Comparing Women’s Style Magazines

Earlier this week, we took a look at the top men’s style magazines and provided our assessment of who should read what, and what they’re about.  Now it’s the ladies turn – read all about the best known owmen’s fashion and style magazines and learn which is the best one for you if you prefer cultural perspectives, strict love of fashion and clothes, insider information on ways to save on looking fabulous, etc.

Afterwards, share your favorites with us….and we’ll share ours!

Allure: a beauty magazine aimed at women in their late 20s to mid 40s known for its annual Best of Beauty Awards and editors’ picks for their favorite hair, makeup and skincare products. An “insider’s guide to a woman’s total image,” Allure will celebrate its 20th Anniversary Issue in March with A Celebration of American Beauty and American Icons of Fashion.

Cosmopolitan: a lifestyle magazine for “fun, fearless females who want to be the best they can be in every aspect of their lives.” The readership for this magazine is slightly younger than most others, with the median age being 30 years old. Cosmopolitan currently features topics such as sex, relationships, beauty, fashion and health, with sections on relationships and sex tips clearly outnumbering the articles on fashion.

Elle: the world’s largest fashion magazine that focuses on fashion, beauty and style–with a brain for the intellectual, sophisticated woman (median age for readership is 35.) Features include topics such as fashion, beauty, health and entertainment, including a sneak peek into the life of Katie Holmes (February 2011 issue) on Tom and coming back to TV as Jackie O.

Essence: a fashion and lifestyle magazine with an intimate “girlfriend-to-girlfriend” tone aimed at African American women ages 18-49 (most readers are between the ages of 35-44.) The goal of Essence is to “inspire black women of all shades and shapes to lead bold, fulfilling lives” throughout the various sections, including: beauty, fashion, culture, work, “black men, sex, and intimacy”, our news, healthy living etc. Read this magazine if you want to be inspired by their Take control of Your Life! Issue with sections on reinventing your career, finding your soul mate, and getting in shape!

Glamour: an optimistic and empowering women’s magazine that translates the style and trends for the real lives of American women, age 18-49. Stay tuned in March for the Relaunch of Fashion issue, April for it’s picks for 50 Most Glam and May for Spring Beauty and Health!

Harper’s Bazaar: a fashion magazine for the sophisticated woman who “has a love affair with clothes.” Considered the leading magazine in fashion and beauty editorial coverage, Harper’s Bazaar has a playful take on high fashion that is personal and relevant to her actual life. In this month’s issue, Jennifer Aniston talks to Nicole Kidman about movies, marriage and motherhood.

In Style:  a women’s fashion magazine featuring articles about beauty, fashion, home, entertaining, celebrity lifestyles. At In Style, “where the reader is the celebrity” you’ll find everything the stylish woman in her 20s, 30s, and 40s would need to know, including March’s Spring Fashion – Clothes We Love, Shop Like A Fashion Editor; April’s The Color Issue – How to Wear the Season’s Hottest Colors, Accessories Report, Easy Spring Hair, etc. and May’s Best Beauty Buys – Find Your Perfect Bra, Get Ready for Summer, Swimsuit Blowout, etc.

Lucky: a shopping and style magazine that calls itself the “Ultimate Shopping Guide” and “The Magazine about Shopping.” Mostly geared towards women around their mid-30’s, it is organized to help you make your choices and shop–it’s all about the product, all the time. Read this in May if you are interested in their Reader’s Choice issue!

More: a women’s lifestyle magazine catered to women 40+ with a stylish perspective and youthful energy. More’s new tagline “for women of style and substance” boasts their goal to give women what they want with matters of style: (59% of magazine) fashion, beauty, culture/entertainment, food and home, travel and matters of substance: (41%) career & finance, national and world affairs, health and relationships.

Real Simple: a women’s interest magazine for smart, busy women over 35 who welcome creative solutions to their everyday lives. The features specialize in keeping a home and organizing, beauty/fashion, cooking and emotional wellbeing, health, and work and life. Check out their January 2011 issue, Be Happier This Year, including 9 surprising strategies to get you there, your sanity saving handbook for 2011, 18 products to make everyday easier, and trends worth trying including the always-organized handbag.

Redbook: a lifestyle magazine targeted towards married women ages 25-49. Redbook provides a unique mix of editorial in fashion and beauty coverage, money and career advice, and marriage, relationships and family to reflect their readers’ varied interests. Check this magazine out for beauty checklists, style scoop on how to translate the hottest trends into smart, stylish ideas (what they refer to as “chiconomical” ideas) such as 5 Outfits Guys Secretly Hope You’ll Wear, what’s for dinner, and much more!

Self: women’s magazine that specializes in health, fitness, nutrition, beauty and happiness for the smart, healthy 30 to 40-something woman. It provides content and tools to inspire a woman to take charge and be her best self with jump start workout plans for the new year, beauty splurges and fashionable workout attire and footwear.

Vanity Fair: a magazine for the modern, sophisticated consumer, mainly women over 40, featuring articles on pop culture, fashion and politics. This magazine boasts in-depth reports on a variety of topics from entertainment, business, world affairs, style and society. Read this magazine if you want an inside look into the most exciting actors and actresses of the moment in Hollywood, Black Ties and Tales.

Vogue: a women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine that puts fashion in the context of our daily lives and more largely the world we live in including how we dress, what we eat and what, how we socialize and who leads and inspires us. This magazine features fashion spreads showcasing American designers and their spring collections, minimalism and sportswear, and more!  Check out this magazine about fashion and culture in April to see The Shape Issue about transforming both bodies and lives.

W: a mature women’s magazine for fashion and everything fashionable. Each month it sets out to answer the 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where and Why) of contemporary culture with innovative journalism on topics of fashion, art, beauty, entertainment, technology, politics and travel.

• Our favorite: In Style, Lucky, More, Vanity Fair
• Our take: the choices are endless, but you can just about get anything you’re looking for BUT you have to know what you want to know more about (fashion, personal style, bargains, culture, etc)
• Our want: a magazine that combines high brow and a little everyday fashion for a variety of shapes (that’s the big piece)!