Mag Hags

Mag Hags Unwrapped

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:00:00 GMT

It’s the final episode of Mag Hags and what better way to bid you farewell than with a behind-the-scenes tour of the show! Find out how we make it, how much it all costs, and what (if any) money we make from it. We also dig into what’s hot and what’s not about making a show like Mag Hags, and hash out our Season 3 vision board.

Thank you all so much for listening and coming with us on this brilliant journey into British magazine history. If anything you’ve heard today has sparked an idea, please do get in touch. You can email us at maghagspodcast@gmail.com

We’d love to hear from you! It doesn’t have to be a business solution! Just let us know which has been your favourite episode. <3

If we can find a way to bring Mag Hags back, we definitely will. And if you haven’t already, we really recommend signing up to the newsletter. That is the number one place we will be announcing any developments and it’s the best way to keep in touch. Find us on Substack: maghags.substack.com

If you have enjoyed the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is created and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marie Claire, October 1990

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Got a crush on your married colleague? Has masturbation become mundane? Looking for ways to make your beauty routine more efficient?

It’s October 1990. Mr Bean is in, Margaret Thatcher is out, and Germaine Greer is shaking it all about in a long and highly convoluted essay on masturbation. Is it self-love or self-abuse? We’re not sure we’ve emerged any the wiser.

Elsewhere this week (the final episode of the season!) the Mag Hags get the tea from both sides of an affair, discuss the power and value of real life stories, and ponder the best way to wear a hooded shawl.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

02:23 - Introduction to Marie Claire, October 1990

07:48 - Diary of an affair: In a Mag Hags first, we hear about infidelity from both sides

26:46 - *An ad break from 1990*

29:31 - What actually happened on board the Marchioness? A first person account of the tragic disaster on the Thames

45:17 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1990

48:58 - Self love or self-abuse: Germaine Greer on female masturbation

1:01:45 - What's Hot and What's Not in October 1990

Mag Hags is created and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: French women do it better

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Ooh la la! This week we’re donning our berets and nibbling disinterestedly on our croissants as we attempt to unpick the British cultural obsession with French women. From their revolutionary spirit, to their ability to combine women’s liberation with flawless lipstick, we ponder whether French women have it all. However, 15 page “Francophile special” from Cosmopolitan 1989 suggests that coveted je ne sais quoi might be something of a double edged sword.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

Got a suggestion for a topic you think we should cover? Have an insight into one of the features we discussed? Or maybe you just want to share your magazine memories with us. We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line via our newsletter maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is created and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Our assistant producer is Ella Glover.

This episode was mixed by Siân Fox.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eve, November 1973

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Curious about the latest form of contraception? Is your friend’s husband mansplaining ironing to you? Wondering how on earth you can look sexy in just sixty minutes?

This week the Hags are going back to 1973 to explore a very mysterious magazine called Eve. Not to be confused with Eve magazine that ran from 2000-2008 or for that matter with Eve magazine that ran from 1926 til 1955. This Eve was a weekly magazine that ran from… well, actually we don’t know. There doesn’t appear to be any record of it anywhere.

Unfazed, we dive headlong into its features which, on closer examination, seem to ALL about about family planning. We debate the pros and cons of having kids, get a firsthand account of an IUD insertion (very newfangled back then), and get some very dubious skincare tips.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

Read: Jack Hutton’s obituary in The Observer, 2008

CHAPTERS

02:06 - Introduction to Eve, November 1973

14:00 - Would you like a baby, maybe?

28:03 - *An ad break from 1973*

29:56 - Living with someone else’s husband

42:18 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1973

47:17 - The IUD and me

56:47 - What's Hot and What's Not in November 1973

Mag Hags was created and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: What body positivity looked like in the 70s

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Do you have a “big personality”? This week we’re talking all things body image and size, helped by 70s body positivity icon, Janet Webb. Janet was a plus-size actor and TV star who appeared in The Morecambe & Wise Show from the late 60s onwards. We’ve encountered her twice now in the pages of the magazines we’ve looked at and we cannot wait for you guys to meet her!

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diva, May 1998

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Have you faced discrimination at work? Knocking back one too many bacardi and cokes? Are you looking for the perfect hi vis jacket?

It’s 1998 and we’re looking back in anger at 10 years of Section 28. It’s still legal to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation and equal marriage is yet a dream. But that doesn’t mean we can’t also have fun. It’s beer goggles at the ready as we dive into 90s drinking culture, coming out stories, and gay rights in none other than DIVA magazine.

This week Lucy is taking a break from hosting and Franki is joined by a fabulous guest host: lesbian author, journalist, comedian, and podcaster, Rosie Wilby.

Find Rosie on Instagram @breakupmonologues, buy her book, The Breakup Monologues, or check out her podcast The Breakup Monologues right here in your podcast app.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

Watch: Rebel Dykes, dir. Harri Shanahan, Siân A. Williams

Watch: Wedding ceremonies performed at New York Pride, 1998, YouTube

CHAPTERS

02:11 - Introduction to Diva, May 1998

22:33 - Wine, women and trouble: lesbian drinking culture in the 90s

33:17 - *An ad break from 1998*

35:48 - What Ellen did next… the story of THE 90s celebrity lesbian

44:37 - Fashion and beauty tips (after a fashion) from 1998

49:43 - The challenges of coming out as gay in f1998

1:01:58 - What's Hot and What's Not in May 1998

Mag Hags is created by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

This episode was hosted by Franki Cookney and Rosie Wilby.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Decoding men

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Why are men? It’s a question that has perplexed women for decades and, honestly, the jury’s still out. This week, we glance over the culture and history of the “what men really think” feature, which was such a mainstay of women’s magazines through the 80s and 90s, and find out what – if anything – has changed.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cosmopolitan, December 1983

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Do you consider laziness a crime? Struggling to ask for what you want in bed? Is your anxiety actually a form of narcissism?

This week, the Hags leaf through the pages of a magazine from a time when Thatcher was in Number 10, Michael Jackson was at Number 1, and Cosmo readers were spending their freshly minted £1 coins on gold lamé gloves and home highlighting kits.

Yep, it’s 1983 and the backlash to bootstraps culture feels… weirdly familiar. Nevertheless, we ponder whether *doing nothing* could really be the antidote to “having it all”. Elsewhere Franki gets some surprisingly useful tips for reframing anxiety and Lucy finds a new idol in the form of the late childbirth campaigner and social anthropologist Sheila Kitzinger.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

Read: Sheila Kitzinger’s obituary in The Guardian, 2015

CHAPTERS

02:16 - Introduction to Cosmopolitan, October 1983

08:42 - The positive power of anxiety

22:28 - *An ad break from 1983*

24:14 - Embracing idleness in a bootstraps era

32:59 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1983

36:27 - Pillow talk: How to talk to your man about sex

52:55 - What's hot and what’s not in 1982

Mag Hags is created and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Everything that's wrong with you

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Fix up, look sharp! One of the biggest accusations levelled at women’s mags is that they promote unrealistic standards. But what if media is actually just part of… culture? This week, we examine everything magazines have suggested *might* be wrong with us and decide whether it’s really the editorial that’s to blame.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is created and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our assistant producer is Ella Glover.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anarchy, lycra, and the lesbian moment - with DIVA founder Frances Williams

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Have you recently joined the Labour party? Are you searching for the perfect cycling shorts? Did you just accidentally stub out your cigarette on a priceless artwork? It’s probably time to launch a new magazine.

This week, Franki catches up with founder of DIVA magazine, and self-confessed “delinquent mother” Frances Williams. From sipping tea with Derek Jarman to getting drunk in the pages of Time Out, Frances shares her memories of the optimism and anarchy that ran through mid-90s queer culture. And how ”swirling in the world of lesbianism in London” led to her founding the world’s biggest lesbian magazine on a shoestring budget.

Find out more about Queer Circle, their work, and the events they run here.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

Watch: Framed Youth: Revenge of the Teenage Perverts, Channel 4, 1984

Read: Shado magazine

Read: Shocking Pink

Read: Queer Creative Health, by Meg-John Barker for Queer Circle

CHAPTERS

01:21 - Intro to 1994

05:43 - Embracing 90s optimism and the “lesbian moment”

18:58 - “Keep it going, have fun” : The launch of DIVA magazine

38:05 - Delinquent mothers and sensible children: How queer culture has changed

44:21 - “We find ways” : DIY publishing is thriving despite the loss of print

Mag Hags is created and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Infidelity - hot or not?

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Affairs, adultery, love rats, being unfaithful, infidelity, fuckboys, two-timing… however you look at it, cheating is a topic we don’t ever seem to get tired of talking and writing about. On this week’s Sidebar we look at how the narratives around sexual and romantic infidelity have shifted over the decades and ask: Is infidelity inevitable?

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Our assistant producer is Ella Glover.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.h

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good Housekeeping, August 1977

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Gone and put your Crimplene on a hot wash? Worried about your kids getting mixed up in organised vandalism? Thinking of switching to powder eyeshadow?

It’s August 1977, the Sex Pistols have been banned from the BBC, Donna Summer is pumping put from every nightclub and the Hags are wondering… should we… move to the countryside?

On this week’s show, we find out how stars of the small screen stay looking good, get some interior design advice, try out a snazzy new kitchen gadget, and discover the luxury of Thai silk. Plus! Every question you (n)ever had about fabric care, answered.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Franki and Lucy. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

04:11 - Introduction to Good Housekeeping, 1977

15:34 - Stars of the 70s reveal their secrets to looking good

30:24 - *An ad break from 1977*

33:28 - Every question you ever had about fabrics, answered.

44:03 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1977

49:30 - Is the grass greener in the country? A quality of life debate - 70s-style.

57:28 - What's Hot/What's Not in 1977

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Hack your wardrobe

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Nothing to wear? This week we’re going back at a time when clothes were well-made and fashion advice was geared around helping you find your personal style, rather than be a slave to trends. While fashion editorials certainly showcased the new and shiny, a good deal of copy was also dedicated to helping you make the most of your existing wardrobe. “Fashion is there to inspire you,” said Company magazine in 1981. But if you “let yourself be savagely ruled by it, you’ll end up poorer and less attractive than if you’d ignored it.”

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Our assistant producer is Ella Glover.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Honey, August 1985 - with Jo Fairley

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Left your filofax on the train? Fancy yourself as the next Jerry Hall? Had a holiday fling with Italian waiter?

This week we’re going back to the power ballad era and coming with us is a very special guest host. Former Honey editor Jo Fairley is back in the studio and together we’re going to be diving into an issue she edited! If you’ve ever wondered how exactly they came up with the idea to quiz men on menstruation, or where 80s fashion editors hung out at the weekend, Jo is here to reveal all.

Plus! We find out how to piss off Karl Lagerfeld, discuss the unhinged things people do for lust, and get a reality check on our modelling aspirations.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Franki and Lucy. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

Read: Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective

CHAPTERS

03:10 - Introduction to Honey, December 1985

15:08 - What do men really know about women’s bodies?

25:06 - *An ad break from 1985*

27:53 - How to be a model: If you haven’t the looks, forget it!

37:46 - Bonus feature: Best buys of 1985 (and the story of the Karl Lagerfeld coat)

43:25 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1985

49:14 - The things we do for lust

1:08:23 - What's hot and what’s not in 1985

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Our guest host this week was Jo Fairley.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Seven(ties) drinking tips

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 06:00:00 GMT

One for the road? This week, Franki gets some tips on how to drink responsibly… in 1979. Some, such as ‘don’t drink on an empty stomach’ were familiar enough. Others had us floored. Which, coincidentally, is also where you’d be if you stuck to the 1970s recommended drinking allowances.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glamour, grit, and Joan Collins’ knickers - with former Honey editor Jo Fairley

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Ever had a Hollywood star flirt with you in front of 200 people? Has your wrist been slapped by Bette Davies? Do you know where Margaret Thatcher bought her underwear?

This week, The Hags sit down with former Look Now and Honey editor Josephine Fairley to get all the behind the scenes gossip from the magazine world in the 70s and 80s. From secretarial school at 16, to becoming the youngest ever magazine editor at just 23, heading up iconic fashion magazine, Honey (and subsequently being fired after it lost its readers to new kid on the block, Elle!) Jo has seen it all.

But it’s not all hard graft and dinners at Spud-U-Like, there’s also the time she hung out with Brain Ferry and got flown to France for the worldwide launch of the Sony Walkman. Jealous? No, neither are we! *cries in millennial*

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

02:23 - In at the deep end: From run-ins with movie stars to becoming the UK’s youngest ever magazine editor

17:44 - Rising to the challenge as editor of Honey magazine

20:56 - Pop stars, fashion, and the free market

30:43 - “We couldn’t talk about poo in the 80s”

42:48 - What’s hot and what’s not about being a magazine editor in the 80s?

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More, February 1999

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Are you a dirty dreamer or a brazen babe? Do you prefer to wear your gems in your hair or in your belly button? Have you heard Denise van Outen’s playing the next Bond girl?

It’s the one you’ve been waiting for… it’s More! Magazine.

The year is 1999 and it’s Valentine’s Day which can mean only one thing: We’re spicing up our sex lives. But before we get to that, we’ve got to wade through a sea of hair mascara to hear from six women about why being beautiful is actually a terrible burden. Yes, this timeless women’s magazine debate is back, subtly remastered for 1999.

The Hags take a rollercoaster ride through the drugs and booze-fuelled life of a young Robbie Williams, get some frankly insane beauty tips, and we round off with everyone’s favourite piece of 90s magazine nostalgia, the iconic Position of the Fortnight.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

READ: The millennium bug was real

CHAPTERS

05:01 - Introducing More, February 1999

17:52 - “I hope I’m old before I die” : We check in on 25-year-old Robbie Williams

27:36 - *An ad break from 1999*

30:14 - “Everyone hates me because I’m beautiful” : A timeless classic remixed for 1999

40:46 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1999

44:13 - “Unleash your true sexual self” : The Mag Hags meet their inner sex goddesses

59:23 - Position of The Fortnight

1:01:30 - What's hot and what’s not in February 1999

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Smoking culture

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Have you got a light? We’re going back in time to when smoking was standard, cigarette brands (and indeed medical journals) still thought “middle tar” was a good thing, and ad agencies competed to see who could communicate the most about with the least.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Company, August 1981

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Can men cook dinner? Would you consider doing a job-share? Have you been overthinking picnics?

This week we return to our new favourite magazine, Company! We last hung out in 1979 and now we’re back for 1981. And she does not disappoint. It’s a vibrant issue for a less-than-vibrant period in British history.

Calling itself “the livelier magazine,” (livelier than whom, we wonder) Company offers a diligently reported feature on part-time work. We’ve got a gorgeous feature on how to make the most of the summer. And, an absolute women’s mag staple, we go deep inside the workings of the male mind.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

04:18 - Introducing Company, August 1981

12:08 - “What men want from women now” : Diving deep inside the 80s male psyche

25:14 - *An ad break from 1981*

26:28 - “Part-time prejudice” : What workers rights looked like for women in 1981

42:43 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1981

47:05 - “Come outside” : Unpacking the British relationship with summertime

58:32 - What's hot and what’s not in 1981?

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: What do women look like?

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Are you betraying the sisterhood if you dress like a 50s housewife? No, this isn't a discussion of the latest Tik Tok trend. This is a debate from 1974, when Over 21 interviewed three trans women in order to dig into "what it means to be a woman." We had to cut large chunks of this chat from the main episode for time reasons but we're sharing it in full now.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nova, October 1970

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Four shillings and how much? The Hags are pre-decimalisation this week as they head back in time to October 1970 to meet the mother of British women’s magazines: Nova.

Demonstrating that smart and sexy are not mutually exclusive, Nova has it all: premium art direction, radical reporting at the cutting edge of culture… and adverts for snakeskin shoes.

We’ve got some intrepid reporting into the lives of young women about to graduate Sussex University into the social upheaval of 1970s Britain. And who else should we meet at this nascent point in the Women’s Liberation movement but Germaine Greer, armed with her freshly published polemic instructing women to reject marriage and taste their menstrual blood.

But it’s not all smashing taboos and radical progress. Elsewhere, we’ve got a feature on whether bigger body types can be “pretty,” plus an advert for vaginal deodorant.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

06:51 – Introducing Nova, October 1970

15:49 – Girls in their educated bliss: Meet the Sussex University students figuring out what they want when nothing is off the table

30:19 – *An ad break from 1970*

33:52 – Plump is pretty: Six objectively slim women grapple with their body image

44:47 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1970

48:30 – “Single women must never marry”: Reviewing a radical new book, The Female Eunuch, and the Australian academic who wrote it

1:01:32 – What's hot and what's not in October 1970

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Cars for girls

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Somewhere around the mid-50s, car manufacturers cottoned on to the idea that women drive cars. Not only that, but women *have opinions* about the sort of car they drive. This ushered in a whole new creative challenge for the second half of the 20th century: How to sell cars to girls. And where better to reach them than in the magazines they were reading?

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former more! editor Fiona Gibson on girl power, and Position of the Fortnight

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Something a little different this week… Franki and Lucy aren’t doing a magazine deep dive. Instead, they’re turning the spotlight on a woman with far more expertise in women’s mags: Fiona Gibson.

Fiona is the former editor of Just 17 and more! magazines – not to mention the writer behind a Mag Hags’ favourite – “How to throw a disaster-free dinner party (New Woman, Sept 97) – and author of more than a dozen novels. In a Mag Hags first, Franki and Lucy sit down with her to find out about how she fell in love with magazines in the first place, editorial life in the 80s and 90s, and writing about sex when you’re not allowed to write about sex.

And, of course, we’ll be finding out ALL about how she came up with that most iconic of magazine regulars – the one that has come to represent a shorthand for the Millennial adolescent unofficial sex education – Position of the Fortnight.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

You can read more from Fiona – including memories from her magazine days – at her Substack: https://fionagibson.substack.com/

Or check out her novels here https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/fiona-gibson

CHAPTERS

02:24 – Jackie magazine, DIY beauty hacks, and kissing practice

15:17 - Becoming editor of More! magazine

21:19 – Whose idea was Position of the Fortnight anyway?

28:48 – Celebs, fashion, and features - writing for the 90s woman

40:49: – “Our reader is everything”

53:36 - What do we lose when we lose women’s mags?

1:00:16 – What’s hot and what’s not about being a magazine editor in the 90s?

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Unpacking the Vogue wine and eggs diet

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:00 GMT

In 1977 Vogue published a crash diet that advocated three days consuming nothing but white wine and boiled eggs. In 2018 this diet was unearthed and went viral as people shared it, horrified (but also somehow smugly vindicated) to learn that this was the advice women were being given in the 70s. But the idea that something like this would be published uncritically didn't sit right with us and we decided to investigate...

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Riva, September 1988

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Remember RIVA magazine? Nope, didn't think so. It lasted just seven issues!. And Lucy's got an inkling as to why. This week she’s taking us back to 1988 on a tour of a short-lived mag attempting to bring the gloss of a monthly in a fast-moving, weekly format.

There’s plenty for our duo to rake through in this existentially confused mag. Like, why have we got such a sexy denim editorial against an ad for an extra-cold fridge? And where is our oral history of the shoulder pad?

Elsewhere, there’s a highly scientific analysis of which jobs are most likely to lead to affairs, and we meet one of the UK’s first female deacons to learn how she styles her dog collar and her cat named Satan.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

WATCH: When the world discovered who shot JR (Dallas)

WATCH: A Very British Sex Scandal: The lovechild and the secretary

CHAPTERS

4:04 – Intro to Riva, September 1988

13:40 – Danger: these jobs may seriously damage your relationship | Which career paths are most likely to see one (or both) of you playing away?

28:55 – An ad break from 1988

32:20 – The life and death of the shoulder pad | An incongruously titled exploration of the decline of high camp US soaps (Dallas, Dynasty etc) and the shows that are replacing them

46:18 – Fashion and beauty: Sexy denim and how to prolong your tan

50:12 – 24 hours with… Rev Rachel Lewis | This fun and feisty clergywoman is tempting our Mag Hags into the church

1:00:59 – What’s hot and what’s not in 1988?

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Hot tips to blow his mind

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Cling film, coital alignment, and reverse cowgirl: 90s and 00s magazines promised to help us "drive him wild." But does anyone actually *want* to be surprised during sex? If you've ever alternated an ice cube with a sip of tea while going down on a partner, this one's for you.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minx, November 1996

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Are you MAD FOR IT?? This week, the Mag Hags are in 1996, scaling Peak Britpop and working their way through a magazine determined to prove that women can objectify men too. Sex by the inch! Tastiest man in the world stripped bare!!

In entirely coincidental timing, the Mag Hags meet some real life Patsys (as in Kensit) and Liams (as in Gallagher). Unfortunately, some of what passed for passionate, rock ‘n’ roll love in 1996 would have the Hags devising escape plans and calling Women’s Aid in 2025.

But it’s not all public rows with your boyfriend. Elsewhere, we’ve got Shirley Manson’s demand for cunnilingus, a creative editorial take on Mad Cow Disease, and some reportage on the burgeoning skate scene. It’s tops!

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

WATCH - A Vodazap! Advert from 1996

READ - Shirley Manson’s interview with The Guardian from April 2025

CHAPTERS

03:54 – Intro to 1996: on witches, the British beef ban and Britpop

20:46 – Wild thing: Is it passionate, tempestuous love… or an increasing body of trauma to discuss at length with a therapist? Three couples reveal all

33:06 – *An ad break from 1996*

35:35 – Shirley Manson’s 10 Commandments Of Love: From honouring her ginger pubes to going down with abandon

47:31 – Fashion and beauty: Getting lacey and adventures in hair gel

50:17 – Skateboarders: some time-capsule reportage of the skate scene that finds skaters are in fact people too

1:01:16 – What's hot and what’s not in October 1996

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Tough love

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Embarrassed to go to the doctor? Cheating on your boyfriend with another man? Worried you might be a nympho? Put your Big Girl pants on, we’re diving into the world of magazine problem pages.

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over 21, March 1974

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

It’s March 1974 aka the last moment in history before anyone had heard of ABBA! Striking coal miners have brought down a Conservative government and the UK is gripped by its first post-war recession… but the Mag Hags are boldly wading in, armed with a copy of Over 21 magazine.

This week, we come to terms with some hang-ups in a feature that takes us to some unexpected places – most notably, mid-century trans rights. Elsewhere, we’ve got a delightful fashion and beauty hack, a guide to getting on the property ladder pre-Sex Discrimination Act, and a comprehensive public health ad on contraception.

Plus: in a fine tradition of “male journalists thinking they’re Hunter S. Thompson”, we’ve got a first-person account of attending an orgy, complete with water bed and smoked salmon bagels for afters.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki – so your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

WATCH: The 1973 BBC Open Door documentary with the Transex Liberation Group

CHAPTERS

07:16 - Intro to Over 21

11:42 - Hang ups: Over 21 attempts to heal our insecurities and ends up taking us on a wild ride through 1970s trans rights

29:45 - *An ad break from 1974*

33:44 - “A funny thing happened to me on the way to the orgy…”: One reporter goes gonzo at a New Jersey sex party

49:37 - Fashion and beauty tips from 1974

52:49 - A home of your own: A single gal explains how she got her very own Knightsbridge pad

1:03:23 - What's hot and what’s not in March 1974?

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidebar: Magazine lingo cheat sheet

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Do you know your masthead from your standfirst? Could you make a pull quote out of a vox pop? And what, oh what, is a slug?

Welcome to Mag Hags “Sidebar” where we talk about the stuff we couldn’t fit into the main episode. Or else go off on a mad tangent about something that’s sparked our interest.

This week: Lucy talks us through some common magazine jargon.

Join the conversation!

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

—

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elle, July 1987

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

The Mag Hags are back! It’s July 1987 - aka Lucy’s birth month - and to kick off the new season she’s leading a voyage of “style with content” to Elle magazine!

The contradictions of the late 80s are writ large: we’ve got innovation and progress (portable CD players!! Iced coffee!!!) alongside depressing accounts of workplace harassment and laborious tips for banishing cellulite.

But the Hags are pleased to discover two reliable constants: the timeless women’s mag tradition of the “should you have a baby?” essay, and author Jeanette Winterson being iconic.

Want more of these mags?

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to see all the pictures, features, and adverts in full! Find us at maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

2:22 – Introduction to Elle, July 1987

9:15 – Working against fear: A somewhat unnecessarily long look at readers’ sense of their safety at work.

21:14 – *An ad break from 1987*

24:03 – Babies: hot or not? We’ve got one writer going full Samantha Jones, and another gives her eldest daughter’s future therapist a handy case cheat sheet

39:55 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1987

43:02 – Winterson’s Tales: Author of the moment Jeanette Winterson extols the joys of lesbianism against a tide of homophobia

52:10 – What's hot and what's not in 1987?

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season Two coming soon!

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Mag Hags is back!

We've got smashing financial advice, explosive relationship drama, and the latest shoulder pad discourse. If you love magazines, 20th century pop culture, and questionable life advice, then join us every week to find out what’s still hot, and what’s definitely not.

First episode drops WEDNESDAY JUNE 11 2025.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to all the features and adverts we discuss, PLUS extra vintage fashion, beauty and lifestyle tips that we couldn’t quite fit into the show!

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire, courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cosmopolitan, October 1992

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 06:00:00 GMT

It’s the end of season one! And what better note to end on than right back where we started: with the OG of having it all, Cosmopolitan.

It’s October 1992 and Lucy is at the helm as the Mag Hags navigate post-Thatcher pre-Loaded gender politics to explore the timeless editorial territory of: has feminism been bad for men?

There’s a recession on, but that doesn’t seem to have dented Cosmo’s advertising coffers because this magazine is HUGE. We have, inexplicably, four entire pages about the concept of Being Blonde. And there’s a feature about the women who have affairs with other women – which has aged like an outdoor shellfish buffet on a hot summer’s day.

Plus: the Mag Hags pay homage to the bygone era of women’s mags providing essential service journalism. And Cosmo recommends its readers try out temporary tattoos. Too cute.

Want more of these mags?

Sign up for the Mag Hags newsletter. See the features we talk about in the show, marvel at the amazing adverts, enjoy vintage fashion, beauty, and lifestyle tips, and get access to loads of other bonus bits. Plus episode transcripts straight to your inbox. Go to maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Simply go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us – Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

READ - Power and the production of subjects: a genealogy of the New Man and the New Lad, by Ros Gill

WATCH - Men Behaving Badly on ITVX

CHAPTERS

03:35 – Intro to Cosmopolitan, October 1992

09:30 – “All you need to know about abortion”: A reminder of the comprehensive service journalism women’s mags offered their pre-internet readers

11:47 – “Poor darlings”: Writer Michael Bywater skewers men who are butt-hurt they aren’t getting more thank-yous from women

26:38 – *An ad break from 1992*

29:02 – “Are you going through a lesbian phase?”: INTERNALISED BI-PHOBIA KLAXON Cosmo attempts to unpick the hidden phenomenon of ‘lesbain tourism’. It’s every bit as problematic as it sounds so do skip ahead if you’d rather

46:13 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1992

48:55 – “More than just a blonde”: An exploration of that now-extinct creature: the Bimbo

56:24 – What’s hot and what’s not in 1992?

–

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19, June 1986

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 06:00:39 GMT

Kicking off the new year with a bang, the Mag Hags are manifesting the season they want… with a June magazine issue. Franki is taking us back to the 80s to 19 magazine – a sister title to Honey that’s ticking all the women’s mag tropes. Directive diet features! Reductive psychology quizzes!

The Mag Hags reckon with some food demons from their childhoods: notably the 80s/early 90s obsession with low-fat alternatives (Franki) and being the victim of egg-shaming (Lucy). There’s a glimpse into Banarama’s Siobhan Fahey’s unhinged eating habits, a charming little account of becoming an aerobics instructor at that vanguard of the group exercise boom, and an astonishing hygiene-focused beauty feature that does Lucy a mischief.

Plus: a magazine quiz aiming to find out how in touch with your emotions you are is strongly reminiscent of the NHS mental health triage questionnaire.

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Simply go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us - Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

READ: Memphis Group

WATCH: This 1981 BBC newsround coverage of the fast food boom

CHAPTERS

03:08 – Introduction to 19 – June 1986

09:49 – “All work and lots of play!”: Four gals making careers in sport explain how they got into their jobs. This should come with a trigger warning for anyone who, like Franki and Lucy, began their career post-2008

22:42 – *An ad break from 1986*

25:53 – “You are what you eat. Can you swallow it?” DIET FEATURE KLAXON: Amidst the 80s fast food boom, 19 attempts to cut through the misinformation and guide you on how to have a healthier diet

38:30 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1986

41:39 – “Are you in tune with your emotions?”: We finally come across our first quiz! A convoluted series of questions helps us find out how in touch with our emotions we are

54:54 – What's hot and what's not in 1986

–

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney. Edited and produced by Franki Cookney.

This episode was mixed by Siân Williams.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Company, December 1979

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:00:51 GMT

Burn your bras, lads: we’re back in the 70s this week – only this time the magazine under the spotlight *has* caught up with the decade’s radical social progress.

Lucy is leading the way through a tour of Cosmo’s little sister mag: the recently launched Company. There’s a report into how technology is about to transform work as we know it, some timeless fashion tips, and an ad for a 1970s-era Hinge.

But it’s not all women’s lib. The Mag Hags get the ick over a Freudian feature about girls’ relationships with their dads. And there is an *exquisite* essay about the sexiest thing imaginable: not having sex.

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Simply go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us - Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

04:14 – Introduction to Company – December 1979

06:50 – What’s on the cover?

12:06 – “The leisure decade”: Sociologist Ann Karpf explores how technology is going to precipitate a 20-hour-work week and a socialist revolution 🫠🙃

26:42 – *An ad break from 1979*

30:15 – “Fathers are first”: A deeply psychologically problematic feature telling readers that if their dad is absent then they’ll definitely never have good relationships with men.

42:42 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1979

46:11 – “Lunchtime lovers”: Is there anything conceivably hotter than an indulgent flirtation with an intellectual sparring partner who you also fancy? Over lunch??

59:03 – What's hot and what's not in 1979

–

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marie Claire, May 1998

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 06:00:39 GMT

Gather round, high-flying spinsters! The Good Friday Agreement has been signed, the US president is definitely *not* having sexual relations with that woman, and we are hitting New Labour's economic zenith : it’s 1998 and the Mag Hags are reading Marie Claire.

Franki is in the driving seat as the Mag Hags dive into plastic surgery tourism and ponder why Woman Of The Moment Gwyneth Paltrow is on the cover and yet mysteriously absent from the rest of the magazine. Elsewhere, Lucy gatekeeps singledom and there’s an exploration of the ultimate late 90s conundrum: how come you can be smashing the glass ceiling and *still* not hold on to a boyfriend?

Plus: a first-person account of being raised by lesbian mothers calls for an expert’s view, so Franki catches up with women’s mag editor and author of The Queer Parent, Lotte Jeffs. See more of Lotte's work at: https://lottejeffs.com/

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Simply go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us - Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

READ: Alison Yarrow, 90s Bitch: 90s Bitch: Media, Culture, and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality

READ: Lotte Jeffs & Stu Oakley, The Queer Parent

CHAPTERS

01:49 – Introduction to Marie Claire – May 1998

08:50 – “Poor little rich girls. They're wealthy, successful, and attractive. So why does a relationship elude them?”: Is it toxic masculinity or their intimidatingly high standards preventing these five loaded women from finding love?

22:02 – *An ad break from 1998*

24:30 – “I was brought up by lesbian mothers”: One woman’s heart-warming account of growing up with her mum and mum’s girlfriend while Section 28 continued to drag on.

29:23 – Franki chats to magazine editor and author Lotte Jeffs

41:05 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1998

45:03 – “Scars and bars”: Dispatches from Wrocław and the British travelling there for plastic-surgery package deals

56:52 – What's hot and what's not in 1998

–

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tatler, December 1980

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 06:00:16 GMT

Grab your Barbour and don your wellies – it’s time for Tatler!

Lucy is taking the Mag Hags back to Tina Brown’s formative career years and a festive issue of the high society bible. Here, Franki and Lucy learn some valuable lessons in how to *really* show off one’s status and discuss the British aristocracy’s take on Quiet Luxury.

There is some questionable history on 20th century tax policy, the origin story of a ubiquitous old lady shoe, and a reflection on 1980 through the lens(es) of different magazines of the day: from The Stage to The Field.

Plus: have *you* come up against the Beasts of Belgravia

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Simply go to ko-fi.com/maghags.

Mag Hags is created entirely by us - Lucy and Franki. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Thank you so much!

LINKS

READ: “The Vanity Fair Diaries, 1983–1992” by Tina Brown

READ: Death of a Princess

CHAPTERS

02:20 – Introduction to Tatler, December 1980

12:20 – “Status – You show me yours and I’ll show you mine”: The subtle art of exuding wealth without letting on you’re wealthy

28:42 – *An ad break from 1980*

30:27 – “Looking at the world through Vole-coloured glasses”: A sojourn through 1980 via the stories of different magazines, including The Lady, Church Times, and a now-defunct ‘glossy quarterly for Arab women’

42:11 – Fashion (and no beauty) tips from 1980

45:02 – “The Beasts of Belgravia” – On the hunt for villains terrorising butchers, bakers and candlestick makers in London’s premium postcode

56:12 – What's hot and what's not in 1980

–

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Woman's Own, November 1972

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 06:00:07 GMT

Welcome to Guess The Meat with Lucy and Franki! ... Only joking! That would be insane.

This episode, Franki is taking the Mag Hags deeper into the archives than they have gone before… to Woman’s Own, November 1972. A relic of the mid-century suburban housewife, this mag is serving up hobby how-tos, a guide to hats, and a free sheet of ‘foil-edged cooking film’. No, we have no idea either.

There’s speculation about Prince Charles’s love life, a quick lesson in menstrual history, plus a reader’s story of Loving Against The Odds (spoiler: it involves a woman setting aside her own feelings).

Plus: the Mag Hags risk cutting diplomatic ties with France following an ad for Vichy skincare.

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

Ko-fi is a super easy way to support the podcast with a one off donation - you can think of it like buying us a drink, or leaving a tip. Mag Hags is created entirely by Franki and Lucy. So your support means the world to us and it’s what will allow us to keep doing it. Simply go to ko-fi.com/maghags. Thank you so much!

CHAPTERS

02:45 – Introduction to Woman’s Own, November 1972

09:22 – The World’s Most Wanted Bachelor: Why HRH Prince Charles is just like you and me – and how to bag a date with him

19:21 – *An ad break from 1972*

22:05 – “My husband can’t resist other women”: A Betty Draper-esque reader tells of her tempestuous marriage to her serial-cheater – but completely irresistible – husband

34:00 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1972

37:34 – 101 things to make for pleasure or profit: Readers need ideas to stave off boredom, and Woman’s Own has the answer…

48:01 – What's hot and what's not in 1972

–

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Woman, September 1997

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Dig out your Union Jack tea-towel dresses, girls! This time, Lucy is leading the way through a magazine that’s channeling all the Girl-Powered benign anarchy of Spice World: The Movie. It’s New Woman, September 1997.

There’s a ‘how-to’ for spying on your boyfriend, bafflingly horny ads and – in depressingly 90s style – a feature about how you can weigh 10st and still be technically obese (check the time stamps if you’d rather sit this one out).

Then, stick around for the guide to disaster-free dinner parties that is less Ottolenghi and Instagram tablescaping, more homemade margs and snogging the downstairs neighbour in the loo.

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

LINKS

Read: Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray

Read: Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

CHAPTERS

03:09 – Introduction to New Woman September 1997

06:50 – Being in our Girl Power era

12:52 – It’s good to stalk: A completely normal feature about spying on your boyfriend

19:51 – Let’s talk about men for a minute

25:04 – *An ad break from 1997*

27:43 – [Content warning] ‘Three of these women are technically obese’: We come to our first body image feature. Do skip ahead if you’d rather not listen

41:45 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1997

44:04 – How to throw a disaster-free dinner party: spoiler! It involves a lot of booze…

52:29 – What's hot and what's not in 1997

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good Housekeeping, March 1988

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 05:00:24 GMT

The Mag Hags are back and cooking with gas! This episode Franki and Lucy ponder on some cutting edge household appliances – cordless iron, anyone? Because, yes, Franki is guiding us on a tour through Good Housekeeping, March 1988.

There’s Ovaltine innuendo, shoulder-revealing fashion, and a self-help book extract suggesting that Lucy could be a threat to Franki’s marriage.

Plus, a questionable beauty feature calls for back-up, so Franki speaks to award-winning beauty editor and author Anita Bhagwandas.

Want more of these mags?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

LINKS

Read: Pessimist’s Archive: an archive of historical, technology pessimism https://pessimistsarchive.org/

Read: Ugly: Giving us back our beauty standards by Anita Bhagwandas

CHAPTERS

05:06 – What’s on the cover of Good Housekeeping March 1988

15:04 – The enemy within: Is TV bringing about the moral downfall of society?

25:55 – *An ad break from 1988*

28:37 – Examining the English vs American vs French approach to beauty… with problematic results

35:15 – Anita Bhagwandas shares her take with the Mag Hags

48:24 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1988

50:40 – Don’t take your love life lying down: Self-help guru Paul Pearsall reveals why your friendships are ruining your marriage

58:41 – What's hot and what's not in 1988

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Honey, March 1976

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 05:30:35 GMT

Lucy and Franki are back with more dispatches from vintage women’s glossies.

This week, Lucy is heading to Honey magazine March 1976 – but it’s less Patti Smith and Sex! on the Kings Road, more women named Sue and unequal division of household labour.

We also meet the last of debutantes, contemplate a bath-time workout, and witness a disastrous PR campaign for British Rail.

Meanwhile Franki is underwhelmed by “Strip Monopoly”. And the Mag Hags ponder: did the editorial staff of mid-70s Honey realise they were selling the bucolic lesbian dream?

Want more of these magazines?

Sign up for the Mag Hags newsletter. See the features we talk about, marvel at the amazing adverts, enjoy vintage fashion, beauty, and lifestyle tips, and get access to loads of other bonus bits. Plus episode transcripts straight to your inbox. Go to maghags.substack.com

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

CHAPTERS

04:43 – Intro to Honey March 1976

11:18 – Weekending: Five women tell us what their average 1976 weekend looks like

31:35 – *An ad break from 1976*

35:04 – Is selfishness a sin or a necessity? Therapy speak, 1976-style

45:53 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1976

47:16 – How lovely to be beautiful? Honey tackles the immutable question: is being hot bad, actually?

51:25 – A brainwave for bathtime: a workout how-to that is absolute perfection, 10/10, no notes

52:35 – What's hot and what's not in 1976

LINKS

Read: ‘Having it all: Love, success, sex, money, even if you’re starting with nothing’ by Helen Gurley Brown

Read: Helen Gurley Brown obituary by Sali Hughes

Podcast: The Rest is History – Britain in 1974

Read: From balls to Bridgerton: a brief history of debutantes and the social season

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Lucy Douglas and Franki Cookney.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cosmopolitan, October 1982

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 05:00:18 GMT

Welcome to the very first episode of Mag Hags, the podcast that every modern woman should know.

Join Franki and Lucy as they dive into the glossy archives of women’s magazines to find out what's still hot, and what's definitely not.

And where else to begin than the OG of having it all: Cosmopolitan.

Franki has travelled back in time to October 1982, when The Pill turned 21 and publishers were just cottoning on to the idea that women buy books.

Elsewhere, a hapless man gets some Thatcherite therapy and the Mag Hags get some dinner inspo from a truly astonishing advertiser.

Plus, Lucy reveals her daddy issues about His Majesty King Charles III.

Want more of these magazines?

If you are enjoying the show, why not buy us a coffee?

CHAPTERS

07:09 – Intro to Cosmo October 1982

09:33 – Girl Bossing vs Having It All

10:29 – The pill that promised so much: A review of 21 years of oral contraceptives written by someone who's never taken them

26:47 – *An ad break from 1982*

30:09 – Talking It Out : A Cosmo "counselling" session that reads more like a scolding

38:13 – Tactful sex tactics: Can you use the word "fondle" without laughing

42:28 – Fashion and beauty tips from 1982

44:42 – Frills or Thrills: Trashy paperbacks are having a moment. Is it good, steamy fun or patronising frivolity?

48:37 – What's hot and what's not in 1982

LINKS

Research: On coils and ectopic pregnancies: Safety, efficacy and patient acceptability of the contraceptive and non-contraceptive uses of the LNG-IUS | International Journal of Women’s Health, 2009

Read: On Erin Pizzey: Feminism’s Purity Wars by Helen Lewis | The Atlantic, Feb 2020

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Editing and audio production by Franki Cookney.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire. Additional music: Leotard Haul, Dez Moran. Both courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming soon... Mag Hags

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:35:59 GMT

Mag Hags is a brand new podcast that celebrates and interrogates the glossy women’s magazines of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

If you love magazines, 20th century pop culture, and questionable life advice on glossy paper stock, then join us each fortnight when we’ll be diving into a vintage issue to find out what’s still hot, and what’s definitely not.

First episode drops WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 02 2024.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to all the features and adverts we discuss, PLUS extra vintage fashion, beauty and lifestyle tips that we couldn’t quite fit into the show!

Mag Hags is written and hosted by Franki Cookney and Lucy Douglas.

Trailer editing and audio production by Elly Lazarides.

Our theme music is Look Where That Got You, Mattie Maguire, courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.