Mar 18, 2005 02:07 PM
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(Updated Mar 18, 2005 02:07 PM)
When I first got my hands on this magazine from a friend, I quietly brought it home and hid it under my mattress :-). I had in some way got the idea that it was an adults’ magazine and my mother wouldn’t approve of it. That night, I read the magazine from cover to cover (when everyone was asleep..) and found that my preconceived notion of it being a semi-porn magazine was entirely wrong. I had a good laugh reading some of the articles whereas a few others made me sit back and take notice. Since then, I have been a regular reader of this magazine and have never felt the need to hide the magazine from friends and family!
About The Magazine:
Cosmopolitan is not a new name – it was actually started in the year 1886 by Schlicht & Field as a “first-class family magazine”. After a drastic fall of sales in 1965, Helen Brown, changed its look and made it a towering success. Cosmopolitan went through a lot of criticism for being too liberal on women’s issues. But all the controversies only managed to heighten its popularity. Today Cosmo is published in 28 countries and has a very wide audience.
The Indian Version:
The Indian edition is on the same lines as its international counterparts. It is supposed to be for the fun, fearless female (not that men cannot read it :-)). It covers a wide array of topics like career, fashion, health, dating, marriage, children and sex. The articles are usually well written and a breeze to read.
What it contains:
The Cover Stories: The cover page of Cosmopolitan features one of the most striking faces of either Hollywood or Bollywood. One of the cover stories carries an article on her – interview, struggle to the top and other interesting tidbits. Other articles in this section cover general female issues like how to handle unwanted advances at work etc. Sometimes real life stories that showcase the extreme courage and commitment shown by women may also be found.
The Cosmo Commandments: This section contains ten commandments of what to do / not to do like “Ten things not to do on a first date” or “Ten ways you should never test his love”. Some of the advice given here should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Confessions: This is a section where readers share their most embarrassing stories and the naughtiest pranks. Warning - Some stories may turn your ears red and send you into coughing fits.
Love and Sex: Articles related to various aspects of love, dating, going steady, marriage and sex are featured here. They contain plenty of exciting tips and answers to common problems. Although these articles may seem quite explicit to many readers, I feel that these topics shouldn’t be kept behind closets anymore. Access to correct information is better than having no information and forming ill-conceived notions.
Cosmo Informer: Celebrity news (who’s hot & who’s not, bloopers), Latest movies, books, products - Cosmo shares all in this section.
Men Manual: The pages where some of the most gorgeous men are featured. Aimed at forming better understanding between the two genders (Is that really possible??), the articles here try to give a man’s point of view on various contemporary topics.
Health and Wellbeing: Articles with cool tips on leading a healthy life are featured here. Articles on gynecological problems, diets and fads, natural cures, parenting are regularly published.
Shopping: Glossy pictures of the latest in fashion are presented here. (Psssss the prices mentioned by the side may drive you nuts and make you hope for a fat raise)
Cosmo Look: Want to look ravishing for the party tonight? Fed up with that unmanageable hair? Check out this section for some make-up tips and latest launches in the world of cosmetics.
Work, Career and Finances: Don’t have any money in your account and it is only the 14th of the month? Don’t know how to handle that bothersome colleague at work? Want to be in your boss’ good book before that appraisal? These and many more such interesting topics are covered in this section.
Other than these, Cosmo has other regular features like Bedside Astrologer, Ask Cosmo Anything, From the Editor and You tell Us. Fun quizzes that let us get to know ourselves better are also part of each edition. Like other magazines, Cosmo also conducts contests where winners can win cool goodies.
Availability and Cost:
Cosmopolitan can be easily found in road-side book stalls, railway book vendors and major book stores. A monthly magazine prized at Rs. 50, annual and bi-annual subscribers can get major discounts (25% - 50%) along with cool gifts.
To conclude, I would like to say that Cosmopolitan is basically a fun magazine with a lot of useful (and some useless) articles. If you belong to the conservative category then this is not the magazine for you. Though it is not a literary magazine, it has a good mix of articles for the modern woman and can provide a few hours of nice, light reading interspersed with some useful tidbits of knowledge.
