Ladies First

I love the frighteningly '80s aesthetic of the first few issues of Ladies First magazine which launched, funnily enough, in 1986. Edited by Hilary Hughes and Belinda Thomas it claimed to be the first magazine for women in south Wales. It covered all the usual topics that you find in women's magazines but was especially strong on fashion. Initially there was a firm emphasis on local independent clothes outlets and Welsh fashion designers. This makes it a fabulous retro read especially when it comes to spotting all the local shopgirls who ended up modelling the clothes. However, over time, the magazine gradually became more professional and glossy. It changed from being a monthly to a quarterly and became less overtly Welsh in subject matter. Amazingly Ladies First is still going strong today.