Real Simple magazine

[rosarugosa]

My Mom got a couple of copies of this magazine sent to her (don't know why, she never subscribed) and she passed them along to me. The title is such a joke! The following is from the Editor's Note:
Think of the last time you tried to put on lipstick using the dim light of the car visor to guide you. Now turn to page 82 and behold an amazing line of beauty products that come with - wait for it - their own built-in LEDs. A lip gloss with a built-in light! Wow!! If you're the sort of person whose heart flutters at the prospect of a beauty product with a built-in light, then this issue is for you.
So, I guess it would be safe to say that we SLNers are not exactly their target market? :laff:

[herbgeek]

I call Real Simple , Real Expensive. Although there are the occasional useful article, my experience has been its bloated with ads for overpriced, unnecessary luxury objects. Pretty to look at, yes. But there seems a bitter irony with the title of the magazine. Buy more stuff and you too will be simple.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Agree. I bought this magazine when it first came out several years ago, and found it to be a slick, glossy, ad stuffed magazine masquerading under the guise of being about simple living.

[goldensmom]

I thumbed through an issue of Real Simple magazine at the library and didn't see anything that spoke anything simple to me.

[puglogic]

I agree with all of the above. I'm getting a "free" subscription right now and when the magazine comes I can leaf through the things of interest to me in about 5 minutes (food, mostly) and then it gets recycled. Worthless for me. It seems to be a magazine for portion of the Cosmopolitan crowd that gets some personal gratification out of thinking they're living a "simple life".

[Wildflower]

I think the magazine is trying to convince people to buy these expensive products to "simplify" their lives. Not the goal of the folks here at SLN at all....

[Gregg]

DW subscribed for a year when it first came out. I read one issue and figured out I'm probably beyond the point where the beauty tips will help. DW is naturally beautiful and doesn't really need the help. She didn't renew the subscription. I think its geared more toward that simple life at the weekend place in the Hamptons.

[Jemima]

I bought one of the first issues and thought it was ridiculous. Others that are supposed to appeal to the simple living tribe are 'Natural Home & Garden' and, I'm sad to say, 'Mother Earth News', which is now slick and loaded with ads. >8) I'll stick with Backwoods Home, thanks.

[Float On]

I would so much rather get a suprise subscription of Real Simple instead of Vogue. For some unknow reason I have a subscription to that this year. I certainly didn't order it. Lasts month article of "If you only have $2000.00 for a clothing allowance this month...." really put me over the edge. Its a huge magazine, what a waste of paper.

[JaneV2.0]

I admit to loving Vogue--Italian Vogue even more. I always buy the Fall fashion issue, but you'd never know it to look at me... http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/light_skin/wacko2.gif

[loosechickens]

I was a charter member of the Mother Earth News, back when John and Jane Shuttlesworth published it, on tacky newsprint......and finally gave up at about issue #100, when it had been sold, resold, and had devolved into a vehicle to sell expensive "back to the land" hydraulic wood splitters, $3,000 plus woodstoves, etc., but the magazine Real Simple started OUT slick, and somehow mostly looking like it was trying to make lots of consumption "cool" as long as said consumption was made of bamboo, used natural fibers, or was one more consumer goodie that you could buy to look like you were really "simple" at heart......linen sheets instead of tacky Walmart polycotton......ugh.........never looked at the thing after the first couple of issues. Such a disappointment.

[ApatheticNoMore]

linen sheets instead of tacky Walmart polycotton......ugh

no, no, no ... silk, silk is the way to go (I say while my sheets are cotton, but silk is nice :))

[crunchycon]

I'll stick with Backwoods Home, thanks.

+1 - this and Popular Mechanics are the only subscriptions that we buy (that don't come as part of a membership to some organization)

[daisy]

I flipped through one issue of Real Simple while sitting in a waiting room once a few years ago. I counted 54 pages of ads before I got to the "content" of the magazine. I decided it wasn't for me.

[Nella]

Jemima,

Backwoods Home? Never heard of it but would like to learn more. Can you tell us a little bit about why you like it?

Thanks!

[Jemima]

Jemima,

Backwoods Home? Never heard of it but would like to learn more. Can you tell us a little bit about why you like it?

Thanks!

See for yourself: http://www.backwoodshome.com/

Backwoods home is a lot like Mother Earth News when it first came on the market. Really basic, frugal stuff that's good to know.

[Sissy]

You can find so much on the internet that is real simple. There is so much to simplicity that there is no way it could really be portrayed in a magazine. And a lot of it would definately not even sell!

Onward Simple Livers!!!

[Zoebird]

I think the pictures are pretty.

What I find really funny is that when you do something actually simple, people are like "ooooooh." For example, on our mantle, we have a large piece of drift wood plus several shells plus some pine cones. People are like "i love your simple decorating style!" umm, DS stuck those up there. LOL

Of course, they probably aren't' as keen on the torn, very old and dated upholstery on our mid-cent modern chairs (free!). But whatever.

[jp1]

I would so much rather get a suprise subscription of Real Simple instead of Vogue. For some unknow reason I have a subscription to that this year. I certainly didn't order it. Lasts month article of "If you only have $2000.00 for a clothing allowance this month...." really put me over the edge. Its a huge magazine, what a waste of paper.

Geez. I realize I'm a guy and guys probably spend less on clothes then women, but still... I'm fairly certain my entire wardrobe didn't cost $2,000 and most of it will get worn for years.

[kally]

pretty cool magazine. I have never seen anything like it. I thought the zombie article was fun.


See for yourself: http://www.backwoodshome.com/

Backwoods home is a lot like Mother Earth News when it first came on the market. Really basic, frugal stuff that's good to know.

[Float On]

And I must correct myself. It wasn't Vogue that I got a suprise subscription to it was Instyle.....see how little I pay attention?