Womens' magazines - does anyone read Eve?

[Fionn]

I know there's been a thread on this before but when I tried to search under "Other Subjects" for some reason it searched through every single topic and came up with loads.
Anyway, I've got a voucher for a reduced subscription to Eve and wondered what people thought of it. I read it once years ago and thought it was quite good. Recently finished a sub to Marie Claire which was just too glossy and too much fashion stuff for my taste. My ideal mag would be an intelligent mixture of the arts, fashion, beauty, cooking, current affairs, interviews with interesting people but I can't stand Real Life stories stuff. I'd like a bit of parenting stuff but not essential!

I, too, red an early copy of Eve when in first came out, and thought it quite a good read, but funnily enough, haven't bought it since. For me, I think it reminded me a bit too much of a Sunday supplement, which wasn't my cup of tea. But magazines do change quite a lot (I should know ? I work for one) so I'd definitely buy a copy before you take out the sub to see if you want to commit yourself to it for a whole year. I always used to like Red whenever I picked it up at the hairdressers, which has quite a good mix of stuff ? interviews, bit of fashion, though wearable stuff, unlike some of the others, few psychobabble-type features though not much parenting stuff. I'm showing my age here, but hey, who cares ? personally, I like Woman & Home, though it is aimed at the more mature woman, but there's loads to read as well as 'wearable' fashion plus a bit of home stuff. I was pleasantly surprised by Family Circle, too, when I bought it last month ? lots of recipes and real-life parenting stuff, but no real 'meaty' reads. For parenting stuff, I often find Junior quite a good read, though some of it annoys me intensely I, too, would be interested to know what other mums like.

Eve is the only mag I regularly buy - I used to ger Marie-Claire which suited my lifestyle then but I find Eve much more interesting - not all sex and fashion! I would recommend it

fionn, what about red magazine? it would seem to fit the bill (although not much/anything on current affairs). having said that, i used to subscribe, but found it a bit too insipid to read every single month. once in two/three months is enough for me.

I have a subscription to Eve, I enjoy it. It's the only glossy I read at the moment except housey mags.

I too have an Eve subscription and it is the only mag that hasn't filled up with over-priced fashion shoots the minute I decide to subscribe!

Fionn, as a complete magazine addict I would thoroughly recommend Eve. As we're so poor atm I have cut back and only buy one magazine a month. Eve is that magazine. Not patronising, intelligent, realistic, funny, useful and relevant (to me, anyway). Agree though, buy a copy and see if you're impressed.

Yep, Eve is my mag of choice as well. I don't know if it is because it is made by the BBC, but it seems to have a few more brains than most of the other ones, something you can get your teeth into often. And not too much fashion, which just makes me feel fat.

I have to say I don't think Eve is quite as good or as different as it was when it first launched, but I'm a regular reader and always enjoy it.
Like bk, I think Red might be worth a look for you too, Fionn, and I've bought a few copies of She recently and quite enjoyed that too.
Does anyone else find the very existence of Glamour and In Style really scary and upsetting? SO not me at the minute...

There's not one mag' that I buy regularly - in fact I just don't buy womens' mags regularly at all as I just can't find one that I like enough. Not sure if this says something about the magazine market or me though.

I quite like CN Traveller - essentially holiday porn as can't afford any of the locations, but can fantasise.

I've also got an Eve subscription. I prefer it to the other magazines I've read. In the past, I've tried Red but it's never seemed to be about much. I also used to subscribe to She, but it seemed to be getting more and more obsessed with sex, and I got fed up with it.

Well based on all your comments I've just bought copies of Eve and Red and am looking forward to a few hours reading them tonight...I'll report back!

Just thought I'd say I was very impressed with eve, after my initial disappointment at seeing the "Lose 1/2 stone forever" on the cover! I was interested in reading virtually every article, very unusual for me with a womens mag. The fashion and beauty stuff was very down-to-earth and high-street based, not just a big ad for loads of expensive products. And as a plus there was a coupon inside for 50% off an annual subscription, paying only £16.80 for 12 issues. That was an even better deal than the one I had originally. So thanks for all your comments!

that sounds good, will try eve myself, am not really a magazine person, but every so often...