Customer Reviews

Marie Claire (1-year auto-renewal)

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

This magazine has really grown on me of late, for a lot of reasons. Glamour and Cosmo don't appeal to me as much, partly due the the drop in their quality, and partly just due to the fact that I'm not in their target age group. Marie Claire has far more articles that are in line with my interests. They attempt to cover real issues that have an impact on women's lives. They are able to write stories about the status of women in the world (i.e. their Taliban articles) in a way that makes the information accessible without treating the reader like you are stupid and totally oversimplifying. I also like that not all the models look anorexic, and they don't inundate the reader with diet advice, or articles on sex and how to find/get/keep a man. This is still a light beach read compared to a hard new magazine, but it's far better than most other magazines in this genre.

Marie Claire is the best womens' general interest magazine in the U.S. today because:

1) It still has the fluffy/girly "Cosmoesque" articles we can't help loving (i.e. "What are his p.j.'s telling you?") -- which the upscale fashion magazines (such as Vogue) won't cover -- but it presents these in a much more respectful way than Cosmopolitan (or even Glamour) would. ~For example, in an article entitled, "How long should you wait to get married?", a handful of couples of differing experiences simply explain what worked for them. There is absolutely no commentary; readers are to take these first-hand accounts and decide how they feel about the issue for themselves. (This is how Marie Claire does most of its articles.) This is in direct contrast to the Cosmo approach which, no doubt, would have included a timetable to follow and games to play to make it happen, all under the authoritative voice of some quacky, pseudo-"expert".
2) It has intelligent stories about women around the world. These are very eye-opening and mind-expanding, and often offer information on how the reader can get involved with the issue presented.
3) Its fashion coverage is extensive and top-notch for a magazine that is not solely dedicated to fashion. It presents trends and how to wear them in the real world, as well as a wide array of pieces for every shape and budget. (For my purposes, it serves me better than the upscale fashion magazines.)
4) It only uses models for (some of) the fashion spreads. All other articles feature the ("real") people who are explaining their experiences in relation to the articles' topics. This provides for a much more realistic perception of the body.

Considering the above, I still find it amazing that Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan are published by the same group!

I'm disappointed with the new direction that Marie Claire has taken. I remember reading this magazine just a few years ago, and it was full of fashion advice that I could actually use.

Not anymore. I suspect it's fashion director Nina Garcia's fault, but unless you are the kind of person who can drop $650 on a sweater or a couple thousand bucks on a dress, there isn't a whole lot in this magazine that you can use, nor is there very much that you would actually WANT to use. For example, my latest issue highlights floor-length tulle skirts paired with denim jackets. Where am I supposed to wear that? The "101 Ideas" section in the front is full of very pricey designer clothes; many items are so expensive that the caption simply reads, "Price Available on Request." Seriously, how useful is this for the majority of Marie Claire's readers? Marie Claire focuses on clothes you could probably never afford, with only a few "bargains" thrown in.

Marie Claire has turned into a snobby, useless imitation of Vogue/Elle. Its editors need to revisit the old axiom "know your audience." I will definitely not renew my subscription. If it had cost more than five bucks, I would be very angry that I had wasted my money.

Whenever I'd finish reading a magazine like 'Cosmo', I'd feel guilty for indulging in a magazine so obsessed with sex. But whenever I'd finish 'Marie Claire', I felt like I'd read something with quality without loosing any of the fashion and beauty advice (and even a little dating) that I love. The articles range from lingerie to skin care to guns to third world countries. It's the one magazine I can always read cover to cover. I feel as though I've actually learned something about life in other places and at the same time learned how to apply eyeliner more easily. While some magazines pride themselves on featuring models who are (gasp) size 4, 'Marie Claire' shows women with real bodies (there was a woman who was size 20 and proud) which makes me want to appreciate my body that way. The bottom line is the magazine has class and intelligence and plenty of it. If you get this magazine, you're not only getting fashion, dating and beauty, you're also getting a magazine with mind, soul and heart. And isn't that what we're all looking for?

Unlike Cosmo, Marie Claire is not only about how to please your man- it's actually written for women. Of course magazines like these are not literary masterpieces, but that's not why we read them. Marie Claire is great for reading on a plane, bus, train or anywhere else when you want something light and entertaining. the fashion tips are fun to read, the love/relationship advice is really aimed towards women's problems. of course there's the obligatory human interest piece which often seems out of place among pages of expensive clothing and mascara tips, but overall this is a great magazine.

When I sadly abandoned the mutilated "Glamour" when they changed editors, I was comforted by "Marie Claire." They used to be a bit thin on the subtance, but they've really developed into a GREAT read that I look forward to every month.

Marie Claire has GREAT articles on social issues that go into unusual depth for a women's magazine. This is a regular feautre, not an anomaly.

Marie Claire has recently gotten better about including reasonably-priced merchandise in the magazine, something you can't say about alot of other women's magazines. There are plenty of things under $100 that are pretty and fashionable.

I also like that when Marie Claire does a feature about how real women live their lives, it's not a collection of quotes or blurbs like Cosmo or Glamour, it really goes in depth.

I can't say enough about this magazine. It's a perfect piece of fun - there's substantive articles, fashion that is sophisticated but sensibly priced and a good dose of fun.

If I could only subscribe to one magazine, I'd pick Marie Claire in a heart beat. It offers everything other women magazine have, including love life, diet, beauty, fashion and celebrity. In addition, Marie Claire focuses on issues larger than the domestic US. Being an educated young woman, I am interested in real life issues that other magazines tend to ignore.

Not only does Marie Claire have the guts to discuss issues that are hard to read at times (domestic abuse, prostitution in Asia, weight discrimination, etc.), but they actually tell you HOW you can help. By listing numerous websites and phone numbers along with their article, it allows me to research the topic further and makes taking action just that much easier.

The cover of Marie Claire may not look any different than any other women magazine, but open it up and I guarantee you will see a difference.

For my money, "Marie Claire" is the best of the women's fashion magazines. Other reviewers have compared it to "Cosmo," but "Marie Claire" has got a lot more depth to it. Yeah, the fashion spreads and fun articles are there, but this magazine goes beyond the usual fashion mag drivel to actually talk about real issues that affect women all over the world--things like forced arranged marriages, the international trade in sex slaves, how caste affects women in India, etc. etc. Even the fluff pieces are written with a certain amount of insight. The bottom line is that "Marie Claire" actually treats its readers as intelligent beings rather than just consumers of trendy fashion items.

I was a subscriber to Marie Claire for over 5 years and before that had been a regular reader since the age of 15. I used to appreciate the broad range of articles and their explorations of women across the globe. However, after Maura Kelly's terrible online article, I have cancelled my subscription. I cannot in good conscience support a magazine that would encourage such hatred and stand by it when countered. Until there has some actual action other than half-assed backpedaling, I will not be reinstating my subscription.

There are plenty of other magazines with good articles and fashion spreads that don't resort to hatred to get buzz. In my mind, Marie Claire has permanently eroded its brand image of "more than a pretty face" by allowing such vitriol to run rampant on its website. We subscribers read that too, you know!

This magazine has improved a lot in the last couple of years with their new editor. It's gone from 'fashion' magazine that tried to be interesting to something with articles Really worth reading. Buy it if you are especially interested in international and / or women's issues. Each issue does have beauty, clothes, career, fitness and celebrity articles as well. My favorite pages are the music, books and movie reviews and the articles about women abroad. Buy the whole year, I have resubcribed every year since I first got an issue 4 years ago, and I've given it as a gift subscription too.