About That Obsession With Women's Breasts
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Posted:Jan 22, 2020 11:33 am
Last Updated:Jan 23, 2020 3:35 am
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Science has always been concerned with the big questions. How did we get here? How did the universe begin? What is the nature of reality? And now, the scientific method has turned its dispassionate gaze towards that eternal and pressing question: Why do men like women’s breasts?
‘’Because they do’’ or ‘’because they’re nice’’ are not acceptable answers here. Neither, for that matter, is ‘’because media portrayals brainwash them into liking breasts’’ (if you believe this, have a conversation with any straight man). In science we must seek always to be disinterested and unbiased, and to apply the principles of discovery as rigorously as we can. That is how a recent column in Psychology Today by Robert D. Martin, a distinguished anthropologist, treated this topic. So let us examine the evidence, and please, let us have no giggling or smart comments from the back of the room.
Although the reason for breasts’ existence is obviously breast-feeding, women’s capacity for milk production is not associated with breast size (at least not before pregnancy). Furthermore, there has been no clear association between hormone levels and breast size. So why have men evolved to like them?
An early hypothesis was that breasts are an honest signal of fat reserves, which would come in handy during lean times for our hunter-gatherer ancestors. If that were true, however, men should find breasts no more erotic than fat elsewhere on the body. Chalk that one off.
One of the most popular theories has to do with pair-bonding. Neurology studies have proven that women are flooded with oxytocin, the bonding hormone, when their nipples are stimulated by a nursing baby, or indeed by a sexual partner. So, men who pay extra attention to this will impress their mate, and make it more likely that she will have his babies. Make of this theory what you will – it seems to suggest an unlikely degree of unselfishness in men – but there may be something to the bonding aspect.
Switching positions
One person who thinks bonding plays a part is British anthropologist Edward Dutton; he has suggested that breasts evolved to resemble buttocks. Seeing as our distant ancestors mated from behind, like our primate cousins, at some point they must have switched to face-to-face. This moment in evolutionary history was hugely important, because with front-facing intercourse came sustained and intense eye-contact theretofore absent from the act of procreation.
Much has been speculated about the profound anthropological changes face-to-face sex may have brought on the human species, not least the new depths of pair-bonding it must have triggered. Dutton thinks that one of the byproducts of the change may have been that female breasts expanded so as to create a cleavage reminiscent of the previously all-important backside.
How old are you?
Possibly the most intriguing argument is that of evolutionary psychologist Frank Marlowe. His ‘nubility hypothesis’ proposes that full, pert breasts are an honest signal of youth, and therefore fertility. In the ancestral environment, humans often went without clothing on their torsos, meaning the females’ breasts would have been more on show. Before birth records and possibly even before the advent of language, there was no way to know the age of other adult humans, except by visual physiological signals.
As women age their breasts begin to sag due to the pull of gravity. Therefore, fleshy lumps on females’ chests became one fool-proof way for males to know the rough age of females, even if it was subconscious. Over aeons of time and thousands of generations, those men with an internal urge to mate with women with younger breasts would on average have had greater reproductive success, seeing as they were mating with younger (but adult) women.
Once a preference for a certain kind of breast kicked in, sexual selection may have also entered the picture. Women having the types of breasts men prefer also had the most reproductive success, leading to a feedback loop of selection for the permanently swollen breasts we see in Homo sapiens, somewhat unlike any other mammal species.
Fast forward millions of years, and attraction to breasts is a near ubiquitous trait among heterosexual men (and homosexual women).
It’s a good story, but does that make it true? And do the cultural elements have any role to play at all or is it all just cold hard evolutionary biology? And if natural selection is still at work, what kind of breasts will the man of the future find attractive - if any at all?
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Why do people sometimes prefer Dom/sub relationships?
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Posted:Nov 18, 2019 2:51 am
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 12:18 am
5588 Views
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Why do people sometimes prefer Dom/sub relationships?
D/s is one aspect of the wider category of BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, and Sadomasochism), sometimes also known as kink. Some people are into all of the things listed under BDSM, and some only some of them. D/s is generally distinguished from SM because it is more about power than about physical sensation (although some use these terms more interchangeably).
In D/s activities one person generally dominates the other, or has power over them, therefore people tend to prefer D/s if they find a power dynamic to be exciting in some way. Of course it is pretty common for sex and power to be mixed together in our culture. For example, a lot of romance fiction involves people being rescued from peril or being swept away by somebody more powerful, and a lot of people fantasise about having the power of being utterly desirable to their partner. What is involved in a Dom/sub relationship?
If somebody identifies as being into D/s, or having a D/s relationship, then they probably include power in their sex life, and perhaps in other aspects of their relationship. People can identify as dominant, submissive, or switch (which means that they are sometimes dominant and sometimes submissive). It might be that people stick to the roles each time they together, or that they take different roles on different occasions.
For most people, being D/s will be something that they only do some of the time (for example, just in pre-arranged scenes – often, but not always, involving sex). Such scenes could involve any kind of exchange of power. For example, the submissive person might serve the dominant one food, or give them a massage; the dominant person might order the submissive one around or restrain them or punish them in some way; people might act particular power-based -plays such as teacher and student, cop and robber, or pirate and captive.
Some people are into D/s might have longer periods, such as a holiday, where they maintain their power dynamic. And a few have lifestyle or 24/7 arrangements, where one person always takes the dominant, and the other the submissive, . However, even in such cases much of their everyday life will probably not seem that different to anybody else’s. How does it differ to the traditional ‘vanilla’ relationship?
This depends very much on how important it is in the lives of those involved. Some D/s relationships would look very much like a vanilla relationship but just with a bit more power- involved when people have sex. Others would have something of the D/s dynamic in other parts of the relationship. However, it should be remembered that most vanilla relationships have specific roles (e.g. one person takes more responsibility for the finances, one person is more outgoing socially, one person does more of the looking after, one person takes the lead in sex). In D/s relationships those things tend to be more explicit, but perhaps not hugely different.
So perhaps the main difference is in the amount of communication. Most people involved in BDSM stress the importance of everything being ‘consensual‘ so there will probably be much negotiation at the start about the things people do and do not enjoy, and the ways in which the relationship will be D/s. Checklists and contracts can be useful ways of clarifying this. So, for example, there may be limits about the kinds of activities and sensations people like, whether they enjoy role- or not, and which aspects of the relationship will have a D/s element. Why do so many people have misconceptions of this type of relationship?
The media portrayal of BDSM has tended to be very negative, often associating it with violence, danger, abuse, madness and criminality. Research has shown that actually people are into BDSM are no different from others in terms of emotional well-being or upbringing, and that they are no more likely to get serious injuries from their sex lives, or to be criminal, than anybody else.
Often the media also focuses on the most extreme examples, such as very heavy and/or 24/7 D/s arrangements, rather than the more common relationships where there are elements of D/s. For these reasons people may well have misconceptions about D/s relationships. This is why it is useful to get a range of experiences out there in the media – so people can have more awareness of the diversity of things involved and the continuum (e.g. from light bondage and love bites to more scripted scenes and specifically designed toys). How do couples go about beginning a relationship like this?
A good idea for all people in relationships, whether or not they are interested in D/s, is to communicate about what they like sexually early on, and more broadly about what roles they like to take in the relationship. Often people just assume what they other person will enjoy or how they would like the relationship to be.
For example, one good activity from sex therapy and from the BDSM community is to create a list as a couple of all of the sexual practices that either of you is aware of, and then to go down it writing ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘maybe’ about whether it is something that interests you, and sharing your thoughts. It can also be good to share sexual fantasies or favourite images/stories and to talk about whether (and, if so, how) they might be incorporated into your sex life (the Nancy Friday and Emily Dubberley collections of sexual fantasies can be helpful with this). It is very important that people only do things that they really want to try (rather than feeling coerced into certain activities) and that it is accepted that there will likely to be areas which aren’t compatible as well as those that are.
BDSM communities and websites are a great place to look for more information from those have been involved in these kinds of practices and relationships. Also local fetish fairs and kink events often include demonstrations and workshops. There is more in my books Enjoy Sex and Rewriting the Rules about communicating about sex and relationships. Some people have a BDSM relationship outside of an existing ‘vanilla’ relationship. What effect can this have on a marriage or couple relationship?
Again this varies. Although it isn’t always out in the open, many couples have arrangements where they are open to some extent (e.g. monogamish couples, the ‘new monogamy’, open relationships, swinging, polyamory, and ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ agreements).
Having different sexual desires is one reason why some couples open up their relationship to one or both of them being sexual with another person. If this is communicated about clearly, kindly and thoughtfully, it can work perfectly well. The important thing again is kindness and communication. In regards to the book 50 Shades of Grey, many husbands have bought this for their wives and girlfriends. What does this say to them, and how would you help a couple want to get more involved in this sort of lifestyle but don’t know how, or they are too shy to approach it?
The kinds of conversations and activities mentioned above are a great idea. One of the good things about 50 Shades of Grey is that it has opened up this kind of conversation for many people. However, it is important not to assume that the only form of BDSM is the one described in the book. In a heterosexual couple it may well be that the woman is more dominant, for example, or that both people switch roles, and the things that they enjoy may well be different to the ones which Ana and Christian engage in in the book.
If you want to read more about different practices and how to do them, then there are lots of good books available about BDSM. Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy’s books The New Topping Book and The New Bottoming Book are great places to start, as is Tristan Taormino’s The Ultimate Guide to Kink.
For couples are really struggling to communicate about sex, or have very different desires and are finding it hard to reconcile this, it might well be useful to see a sex and relationship therapist for a few sessions. The Pink Therapy website includes many kink-friendly therapists.
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The share of Americans not having sex has reached a record high
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Posted:Mar 30, 2019 8:14 pm
Last Updated:Mar 30, 2019 8:15 pm
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The share of U.S. adults reporting no sex in the past year reached an all-time high in 2018, underscoring a three-decade trend line marked by an aging population and higher numbers of unattached people.
But among the 23 percent of adults — or nearly 1 in 4 — who spent the year in a celibate state, a much larger than expected number of them were twentysomething men, according to the latest data from the General Social Survey.
Experts who study Americans’ bedroom habits say there are a number of factors driving the Great American Sex Drought. Age is one of them: The 60 and older demographic climbed from 18 percent of the population in 1996 to 26 percent in 2018, according to the survey. The share reporting no sex has consistently hovered around 50 percent, and because that age group is growing relative to everyone else, it has the net effect of reducing the overall population’s likelihood of having sex.
But changes at the other end of the age spectrum may be playing an even bigger role. The portion of Americans 18 to 29 reporting no sex in the past year more than doubled between 2008 and 2018, to 23 percent.
Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy – and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood, said in an interview that growing sexlessness among America’s twentysomethings is primarily attributable to partnering up later in life.
“There are more people in their twenties who don’t have a live-in partner,” she said. “So under those circumstances I think less sex is going to happen.”
Americans in their 30s, 40s and beyond, meanwhile, are much more likely to be married than those in their 20s. These age groups are now considerably more likely to have sex in a given year than their younger peers.
The data also show a significant gender divide among twentysomethings.
For most of the past three decades, twentysomething men and women reported similar rates of sexlessness. But that’s changed in recent years. Since 2008, the share of men younger than 30 reporting no sex has nearly tripled, to 28 percent. That’s a much steeper increase than the 8 percentage point increase reported among their female peers.
There are several potential explanations for this, Twenge said. Labor force participation among young men has fallen, particularly in the aftermath of the last recession. Researchers also see a “connection between labor force participation and stable relationships,” she said.
The survey showed, for instance, that 54 percent of unemployed Americans didn’t have a steady romantic partner, compared with only 32 percent among the employed.
Young men also are more likely to be living with their parents than young women: In 2014, for instance, 35 percent of men age 18 to 34 were living in their parents’ home, compared with 29 percent of women in that age group. At the risk of stating the obvious, “when you’re living at home it’s probably harder to bring sexual partners into your bedroom,” Twenge said.
One final factor that may be affecting Americans’ sexual habits at all ages is technology. “There are a lot more things to do at 10 o’clock at night now than there were 20 years ago,” Twenge said. “Streaming video, social media, console games, everything else.”
Underscoring this point, the share of people who are having relations once a week or more is on a downward trajectory: from 51 percent in 1996 to 39 percent today
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10 Bra Styles for Every Size and Shape
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Posted:Nov 25, 2018 12:45 am
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 12:18 am
5029 Views
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There’s a dirty little secret we never talk about: our bras. Besides the fact that most of us wear the same bra day after day (we don’t wash them often enough — admit it!), we complain about poking underwires, bands that hike up, bra bulges and straps that dent our shoulders. Most of all, we can’t wait to get home and take the darn thing off. Sound familiar? The right bra feels comfy and looks appealing. It also makes or breaks the fit of everything you wear. No one needs all the bras listed below, so find the best ones for your breasts and buy a backup. Here are 10 ways to make your bra a bosom buddy.
1. Seamless underwire T-shirt bra.
This full coverage anti-sag style provides maximum structure for a generous bosom — it’s the tailored jacket of bras. The wire hoists your “girls” up and off the torso, adding more space between your waist and chest, and the molded or lightly lined cups create a rounded natural look with no see-through possible. Try the T-Shirt Bra from Ava & Viv ($22, target.com), Bali’s Live It Up Seamless Underwire Bra No. 3353 ($38, target.com), or splurge on the new online brand ThirdLove’s 24/7 Classic Perfect Coverage Bra ($68, target.com) to wear beneath clingy tees, knits and fitted sweaters. And yes, while some T-shirt bras say so on the label, others don’t. Go by the description.
Insider tip: If a T-shirt bra gives you double boobs, the cups are too small, so go up a size or try another brand. Be sure the bra band and underwire fit snugly under your bosom, the cups totally enclose your breasts, and both bra fabric and underwire feel soft, not squeezed or too constricted.
2. Wireless full-coverage bra.
The new alternative to bra No. 1 mentioned above uses a high-tech engineered design instead of wires to shift breast tissue upward for lift and has seamless molded or light-foam cups for a firm natural look. It’s a good choice for full-busted or full-figured women who find underwires a tough fit (does yours always creep up?) but need the extra support. Hanes Women’s ComfortFlex Fit Full-Coverage Wireless Bra G260 ($12, target.com) and Simply Perfect by Warner’s Women’s Invisible Edge Lift Seamless Wireless Bra ($20, target.com) hug your body and won’t be detectable, even in pale silk blouses, light knits, jersey dresses or bodysuits.
Insider tip: Put your wire-free contoured bra on, bend slightly forward and use one hand to scoop your breast (including sides and bottom), then swoop it into the cup. Rotate between a handful of bras instead of wearing the same bra daily in order to give the spandex a break, as well as time to recover its snap back.
3. Racerback bra.
For those of us with largish chests, shoulder straps that cross or morph into a Y or V shape in back take the pressure off our neck and shoulders while providing plenty of support. Women with narrow or sloping shoulders (and chests of any size) love racers, too, because there’s zero strap slippage, which is especially important when wearing sleeveless dresses and tops. Try the new online brand True & Co.’s True Body Lift V Neck Racerback Full Cup Bra ($58, target.com), with sizes up to XXL, and the cult favorite Spanx Bra-llelujah! Racerback Bra ($68, target.com), with sizes up to 38 DD, for all-gain, no-strain style.
Insider tip: Look for seamless, smooth and stretchy racerbacks with wider and secure nonadjustable hardware-free straps for extra comfort and “invisible” molded or engineered cups. You may have to spend a little more to get these details, but the result and — aaah! — feeling is worth it.
4. Bralette.
This equivalent of leggings for your breasts turns bra haters into lovers. Smooth and seamless pull-on styles that are thick but stretchy, have no cups or hardware with a wide bra band — such as Hanes Women’s Full Coverage SmoothTec Band Unlined Wireless Bra G796 ($14.99, target.com) or Spanx Bra-llelujah! Bralette ($48, target.com) — hold breasts in a comfy sling of support fabric. Go up a notch to a bralette with lightly padded cups, adjustable straps, a hook and eye closure like Bali Bra: Comfort Revolution Smart Sizes Wire-Free Full-Figure Bra 3484 ($39, kohls,com) or Olga Easy Does It No Bulge Seamless Wirefree Bra style GM3911A ($40, target.com) for a little more control with your comfort.
Insider tip: Bralettes are great if your weight yo-yos up and down or if bloating due to excess salt, alcohol or hormonal changes affects your breasts (instead of your face, tummy or ankles). They are a dream if you like to layer tanks and slouchy tees, have a casual lifestyle or like loose minimalist modern clothes (think: Eileen Fisher).
5. V-neck plunge bra.
If a neck-lengthening, super-flattering V neckline is your signature style — and for many women with a full bust it is — choose bras in sync. A plunge bra with a deep and wide V between the cups and contoured soft foam or lined cups for coverage and natural-looking shaping — like Paramour Women’s Carolina Plunge Wirefree Bra ($22, target.com) or Bali’s Comfort Revolution Full-Figure Front-Closure Bra style 3P66 ($42, target.com) — won’t show under V-neck tees or pullovers, or when you unbutton your shirt or blouse to expose your upper chest.
Insider tip: Plunge bras require attention to fit since they have the least coverage and control upfront. The bra should feel snug when worn on the loosest hook. With washing and wear and time over time, the band will stretch — sometimes by inches — which is when you tighten up and move a hook inward. Wear your lowest V-neck shirt to try on a new bra.
6. Multi-way bra.
Ever buy a strapless bra for a specific dress and then find you never wear it again? So have millions of women who are now fans of convertible bras such as Warner’s This Is Not a Bra Full-Coverage Strapless Convertible Bra No. 1693 ($40, target.com) and Wacoal’s Red Carpet Strapless Full Bust Underwire Bra ($68, target.com), which morph from a strapless to a cross-back, halter or one-shoulder bra. As a strapless bra, it stays up, with cups melting into your body, and there are no telltale ridges or lines. And you always have a bra that works with trendy tops like your off-shoulder party blouses to wear with jeans.
Insider tip: Since strapless bras require the band to do everything, you might consider going down a band size and up a cup size. Look for bras with nonslip silicone strips that line the inside that grip but leave no marks. Keep the bra and its strap in a separate plastic baggie in your lingerie drawer to avoid last-minute panic.
7. Sports bra.
Even if your idea of exercise is a walk or yoga, a bra that minimizes bounce and gives breast tissue extra support is necessary. Choose from low- to high-impact styles that vary in compression and design in order to complement the intensity of your workout. A low-impact bra works for yoga or golf, while a high-impact one would be best for running, tennis or interval training. Look for bras with cup separation — to avoid a uni-boob effect — in a moisture-wicking fabric, such as Old Navy Medium Support Sports Bra ($23, target.com), Champion Women’s Plus-Sized Max Support Power Shape Underwire Sports Bra-C9 ($27, target.com), or GapFit Sculpt Bonded High-Impact Sports Bra ($50, target.com).
Insider tip: Choose moisture-wicking fabrics and bras with nonirritating details like a plush band, wide shoulder straps or a racerback, tag-free label in a stretchy spandex blend. Larger busts benefit from sports bras sized like bras, with numerical band sizes and alphabetized cup sizes, for a more personalized fit.
8. Show-off balcony bra.
When you do want something pretty or feminine that reveals just a hint of cleavage, look for a balcony bra (aka balconette bra) with shallow, curved cups and wide-set straps that frame and support your bust like Playtex Bras’ Love My Curves Beautiful Lace & Lift Full-Figure Underwire Bra US4825 ($42, target.com) or Paramour’s Ellie Unlined Full-Busted Bra ($22 target.com). It gives a subtle boost, especially if your breasts are deflated on top and fuller on bottom, or wide set or have lost their natural oomph. It gently rounds without looking like a push-up bra.
Insider tip: Don’t worry if your breasts are not the exact same size. Go with the larger one for cup sizing and make up the difference by adding a gel insert. There is no standardization of cup size — one brand or style’s D may be another brand’s DD or E. A point midway between the elbow and shoulder should be level with nipples in this bra style, even if you’re a 42H. Slightly sexy is the idea.
9. Bulge-breaker bra.
When your “extra” is spilling out of your bra, try one cut wider at the sides and/or back, with hidden power-mesh panels to control rolls and overhang like Simply Perfect by Warner’s Women’s Full Figure Underarm Smoothing Spacer Bra ($25, target.com), Beauty by Bali Women’s One Smooth U Underarm Smoothing Bra ($25 target.com), or the Vanity Fair Beauty Back Smoother Full-Figure Bra style 76380 ($42, target.com). These are great if you love sleeveless dresses or fitted clothing and are bugged by (let’s call it what it is) excess back or armpit fat.
Insider tip: Armpit bulge has nothing to do with your weight or size. It’s usually caused by cups that are too small and/or a band that’s too loose. Is the band level all around or riding up in back? If you see back bulges, the band size may be too big, and you’re probably tightening the straps to compensate, causing more overflow. To remedy this, size down in the band, and go up in cups.
10. Front-closure bra.
Some women simply prefer a front-closure bra for the smooth, no-bumps line at the back or the fact that it’s easiest to slip on and off — especially when you have limited mobility. I found this out when my shoulder and arm were broken! Styles like Glamorise Front-Closure Wonderwire Bra style 1245 ($50, target.com) or Spanx Bra-llelujah! Full-Coverage Bra ($68 to $70, target.com) are fashionable classics that provide lift, coverage and an edge.
Insider tip: A front-closure bra is an easy fix when gravity, weight fluctuations or shifting body proportions have increased the gap between breasts to inches, creating an empty space in the middle. Eliminating excess volume at the sides and shifting breasts to front and center makes any top fit better.
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Natural Medicine: More Doctors Prescribing Time Outdoors
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Posted:Oct 24, 2018 1:03 pm
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 12:18 am
5039 Views
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Birdwatch for long-tailed ducks. Search for shells. Sketch some snowdrops.
These are some of the prescriptions you might receive if you go to a doctor in the Shetland Islands of Scotland and say that you are suffering from stress, heart disease, diabetes, mental health problems or other chronic conditions.
Starting Oct. 5, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) in Shetland has authorized doctors there to prescribe time outdoors, The Guardian reported. Doctors will pass out pamphlets written by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSP advising patients on walks to take and wildlife to watch out for.
The Shetland doctors are only the latest in a growing number of healthcare providers incorporating nature into their treatment plans as evidence mounts for the health benefits of time spent in wild spaces. In his 2005 book Last in the Woods, Richard Louv cited 60 studies finding that time outside helped mental and physical health, and that too much time spent away from nature caused harm. Now, the website of his & Nature Network lists more 700, Louv told The New York Times.
One doctor who was inspired by Louv's book was Dr. Robert Zarr, a Washington, DC pediatrician who started a nonprofit called Parks Rx America to make it easier for doctors to prescribe time in nature. The site has mapped and rated parks in the DC area and allows doctors to find parks near patients' homes.
Dr. Zarr told The New York Times he usually writes one or two park prescriptions per day, usually for dealing with weight issues or teenagers dealing with mental health problems. Zarr said he lets his patients take the lead in planning activities.
"Is there anything they want to do that's enjoyable outside, that they're willing to commit to?" he said he might ask. "[Y]ou just told me you play soccer. How often do you go? Would you be willing to commit to going once a week or twice a week?"
Across the country in San Francisco, Dr. Daphne Miller wrote for The National Parks Conservation Association that she had seen success with prescriptions like:
Drug: Exercise in Glen Canyon Park (See attached Google map.) Dose: 45 minutes of walking or running Directions: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:00 AM Refill: Unlimited
What I've noticed in my practice mirrors what has been observed in the studies: Inactive patients who initiate a new exercise regimen outdoors are more likely to stick with it than those who join a gym or work out in the confines of their basement. It seems that a number of things contribute to this "stickiness": the constantly varying scenery, the camaraderie of the trail, the fact that monthly dues and expensive Spandex outfits aren't required. And consistent with the research findings, my patients report a host of other benefits from their nature routine: less fatigue throughout the day, a sense of calm, better sleep, a drop in weight, and even lower blood pressure. Of course, not every patient takes the nature Rx and "runs" with it. But for many, a physician's advice, backed by a paper document, is just the push needed to venture onto the trails.
The phenomenon is not limited to the U.S. and UK. In fact, the benefits of spending time in forests was extensively researched in Japan in the 1980s, Joanne O'Connor wrote for The Guardian.. The researchers found that just two hours in the woods could reduce blood pressure and stress hormones and boost concentration and memory. Further, chemicals released by trees called phytoncides actually boosted the immune system. The practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, then grew into a national health program in Japan. It has since spread around the world, with sessions offered in parks from London to New York.
Dr. Qing Li, who wrote Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, gave Time readers a primer in the practice. Try this out next time you find yourself stressed out and near some green space.
First, find a spot. Make sure you have left your phone and camera behind. You are going to be walking aimlessly and slowly. You don't need any devices. Let your body be your guide. Listen to where it wants to take you. Follow your nose. And take your time. It doesn't matter if you don't get anywhere. You are not going anywhere. You are savoring the sounds, smells and sights of nature and letting the forest in.
The key to unlocking the power of the forest is in the five senses. Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet. Listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees. Look at the different greens of the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches. Smell the fragrance of the forest and breathe in the natural aromatherapy of phytoncides. Taste the freshness of the air as you take deep breaths. Place your hands on the trunk of a tree. Dip your fingers or toes in a stream. Lie on the ground. Drink in the flavor of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm. This is your sixth sense, a state of mind. Now you have connected with nature. You have crossed the bridge to happiness.
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They order these things better in Dorchester…
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Posted:Oct 14, 2018 6:45 pm
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 12:18 am
4497 Views
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“They order these things better in Dorchester,” I said.
“And, you have been in Dorchester?”
“Yup, I’ve been in Dorchester.”
“Explain?”
In my head, I was off, galloping down Galivan Boulevard where my name was written in concrete. To the old toll road of Dorchester Avenue. Did my parents live there? Who knows. Somewhere where some trees grow. A tree grows in Dorchester with lots and lots of other trees, and people too, are near lots and lots of other people. Packed in the subway, perhaps, at seven o’clock. Body to body in a silent crowd. Husbands and wives with between them. Some guy named Richard Corey going home one night. Lots to see on the subway train, a platform is provided.
Dreams of Dorchester
Sometimes the streets are paved with water, but not like in Venice, and the boats are all down in Dorchester Bay. Who ever heard of that? No blue blood Yankees in our waters. Just a giant silhouette of Ho on the Gas Tank. What a rainbow. They lock out the workers and things explode. The gas bosses don’t live near the Dorchester tank. Why would they.
Churches and churches and churches….some in stone, others in brick, and some in storefronts with very long names. Ebeneezer Baptist Church – I think of Ebeneezer Scrooge. Is there a Saint Scrooge’s Chapel? He did come to understand the error of his ways. The lost sinner returns just like the lost sheep to the flock. Lots of flocks in Dorchester.
And there are hills, lots of hills in Dorchester. Riding a bike is a challenge. One needs good breaks going down hill, and energy and strength to go uphill. In the olden days there was lots of broken glass on the streets, but the the ‘bottle bill’ put a price on the empty glass bottles and cans and created a cottage industry in Dorchester. Every nickel counts.
There are a lot of corner stores in Dorchester. Lots of people to buy lots of things. Not so many newspapers anymore, but still lots of lottery players. Usually the poorer the town, the more people play the lottery. A while back the biggest town for lottery tickets was Massachusetts poorest town Chelsea. But still, Dorchester has long lines for lottery tickets, especially for a big payout when the odds against winning are seemingly impossible. Some people pay to dream at the corner store lottery machine.
One might take a year to visit all the fast food and take-out joints in Dorchester. The good, the bad, and the ugly. One can look out the window and see the people walking and cars driving by and the life of a section of a city. Things move in Dorchester.
Airplanes fly overhead towards Logan airport. They were flying over less populated Milton to make noise for the least amount of people, but the wealthy people in Milton complained and pointed out that in a capitalist society the poorer citizens are supposed to suffer for their sins and the flight path was moved over populous Dorchester. We are many, they are few.
However, when someone in Dorchester wants to go to the airport they can get there easily in a car. Twenty five minutes to the departure area. Flying into the airport over Dorchester as one looks down the area is all trees. A lush forest, when one can see the forest for the trees.
Standing on the corner watching all the people and trucks and school buses and cars and vans and pedestrians go by can make one dizzy in Dorchester. Lots of things move on the streets of Dorchester. But, early in the morning, come out at four o’clock, and things are quiet and hardly anything moves. If you are one acquainted with the night.
When I was a I sang in a rock band called The Poor Boys. One song we covered was an Animals song – “We gotta get out of this place.”
The words:
In this dirty old part of the city,
Where the sun refuse to shine,
People tell me there ain’t no use in trying,
We gotta get out of this place,
If it’s the last thing we ever do,
Girl there’s a better life
For me and you.
At the time lots of long time Dorchester residents were moving out to the suburbs south of the city ino a dreamland called the South Shore. Now, some long term residents can’t afford to own a house or condo, or rent and apartment in Dorchester because of high prices. They are forced to go to the suburban wasteland called – The South Shore.
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That Daily Glass Of Wine May Lead To An Earlier Death, Study Finds
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Posted:Oct 11, 2018 2:54 pm
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 12:18 am
4482 Views
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Home » Uncategorized » That Daily Glass Of Wine May Lead To An Earlier Death, Study Finds ( Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research) 3 Oct 2018
That Daily Glass Of Wine May Lead To An Earlier Death, Study Finds ( Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research) 3 Oct 2018
Posted on October 8, 2018 by xenagoguevicene
wine glass
Research shows that the harmful effects of light drinking outweigh the benefits touted by other studies
ST. LOUIS — We often see studies that tell us not only is light or moderate drinking not harmful to our health, in some cases, it’s actually good for us. But new research out of Washington University’s School of Medicine suggests that daily glass of wine may not be such a good idea after all. Instead, it actually raises your risk of dying sooner.
According to the study of more than 400,000 American adults, light drinkers — regardless of age — are 20 percent more likely to suffer a premature death.
“It used to seem like having one or two drinks per day was no big deal, and there even have been some studies suggesting it can improve health,” notes first author Dr. Sarah M. Hartz, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the university, in a release. “But now we know that even the lightest daily drinkers have an increased mortality risk.”
Hartz says that while earlier research has claimed moderate drinking can reduce one’s risk of heart disease, the benefit is overshadowed by the other damaging effects of alcohol. She points to the elevated risk of developing cancer from daily drinking, which of course, can shorten a person’s lifespan.
“With regard to cancer risk, any drinking at all was detrimental,” she cautions.
Hartz and her team analyzed data from a study of 340,668 people ages 18-85 who took part in a federal study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and another 93,653 adults between ages 40 and 60 who were outpatients at Veterans Administration facilities. The researchers calculated that those who consumed one to two drinks at least four times a week were 20 percent more likely to fall victim to an early death than people who consumed a drink or two three times a week or less. That might not sound like a big concern, but it’s particularly dangerous for those dealing with other health issues.
“A 20 percent increase in risk of death is a much bigger deal in older people who already are at higher risk,” says Hartz. “Relatively few people die in their 20s, so a 20 percent increase in mortality is small but still significant. As people age, their risk of death from any cause also increases, so a 20 percent risk increase at age 75 translates into many more deaths than it does at age 25.”
Simply put, unless your physician tells you otherwise, Hartz says it’s unwise for anyone to justify a trip to the wine store with health benefits.
“Overall, I do think people should no longer consider a glass of wine a day to somehow be healthy,” she concludes.
The full study is published online Oct. 3 in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
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An Anal Sex Instruction Video I Made
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Posted:Sep 6, 2018 1:48 pm
Last Updated:Sep 6, 2018 1:55 pm
4638 Views
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I had lots of audio tapes on my shelves that I had made over the . I love audio books and had always liked using travel time on the subway train to and from work as a way to utilize the time wisely. I got lots of audio books and materials from the public library, and I bought some cassette tapes with audio books, but for some titles I had to make the audio myself. I found it was a great way to learn certain material for school, or work. The use of my own voice sometimes made the listening seem as if I was just listening to myself think.
I recorded a few articles about sexual material and decided to make a tape of a chapter from 'The Joy of Sex' on Anal Sex. I recorded the audio with sneezes and coughs and moving too loudly in my chair as I read - I could always edit the mistakes out later. After I made the tape I put it on a shelf and did not think about it for .
When I was making lots of videos during a summer off when I wanted to learn how to use video editing programs and apps I made a number of audio tapes into videos. I simply took a generic video of a fireplace and put the audio track down on top of that. A person could watch the fire burning as they listened to the story, or minimize the video and just listen to the audio. I could put the audio books on You Tube and Daily Motion and other video share platforms even though they were more audio than video.
So I took out the Anal Sex audio cassette tape and played it through an cassette player and then used an $8 microphone to record it as an Mp3 audio on the computer. I edited the audio to take out the mistakes and coughs. But I was distracted by something, and in a hurry and couldn't wait for the computer to 'save' the audio file and video quickly. So I simply re-recorded the edited audio through the $8 mic. The sound was deteriorated, but since it was only voice I figured that was good enough. I posted the video on a few platforms and again forgot about the work. I used the video image of a burning candle as the visual. Simple, but effective enough, I thought. The video was not a visual demonstration.
A month or so later I went back to X - Tube an had thousands and thousands of views There were also two angry complaints about the audio quality and not being able to hear. "This is very important!" one commenter wrote angrily.
"Just go slow at first, and use lubrication," is what I thought was the main idea of the video. Seems obvious, doesn't it?
The video is on a number of sites and gets lots of views. I should fix the audio, but... who cares. The last I looked on X -- Tube there were over 500,000 views of a candle burning while I read a chapter on how to put a prick in a behind.
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How to Stop Taking Everything Personally
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Posted:Sep 2, 2018 6:08 am
Last Updated:Sep 2, 2018 6:09 am
4658 Views
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I wrote an article titled “How Distorted Thinking Increases Stress and Anxiety.” It covered the ten most common cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions are errors in thinking. Although they’re easy to define and often easy to recognize in ourselves, they can be hard to overcome. They’re worth learning about and working on, though, because they can make us miserable (or, as I think of it, intensify our mental suffering).
One of the ten distortions is called personalization, and that’s the focus of this piece.
When you engage in this type of thinking, you erroneously see yourself as the cause of things you’re not responsible for. For this reason, personalization is a major source of anxiety and unhappiness. It also leads to self-blame…and that’s never good for you.
Personalization appears in two forms. #1: You take your own disappointments and struggles personally. #2: You feel responsible for other people’s happiness, even believing that it’s your job to make sure that the people you care about are successful at whatever they do.
I’ll address these two forms of personalization separately.
First form: Taking your disappointments and struggles personally
Everyone experiences disappointments and struggles in life. When you personalize, you treat these inevitable events as the result of some character failing on your part. Here’s an example I use in my book How to Wake Up. If you’re turned down for a promotion, you assume it’s because you weren’t good enough at your job when, in fact, there could be many other explanations. Perhaps the company is having budgetary problems. Perhaps the job went to the boss’s nephew. Instead of even considering these alternatives, when you personalize, you jump to the conclusion that you weren’t good enough.
Here’s another example. You were expecting a friend to come over for a visit and she emails you that morning and says something’s come up and she’ll have to reschedule. In this situation, personalization occurs when you assume that because she didn’t give you a reason for cancelling, it must have been because she didn’t want to see you or because a “better” offer came along. You don’t stop to consider the many reasons why she might not have shared her reasons. Maybe a family member is having trouble. Maybe she’s the one who is personalizing—cancelling because she’s afraid you may think she’s not interesting enough company!
A third example applied to me when I first became chronically ill. I thought it was my fault. I actually believed that my inability to regain my health represented some personal failing on my part. Talk about taking something you’re already struggling with (your health) and making things worse!
How can you learn to counter this tendency to take disappointments and struggles personally? Here are two strategies:
1. Practice becoming mindful of your tendency to blame yourself when things don’t go as you wish or as you planned.
Work on becoming aware of how you react to disappointment and to your struggles in life. Do you immediately jump to the conclusion that whatever isn’t going your way is your fault? Recognizing your tendency to blame yourself in these situations is the first step in changing this thinking pattern because, once you recognize what you do, you can ask yourself if your response is a rational and reasonable one.
When you ask yourself this, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that blaming yourself for disappointments and struggles makes no sense; they’re an inevitable part of the human experience. No one gets a “pass” on them because no one gets what he or she wants all the time.
This kind of mindful awareness can help you replace self-blame with self-compassion. Let’s face it: Life is hard sometimes. You make it harder when you take the bumps in the road personally. There’s no reason to do this because those bumps are part of everyone’s life experience.
2. Recognize that you often don’t know why people act as they do.
When you feel let down by someone—your partner is irritable, your friend doesn’t call for weeks, you don’t get that promotion—instead of taking it personally by blaming yourself, recognize that it’s often not clear why people act as they do.
Everyone’s life story is playing out in his or her own unique way. Your partner may be irritable because of something that happened at work. Your friend might not be calling because she’s overwhelmed with family commitments. And, as mentioned above, there could be any number of reasons why you didn’t get that promotion.
article continues after advertisement
Bottom line: You often don’t know why others behave as they do. Therefore, to take their behavior personally isn’t fair (or kind) to yourself.
Second form: Feeling responsible for other people’s happiness and for their disappointments and struggles
This is the second form that personalization takes. You think you’re responsible for how others are doing, whether it be their ability to be happy, to succeed in some way, or even something as minor as whether they had a good time with you when you last visited. What a burden to impose on yourself! No wonder personalization is often called “the mother of all guilt.”
Here’s a strategy for countering this form of personalization:
Question the validity of your belief that you’re responsible for other people
To try this, first bring to mind a person you feel responsible for and then fill in the blank:
I’m responsible for his/her ___________________________.
Possible fill-ins:
· happiness
· having a good time
· social life
· grades in school
· success on the job
· ability to stay in a relationship
· skill at coping with adversity
Now consider whether holding yourself responsible for how well another person is doing is a realistic assessment of how life works (including your ability to control and even influence other people). It is not. People’s happiness, successes, and ability to cope are dependent on any number of factors: their personal life history, their childhood influences (such as from parents and teachers), even their genetic make-up.
Having reflected on this little exercise above, now say to yourself: “I am not responsible for this person’s struggles and disappointments in life. I’m willing to help if I can, but everyone has to make his or her own way in this world. Sometimes they’ll succeed at something, and sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they’ll have a good time, and sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they’ll be happy, and sometimes they won’t. It’s that way for me; it’s that way for everyone.”
Overcoming this second form of personalization can be a challenge. It requires making a serious effort to stop believing that you’re responsible for other people’s lives, particularly those you hold dearest. It helps to revisit this exercise and then repeat some version of the words in the previous paragraph. When you are able to let go of feeling responsible for others, it’s not only freeing, it’s also likely to lead to a better relationship with the person in question.
***
I hope these suggestions are helpful. I’ve been working on this cognitive distortion myself, particularly the second form it takes.
If you’re interested in the cognitive distortions, here is another piece I wrote on one of them: “How to Put a Stop to Catastrophic Thinking.”
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Why a Cross Dresser Might Wear a Corsett
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Posted:Aug 28, 2018 5:06 pm
Last Updated:Oct 31, 2018 3:44 pm
5207 Views
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Corsets are here to stay. There are so many reasons why corsets are still relevant, though it’s unlikely they will ever again experience a heyday such as they saw in the Victorian era. The common assumption (from those not in the know) is that women wear corsets to make themselves more sexually attractive, deforming themselves in the process… but that’s pretty much never the case. Women who wear corsets are more likely to feel empowered than cowed, and I’ve often found that the reaction to my corsets from women is far more positive than that from men (a trend which also stretches back to Victorian times). There are also some men who enjoy wearing corsets. It may be hyperbole to say there are as many reasons to wear corsets as there are people who wear them, but there are many, many factors that commonly come into for corset aficionados. Few wear corsets for a single reason; rather, whether wearing corsets occasionally or waist training, it’s likely to be a unique combination of the following factors.
Corsets are, first and foremost, a foundation garment. They are still often employed as such, serving instead of a bra and/or shaper and/or garter belt under clothing. While women are no longer obligated to wear skirts and dresses, those who wear dresses often — particularly dresses of vintage cut — may prefer their silhouette or the hang of their clothes better when corseted. (Corsets and modern low-rise jeans will probably never be best buds, unfortunately.) Some men may employ a corset with their formalwear to improve their silhouette by emphasizing their shoulders and smoothing the line under their suit.
Foundations support the body as well as clothing. Corsets can be excellent back support, whether one has issues with poor posture, scoliosis, being seated at a desk all day, or general back pains. How effective a corset is as a brace depends on the quality of construction and fit, and a corset should never be used in lieu of professional medical advice. However, a well made corset is sturdier, sleeker, and more comfortable than your typical back brace or support belt — I’ve even heard of support corsets being covered by insurance with the help of a doctor’s prescription. Full busted women often find a corset to be more comfortable than a bra as the support (and weight of the breasts) is distributed through the waist and torso rather than focused on band and straps. Some people with hypermobile joints will wear their corsets as a sort of exoskeleton. The more concerned you are with support, the more important it is to invest in a high quality, well-fit, handmade corset. A poorly fit corset will chafe, constrict, and warp.
Waist training in particular often has a more subtle and complex rationale behind it. For some, waist training is a method of reminding the body of what once was, particularly post-pregnancy. After growing a tiny human, the muscles in a woman’s stomach and her ribs will have opened out, and without a corset, there’s not much to encourage them to knit back together in their previous formation. Even without pregnancy, one may desire an hourglass figure — or a more dramatic hourglass, purely from an aesthetic appreciation of the form. The act of waist training can be experienced as a personal physical challenge, almost like training for a marathon.
For those with anxiety, corsets can help on several levels. As I mentioned in last week’s post on Corsets for Claustrophobics, Lucy Corsetry has a great page on the mental and emotional benefits of wearing a corset. In short, the physical compression of a corset can be grounding and soothing for a variety of disorders and conditions: a well-fitted corset is often compared to an “all day hug,” and I, for one, love hugs. The structure and weight of a corset is also reminiscent of armor and helps create feelings of confidence and protection. Even the act of lacing daily into a corset can be considered a ritual and encourage mindfulness.
Of course, some people certainly do wear corsets as bedroom garments, either exclusively or in addition to wearing corsets for other occasions. The same feelings of confidence and assertiveness that are in effect for day-to-day corset wearing can also be turned to sexual confidence, and an appreciative partner can be either inspiration or an added benefit. The compression of a corset is also sometimes found physically stimulating as well as visually titillating.
Take it a step (or ten) further and corsets can have a lot of significance in the fetish community. Wearing a corset 23/7 may be a lifestyle choice, a mark of devotion; leather corsets can be worn by doms or subs, women or men. Corsets may be “locked” on with a lacing guard, or hardware additions may provide anchors for ropes or chains. Again, comfort and safety are more assured with a well-made corset, particularly since your average off-the-rack isn’t up the rigors of being worn full time (and in a variety of compromising positions).
Wearing a corset (or corset-like garment) can also be a visual signifier of one’s inclusion in a particular subculture. Goth, punk, or steampunk style (and so forth) is also somewhat subject to trends, but corsets — like stripey socks — will never truly go out, though their details and styling may change. Historical reenactors and thespians also embrace corsetry, in various shades from costume to couture. Burlesque performers often enjoy wearing corsets both onstage and off.
Even those who don’t embrace corsets for their day to day life may find a corset to be just the thing for a special event. Most commonly, this event is, of course, a wedding, but galas or even birthday parties can be the impetus behind purchasing or donning a corset.
Finally, some wear corsets simply because they appreciate and embrace them as a work of art. Even an unembellished corset creates a striking silhouette, accented by seams and bone channels. The structure of a corset is as a stretched canvas to a painter, though, and makes an excellent base for adding all kinds of detailing, trims, and texture. There’s increasing exploration into the design possibilities of corsets as outerwear amongst modern corsetieres, which makes it even easier to take the corset for what it is: just another garment, capable of carrying as much weight and symbolism as you wish to endow it with… or not.
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Classical Music and Rich People v Country Music and Poor People
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Posted:Aug 19, 2018 4:59 am
Last Updated:Aug 19, 2018 5:01 am
4636 Views
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Rich people march to a different tune.
The richest Americans may be way more likely to listen to classical music — which could include Beethoven, Mozart and Bach — than the rest of us. Indeed, those who listened to classical reported that they raked in an average income of more than $114,000 per year, compared to just $58,000 for country music fans (the lowest of those measured), according to a survey of 1,500 millennials released this month by TDAmeritrade. TD Ameritrade said that it believes this finding will hold true for all age groups.
How much income each type of music lover rakes in:
Classical – $114,000
Electronic – $92,000
/Hip-hop – $69,000
’80s/’90s – $67,000
Hard rock – $65,000
Pop/Top 40 – $61,000
Country – $58,000
Classical music aficionados — those who said they were most likely to listen to classical music — are also way more likely to say they feel financially secure than other music fans: in say they feel this way, compared to fewer than half of fans who jam to pop, hard rock, hip-hop and country. They also may be better set up for retirement, as in say they invest in the stock market, compared to fewer than half of country and pop fans.
Christine Russell, the senior manager of retirement and annuities at TD Ameritrade, says this may be because people who listen to classical music tend to come from higher income, urban environments — where education and affluence levels are greater. And many classical music lovers also play an instrument, which shows commitment and ambition, both of which may explain their high incomes and financial security, she adds.
Meanwhile, country music fans tend to have the lowest incomes and the least financial security. Russell notes this is likely because many come from rural, less affluent areas. It may also, she says, have to do with the messages in the music: Country is often about living the simple life.
But there may be more to it than that. Classical music itself could be boosting our academic performance, levels of productivity and even our IQs — all of which could, of course, boost our finances down the line.
Indeed, listening to classical music may help improve your academic performance, according to a study published in the journal Learning and Individual Differences. The researchers found that
students who listened to an hour lecture with classical music playing in the background
scored significantly higher on a quiz on the topic, than did those who didn’t hear any music. “It is possible that music, provoking a change in the learning
environment, influenced the students’ motivation to remain focused during the lecture, which led to
better performance on the multiple-choice quiz,” the study authors wrote.
Classical music has also been shown to give a noticeable boost to your IQ. study found that IQ scores related to spatial skills rose to points after the subjects listened to Mozart. And another study, which looked at radiologists who listened to Baroque classical music at work, suggested that the music could help boost their productivity.
Of course, there’s also plenty of research to show that classical music isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Some research, for example, has found that silence is actually the key to being productive.
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Fashion Magazines - The 'September Issue' is Dead
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Posted:Aug 11, 2018 1:41 pm
Last Updated:Sep 6, 2018 2:18 pm
4507 Views
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In years gone by, the September issue was the Super Bowl of fashion magazines.
Fat with ads and glossy shoots cherry-picking the best looks of fall — the most important season in the fashion calendar — the annual issue heralded the pinnacle of a magazine’s influence and success.
Days before the issue hit newsstands, usually in early August, executives from Vogue, InStyle, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Glamour and W would brag about the thickness of their telephone book-sized glossies. They’d boast of the “thud” the issues made when dropped on a coffee table. The louder the thud, the more powerful the magazine.
Now that thud is more of a whimper.
“The September issue means nothing anymore,” said Sam Shahid, founder of branding, advertising and design agency Shahid & Company. “You used to hold that magazine in your hand. It takes you to a place — that’s what a magazine used to do. Now they are all doing the same thing. There’s no imagination there. It’s just pure product, it’s pleasing the advertiser.”
Shahid says a lack of funds at publishers, due to a decline in print circulation and ad revenue in the digital age, has led to a crazy scramble to attract any kind of buzz or revenue.
“There’s a desperation right now with print,” he added. “The power magazines used to have is no longer there. Celebrities are controlling fashion.”
Take Vogue, for example. Helmed by iconic editrix Anna Wintour since 1988, the fashion bible once set the agenda for the industry, with designers and celebrities clamoring to be featured in its pages. A single mention could make or break a designer’s business, but now a celebrity such as Kim Kardashian (58 million Twitter followers; 115 million Instagram followers) has a lot more reach and, as a result, more clout than any single magazine. (Vogue’s 13.5 million Twitter followers and 19.5 million Instagram followers are comparatively measly.)
Up until recently, an A-lister considered it an honor to be chosen for Vogue’s cover. But for its all-important September issue this year, Vogue seemed to bend over backwards to attract A-lister Beyoncé for its cover. The pop star collaborated on the choice of photographer and appeared on the cover in clothes she chose herself. She declined to be interviewed but instead “told her own story” in a written piece.
“Who is better to write about Beyoncé than Beyoncé?” Wintour told the Business of Fashion blog last week.
But Wintour’s comments gloss over a more important point. If the entire appeal of Vogue’s September issue stems from Beyoncé, does Vogue have any of its own authority left?
With rumors swirling that this September issue may be Wintour’s last (claims she has denied), insiders told me it’s no surprise that the famously autocratic editor has ceded creative control to someone else. “I think we all know that she is on her way out, and that she needs to start giving the power elsewhere,” said a former publisher who has worked on multiple fashion titles including InStyle and Glamour. “And that elsewhere is not to an editor in the ivory tower. Consumers will appreciate that the power is being given to someone who they connect with more.”
“Beyoncé is a crafty move,” added a former Condé Nast publisher who has worked on several of its magazines including Vogue. But September issues “don’t mean what they once did. There was a time when they could mobilize women and get them into the stores. They could make a moment happen. They could make a color happen. Print is still important, but it doesn’t drive sales the way it used to.”
And that all-important thud is also diminishing. While publishers stopped reporting (and bragging about) ad page counts in 2015, some did confirm the total page counts of their September issues to me. According to Meredith, InStyle’s September issue carries a total of 332 pages. One year ago, it was 428. Condé Nast confirmed that Glamour’s September page count is 148. Last year, it was 216.
For the first time, W — fashion’s edgiest high-end magazine — has abandoned the notion of a September issue altogether and is instead producing just eight “volumes” a year, with two fashion-focused issues dropping around the month of September. Condé Nast has also put the title up for sale.
Meanwhile, it’s rumored that both Elle and Harper’s Bazaar pushed back their on-sale dates to give them more time to scrounge up extra ad pages. Elle is set to hit newsstands on Aug. 28, Bazaar on Aug. 20.
It’s incredible how quickly this shift has happened. Less than 10 years ago, acclaimed 2009 documentary “The September Issue” paid tribute to the circus and spectacle of putting together the magazine world’s most important issue. It showed Wintour crafting her September 2007 issue — Vogue’s biggest ever, weighing nearly five pounds.
“It was a cultural phenomenon,” said the ex-Condé publisher. “September issues were where advertisers would break their big ad campaigns. Today an advertiser’s idea of a moment might be a really cool thing with IGTV or some stunt on the pier in Santa Monica.”
A Vogue rep said the this year’s September issue has delivered “over target by 10 percent in ad revenue and features 30 new advertisers.”
Still, according to a recent report by the Association of Magazine Media, magazine ad spending by the 50 biggest advertisers last year dropped to $6.1 billion from $6.5 billion in 2016. In other words, magazines lost at least $417.5 million in revenue in 2017, a difference of 6.4 percent. And that number is bound to drop again this year.
Insiders said that while advertisers are still buying print ads, they aren’t splurging on the 12-page spreads they once did for the September issues and are instead opting for just a few pages. And those pages are still much cheaper to buy than they have been in years past.
“Do fashion magazines have the ability to overcome what has become a pretty tough market?” the ex-Condé Nast exec said. “No they don’t.”
RIP September issue. It was beautiful while it lasted. Requiescat in pace et in amore...
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