I decided to treat myself to a Grazia subscription maybe about two years ago and I think it's money well spent keeping me entertained and well informed on everything and nothing. I don't take it too seriously and it's not a bible - it's just a fun way to keep up with the fashion world out there.
If I was to say what my favourite bits are - they include :
The FASHION CHARTS
I love looking at this bit to see what's coming in to the stores this week. Sometimes, if I'm lucky I manage to fit in a small shopping trip which allows me to check out these newbies - providing they are not just London based stores. I usually like 2% of what they feature ... which is a bonus as it works out a lot cheaper to not find anything you like.
CHART OF LUST
This makes me laugh. Especially as I like to imagine a bunch of 30 somethings all sitting behind a desk giggling and writing about lusty young men like Harry Styles and Tom Daley. But I unashamedly get where they're coming from. That's really bad isn't it ;o? But this week we have Daniel Craig at number 1 and that's okay because he's age appropriate. And just something I wanted to drop in ... Grumps used to hang out with Daniel Craig in his teen years. We even have photos to prove it and I can vouch that he wasn't always quite so buff. I find it very amusing whenever DC comes on TV as I then look at Grumps munching his peanuts on the sofa and think ... what if it had been him being Bond?
STYLE HUNTER
Where "normal" people are featured wearing their own ensembles and which has been voted the best. Funny thing is, I've never seen people like the ones featured walking around the streets of Leeds and York when I've been out and about. All I see is young girls in cut off shorts worn with tights, lopsided Uggs and some kind of hoody top and such heavily mascara'd eyes, they can hardly see where they're going. Where are these fashionistas please? Oh sorry - they all live in London .... or Miami in this weeks case.
YOU - THE FASHION JURY
Where the panel slates a load of celebrities and what they're wearing. But sometimes what they say is so true. Just because you're famous does not mean you can go round looking like a crazy loon and expect to call it fashion. Sometimes it's just good to know that even the rich and famous get it sooo wrong.
DISPATCHES FROM THE FASHION CUPBOARD
This is the cheap and cheerful bit. The bit where I can almost afford some of the items featured. So I like it.
AND FINALLY
No that's what it's called. It's the final round up of snippets that they just put in because they probably didn't know where else to lump them. But it's usually quite entertaining.
The weirdest thing is - for a fashion magazine - I don't actually like the proper fashion editorial bit. That bit I find boring probably because it feels unreal to me. Super leggy models wearing unwearable clothes. I know I'm supposed to just take inspiration from the super thought out fashion shoot outs in lovely locations but I have my head too tightly screwed on to think that it's okay to look like Willy Wonka minus strange hat.
Someone's been watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this week haven't they?
Inspiration comes in the strangest guises.
If I want wearable fashion, I look to RED and Marie Clarie, Easy Living where the trends are translated down for me - I'm not cutting edge, I just like nice wearable clothes which don't make you look silly.
And I don't pay much attention to the beauty bits either except where nail varnish is concerned ... or the horoscopes or the letters.
So that's my favourite Friday offering this week - my weekly Grazia fix. What do you read?
So that's my favourite Friday offering this week - my weekly Grazia fix. What do you read?
Grazia in Australia costs about $4, so it would be an expensive fashion fix if I got into the habit... I did used to buy it sometimes though and still do if a freebie comes with it.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I subscribe to Vogue (because I got it for cheap), Madison (ditto) and STYD (ditto). When my subscriptions run out I'm not sure that I will renew as I'm finding everything less and less inspiring.
I must say though I do enjoy STYD because it is purely about shopping (mainly fashion, but some beauty and home too) but lately it feels a little young for me. I'm getting too old for this mag I guess ;)
I had a quick google on STYD as I didn't know what it stood for but it's Shop Till You Drop and any magazine with a title like that is okay with me. I get the occasional Vogue depending on if there is anything on the cover which draws me in and recently I bought a Harpers mag ... purely for the free bag.
DeleteI find, I subscribe to different types of magazines depending on which stage I am in in my life. Four to five years ago, it was all house magazines having just moved home and needing inspiration. Now, the house has taken a back seat and it's the fashion mags which are the main draw.
I've always loved magazines and in recent years, I found myself getting to the dentist with 10 mins to spare so I can read their mags - they have really good ones. I figured, if the dentist was going to cost me that much, the very least I could do was read the magazines I was paying for ;o)
I used to be a complete magazine junkie and bought ALL of them (including o/s publications, US & UK Vogue and Elle)... Lord knows how much money I have spent all up over the years. I kind if made this realisation when I recently recycled all of them resulting in three fortnight's worth of (VERY LARGE) recycling bin! I read blogs now for my fashion fix :)
DeleteAlso I'm lucky that my mum has subscriptions to house magazines - so we do swapsies :)
Ps. Out of interest I went to the newsagency to see how much Grazia costs in Oz: $6.95!
If I were to add up how much I've spent on magazines from my teenage years and onwards - I think I would have many many expensive handbags by now. But I've probably enjoyed my mags more. I used to use a stack of them as a spare chair when I had friends round and I'd run out of chairs.
DeleteI seldom buy magazines, but I do like reading Grazia on the times that I do pick it up, as sometimes you just need a little escape from reality!
ReplyDeleteOh absolutely. I'm not buying as many mags as I used to as I seem to be getting a good fix from reading lots of blogs. It's funny, I just found your blog yesterday via Lapin de Lune's blog and just added you to my Bloglovin list to follow. Really like your Philip Lim skirt and the Topshop Courts you own - I wished I'd got them when I saw them - drat!
DeleteI actually like Grazia! Especially when it's down to £1. Wow! The hubster used to hang out with Daniel Craig. Mind you, these guys have to spend a lot of money on their image. I suppose it's the industry they're in.
ReplyDeleteYup - I bet Daniel Craig didn't get that body eating peanuts on the sofa ;o)
Deleteoh I like Grazia too. It's my usual Tuesday/Wednesday morning companion in the tube journey to work :)
ReplyDeleteI remember when it first came out and I used to read it sat at my desk at work - I didn't think that much to it then but I think I "get" it now. My Tuesdays are not the same when it doesn't arrive on time.
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