And if you do, why do you read them? While I was in Europe this summer, I traveled around a bit so I bought every English women’s fashion magazine I could find to keep me entertained in the plane. And plus; I admit it – they are my guilty pleasures! Some articles are just laughable, but there is definitely a lot of great information in them.
I came across this article by a fantastic blogger, Vered from Mom Grind, called Women’s Magazines: Why You Should Stop Reading Them. I’m personally passionate about that first reason as I look at some of the models in the fashion spreads and ads and I’m just appalled. This lead me to write my blog post, What goes on behind that image … and why you shouldn’t compare yourself to them.
Anyway, check out that article at Mom Grind and let me know what you think! I’m intrigued - I think everything she wrote is true, and I can’t believe how I have missed some of this. I mostly read these magazines for the beauty sections, but the ‘real-life’ articles are pretty great as well.
Let me know what you think about women fashion magazines: Are they just cashing in on insecurities? Are they really bad for self-esteem? Also, which female fashion magazines do you read, and why do you read them? I’d love to hear your input and comments on them!
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for the link love. Looking forward to read your readers’ opinion on this – you already know mine.
I don’t read womens magazines unless I’m at the hair dressers. I just never felt the pull although the pictures are pretty and they used to be a good source of information of upcoming releases and where to buy clothes or accessories. Now, the online media has taken over that job for me
Paris B´s last blog … Win the new L’oreal Infallible Lipstick!
I’ve just finished reading the article from Mom’s grind. I admit that all that she wrote is true but..I like reading women’s magazines ! It’s not meant to be taken seriously. The target aimed for these magazines is women, and I think that almost every woman knows that models are airbrushed. We know that it isn’t real. It’s like saying that fashion makes teens anorexic ! These issues (self-confidence, anorexia) have multiple causes and not reading women’s magazine will not make a huge difference, I think. The most important thing is to use your critical mind to pick what can be useful in these magazines and to throw what is just stupid. Personally, I read Glamour and Cosmopolitan (Vogue and such are too snobbish for me ^^). Voilà, I hope to read the other readers’ opinion soon :p
I just started reading your blog yesterday and love it! I haven’t been able to read Mom’s grind, but I will later on in the day. I never read women’s magazines unless I’m looking for a laugh because they’re so ridiculous. It’s just the same stuff over and over again. I also have to disagree with Krib. Women’s magazines do help contribute to low self-esteem and body image, particularly if the woman is already self-conscious. Reading these magazines and thinking that everyone else in the world must look like this, definitely does not help improve a woman’s already low self-esteem. Some women, like young teens, don’t know that it’s airbrushing, or they’re willing to believe that it’s real because they don’t know how to use their critical mind yet.
You’re right danielle, i forgot that we’re not in a perfect world :/ Because in a perfect world, every mother/father would teach their children how to use their critical mind, how to see what is behind the images. I tend to think that many problems comes from our childhood, from how we were seen by our friends or our family. And that is a thing that magazines are not responsible for..
I think that it depends on the person, so I agree with you both, Krib and Danielle. With what Krib says, I think that yes; for women like us, who are aware of the airbrushing, photoshop, product placement for advertisers, headlines to sell, etc, it should not affect us. After all we are educated about the media and it’s messages. (At least I hope I am, if not my teachers will yell at me
)
But for some younger girls who are not aware of this, I also agree with Danielle – I think that yes, it could def affect them. For example, thin models and anorexia is a good example. If a young girl only reads Vogue (for example), I believe that after awhile she will notice how the women in the magazine all look different to her and she will start to question why, and think, “these girls all look the same, so if they can get into magazines that means they are beautiful. I look different to them, so that means I’m not beautiful”. At the same time, if a girl already has some insecurities about her body or looks, then magazines can heighten this insecurity.
Bottom line? I believe in knowledge! I hope that all young girls can know that what they see is fake so that they will never compare themselves to ‘perfect’ models and be strong in who they are as a woman to not listen to the other subliminal messages it is sending them!
Thank you for your comments into this discussion! Keep them coming. I apologize if my comment is a bit funny, it’s almost 4am here so I’m half in dreamland
P.S. Welcome Danielle! Glad to have you here and hope to see you around more
BTW, I heard that magazines rotate their content every 4 years but updates it to current times … so in a way it really is the same old stuff over and over again.
That being said, I still enjoy them. I know Paris B mentioned above about having all the info online, but sometimes you can’t really beat having a publication in your hand to read on the train, plane, beach, etc.
Oh and Krib I like Glamour the best too
The US version is really good!
Renee – My perfect world would be one where every woman and man thought for his and herself and used their brains! What a wonderful society that would be… Instead we have girls that believe “Twilight” is the life they should strive for. Sigh. I agree that many women are able to tell the difference between real and photoshopped ads, but I wish there were more!
Totally agree with you, Danielle! I am in the midst of writing one loooong essay about Disney movies and how it represents women; stuff like how they are always a “damsel in distress” and needs to be saved by a man, amongst other things. Really interesting stuff, kids can “learn” a lot at such a young age and media def affects them.
Once I heard a young girl in a shopping mall complaining that she couldn’t wear something cause she has a fat stomach! She couldn’t have been older than 10! So sad
I only just started reading Cleo regularly this year. I quite like Women’s Weekly after they rebranded and lowered the price. I had thought I would like HerWorld for its wordiness, but no. Cos it’s too high end, and I can’t buy the things after reading. I don’t think it hurts my self-esteem at all. As I am just looking for more information, not at the models. I am a voracious info hoarder, so I go for really wordy, and up to date articles that ADDS on to my knowledge. Some of the magazines are too shallow and gossipy for me, which is not my cup of tea. I do look at the new products, but seldom buy. It’s just to add on to what I know exists, cos I am also a science lover, and I like to see how new technology and scientific knowledge is used in skincare.
Jyoan´s last blog … The Asian Kitchen @ Republic Plaza
just to add on…
One of reasons why I think it does not affect my own self-esteem, is because I am old comparatively, since I only touch a female magazine after 21. Most of the girls devour Teen and Seventeen at 14, and also start makeup and stuff then.
Jyoan´s last blog … The Asian Kitchen @ Republic Plaza
Thanks for your input and visiting, Jyoan!
I def think your age has something to do with it – I’m sure if you have started at 9, for example, thing would’ve been very differently. Now I’m sure you’ve already cultivated even knowledge/information/self esteem to understand what’s going on and not be affected by it!
I don’t read any, unless I’m stuck in line at the grocery store.
Layne - I wish we could here! I get very nasty looks when I try to sneak a peak, haha!
I enjoy women’s mags for what they offer me – a dream. A dream where you enter the glossy world of designer clothes, makeup, etc which I can’t afford in real life. But you know something? With the amount of mags I buy, on the whole, I could actually afford some of those luxury items already. So what’s that telling you of the amount I spend on mags?
Tine´s last blog … The Safety of Eye Makeup
Hey Tine – I have to agree with you on the ‘dream’ comment – I recently bought a teen mag I used to read when I was 14/15 and it was like going back into my teens, living the life of BFFs, homework and boys crushes like Rob Pattinson (hey not complaining about that!). It really is like a different ‘world’, or a dream, like you said.
And it tells me you love ‘dreaming’!
And so do I … dreaming of being a teen again, that is. Haha. I can safely say that I enjoyed returning to my youth and will probably start buying teen mags again, they are so cute 