Magazines - not what they used to be?

[BeautifulWar]

Or is it me, being older and over them?

I've always loved magazines: Smash Hits and Big as kid, then Sugar and Bliss as the archetypal pre/early teen in the mid 90s, before graduating onto Cosmo, Marie Clare, Vogue etc. in my 20s and Red and Women's Health in my 30s.

Now in my early 40s, I can't seem to find anything I like. I miss sitting down with a coffee, 20 mins and a frivolous read.

Has anyone else found this and discovered anything worth a read?

I agree, have always loved magazines too but the women's glossies just don't interest me much any more, I don't feel there's much good writing in there any more (just endless "inspiring" stories about women who overcame adversity by starting their own cupcake business).
I've been reading National Geographic Traveller lately and enjoying it a lot - lovely photography and good writing, pure escapism. Occasionally buy Food & Travel though find it more hit and miss.

Women's glossies seem to be no more than a book of adverts these days.

There's a video where someone tore out all the adverts to show how little actual content there is. Especially when a lot of that which isn't blatantly an advert is just photographs of things that have been sent by brands. 'Best foundation/handbag/shoe of the month' etc.

I don't really buy magazines because I don't get round to reading them, but on the odd occasion, I might get the Sunday Times travel magazine if it has features about places I'm interested in.

I recently forgot my book for a plane journey and thought I'd buy a couple of magazines to pass the time.

Like you I had always read magazines through the years and was spending a fortune on them.

There was a double pack with a Marie Claire and Cosmo in it, and it was just rubbish. I'd started with Cosmo thinking Marie Claire would probably be a bit more in line with my interests but then I flicked through them both and realised I'm 42 and.just not 26 anymore.

I quite like good housekeeping which my mum gets, but my favourites now are the trashy take a break type ones I get in the hairdresser's.

I think I might have to branch out and try some more lifestyle type mags. I did like the actual stories in Marie Clare years ago and more recently some of the stuff Fern Cotton did for Red and another journalist whose husband unexpectedly left her.

I totally agree on the 'inspiring' business stories and also how much is just advertising!

I like a Grazia from time to time, and Red still has nice fashion and interiors, though their features have gone downhill. If you’re after a good read, Vanity Fair is always interesting.

I don't buy them anymore. The amount of ads in them is ridiculous

I think they just seem quite old fashioned and boring. They are very repetitive, the same stuff year on year.

I now just buy books instead.

I used to love them up to about 2008/2009 when they really took a nose dive due to Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram/Facebook etc.. There's so little writing and what is there is appalling. Its just advertising now and in the case of Red/Marie Clare/Grazia, ridiculous advertising - a £13,000 Chanel blouse, a £14,000 Balenciaga jacket, etc. Ridiculous. Might As well just buy Vogue for that level of fantasy.

I think social media has killed magazines. I used to regularly buy them, similar ones to you throughout the years. I enjoyed laying in the bath reading Heat or OK magazines, but as smart phones have advanced I would now rather look at my phone.

With magazines, a lot of the "gossip " is old news by the time it comes out plus lots of celebrities have their own sm pages where you can pretty much keep up to date with if you want to, without the added spin of a magazine journalists story. My teens wouldn't buy them.

I never buy magazines any more. They're all free on the Libby app if you have a library card.

I think PPs are right about social media, and actually the teen mags I loved no longer exist at all. Times have changed!

Haven't bought one in years. Used to buy weekly/monthly, then borrowed from library. Sadly the only place I see them nowadays is in the hairdressers and even they've cut right back as people prefer to look at their phones.
Too many adverts for overpriced items. No real editorial content. Interviews with "celebs" you've never heard of.
They're overpriced and been killed by social media.

Just tried this, but it's American! Is there an English version?

I'm only in my 40s but recently bought Platinum magazine... it really surprised me! It's a little bit like Red, but a bit more down to earth in terms of fashion, homes etc. But a big (judgemental) part of me says I'm way too young and so now I subconsciously look at who's on their cover before I buy it!

Me too, you can get a huge variety and you can download them onto your phone to read offline.

tedious and repetitive
This.

When you've read "How to have the perfect Christmas / Easter / Beach holiday!!!!" for the billionth time it gets a bit wearing.

Yes our library has access to magazines - go on your local library website and see what they say.

I've found there's a gap in the market for a good magazine that fits somewhere between cosmopolitan and woman's weekly in terms of age and interests. The current offerings seem to jump from "how to get him to notice you" and adverts for glamorous outfits and resorts to knitting tea cosies and coping with incontinence.

I used to work on women’s magazines at the start of my career and they only keep readers for 3 years, after which they recycle content. So I do think you can only follow them for a period of your life. Like mumsnet, possibly..

I used to read Women's Health every month,loved sitting and reading it in the garden but over the past year it just isn't what it used to be. If you look at Men's Health they have sportsmen we have the likes of Michelle Keegan as our cover star. It's like they think as a woman all we care about is make up and clothes.

@clarepetal there's different versions for different countries. I'm in Ireland but I know there's a UK version.

I agree with this.

The last time i bought mens health it was great. Impressive interviews with sportsmen and coaches of real standing, excellent range of training programs and a good diet sheet too.

The womens' version was all best yoga pants under £50, a new range of moisturisers and an interview with a soap star.

Says it all really.

I think what got me was one month Men's Health had some of the England rugby players on (think it was around the 6 Nations) but instead of doing the Red Roses, they put some actress. I would much rather read about rugby players. There's Closer for a soap star.

My friend was a well-known, award-winning article writer for a lot of the glossies back in the day. Really in-depth, interesting pieces that took time and research to write. But the pay became shit and it felt like a race to the bottom.

She moved into PR and makes ten times what she was making then. A lot of her peers made similar moves, apparently.