Forth of July weekend gave me the opportunity to catch up on my women’s magazine reading.  So, I am happy to present the latest installment of Women’s Mag Watch where I give you the good, the bad, and the ugly from the crazy world of women’s magazines:


The July 2006 Cosmo may feature the insufferable Brittany Murphy on the cover, but inside features an interesting article (“The New Divorce Freak-Out,” page 143) on how the fear of divorce is affecting the way women approach relationships.  Most women still want to get married but are understandably freaked out that 50 percent of all marriages fail.  This fear can lead to serious consequences.  Cosmo says:


“If you’re so freaked out about the prospect of divorce that you’ve already resigned yourself to the fact that it might happen, there’s a chance you’ll never commit to the marriage….It can become a self-fulfilling prophesy because if you don’t really believe it can work, you might subconsciously sabotage it.”


The August 2006 issue of Seventeen features The Hill’s Lauren “LC” Conrad on the cover (BORING – Heidi’s antics are clearly the best part of that show) and an interesting letter to the editor.  Jeana, 15, from NYC is livid at Seventeen for “embracing many body shapes.”  According to Jeana “being fat should not be accepted” and “it isn’t hard to be skinny.”  Funny stuff. Even better is the “Best Dressed Girls in America” feature.  My personal fav is definitely #15 – Paris, 15, from Lousianna.  Paris describes her style as “classy punk rock.” Her favorite band?  Get ready for it – the Pussycat Dolls.  That’s, um…an interesting mix to say the least. 


In serious news, Seventeen has a feature on Mukhtar Mai.  Back in 2002 Mukhtar’s brother was convicted of a minor crime in Pakistan.  The punishment was for Mukhtar to be gang-raped and paraded through the town naked.  Mukhtar fought back and became the first person to take her rapists all the way to the highest court in Pakistan and she won.  Seventeen reports that she used the settlement money to open a girls’ school.  Read more about Mukhtar here.


Check back tomorrow for the scoop on the Marie Claire and Jane.