Oh, Darling!
The magazine upping the industry standard.
by CAROLINE DELISLE ★ JULY 18, 2020
“Darling is more than a magazine, it’s a movement.”
- Sarah Dubbeldam, Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Darling Magazine
Let’s be honest here: the idea of “summer reading” featuring a beach and a cocktail is not always the fantasy it’s made out to be. After long academic months with our noses pressed to Homer and Bronte, the last thing we want to do is crack open yet another book when summer rolls around. Sometimes we need a reminder that reading is not limited to our dreary textbooks or the literary mazes we call classics. Sometimes we need a read that allows our minds to relax and our souls to recharge. What if we told you that there are, in fact, works of literature out there that are not so deeply embedded with symbols and metaphors that each and every word you read means something else entirely? AND what if we told you that this lack of symbols and metaphors doesn’t make the read any less worthwhile and enlightening?
English teachers everywhere are quaking.
Darling Magazine is your source for summer reading, career motivation, and life inspiration. With beautiful photography, creative art, and thought-provoking articles about real-life, kick-ass women, and how to be one yourself, Darling is a wonderful portrayal of the modern-day woman.
Credit: Instagram (@darling)
“In media, there’s this perfect ideal of a woman and she’s kind of all these different things combined,” said editor-in-chief and founder of Darling, Sarah Dubbeldam, “...that’s why Darling is important, that’s why it’s filling a gap. Because no one else out there is really saying ‘you’re ok exactly as you are.’ It’s always ‘you’re in need of alteration in some sort of way,’ instead of ‘you’re beautiful how you are. Your body is beautiful. Your heart is beautiful. Your personality is beautiful.’ You don’t need to be anything else besides becoming a better version of yourself.”
Editions of the magazine are published seasonally. Each edition contains eight sections: The Dreamer, The Stylist, The Achiever, The Confidant, The Hostess, the Beautician, The Intellectual, and The Explorer. Article topics range from interviews with underground artists to advice in life and mental health, to gelato recipes, to navigating the art that is a dinner table debate. It is a beautifully arranged collection of articles all meant to inspire you in your day-to-day life.
Credit: Instagram (@darling)
Of course, nothing beats leafing through your paper copy of Darling by the pool in the sun (especially when the magazines are as stunning as Darling’s) but if toting around a booklet is not your cup of tea, Darling also offers online articles on their website. Shorter articles are posted online for the public to view without having to cop a subscription. Their pieces are timely, moving, and offer new and alternative perspectives to everyday life and groundbreaking events. Check out Stephanie Taylor’s article Breonna Taylor Deserves Justice here, or Monica Dicristina’s Practical Tools for Dealing with Anxiety. They also have an online store where you can purchase merch including calendars, journals, mugs, and individual editions of the magazine if one in particular catches your eye.
Credit: darlingmagazine.org
Darling not only satisfies that craving for a light summer read, but the brand as a whole promotes positivity, acceptance, and confidence. Supporting women-owned-and-operated businesses is so important, and where we spend our money and attention can have a positive impact on ourselves as well as the brand. Follow Darling's Instagram to stay up-to-date on the company as well as on new articles posted to their website and new editions published in print. Their perspective on today’s world is eloquently portrayed and definitely worth the read.
Cover photo credit: Instagram (@darling)