A Look into 7 Most Popular Women’s Magazines

Talk about catch 22. The joys of collecting old magazines will only be appreciated if you understand the beginnings of the publications that you have chosen to collect. Here are 7 of well known magazines known collectively as the ‘Seven Sisters’ and the stories behind them.

Redbook

Most of the readers of Redbook are married women. The magazine features articles about modern lifestyle, the challenges that women face today as well as self-help strategies for individual development. First published in May 1903, Redbook is one of the longest running fashion magazines in the US.

Woman’s Day

This publication is obviously geared towards the female reader. Based from the topics that it features, its target readers are composed of females who want to have the best of both worlds. They are stuck in the traditional image of a woman who is supposed to nurture and pursue careers outside of the home. Woman’s Day was originally a recipe planner when it first came out in 1931. A few years later, the magazine started featuring topics fit for the woman of that era. Thirty years forward, Woman’s Day became an established publication that attracted a considerable following.

Good Housekeeping

First published in May 1885, Good Housekeeping features everything that has anything to do with, well, housekeeping. The articles in the magazine range from self-help to recipes to home improvement tips. It is currently owned by Hearst Corporation. The magazine also has franchises in various countries around the globe to cater to the varied cultures of women worldwide.

Family Circle

Family Circle first came out in the stands in 1932 and was formerly under the New York Times. It’s another magazine that is geared at the modern homemaker and is considered one of the bestselling magazines in the country.

Ladies’ Home Journal

This magazine was originally a supplement to a men’s publication but because of the popular support for it, the Ladies’ Home Journal eventually became an independent magazine with its own readership. It first came out in 1883 and by the year 1986, it has changed management and is now under the Meredith Corporation.

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens is another publication owned by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published in 1922 and pretty much follows the same format as the other magazines mentioned. The only difference is it focuses on home interiors and garden designs more than human interest themes.

McCalls

Another publication by the Meredith Corporation, McCalls is a women’s magazine that is part of the infamous “seven sisters” (the other six being the first magazines mentioned). It was originally called The Queen and first came out in 1880. It was renamed McCall’s Magazine seven years later and has gone through several re-formats since then. The magazine got defunct in 2001 but past issues remain favorites. It was ‘renamed ‘Rosie’ and it continued under that name for another year before disappearing completely.

Six out of these seven continue to be published to this date and are owned and operated by the two publishing giants – Meredith Corporation (BHG, LHJ and Family Circle) and Hearst Corporation (Good Housekeeping, Redbook, and Woman’s Day).