Do you think fashion magazines have as much power as they used to?

[Niftythrifter]

I used to be an avid fashion magazine buyer but now hardly buy them and when I do they get flicked through rather than poured over. They are pretty expensive for what they are and they don’t, as far as I can tell, offer many free gifts these days which would tempt me to buy them ( can anyone remember the days of Clinique freebies and Benefit freebies?).

I used to absolutely love The Clothes Show magazine, but freebies were more Rimmel Heather Shimmer than Clinique! 😄

I think that their power has changed.
I don't read fashion mags either but the covers seem to be more celebrities like actors rather than models these days. I know that some models are celebrities but I was a teen in the 90s and my recollection was models on the cover.

Same. Used to buy several each month in my 20s, loved Marie Claire for articles too. Sadly for me internet has taken over and this is where I mainly read stuff now. Plus like pp said no freebies.

No. Sales figures for the glossies are way down from their 80s 90s heyday. Social media is where most fashion influence comes from.

I still like to buy a copy of Vogue from time to time though.

Oh man I used to be devoted to Vogue, I'd start looking out for it a week before it landed. Now even the September edition is full of pompous, self righteous shit.
It's over.
Unfortunately I can't be bothered either with social media shills who can barely string a sentence together.

Marie Claire doesn't even exist in print form anymore. I think Glamour and In Style have both folded too.

I do miss the days where I was excited to buy the new edition of the magazines and picking up multiple copies for the freebies for example buying two or three copies of Glamour for the same amount of Clinique Moisture surge for six quid rather than £30 or whatever it was.

I think body acceptance and positivity has been a positive to come out of the whole thing in that people are seeing what clothes look like on different body types and see how trends etc can be reinterpreted for different body shapes rather than one prevailing body type and also the fact that people are happy with their bodies as opposed to needing to succumb to diets etc to be able tp wear certain trends etc.

I used to love a magazine. Really settle down and read it. Not bought one for ages .

I used to buy 4 or 5 a month, but I haven't brought one for a few years, I might buy a couple to read on a plane, but none in the rest of the year.

That's interesting about body acceptance but what I'm seeing is thread after thread of posters saying they 'can't' wear something, even though they really like it, because of their shape. Hyper self critical. I used to believe dressing for your shape was liberating but I've come round to thinking it's as tyrannical as the fashion police ever were.

I used to love buying magazines but the fashion shoots are just so ridiculous now that I can't be bothered. Seeing a very young, skinny model in a ridiculous position, wearing layer upon layer of mismatched clothes and wild make up doesn't make me want to buy anything. Airbrushed celebrities don't either.

The older I get the more ridiculous the magazines become. Which is ironic really, as the older I get the more disposable income I have.

Depends on the magazine. I used to buy loads of glossies every month and had some great freebies - Ren products, Clinique 15 ml DDM, Benefit miniatures were very popular with Glamour, good tote bags in collaboration with Hobbs, Nails Inc polishes, Rodial eyeliner, mascara etc. Summer issues used to be particularly great as they often had free books. I first discovered Lisa Jewell books when Ralph's Party was free with Red. I even had flip flops, an umbrella and a bikini free (I have that away).
There were so many great magazines around 10+ years ago. I find that the ones there are are expensive. I still get Red but on a cheap subscription - I'm not paying £6 for it. I also find I just have a flick through and don't read it properly anymore. Smart phones are to blame. I have my edited feed on Google and Instagram and everything is instant.

No - the influencer model has completely changed the world of fashion advertising which is what used to fund the physical magazines.

it’s far cheaper for a brand to get an influencer in their target demographic with thousands of followers likely to be in the same demographic to wear / demonstrate / use an item than to find a page in a magazine. Add to that environmental concerns about use of glossy paper etc and you can see the death knell of physical magazines.

Having said that I use the Readly App to read magazines - amazing value (can’t fathom the business model!) £9 a month for unlimited access to hundreds of titles (not an Ad 😉)

No not really. I think it’s more centred around personalities/names now eg Anna Wintour and Sali Hughes, strategic product placement in movies and jnsta, using ‘influencers’ (hate that word).
I subscribe to Ready for Magazines and buy Vanity Fair as a treat every now and again

Years ago I had to prepare a lunch for a vair posh titled old school aristo lady. Her granddaughter and friend was coming for lunch. She worked at one of these magazines (think it was Glamour) and I got shown a few of her articles. Then I met the ‘journo’. Never ever in my life bought another print edition of those types if magazine again (glamour, cosmo, marie claire). The stuff I used to consume as near-gospel was written by the biggest airheads, I felt like such a fool!

X posted while i typed my essay - LOVE Readly!

I only look at them at the hairdressers these days - just flick through rather than read

Nice photos sometimes but IG replicated a lot of it anyway

I don't think anyone reads fashion magazines anymore. Sadly, they don't have much to say to their errm more mature readers who were once devoted to them.

A lot of the beauty journalists like Alex Streinherr and Sali Hughes are influencers now too.

I miss good writing. Where's the next Sarah Harris or Justine Picardie going to come from?

I was heartily sick of them telling me I wanted to be thinner, having more sex, have a high flying career and live in New York. No ‘proper’ articles about real world issues with a smattering of fashion like my instagram feed now shows me. I also subscribe to emails from Handbook and Luxe so get to see and choose whether I want to read any of the more traditional (see list above) articles and it’s all free. Miss the good summer freebies like PPs said though!

I used to spend so much money on magazines. Plus Sunday & Saturday papers complete with yet more. I remember Zoe Heller writing very entertainingly about her single life in the Sunday Times magazine years ago. Cosmo used to have brilliant writers in the 70's/80's. Marie Claire also had excellent reportage. Sadly i haven't bought one in years.
I even read the Guardian online these days.

I miss the heyday of magazines, the 90s and early 2000s, they gave me access to a whole other world. They're just not the same any more.

The only magazines I enjoy reading now and I feel have something to say to me are Grazia, really good mix of articles, activism, opinion pieces, lifestyle bits and expert skincare advice.

I occasionally buy Sunday papers for their free magazines. I like flicking through Fabulous magazine with the Sun on Sunday for it's straightforward health advice and sometimes notebook magazine free with the mirror.

I like Grazia but to me it’s over priced for what it is which is a shame.

Overpriced for sure! I miss the days when grazia would occasionally be on sale for the 'special price of £1'.

I don't buy every issue, have a quick flick though and will only buy it if something piques my interest. One of the January issues had 48 easy changes for better health, skin, relationships etc, and that was worth it's weight in gold.

@Snowfalling I might have a look at their website and see if there is anything on there!