thought.

I think that no one really relates to how their gender is portrayed in magazines and television. And as cynical and misogynistic as I am, I would like to think that maybe women are more than just shallow, gold-digging whores. It’s always about pleasing men, celebrities and clothing.

@tarotbutterfly@xanga - I love you.

Cool website buddy I am gona suggest this to all my list of contacts.

colored contacts

Cool website buddy I am gona suggest this to all my list of contacts.

colored contacts

A huge round of applause, keep it up.

topfashionshades.com

I used to like reading women’s/fashion magazines, and was inclined to buy them from the newsstands at one time. However, that was back in 1999/2000–around that timeframe, when women’s mags were just more interesting. The photography back then was more lively, bright, and natural-looking, unlike the gloomy, dark-lit, and heavily-airbrushed style I’m sadly seeing; fashion was more appealing and innovative; and it wasn’t just the same ol’ boring Hollywood starlet on the covers back then. Women’s mags actually offered their readers a variety of cover subjects, although back in those days, it was more model covers than actress/singer covers. And I liked that–back then, mags weren’t making like tabloids and pushing a story to their cover subjects (probably the reason why there are way too many annoying actress/singer covers these days). They kept it simple: here’s the model of the month, here’s this month’s look on the model, and that’s it. The first issue of Vogue I ever bought was the July 1999 issue with a young, soon-to-be-supermodel Gisele on the cover. Still have that mag to this day! 
I think, along with the hackneyed articles and ridiculous celebrity dreck now crammed in today’s mags, the cover subjects of these mags could also account for the dropping sales. They can only offer the same boring actress/singer cover for so long before the readers wise up and demand for a change. It’s like a restaurant serving up the same dish to their customers over and over again–eventually, people will tire of it. There are only a handful of actresses/singers I find interesting, but the ones getting covers are all these fly-by starlets I could care less for. Yet editors of these mags are reluctant to give a model (new or seasoned) a cover because they think an actress/singer sells more. Garbage! If that was the case, then why do I see recent news bits on “women’s magazine sales dropping” across the board? Perhaps the inane celebrity/tabloid culture of now is also to blame: a run-down starlet consistently showing up in the pages of US Weekly is not going to sell the cover of Elle or Bazaar. 
For me, I stick with the old magazines. I’m lucky to have amassed a collection of Vogue, Elle, W and Bazaar magazines from the 90s. Anyone who has seen an issue of Bazaar from the 90s will know that today’s mags will never be as cutting-edge as Bazaar was back then! Another magazine I miss is Jane magazine, because they were bold enough to trash certain celebrities in their pages, instead of kissing up to them like a lot of today’s mags shamefully do.