No Nonsense Women (New Woman)

Name: TigerTiger

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Product:	New Woman
Date:	12/04/01 (267 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great articles on things other than clothes and celebrities; affordable fashion; great prizes to win

Disadvantages: Lots of adverts

New Woman magazine claims that "You can't put a New Woman down", not one to resist a challenge I thought I would see just how easy it was to put down a New Woman, or New Woman magazine.New Woman magazine is published monthly and costs £2.50. You can find out any extra information at www.newwoman.co.uk.

~~~The Style~~~~

New Woman magazine is aimed for the twenty something woman in my opinion. It has a fair number of home features and serious career advice and has a distinctly womanly feel to it. There is a difference between it's style and that of 19 and B magazine for example. Indeed I have been reading New Woman magazine for the past 3 years or so, ever since I got tired of the same old articles on how to get the "boy" of my dreams and the like. Ok, I'm not going to say that there isn't articles on how to get your ideal "man" etc, but there is a difference. There are actually some serious articles on things other than love, sex and clothes and I feel like I am reading something which is a little more on my level.

~~~What's inside New Woman??~~~~~

The latest edition of New Woman is 234 pages long, ok there are a fair few adverts, but it is also packed full of lots of interesting features and regular sections.

*Features*
In the latest edition of New Woman there are 13 main features, 4 of these being celebrity oriented and the rest on other issues. The celebrity features include articles on "Why we wish we were....Madonna" and "British birds scrub up nicely". how the British female celebrities are giving those American celebs a run for their money. The other features include "a right bunch of Sharons", in which is talks to some really successful women called Sharon in an attempt to rid the name of all it's nasty stereotypes. There is also an article on how to get yourself through job interviews. They actually have a selection of int
erviewees and a panel that grills them and they assess each answer and how well the candidates did. This is actually pretty useful and gives sensible advice from the people in the know. With all the Bridget Jones fever sweeping the nation there is an article on "The real Bridget Jones", and there was me thinking I was "the" real Bridget, burst my bubble I have to say! There is also an article on the whole issue of being a surrended wife and the way that basically keeping your mouth shut and surrendering to your partner is the way to have it all, I am not going to pass comment on that one for sounding like a real feminist, but let's just say it is an interesting article. Yes, there are some articles on sex, but grown up sex and not the kind of naff stuff you get in 19 magazine,like "having sex for the first time: how to! This basically deals with how to get out of sexual ruts when you have been in a relationship too long, it is women's stuff!

The rest of the magazine is split into sections which are present in each edition. I actually find the way in which it has been sectioned very easy to flick through. Each section is themed and thus in every section there is a problem page on that theme, as well as any of the latest news and gossip.

Before the main sections start there is a letter from the editor Sara Cremer, who looks like a women and not a girl which is quite refreshing. It was actually quite a witty intro this month telling you how wisely you spent your £2.50 (we'll see about that) and all the other things that you could have done with your money. For example you could have bought 2 massive bags of crisps (i'm on a diet as ever), 10 cigarettes (don't smoke, if i did I really could be Bridget Jones though, as it is my diary is on 0 cigarettes a day), one G & T in a pub (hmmmmm, don't get me started), 2 scratchcards ( I always get the losing ones) or, now wait for it, about 7 bars of chocolate
(having read enough chocolate fueled opinions on dooyoo, I guess that would have swung it for some of you). Let's just pretend though that you did decide to splash out £2.50 on chocolate.....ooops, I mean New Woman magazine, what else do you get inside??

*Celebrity Spy*
New Woman contains all the usual celebrity spy and gossip that seems to litter every magazine, but I actually quite like the chance to see celebs looking less than great, it gives me hope!

*Cringe*
A section which gives you the reader the chance to send in your most embarrassing moments for the whole world to see. Mind you if yours is published you get 6 bottles of decent wine, watch out in future editions for my revelations, can't beat a bottle of wine. If you have any stories you can email them in to helen.spiers@ecm.emap.com.

*Lovelife Q&A*
Problem page for all things love and relationships as well as some Tips that may be handy to know.

*friends Q&A*
A section to deal with all your friendship worries. Including a section I like where someone gets to write in and spill all the gossip on an ex-friend who has commited a friendship crime.

*Money Q&A*
This section may not change your lives, well I've been reading if for 3 years or so and I am no where near millionaire status I tell you. However, there is plenty of useful financial advice.

*Work Q&A*
The best bit on this page has to be the "evil employer, evil Employee" section in which evil employers and employees are asked to write in with the awful things they do.

*fashion Q&A*
Got a fashion worry? Well, you can write in to NW mag and get them to solve your problems. They also have a little section entitled "would they wear it in Wigan" with a latest slightly bonkers trend that basically most people wouldn't wear anywhere!!

*Beauty Q&A*
The final Q&A section deals with all your beauty worries.

*L
unch Break debate*
Here is a section pretty much like the dooyoo speakers corner as they debate a topical issue ansd give both sides of the arguement and then have comments from the general public. An interesting read each edition.

Now for the main sections:-

*New Bloke*
Do the words bloke and new go together? NW obviously think so and have set about creating a section full of all things new man. There is usually an interview with some gorgeous celeb male, bloke buys which shows you some interesting things to buy men, I like this section as I never know what to buy my brother or any of my male friends. There is always a main bloke perspective feature. In the latest may edition it is all about what men think when they see you naked, comparing naked women with size 8, 12 and 16 figures. I'm not entirely convinced by what they have to say as all the men were really positive about the size 8 and 12 women, saying how lovely everything is. Then they get to the size 16 and although they aren't rude about her they say things like "her tummy might be on the large side", but then at the end all 3 men ask if they have her phone number so they can ring me out....hmmmm. Each edition they also ask men in the street on a certain issue, this month it is PMS and how they cope with premenstrual women, and what about us? That is only for a few days a month, we have to listen to men and all their nonsense for the whole month.....ooops, is my feminist, off men at present attitude sneaking through? I have to say though that the best bit in this section is "wierd willy". Each month they feature, you guessed it, a wierd willy, yes a real photograph of one as well. On many occasion my friends and I have been rolling on the floor with laughter on this one. There really are some wierd ones out there.

*New Fashion
This section has pages of the latest fashions and buys from both designers and the high street. To be honest tho
ugh, it is more the top end of the high street though, the likes of Karen Millen, Oasis and Warehouse. New Woman? More like Rich woman.A great section is the " 6 days 6 ways" in which they take 6 items and mix and match them into outfits for the whole week. They actually include items from New Look in this, so affordable for all pockets. They also try and find the high street versions of the catwalk looks and show you how to get the style of a celebrity.

*New Beauty*
Here you will find all the latest beauty news. Including "tips and tricks" on how to achieve great looks. News on the latest beauty products on the market. "Hairclips" is a section on how to get great hair.

*New Body*
New Body is a new section which aims to give you advice on getting a better body and mind. These sections are increasingly popular with all the major women's magazines starting to include similar features.In May edition it had lots of info on homeopathic alternatives which I really found useful as I have a great interest in this area. There is a section on exercise and things you can do to get a flatter stomach and slimmer thighs. Additionally, they feature info on food and the right things to eat. I actually found great amusement in one feature "are you an alcoholic", especially after all the comments I have had on dooyoo about my drinking! Then to make matters worse one of the sections was entitled "whoa there, easy does it Tiger", is someone trying to tell me something???!!!

*Reviews and travel*
You guessed it, here NW mag gives you all the latest music, book, video and cinema and tv reviews. As well as info on travel and places to go on holiday and just for day trips.

*Home and shopping*
This is one of those sections that definitely makes you realise that this is meant for women and not girls, as it is great for advice on housing and how to decorate. However, it is all done in
a young and funky way that is aimed at the twenty something.

*Win - Blag Lady*
This is a new section which gives you the chance to win some really great things, in their own words, "because we all love a freeebie"!! In the latest edition for example you can win a Caribbean holiday and your height in Dune shoes. Some of the competitions involve ringing some really expensive phone lines, however, others are easier and cheaper and just involve sticking a postcard in the post with your answer and details on. I'll let you know If I am heading off to Antigua or in shoe heaven!

*Your Shout -letters*
Once again there is a chance for readers to have their say in the letters section. If you write the star letter you can win a years supply of Haagen Daaz ice-cream, can't say fairer than that can you!

*fancy a quickie?*
You get the chance to win big once again with the prize cross word. I actually hate doing cross words and I have to be pretty bored to pick on up, however, if these are your thing then why not. This month the prize was a weekend away at a top hotel in Exeter, living in Exeter this also made it less than appealing!

*Stars*
Every women's mag wouldn't be complete without some horoscopes and right at the back you are presented with quite lengthy stars it has to be said. It also offers you the chance to read your stars each day by none other than Russell Grant if you check their web site at www.newwoman.co.uk/horoscopes

*The Interesting bit at the back*
The last thing in NW mag is entitled "the interesting bit at the back" and this is actually a really interesting feature lasting a couple of pages. It makes a refreshing change from the filler articles they usually shove at the end of the magazine. I presume they are relying on the whole primacy and recency effects, that the last thing you read you usually remember, and thus they choose something interesting and a
little different for the final pages.

~~~~~Concluding thoughts~~~~

NW magazine sits on a shelf with many many women's mags it has to be said and so it takes a great deal for anything to really stick out. NW pretty much follows the usual format for women, however, if it is a formula that works, why change it? I've read this pretty much every month for the past few years and I like it's style. It seems to appeal to me and my twentysomething friends and seems to refer to Sex and the City a lot, which being my favourite tv show is bound to appeal. It has the Sex and the City appeal to it, in that the articles are fresh and to the point, yet are written with women in mind. I have spent £2.50 on worse things anyway!

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