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?

Such a shame. I loved a good mag, back in the day. I don't even read take a break now - you still get the odd 'my hubby went for a dog walk and came back with three tits on his arse!! Omg!! ' type of story but mostly they're really fucking horrible features about rape and murder ( with a word search on p53 where you can win £££s!!)

I still buy four magazines a month:

Woman and Home (great book recommendations).
Good Housekeeping (I don't mind if I miss this)
English Home
Homes and Antiques.

I have up Tatler after the fashion shoot showed am 18 year old in a see through blouse. No bra. It was pure porn.
Vogue is a good read but too many ads.

What I don't like is the same daytime 'stars' on the front cover and as a lead story on rotation. Ditto former ones too! I am not interested in their diet regimes/ gastric bands, botox denials or the wonderful new home they have bought.
I'd like more finance, health/ medical, cars, books, education etc. Hell they can even chuck in some politics.

@Matchinglipsandfingertips Try Vanity Fair. Lots of proper long-read, well-researched features.

agree, I never buy a magazine but read about 6 a week on the Libby app.

I loved Red but they over 8euro in Ireland! I enjoy prima and woman and home. They just odd time as so pricey. I still enjoy bella. My mam buys womans weekly.

Tend to favour history magazines. Ususlly have a subscription. Let it lapse. Recently picked one up in supermarket- £6.50- err no thanks.

Our local library has dozens of magazines that you can download using the Libby app. It’s great because you don’t have to pay to try them. And if you don’t like them you can just check them back in. If you do like them, there are usually several months of back issues you can download. I love it.

I buy Woman and Home and find it a relaxing read. I pass on to my friend then so it's good value if two enjoy it. But they are getting very expensive. I also like Psychology magazine as it gives me some ideas for life but again too expensive to buy two. I read Red in the hairdresser or some house magazines. I love a magazine on a flight as l am a reluctant flier so it's more relaxing than trying to get into a book.

Sorry. I meant to add that there are some American ones on there (I like The New Yorker) but also many of the usual BBC type ones, cookery ones, British house magazines, etc.

Cosmopolitan is absolutely horrendous these days. I'm 37 yet all I read now are history magazines, four four two, and food stuff!

I quite like Good Housekeeping.

I used to love magazines too. Look In, Smash Hits, Just 17 etc. Then More (?) Cosmo and later Red.

I sometimes read them on BorrowBox library app and sometimes there are free kindle ones on Amazon Prime

I remember sneaking a look at my mum’s Marie Claire when I was a kid. It was printed on thick paper and it had an article about honour killings in India. I can still remember details of the story. I used to think that when I was a ‘grown up’ that’s what magazines would be like, but nothing like that exists anymore.

Wow I had no idea about the library app, I'll definitely take a look at that!

I remember sneaking a look at my mum’s Marie Claire when I was a kid. It was printed on thick paper and it had an article about honour killings in India. I can still remember details of the story.

Marie Claire was great back in the day and covered important issues. I remember reading an article about FGM when I was about 18...I had no idea that such things happened in the world!

I guess we just have better access to news these days.

Also kids magazines are bloody rip offs these days I tend to buy my eldest them only for a 'treat' but begrudgingly so.

Aren't they just? Always with some variation of the same plastic tat on the front!

I was in the shower this morning when this thread popped into my head, with its twin themes of poor quality and costliness. Then I thought about Style magazine, the monthly mag that is distributed free in supermarkets. It is so awful that it is often still hanging around for weeks (compare and contrast to the local weekly newspaper, also free, that is gone within hours).
Style magazine is so dire that they can't even give it away!

I used to read the glossies in my 20’s.

Now l read New Scientist!

I love Radio Times. Try it, you'll be surprised. It helps if you like telly but it covers other things too like travel, books

I don't like that they have reduced the size of lots of magazines.
I like them big!