How do magazines influence women today

depressed 39-year-old housewife that realizes suddenly how overweight and ugly she is. Women’s lives all over the UK are devoted to there looks and lifestyle, using magazines like ‘closer’ as a guide line to what the fashionable thing is to do. The sad reality is that women look up to magazine models and aspire to be like them, desiring an unhealthy lifestyle that is plainly impracticable. Articles in magazines do not appear to boost intelligence levels either; a story about ‘Jade Goody’s’ relationship going wrong can’t be aimed for an intellectual woman. There is an increasing demand for articles like these as women seem to revel in celebrities problems.   This ‘Closer’ Magazine was released on the 13th of September 2008. It shows the front page of the issue, which gives a negative reflection of what articles are inside. Immediately attention is drawn to the large heading ‘suffering to be skinny’. There is also a large quote: ‘You’re too thin to fancy!’ on the star Katie Price. Surely this cannot be a confidence builder for smaller framed women? The magazine soon contradicts itself when an image of Kerry Katona is shown with another quote: ‘You’re still fat even after lipo!’ mocking the fact that she is a little overweight. Though women should ignore these absurd comments, many women feel the need to change the way they are to avoid the magazines criticism. It is almost impossible to accept the way people are when everyone is constantly is named too thin, too old, too fat or too stupid; this unfortunately seems to be the message that is given out by the magazine.People use magazines as a regular update for new fashions and usually look for popular products that are advertised, these products are usually promoted by slim models. Though women may despise the model for being so perfect, they may find themselves buying the products. Average larger built women think that using the product may make them more like the model. But is this the case? Many women who are persuaded to purchase the product find that the result is obviously not as good as it has been shown. Though many people don’t realise how much the pictures have been air brushed, programmes on the computer can remove blemishes (spots and scars), can make the model look skinnier and can remove any type of imperfection while still creating the illusion of the model naturally being this way. The ‘perfect image’ of a woman is becoming more like a Barbie doll than a real human being.Not only are adult women feeling the pressure of the magazine criticism but young girls are beginning to feel the stress of being the ideal woman. Children as young as 8 were unhappy with their features and said they would rather be like the celebrities in magazines. Bulimia and anorexia has also heavily increased in teenagers to have the fashion image that is shown in magazines like ‘Elle’ and ‘Vogue’. The image above shows how neglected and unhealthy models in these magazines are; magazine editors just make the excuse of ‘making the viewer look at the clothes or product rather than the imperfections of the model’. But this could be argued that the model is simply too underweight and is influencing anorexia.In the September 2008 issue of ‘Closer’ there is a bright pink headline ‘Lose your holiday halfstone’, showing a low-quality article, a sad reality confirming how weight obsessed Britain has become. The layout is simple and shows a breakfast, lunch and dinner plan to loose half a stone in 14 days. The article claims that the eating plan will provide 1,250 calories each day, an unhealthy goal as women need around 2,500 calories. This article encourages women to diet as soon as a little weight is put on. The large image placed at the side of the A3 page shows the slim Coleen Rooney who had put on a little weight on her honeymoon, but does this not make her human? Though readers may feel happier that the celebrity has put on weight to make them feel better about themselves, it is also fuelling the obsession with the perfect body and image. It is difficult to understand why magazines like ‘Closer’, ‘Heat’ and ‘Star’ sell millions of copies each year. The stories are depressing and constantly referring to how a woman should look like. Criticism can’t boost anyone’s self confidence, readers realise that they also have imperfections which they hadn’t noticed before. It maybe the fact that women are becoming increasingly curious about celebrities hardships, or the fact that women need reassurance that someone else has got a worse life than them. Women will continue to read these magazines and will continue to negatively affect women’s views about the ‘perfect image’. Depressingly, women have begun to rely on magazines as a guide to their lives rather than being happy with what they already have.