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Favorite Fashion Mags?

Sarah Baker

(website)

So, what are your favorite fashion mags? Obviously YouLookFab is my go-to, but what about the mags you take along to the beach or read while in the carpool line?

I started reading W back in high school and have been a devoted follower ever since. I love the photography--every fashion spread is like Art. I also love reading the Countess' column every month.

I have recently been enjoying Harper's Bazaar which offers a good mix of high-fashion with compelling stories. The fashion is also a tiny bit more accessible than W's, so I feel like someday I might own that $300 trench coat, as opposed to the $3000 in W. LOL

I had a subscription to Marie Claire but let it go, I found it a trifle boring and sensationalistic at the same time.

What are your faves?

Book Club

18 replies

Latest reply was from rute

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I read Lucky, and I have to admit, I have been really enjoying More, which is for women 40 and older. It's astonishing to see fashion spreads and articles geared for adult women. When I compare them to similar spreads in Lucky, I really can see how Lucky is aiming at someone in their 20s-30s, and I am struck hard by the realization that that is no longer me. Mind you, I still get inspiration from Lucky, but More..."speaks" to me on a deeper level.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I like Harper's Bazaar too, although they seem a bit hung up on Banana Republic and AT. There are other lower-priced lines out there, you know?

anne

Veteran

I only buy a magazine once in a blue moon ( like if I had to go to hospital to have a baby! - so I guess it has been 2 years now). I did used to get Instyle out of the library quite regularly, and liked their practical approach to fashions more than mags like Vogue. But since I started reading YLF I have pretty much stopped.

Isabel

Veteran

Oh gosh ! Anything. I go to the library when I can and I go through every single one. I can't honestly say that I "read", I just goggle the pictures.

Lisa

Veteran

I subscribe to Marie Claire, Lucky and Instyle. I'm getting rid of Marie Claire and Instyle when they come due, I've had them a long time and gotten bored. Lucky I may keep for another year or until I get bored. But I find the best advice when I spot OK or US weekly at the gym. I can cover the mag in 30min on the treadmill and get ideas from the celebrity outfits. Now if only I could afford the clothes too...

Frances

This is going to sound preachy and self-righteous, but I've stopped subscribing altogether for the following reasons: 1) I'm concerned about the environmental impact of all that paper; 2) A lot of publishers have moved to an auto-renew policy, where issues keep arriving after the expiration of your subscription and you're billed for them, which infuriates me; 3) Most magazines are already on the internet anyway and have better, up-to-date content plus how-to videos! 4) I never want to part with my magazines, but have no space for stacks of old issues; 5) I get really turned off by the celebrity worship; 6) I discovered great fashion blogs like YLF! Have you ever met a Conde Nast publication that can match YLF?

Okay, end of preachy rant. Admittedly, I still have Women's Running turning up in my mailbox, though I thought that subscription expired long ago, and I will occasionally buy a copy of Women's Health or Oprah's magazine when I have a long, monotonous evening flight home after a business trip and need something light or inspiring to read. But I only buy them for the articles!

cciele

Veteran

Lucky's the only one I subscribe to. I like how it is unabashedly only about shopping and fashion. No "How to make your boyfriend happy in bed" or "Conflict in Rwanda" types of articles. Not that there's anything wrong with those types of articles, but I like Lucky's single-mindedness.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I read them all - Vogue (from as many countries as possible) to In Style, Glamour, Lucky, Harpers, W and Elle. I really like British In Style, American Harpers, and French Vogue.

taylor

Veteran

I have only ever subscribed to W...but that is because when I am in the Salon I breeze through them all when I have a second between colors and cuts:)

Joha

I recently subscribed to a German Mag called "Brigitte". They cover everything from Fashion to Food, From Interior Design to Womens Politics. But what I like most is, that they recently switched to "real life women only". So no models anymore in the fashion and beauty spreads, just real women.

Other than that: everything my library has to offer, which is Instyle, Vogue and Elle for most of the time.

stringy

Veteran

Here in Oz, I've tried a few, but only really read Shop Til You Drop for fashion now. The others have got too much gossipy stuff (which I get enough of at the hairdressers, no need to buy my own!) or the clothes are well out of reach for me.

SYTD does a mix of high-low, mixing Target with Saba, etc. and does pretty good runway-to-realway articles too.

But I still think STYD is a horrible name for a magazine. So consumerist and cheap sounding!

April

Veteran

Another vote for Lucky. Since I'm the practical, give-me-something-I-can-use type, I prefer a magazine with clothing I can actually find, buy, and wear to a magazine featuring couture.

I do wish there were something equivalent for a slightly more mature crowd since as others have noted, Lucky reads young. InStyle is too much about the Hollywood girls and Allure is more cosmetics, skin and haircare than clothing. More is a good magazine but I really want something focused on "shopping and style for grownups."

Anyone want to quit her job and start a magazine with me?

Rosie

Veteran

I read pretty much all of them. I love magazines, have my whole life. (Fortunately, I subscribe to all I can with Zinio to be more environmentally and space-friendly!) I also really enjoy foreign magazines and frequently buy UK, Italian, French, Spanish and German mags. Sometimes I even buy fashion or home magazines in languages I don't speak but can sort of figure out if they have great photos.

I'm in my early-30's but I still find that More has some great articles and fashion ideas! Real Simple does has had increasingly interesting fashion articles recently.

I used to love, love, love Lucky but it has gone a bit downhill in my opinion. I still love it, but they don't do some of the best types of articles as much. They used to feature a girl a woman and one week of her wardrobe almost in every issue - very rare anymore. They also need to do their 30/31 days of style where they mix and match more than 2x/year.

Have any of you read VIV magazine? It is digital via Zinio and I think it is awesome.

Beth

Veteran

I don't subscribe to any but I do like reading American Vogue, Lucky and More.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Used to love Marie Claire but since Nina Garcia took over it definitely skews high end now.
Lucky is ok, but not edgy enough for me.
I like reading Nylon at the salon.

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Stringy I really like Shop Til You Drop too... I've got no desire to read all the celebrity gossip or anything like that, so love just looking at nothing but clothes and getting ideas.

I agree that the name leaves a bit to be desired though.

Other than that, I've read InStyle a bit too...

stringy

Veteran

I find I like InStyle more when the celebrity interview is with someone interesting. I still remember the interview and photo shoot with Josh Holloway, mmm...

rute

Veteran

I subscribe Portuguese Elle and Vogue and always buy British In Style when during my vancations in Algarve because they always have a lot of British Mags