Eye Candy & Brain Food

STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I have worked as a periodicals clerk for a large book chain for over 5 years. I stock over 3000 titles and I routinely peruse at least half of them. For a brief period in the middle of that 5 years I worked as a circulation manager of a local city regional magazine. I know more about binding, ad space, circulation, paper and blow in cards than anyone should know. I can’t tell you what’s in a particular month’s issue, but I can probably tell you what their normal "special issues" are. Why do I include information on paper and binding? You can tell a lot about a magazine by its form. Cheap paper on a pop magazine is a sign of a not so good magazine. Glossy paper on a "serious" magazine is a sign of glossy reporting.

~Title~
Marie Claire

~Target Audience~
Intelligent women interesting in everything from fashion to world politics.

~Paper & Binding~
Glossy paper, square bound as are most fashion magazines.

~Advertising~
Lots, but that’s what pays the bills. It’s the usual clothing, perfume, make-up route.

~Editorial Length and Quality~
This is one magazine that I normally leaf through before I take it out on the floor because it really speaks to me. The articles usually run 3 to 5 pages and cover topics from exercise trends to "My husband was murdered because of an Honor Killing" (actual article.) This magazine doesn’t assume I’m stupid because I like clothes. It also doesn’t assume I’m a size 2 or smaller. They run articles on enhancing your curves not hiding them. A recent issue also featured an article on different exercise options and talked to women who were doing them. The theory is that if you don’t like the exercise you’ll quit, whereas if you don’t think of it as exercise you’ll get a work out and some self esteem. The options included the "hot new" strip aerobics class (if that’s your cup of tea…) and belly dance among other things. I applaud this because Americans tend to view exercise as invalid if it doesn’t hurt and we might not think of fun options. Plus the strip thing and the belly dance options are celebrations of being a girl. Have you ever seen a man belly dance? It’s funny looking. Another "girl thing" article in recent memory involved disguising a fiancée and sending her to her husband-to-be’s bachelor party.

Marie Claire also includes one serious issue article in every issue. I can remember recent issues talking about prostitution and slave trade among UN Forces in Bosnia, the Honor Killed husband, and forced prostitution in India. I guess they’re in a sex jag, but I’m pretty sure that in the past they’ve also done environmental and political issues complete with addresses for who to contact so you can do something.

~Photos~
Hey, did you notice that not all of these women are a size 2? Not all of these women are a size 2. Just about every issue features a photo spread of real sized women. Ok, they might not be Lane Bryant women, but they’re not Twiggy neither. And the fashion advice is attainable. I normally like a bit of fantasy with my fashion shoots, but I’ll forgive them here because this advice I can actually use. Just like I’ll never be able to hex people who cross me, neither will I wear a shirt that shows my nipples to the world. They also tend, in the photos, for a clean background. You don’t see a lot of St Tropez, you do see a lot of white. Again, I’m not going to St Tropez and showing my nipples. I can tell how sad you are to hear that.

~Upshot~
If I were not receiving this magazine monthly as part of my job I would have to buy it. The mix of fashion, make-up and thought is irresistible to me. It’s a well rounded title that I’m proud to carry. If you like to have your fashion segmented from everything else you’re looking for an In Style or an Allure. If you like brain food with your eye candy, look no further.