Appreciation to the value it's given me... I'd have gone crazy without it! (Marie Claire)

Member Name: Miss-C-B

Product:	Marie Claire
Date:	15/11/08 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: My no. 1 choice for all-round magazine

Disadvantages: Would like more of the occassional current affairs articles; less glitz/glamour?

I'm gonna keep it simple. I didn't know Marie Claire is 15 years old, but I was shocked to discover that, because I have been reading it since my GCSEs (16 years old) and now I'm 31.

I acknowledge it as my first grown up magazine (prior to that it was Big! and Just Seventeen.... ) I have stuck faithfully to it ever since and it isn't blind loyalty. If I had to take one piece of reading material with me on holiday it is Marie Claire. If I could only read one thing it is Marie Claire.... so long as it keeps feeding me current affairs too!!

It's my first choice as an all-rounder.

To complete my regular dosage of magazines my current compilation stands at: Marie-Claire, Pschologies, Grazia, Red and You (Sunday Times).

I love the fashion editorials - fab photography, modeling and styling; I love the feature articles - well-chosen topics; I love the lighter side of it and I especially love the beauty section - amazing advice.

SERIOUSLY, I must thank Marie-Claire for making me aware of sun protection and using SPF daily to protect my skin. I found this out when I was 16 and hunted down a daily moisturiser with SPF and have never looked back.

I also thank it for feeding me invaluable insight into various aspects of being a person/woman: world news, women's issues, health... all covered with real substance.

A lot of the most up-to-date stuff I've learnt about nutrition, skincare, politics and countless other stuff I've gleaned from the pages of Marie-Claire* over the last 15 years (I never read it all the time, but I currently have a gift subscription). To me it is money extraordinarily well-spent - I used to read it cover to cover.

(* I do also read daily and Sunday newspapers!!)

I love the British media when it comes to stuff like Marie-Claire...

It's fed in a way that's highly enjoyable to read.

If I had the skill and talent to create a magazine, this would be it.

But after having read it on-and-off for 15 years some days it feels kinda young... but I still love it. The thought that's put into its layouts and photography is amazing. Sometimes I enjoy it just for that.

What I love most:
(1) the up-to-date science stuff related to Health and Beauty
(2) the way it writes about world news/current affairs... or have I got that mixed up? there was a time when it had a leading feature article about Worldwide Women's Issues.
(3) it teaches you how to save and splurge to get different looks - it's not all designer!! it teaches style e.g. day to night, occassional wear, work wear
(4) it's advice is practical and intelligent, but not frumpy

I know it's current readership is really wide so we can't always get what we want. A magazine should always stay sharp and know its target audience, or it's just vague and misdirectional, however...

What I'm waiting for:
(1) stuff about marriage and families... or is that another sector of the market?
(2) more about other figures in society, not just celebrities and bright young things... or is there another magazine for that?

Summary: Add it to your list of regular reads