12.10.2009

An addiction


I have a confession to make. I'm an addict. A magazine addict, that is. My addiction is so bad that I've actually considered building extra shelves in our condo just to house my ever-growing collection. Instead, I mostly just stack them in random corners and underneath coffee tables while trying to convince myself that the hoarded piles count as interior decor.

My infatuation with magazines began at the age of 12, when I stayed home from school one day with a sore throat and fever. My mom, being the awesome mom that she is, went to the grocery store and stocked up on ingredients for chicken noodle soup as well as a small arsenal of magazines to help keep my boredom at bay. I have a crystal clear memory of opening my very first
Teen magazine that day and feeling as though I'd been transported to a glittery and exciting new world: a world of celebrity quizzes, boy advice, and beauty tips. This was all very intriguing stuff to a kid who typically had her nose stuck in a Nancy Drew novel!

Of course, my taste in magazines evolved over the years. Teen remained a favorite for awhile, but was soon replaced by Seventeen and CosmoGirl. I think I was 16 or 17 when I discovered "women's magazines" like Glamour, Marie Claire and Allure, which I devoured like candy, even though my primary concern at that age was getting elected to the student council and prepping for the SATs...not the latest metallic eyeshadow trend. But that's what I loved so much about magazines. It was like peeking into someone else's impossibly fun, chic, and sophisticated life for an hour.

I think Glamour especially has done a good job of reinventing itself to remain relevant to the modern woman, and I still pick it up from time to time when I'm craving something light and fun. But these days, my taste in magazines runs more toward the likes of Real Simple, Oprah, and Body & Soul - magazines that I'm ashamed to say I used to think of as "boring old person magazines" (guess I'm officially old!).

I also love to indulge my culinary obsession with mags like Food & Wine and Bon Apétit, though Gourmet remains my favorite of the cooking publications (*tear*). Domino was a favorite for decor ideas (*another tear*), and though it's no substitute, I like the pretty spreads in Elle Decor as well. I also regularly pick up Wired, Vanity Fair, Vogue, ReadyMade, and various magazines devoted to yoga, crafts, technology, culture...you name it. After a long day, there's nothing better than settling into a hot bath with a mug of tea and my latest magazine purchase.

Not that I need to add any more fuel to my obsession, but I can't help asking: what are your favorite magazines?

Image via Morning's Light.

9 comments:

Caffeinated Weka said...

Reading your post made me chuckle: we couldn't be more opposite on this one. Magazines HUGELY frustrate and, quite frankly, bore me to the point where I haven't read one for probably more than ten years now. I even take my own books and iPod when I am waiting for appointments, rather than read their waiting room offerings! However, my sister-in-law always looks forward to Mondays with an excited smile: it's magazine day, lol! :-)

Lavanya said...

I am not much of a magazine person, but I know exactly what you mean- that 1 stolen hour of indulging in stuff that is not very you- I actually felt exactly like that when I recently indulged in a nailpolish obsession for 2 weeks( maybe over 2 months ago).. Plus a lot of the sparkly stuff that I read on the blogosphere is not very me at all, but oh so so fun!!!- it is sort of the spiritual equivalent of your magazine obsession(if that makes sense)

I have to admit though- I did finally get my hands on real Simple at my dentist's office and really liked it!

Jenny said...

Thank you for sharing your evolution of magazine love! Love your post :) Magazines are great at times because you can browse through the pages in minutes whereas it takes a few weeks to read a good book!

Analiese said...

Cafe Chick, I should be clear and say that books are, by far, my preferred reading material but sometimes it's fun to escape by reading a fun magazine. Gosh, there are so many magazines out there that it's hard to imagine there's not a little something for everyone. If you haven't read one in ten years, perhaps it's time to give 'em another try.

labellagorda said...

This was a post I could so relate to! I buy 4-5 magazines every month. Those bright glossy pages with beautiful pictures are like a sight for sore eyes after working as a business journalist staring at stock prices all day!

I am particularly fond of Grazia and Cosmopolitan. My obsession with Grazia goes beyond just reading and collecting. I regularly write to the editor and suggest changes - some of which I am proud to day - have been implemented by the magazine now!

Lexington said...

I am also a magazine addict. I absolutely love reading them and take time every weekend just to indulge. My favourite magazines are Real Simple, Body and Soul, Yoga Journal, Nylon, Oprah Magazine and Vogue (especially the Paris version).

Analiese said...

labellagorda: That's great that you have become so involved in suggesting changes to Grazia! I hadn't heard of it before, but I will definitely check it out.

Ellecubed: Sounds like we have similar taste in magazines!

Sarah said...

I too used to enjoy Seventeen as a teen, as well as YM (juicy embarassing stories in the beginning). I then moved on to fashion driven women's magazines until about 5 years ago when I was disgusted by Glamour. They had a section on swimwear featuring a model who they described as "plus sized." She couldn't have been bigger than a size 6. Since then, I only read such magazines in waiting rooms. Today, magazine purchases are usually focused on natural health, yoga, and green living. Some titles include Body + Soul, Yoga +, and Boho.

Analiese said...

Sara: I totally forgot about YM! I loved that magazine so much. Yeah, I had the same problem with a lot of the women's mags like Glamour, but I think Glamour especially has done a decent job of portraying real women in recent years.

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