Why I Still Read Magazines

It is no secret that print magazines are in decline. With the rise of social media and digital platforms, more magazines are sharing online rather than print. Many magazines have stopped altogether in order to go online (Marie Claire announced yesterday)  or have just stopped completely. However I will never not read magazines. From weekly's to monthlies, I am always got a magazine in my reading pile. Whilst I do read a lot of content online, such as blogs, there is something different about having a physical copy, just like in books. Today I thought I would share my thoughts on why I'm going to keep reading them!


Nostalgia

Magazines were my first glimpse into the beauty community. YouTube and bloggers were emerging, but still fairly small. I used to have a subscription to Sugar (went online under Sugarscape but now redirects to Cosmopolitan), and I loved when it arrived through my door. Since then, I now read Cosmopolitan, Elle and The Sunday Times Style. I also try to pick up the ES Magazine, Stylist and the occasional Vogue.

At the end of last year, and the start of this year, I was lucky enough to intern at Cosmo, Grazia and ELLE. Seeing what I contributed, even down to just finding an image made me feel special, and I love seeing the content of people I worked with. My fellow Cosmo interns are now part of the ELLE fashion team, so I like to keep up with their work too! 

Knowledge

Whilst I love being a part of the blogging community, and reading bloggers and influencers content, there is something about a print magazine that makes me feel like I am listening to an expert. The journalists will also have more contacts that a lot of bloggers might have to get these expert opinions. However, that is not to say that bloggers/influencers don't know anything. To me, advice from bloggers and influencers is like getting it from a friend, and from the magazine, a teacher. 

Supporting the community

Let’s face it, before influencers, it was journalists who we got all our beauty and fashion tips from. They would tell us the latest trends, how to look like a celebrity as well as the gossip. These voices are starting to get lost, thanks to the rise of the internet, influencers and the decline in print sales. Since the decline, there has been more journalists are going freelance, allowing their content to be shared more and across both print and digital. A lot of print journalists will also contribute content to the online version of the magazine.  

Less screen time

We are all still spending a lot of time on a screen, myself included. From laptops, phones, tablets to TVs, there is often a screen around us. So taking a few minutes, or hours away from a screen and focusing on reading something physical is always good. Magazine articles are often a bit longer than blog posts or other online content so gives your eyes a decent break! Ironic though as you are reading this! Go and read a magazine now!

Do you still read magazines?

Ellyn xx

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5 comments

  1. I actually do still read magazines. I'm subscribed to about 3-4 in my house? I have blogosphere, travel & leisure, national geographic, and allure! I love reading, but magazines are nice cause you can put it down and leave without feeling like you HAVE to finish it (i have that problem far too often with books). Another reason I like reading hard copy magazines is because I like having something physical to hold and read. It's just like ebooks verses a real book. While I still read ebooks, it will never beat reading a real life book. Like you said, it also allows me to step away from the screen for a bit! Great post xx

    Melina | Melina Elisa

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  2. I also like getting a magazine from time to time – it helps cut my screen time and it also let's me focus on the articles (and a sense of satisfaction when I finish reading cover to cover).

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  3. I really feel like you can't replace the lovely glossy feeling and unique smell of a brand new magazine x

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  4. I've been hoping that someone would post something about this! I've been buying magazines every since I was 7! I started with Animals in Farthing Wood (it's an old TV show about animals xD) to Smash Hits and Mizz to Vogue. You get to physically have a copy that you can read a bit, put aside and read a bit later. Plus you sometimes get freebies with magazines which is fun!

    Daisy xoxo | TheDeeWhoLived

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  5. I really miss magazines like Mizz but as a I grew older magazines just become really irrelevant to me. I think a huge part of that for me was the mainstream magazines didn't represent me or my interests so I stopped buying them. Now I do read one magazine that comes out quarterly but it's not fashion or make-up based, it's called womankind and typically features topical articles and wonderful illustrations.

    I think it's good you're still into magazines, the print industry is so important and with us consuming so much online it's really nice to physically reading something. I may be slightly biased though as I do work in book publishing!

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