Nicole Rothbaum
Cosmopolitan: The Bible of Women’s Magazines
A Book of False Hopes?
Cosmopolitan magazine is a lifestyle for millions of women across the.
I country. Its editions inspire women with information about.
I relationships and romance, the best and most current knowledge about fashion.
Iand beauty, the latest on women’s health and well-being routines, and
just about everything else a “fun, fearless female” would want to know.
In 2007, their mega-circulation reached 2,903,000 women with both
single copy and subscription sales combined. The magazine targets
masses of women, full of a variety of ages, occupations, and incomes..
IIronically, Cosmopolitan strategically offers advice on relationships, .
lifestyle choices, and fashion advice that only the select and wealthy upper-
class woman can actually live by. This “ideal Cosmo girl” reveals itself.
to be an unattainable reality to American women. Through a detailed
analysis of sixteen months of editions, specifically from January 2007
to April 2008, this essay documents the actual costs that a “Cosmo girl”
would incur if she followed the magazine’s advice.
