UK vs. American women's mags...

[adrianamalfoy]

The UK versions of Marie Claire and Cosmo are quite different from the American ones, even though by the time they get over to this side of the pond, the British mags don't still have the free stuff they tend to come with when you get them over there. Compare the differences in the contents of the articles included in every issue

Comments

[fbs_fic]

I read American Marie Claire every month, and I can't say that I agree with your assessment. You're absolutely right about Cosmo, which is why I stopped reading it. However, I feel that Marie Claire takes a much more responsible and informed approach to being a women's magazine. I have seen diverse and plus-size models in its pages several times. There are stories about sex, health, and reproduction, but they are not condemnatory or outrageous. I particularly like the around the world and news-related stories they run. I always come away having learned something new.

I like to think that I'm not a terrified fembot advertising target...and I would also like to think that my writing and/or basic literacy backs that up.

[adrianamalfoy]

Marie Claire is, granted, the best of the lot, but it's still not as good as its UK version, and it's not Jane, either. And I believe this month has everyone's favorite Ritalin and Red Bull Chic idol (sugarfree, of course - gotta stay under 70lbs at all cost!) on the cover, Mary-Kate Olsen, who wouldn't have been news in a very long time if it weren't for her weight. I haven't read that issue yet, though. Marie Claire is stocked at foot level, Cosmo and Glamour at eye level - I really can't say the latter is much better than Cosmo, but it doesn't have a UK version that we carry, so it didn't really work for the comparison.

Of course, then there's the Vogue and In Style types, where the ad to content ratio is such that they should be paying *you* to read them! ;-)

*realizes the entry really should have been posted in the other account with the rest of the retail rant collection, but the Tom Felton bit in the Cosmo kind of made her forget she even had another LJ...*