PLASMO
member
Reged: 13/03/2008
Posts: 4192
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Ladies, I have just come back with June's W@H and cant tell how disappointed I was with it.
Am I the only person in the world who:
a. Doesnt have my own business.
b. Isnt a professional.
c. Cant afford most of the clothes highlighted in the
fashion items.
d. Not a celebrity, or an ex fashion editor.
There is nothing wrong with being any of the above, I just get annoyed that every month thats really all the team focus on.
Why cant they feature ordinary women, with average incomes.
Better still why not do a feature on a woman who is retired, Im sure there are many of us who would be far more interested in reading REAL INTERESTING stories, instead of stories of celebrities going to rehab, losing weight, talking about their wonderful homes all over the world etc.
They need to GET REAL otherwise I will stop buying the magazine. What do you all think? Plasmo x
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AngieV
member
Reged: 13/01/2008
Posts: 97
Loc: West Yorkshire
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No, Plasmo, you're not the only one fed up with fashion articles that show handbags at £400, "little" jackets at ridiculous prices and shoes the price of a small car. Add that to the weight loss/diet/exercise and the delicious recipes for double chocolate fudge, extra-creamy cake that follows on the next page, and the really good articles get lost.
I appreciate that loads of women are professionals, have their own business, lots of money, take fantastic holidays but I'm not one of them and if I sound jealous, it's probably because I am, but only sometimes.
I'd love to be able to find some really great clothes at a price my small salary can cope with, but these don't seem to exist in most magazines. I've just cancelled one subscription because the magazine became more pages of ads than features.
On the up side, if you hadn't bought W&H you might never have discovered the joys of foruming !
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annemari
member
Reged: 07/03/2008
Posts: 2234
Loc: Gloucestershire.
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Hi Plasmo,
A girl with some down to earth sense!.
These are the very reasons that at one time I stopped having W & H. The trouble was I couldn't find another magazine,(monthly) that either wasn't smothered in adverts,or assumed its readers has a salary similiar to that of a celebrity.
I mentioned this to some friends of mine,and one lady suggested that for fashion, I made an appointment with a personal shopper at Debenhams,F.O.C. She was really helpful. She also put me in touch with a cosmetic lady,who was totally on my wave length.
I am not sure whether this service is still available,but my magic ingredient then,was to go armed with W & H,point out what I liked,and asked if they could make suggestions on my budget.Most times they could,but what's more they were able to tell me whether certain items suited me or not,irrespective of how much I liked them. Thats service, and with a smile and coffee. 
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Annemari xx
 "Hey Tinker,do you think we will have a Secret Santa as well?"......"Not telling!!"
 "Dunno Eric,whose Mum a Secret Santa to then?....."
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shellseeker
member
Reged: 07/01/2008
Posts: 991
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I love looking through magasines and feel that most have pretty daft fashion pages, but they do give you some ideas that perhaps can sometimes be found in the more reasonable High Street shops. On the whole I find that W&H have got the balance right, I like most of the recipes, and do try them and they are definately achievable!!! I liked the interview with Marion Keyes, she is so funny. I like the articles about women changing their careers and perhaps setting up their own businesses and being their own boss.I wish I could do it. It is the only womans magasine I buy, now the others seem way off! I do buy House magasines too and also Good Food, but do like W&H still.
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BEL
member
Reged: 21/02/2008
Posts: 1270
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Hi everyone, just back from having coffee with
Brondajune, beautiful hot sunny day, in Leominster.
First time I have meet another forumer!! Great fun.
On the way home picked up W and H, have not read
it, but have taken on board what Plasmo has said,
some months I have not bothered with the Mag, due
to some of the same views now been expressed!!!
But at least I have gained some forum friends.
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Gemini
member
Reged: 10/03/2008
Posts: 2439
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Snap shellseeker I get the same mags as you - spooky or what? x
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miclor
member
Reged: 15/02/2008
Posts: 708
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I've been buying the mag for 20 odd years, ever since my MIL lent me hers. Yes it has changed - not so "homely" now which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I agree with you all, it seems to be the same old type of articles/people featured each month. Not sure what I would like to see in their place though.
I subscribe to Good Food and Olive as well, really enjoy them.
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shellseeker
member
Reged: 07/01/2008
Posts: 991
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Good taste then Gemini!!!!! I bought She and Good Housekeeping in my 'youth' but outgrew She and got bored with GH. I have a gift subscription to Good Homes which is just finishing, and sub to Good Food (Tesco deal!) but always buy Ideal Home and usually 25 Beautiful Homes too. I always have a book on the go which I read when I go to bed, but sometimes prefer to dip in and out of a good mag!
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angela04
member
Reged: 02/04/2007
Posts: 220
Loc: Swansea
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I agree with your every word Plasmo, I've said the same myself on more than one occasion.
Now and again there are some reasonably priced clothes but on the whole they are usually out of my league.
Maybe they think us ordinary folk aren't interesting!
Ange
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beejay
member
Reged: 10/01/2008
Posts: 164
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Totally agree with you Plasmo.I have not looked at this month's yet( and that says a lot).Each month I think I will cancel my subscription but never get round to it.More real stories about real people!! I know we are all getting older but I do think W & H is trying to appeal to younger people and ditch it's loyal and long standing readers.I would welcome a comment from the editorial team!!
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Iblinc
member
Reged: 04/08/2007
Posts: 217
Loc: France
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have to agree with you Plasmo, particularly on the type of women these mags profile. I had the same sentiments on the magazines published in my home country of NZ; always the same faces, same professionals, same women's hangups/issues discussed, to death. Bored me to tears and I find it incredibly shallow on the part of the Editor and editorial team.
Having worked in editorial andpublishing, I know you can discover other people with equally interesting profiles, careers, problems or whatever you want to talk and write about.
W & H will lose their readers if they don't start listneing to their markets.
I used to rush to buy my copy, here in France, but don't now, as I can get quite a lot from the internet, and also enjoy the Forum. But there is something nice about having a hard copy to read tucked up in bed, or in the sun with a cup of cafe!
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bonnieblooming
member
Reged: 09/01/2008
Posts: 348
Loc: Co Down
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I have a confession to make - I don't buy W&H except on odd occasions on a business trip to help with the boredom of hanging around an airport. The reason is exactly as Plasmo says - it makes me feel inferior! I'm not rich, famous, successful or beautiful. I look at the women in their make overs and think I never looked that good before never mind after. I'm bored rigid with diet features. Their travel features are either to exotic destinations or hotels who's nightly rate I would want to spend for a week!
I must admit I'm a bit sick of womens magazines generally -I've bought Woman & Womans Own for years but have gone right of them - they are obsessed with celebrities, diets and Fern b****Y Britten.
I quite like Prima and always buy Your Home. I also always have a book on the go but having a coffe and dipping into a good magazine used to be a treat - I still have the coffee but the good magazine is hard to find.
BB
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Chipmunk
member
Reged: 02/02/2008
Posts: 1959
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I used to love W&H as I felt it represented my age group but to be honest I'm probably not going to buy it for a while as Junes mag is boring. I don't think it is aimed at the average woman any longer, the clothes featured are nice but out of the price range of most normal women as are the majority of holiday suggestions.
I'm a real foodie but why can't they approach readers for favorite recipes and include them. The same with holidays.
I think the magazine would have far more reader appeal if it was in touch with its main audience not women who have made mega millions and are company directors.
Look at all of us forumers..........I know several have have been featured but we are all real women (well most of us), it would be nice to think our opinions counted.
Well that's me out of the equation for saying the magazine is boring.............ah well
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Lorca
member
Reged: 12/04/2008
Posts: 534
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I agree with comments posted. Whats funny though is that Ive been reluctant to post, assuming that you were all the ones who could afford the shoes, bags etc, etc... and lived in the amazing houses and stayed in the hotels costing hundreds for a night. LOL
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Mayday
member
Reged: 19/01/2008
Posts: 1636
Loc: Gloucestershire/cotswolds
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Snap Bonnie Blooming! I too had a subscription on special offer and am really enjoying the forum and meeting 'new' friends through it but the mag. is not of enough interest to my retired 'lifestyle' and bank balance to make it worth having every month. I have previously suggested that the fashion pages should carry comparatively priced clothes...the 'top labels' and then the less expensive (M&S/ Matalan/etc) look alikes. Hope someone from the editorial team is listening. I know I am not the only retired forummer.....always busy and active but less money to spend these days.
Mayday
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I may not be rich or famous but my Grandchildren ARE Priceless !!
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Spanishlady
member
Reged: 21/01/2008
Posts: 1708
Loc: Torrevieja Spain
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I thought it was just me and all of you other Ladies wore the clothes eat the food and lived the lives that are portraited in W+H so glad you posted this Plasmo I am not alone!!!!!
I only buy the mag on my way to or from Dublin and I buy it because it is a little better than most of the others .
wish someone would bring out a magazine for us real women
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Chipmunk
member
Reged: 02/02/2008
Posts: 1959
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This is a really interesting thread, as judging by the replies W&H magazine is way off the mark in appealing to us "ordinary" women. I know it doesn't print the celeb tacky stories but it needs to appeal to the more discerning women and it really needs to be more realistic in its approach.
They are probably worried that if they start featuring "ordinary women" it will take the mag down a few notchs. I don't think that's the case.
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honeybunny
member
Reged: 11/03/2008
Posts: 212
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Ok here goes, please this is not meant to offend just my humble opinion.
1 I work for the health Service, this is not a profesion to get rich, it is service based on loyalty and a desire to help ones fellow human being.
2 Husband is in the Royal navy, again not a profession to get rich quick but a job based on the desire to serve ones country and assist humanitarian issues around the world.
3 Daughter went to University, wholly funded by her family. She now has a job with the county council, again not a get rich job but a career based on helping people and a desire to assist the community.
We are not a rich family, we live in a nice house in a nice area but we pay for it with a large mortgage. I would love to be able to afford the clothes, shoes and makeup advertised in this months edition but I cant and if it comes down to the nitty gritty, I am more proud of my family and the jobs they do than I would be if they were only out to get rich and squander their earnings on frivolous nicks nacks.
Our family gives more back to society than we take, my husband risks his life daily for his country, I work far more hours for our health service than I am paid for and my daughter gives a lot of her time free to serve her local council and the public.
Why can the magazine not reflect the normal people amongst society, people like myself who scrimped and saved for a day of pampering in order to feel beautiful for her husbands return, people who cannot afford hundreds of pounds for shoes and bags but would rather shop at M& S and support the Lifeboats in the local area with the money saved, knowing the valuable job they do. I loved the magazine but in reality its a dream, something to aspire to if I won the lottery, not something I could afford in real life. To the editor I would say, if you can afford this then you are so lucky, enjoy it, but remember your readers are normal people who have to prioritise in their lives, we are not so lucky, cater for us, tell us how to have the lifestyle for less, because I just cant afford it otherwise.
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salgash
member
Reged: 02/07/2007
Posts: 246
Loc: Gloucestershire
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Well said Honeybunny
I to work for the NHS and do it out of love for the job(though that is now wearing thin) definately not for the money.
Are any of the ladies featured in the magazine forumers?.
They once featured some trousers from the Florence and Fred range at Tescos. They were really nice. I trawled the 3 stores in my area and never found them.
To be perfectly honest, even if I could afford to spend £400 on a handbag I don't think I could do it.
Went out for a meal with some acqaintances last night and my whole outfit -underwear, shoes, clothes etc more than likely cost less than the shoes she was wearing. The annoying thing is she always drops into the conversation how much these things cost! Am I impressed? NO!
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Psyche
member
Reged: 23/01/2007
Posts: 2191
Loc: Bicester OXON
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Agree with you honeybunny completely. I work with the 3 services and see more closely than most what conditions they work under and what they contribute.
No, the mag does not feature normal people even the forumers they invite to be photographed are "done up". I don't know if they are trying to inspire us but it cetainly isn't working.
The best thing this month is the Nicci French story - I was a Bella but I don't think I'd go as far as she did!
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Psyche.
another day................another handbag!!!!!!!!
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