I picked up a copy of All*You magazine today at the manicurist (brought to you by the folks who publish People mag) and I really liked it. Huzzah, the clothing and make-up recommendations were for people with real budgets and regular jobs, who wouldn’t spend $2400 on a handbag even if they could afford it, ’cause they aint’ dumb.
The models are really pretty mom-types who don’t have perfect hair and actually have visible crow’s feet, which I love. It’s actually so appealing to see that! The fashion tips reference stores like Kohl’s and J.C. Penney’s, and there’s a lot of practical advice for jugging professional and family life, but nothing cloying or throw-backy like some of the more old-school magazines tend to offer (“Get the kids off to school, put in a day at the office, then wrap yourself in Saran-Wrap for your husband when he gets home!”).
I see from their website that they’re offering a two-issue free trial, but the newstand price is only $1.79 so you can pick one up for yourself. I intend to do so myself because I am SICK AND TIRT of vapid fashion mags that seem to think I have $69 to spend on a body scrub and $400 on an ugly belt. Get real, LUCKY and VOGUE and the rest of youse! And W Magazine, what’s wrong with you!? You made Gwyneth Paltrow look like a DUDE on your last cover!
I do like Glamour even though it inevitably has some salacious Perils of Pauline “I WAS A VICTIM OF SOMETHING TERRUBLE” type articles (they tend to have other good articles, so I grit my teeth and bear it) and I do love the occasional Allure for its cosmetics reviews, but most of the women’s magazines out there are garbagio. This All*You looks like a nice one, for a change.
W has some questionable cover photography – AGREED. I did, however, read two good articles recently. One was the diary of Naomi Campbell (I think I really like her) during her public service cleanup project; the other was about Michelle Pfeiffer’s personal trainers who believe in super low body fat percentages (I disagree, but it was informative nonetheless).
And this is why W only costs $12/12 issues a year!
And I still think Latina! is one of the best. *plug*
More–The Magazine for Women Over 40 has been showing up in my mailbox lately, and I’m reading it, at 39! Has some real world type recommendations, as well as the clothes I wouldn’t spend that much money on even if I could. nevertheless, it’s refreshing to see 40-50 year old women as the focus of a magazine–and they had a great interview with Jodie Foster!