It's not a well guarded secret that I love magazines. I've even been called magazine girl, which let's be honest, is far more complimentary than my self-inflicted moniker of 'the mag hag'. Today we have a quintet of glossy, and matte papery loves. Some new, some rediscovered. All well designed, all brilliant. Myself and the wonderful Liv have also recently done a magazine swap so you'll hear all about that in due course as well. Anyway, if magazines make your heart soar as much as they do mine, keep reading...

Betty: It's probably uncool of me to include this one here, seeing as the print incarnation no longer exists. Charlotte Jacklin, one of the founders and current brainchild+expert enabler, announced she was selling up old stock and I leapt at my chance to grab a couple of these annuals. They're beautiful magazines and while I wish I'd discovered them much, much earlier than I did, I am loving soaking up all their beauteousness. Don't fret though because Charlotte's website, weekly newsletter and other Internet-goodness more than make up for the magazine's absence. In fact, I strongly recommend you head there for a peruse.

Fete/Life: If there was a magazine that was a physical embodiment of the well designed, tranquil, carefully curated sanctuary I hope to have someday, this would be it. In fact, Liv if you're reading I don't know why I didn't send you this because you'd love it. This issue is built around the idea of having the holiday mindset year-round. Fete/Life is a mix of interiors, design, style, wellbeing and a smattering of travel. Its minimalist design and simplicity makes it a treat to flick through. That and you will want to tear out inspiration pages+bookmark all the lustworthy and useful things. It's an Australian publication and you can buy it online. Aucklanders-I've seen it in well stocked bookstores but Mag Nation on Ponsonby Rd is your best bet for acquiring a copy.

No Man's Land: So this magazine doesn't ship to New Zealand, I got around that using YouShop which admittedly was not a cost-effective way but I was determined to get my hands on a copy. As they put it on the site, this magazine is brought to you by the people from The Wing and it's for women "with something to say and nothing to prove". In short, if feminism, gender equality and women doing awesome things are your jam-get this right now. The whole magazine was crammed with brilliant content but the one story that particularly stood out was women taking on emotional labour in the workplace and the impacts it has across the board. That and an article about feminist magazines that have come before No Man's Land. 

Violet: Another magazine that's a bit on the luxe side, especially to ship here to little ol' NZ but honestly, so so worth it. I've written about Violet before and again, my love of Leith Clark's work is well documented. One thing I love about Violet is that it always shines the light on changemakers and emerging talent. It's an exquisite treat of a magazine and you will find yourself reading every last word before stowing it safely away like a glossy treasure. In fact, reading Violet does always take me a while but that's one of the many reasons I love it.

Riposte: Another magazine I've featured before is Riposte, a brilliant magazine for women. I love the balance of content and its always inspiring, informative nature. As well as a cover story with Janet Mock, there are also features on the young fans of Graceland, embracing your inner emo, modern witchcraft and the housing crisis to name but a few. This is one of my designated trainside reads as it's easy to immerse yourself in and disappear for a while.

-What magazines do you love?

We all know my love for books is only really rivaled by my love for magazines. Discovering new ones to enchant and inspire me is naturally something I enjoy. Recently I've been wanting something a bit more from my women's magazines. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy perusing the pages of Vogue and Allure. I just have been  craving magazines a bit wordier and more idea-filled than what I usually reach for. Today I want to fill you in on three magazines you may not be so familiar with. They all deliver something different and are equally as inspiring. Coincidentally they are all British too. There must be something in those English magazine waters...

Bedboat, published quarterly-An independently published title, Bedboat is only available as a print magazine. The team appreciate the beauty in something that we can all hold and read, rather than cast our eyes across a PDF file and I love that about them. That's not where the love for Bedboat magazine ends though. Inside you will find a treasure trove of ethereal, dreamy imagery and writing that will inspire you to put pen to paper yourself. It embraces creativity in all its forms and does it brilliantly. The next issue is out in January 2017, I backed the Kickstarter campaign but if you want to pre-order a copy you can do so here. Oh and if you're in Auckland you might be able to find this in Mag Nation Ponsonby if there's still some copies there.

The Gentlewoman, published biannually-The Gentlewoman is the sister publication of Fantastic Man and The Happy Reader. It's the talented middle sister in a trio of creative, well designed paper siblings basically. It's also incredibly hefty and crammed with a tonne of content, focusing on inspiring women and fashion+style in a way that never feels trite or superficial. Past issues have profiled woman such as Saiorse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Adele, Beyonce and others. Issue 13 looks at Zadie Smith and her latest novel Swing Time. Side note: It's a brilliant book and I'm loving savouring every last sentence. Diana Athill, literary editor is featured as is Erin Brokovich among others. If you like wordier magazines that are designed seamlessly and are an absolute treat to read, this is for you. 

Riposte, pubished quarterly-Another magazine that is in a similar vein to The Gentlewoman but with less of a focus on fashion. Each issue contains curated content, specially produced for that issue which I think is pretty darn fantastic. They also do brilliant essays and interviews as well. Issue 6 featured a great one with Gloria Steinem and Barbara Nessim. Again, if you like magazines that are a bit wordier and embrace women from all walks of life, you should hunt this down.

-What women's magazines do you read and like?