Comments on: Do You Read Women’s Magazine?

By: Renee

Renee — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:05:10 +0000

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

By: Tine

Tine — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:44:23 +0000

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

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 05:57:35 +0000

Layne - I wish we could here! I get very nasty looks when I try to sneak a peak, haha!

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 05:57:05 +0000

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!

By: Layne

Layne — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:13:22 +0000

I don’t read any, unless I’m stuck in line at the grocery store.

By: Jyoan

Jyoan — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:08:45 +0000

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

By: Jyoan

Jyoan — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:03:21 +0000

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

By: Renee

Renee — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:08:08 +0000

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

By: Danielle

Danielle — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:46:12 +0000

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!

By: Renee

Renee — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:42:07 +0000

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!