At mag nation we make no secret about the fact that one of our very favourite blogs out there is Erica Bartle’s Girl With a Satchel. Started two years ago by the Brisbane-based former deputy editor of Girlfriend, Girl With A Satchel has been described as “Top Gear meets Media Watch for the magazine industry.” A dose of pop culture and publishing with an undeniably girly slant, Erica’s (award winning!) blog provides a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the world of glossy mags with a real focus on local Australian titles.

It is with great pleasure then, that we introduce Erica as the first contributor to a new feature on this blog where we call on people we admire within the wider publishing/blogging/design world and get them to tell us a little bit about their top five favourite magazines.

Ladies and gentlemen, Erica Bartle….

1. Australian Traveller

I’ve only recently discovered “AT”, as it’s known by readers and staff, and I’m hooked. Its mission is to encourage Aussies to see more of their own backyard, rather than burning carbons en route to Europe. So, with that in mind, I already I like it. Despite its mission, AT doesn’t take its readers for a ride: its commitment to honesty is a big plus.

Reviewers generally pay their own way and tell it like it is, but the notion of the ‘Aussie fair go’ rings true: there’s no poo-pooing for the sake of poo-pooing; generally the critiques are positively framed. And this gives the mag an overall upbeat vibe. The writing is excellent – literary, even. And funny – witty similes and asides abound. The photography and layouts give the magazine a professional, slick appeal. A big, bloody thumbs-up for this little independently published Aussie battler.

2. Frankie

Sometimes I feel intimidated by Frankie because I haven’t read the right books or seen the right films or love the right bands. But I’d sooner be made to feel intellectually inadequate than fat or ugly. So as a young women’s magazine, it gets props for that. The thing I admire most about Frankie is that it introduces us to cool and quirky people every month living their lives seemingly oblivious to the trappings of materialism and mainstream definitions of success. How do they track these people down?

Also working in Frankie’s favour is its reluctance to pay lip service to the mega-brands of the magazine world, its diversity of voices and appreciation of old-school pastimes. It also wins points for nostalgia: if you’re an 80s kid, you’ll dig the references to Winnie Cooper and scrunchies. It’s also not afraid to call Australia home – in fact, it embraces the cultural cringe and runs with it (how bogan can you go?). It’s the Missy Higgins of magazines.

3. Notebook:

I’m putting this one in place of O: The Oprah Magazine to keep the recommendations local. Since ditching the flower vase covers, Notebook: has taken on a sort of O vibe, telling us to do things such as “Find yourself: make peace with the past and become your own person.” To me, that’s a far better calling than finding the hottest heels for under $100, but perhaps I’m showing my age?

Notebook: is edited by Caroline Roessler, who used to be managing editor for The Australian Women’s Weekly, so you can see why it’s going where it’s going. It wants to BE the new AWW. Whether it will knock the venerable old girl off her publishing perch is yet to be seen, but Notebook: will be looking pretty while she tries. And I LOVE an underdog!

Roessler is making Notebook: less homely, more worldly; less “this is how you remove a stain”, more “this is how you keep your husband from straying.” She prides herself on commissioning some of the country’s best writing talent who put their spin on personal matters and social issues. It’s an engaging read. And I secretly LOVE the bookmarks that come with each issue.

4. Vogue Australia

As anyone who’s seen The September Issue would know, Vogue is Vogue. It’s the creme de la creme of fashion publishing. And with that comes great expectations. I often wish that Vogue Australia would do more to champion the causes of Australian designers and retailers (including online retailers) but it’s unashamedly full of itself and prides itself on presenting readers with only the BEST in fashion – which it deems to hail from Europe and America at a stretch. I can appreciate that but will continue to bang on about patriotism until the cows come home to Wodonga.

Otherwise, I adore the magazine’s features – its writers are tapped into the female Zeitgeist and share a similar sensibility to mine – and also the arts and culture pages and interviews with glamorous women whose lives I can never hope to aspire to. Vogue is fashion fairytales for grown-up girls.

5. Girlfriend

Showing complete bias here, as Girlfriend is a former magazine beat of mine. That said, I’m delighted when I get it in the post each month, as it gives me a comprehensive insight into the world of The Teen. And we all know it’s the kids who are setting the agenda, at least in the world of pop culture. Each of the section editors – beauty, fashion, entertainment – has a one-page diary every edition, which I enjoy reading; but probably because it’s like chatting with friends.

Many a teenage girl has a devoted crush on entertainment editor Rob Moran – read his witty, “craptastic” copy and you’ll know why. He’s sort of Pacey from Dawson’s Creek meets Seth from The OC meets Doug (do you remember that cartoon?), with a penchant for flanny shirts, skinny jeans and an old army flak-jacket. Girlfriend is the mag I read growing up and it’s still a mainstay in my magazine diet. Go, GF!