Maria Coole
Maria Coole is a contributing editor on Marie Claire.
Hello Marie Claire readers – you have reached your daily destination. I really hope you’re enjoying our reads and I'm very interested to know what you shared, liked and didn’t like (gah, it happens) by emailing me at: maria.coole@freelance.ti-media.com
But if you fancy finding out who you’re venting to then let me tell you I’m the one on the team that remembers the Spice Girls the first time round. I confidently predicted they’d be a one-hit wonder in the pages of Bliss magazine where I was deputy editor through the second half of the 90s. Having soundly killed any career ambitions in music journalism I’ve managed to keep myself in glow-boosting moisturisers and theatre tickets with a centuries-spanning career in journalism.
Yes, predating t’internet, when 'I’ll fax you' was grunted down a phone with a cord attached to it; when Glastonbury was still accessible by casually going under or over a flimsy fence; when gatecrashing a Foo Fighters aftershow party was easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy and tapping Dave Grohl on the shoulder was... oh sorry I like to ramble.
Originally born and bred in that there Welsh seaside town kindly given a new lease of life by Gavin & Stacey, I started out as a junior writer for the Girl Guides and eventually earned enough Brownie points to move on and have a blast as deputy editor of Bliss, New Woman and editor of People newspaper magazine. I was on the launch team of Look in 2007 - where I stuck around as deputy editor and acting editor for almost ten years - shaping a magazine and website at the forefront of body positivity, mental wellbeing and empowering features. More recently, I’ve been Closer executive editor, assistant editor at the Financial Times’s How To Spend It (yes thanks, no probs with that life skill) and now I’m making my inner fangirl’s dream come true by working on this agenda-setting brand, the one that inspired me to become a journalist when Marie Claire launched back in 1988.
I’m a theatre addict, lover of Marvel franchises, most hard cheeses, all types of trees, half-price Itsu, cats, Dr Who, cherry tomatoes, Curly-Wurly, cats, blueberries, cats, boiled eggs, cats, maxi dresses, cats, Adidas shelltops, cats and their kittens. I’ve never knowingly operated any household white goods and once served Ripples as a main course. And finally, always remember what the late great Nora Ephron said, ‘Everything is copy.’
Latest articles by Maria Coole
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Bella Younger aka Deliciously Stella: "How my need to get likes nearly ruined my life"
When Bella Younger created her hilarious social media alter ego, Deliciously Stella, she wanted to prove that Instagram does not equal reality. She went viral. Then it all went horribly wrong
By Maria Coole
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This Mental Health Awareness Week, four ways to help the 33% who are anxious about lockdown lifting
While many are thrilled life could be completely back to normal by the end of the year, Wunderman Thompson's Debbie Wykes analyses the challenges that June 21 is presenting and four strategies that may help
By Maria Coole
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How to prepare for a baby when you have a mental health condition
To mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, Marley Hall aka @midwifemarley shares what to do if you have a pre-existing mental health condition and want to have a baby. She's one of the UK’s leading midwives, so you're in safe hands
By Maria Coole
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Emma Jane Unsworth on her postnatal depression: "It felt so risky to say I can't cope"
To mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week we talk to the novelist and screenwriter about her new memoir, After the Storm. With searingly brutal honesty, Emma unpacks her son's traumatic birth, the PND that almost destroyed everything, and why the myth of women having it all is making us sick
By Maria Coole
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Why women are protesting: 'Kill the bill. No more police powers, we will not be silenced!’
Thousands marched in London over Bank Holiday weekend, the latest and largest demonstration against a bill which will hand police more powers to shut down protests. We ask why is the anti-protest bill generating so much anger and controversy?
By Maria Coole
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Do your climate-friendly actions really make any difference?
Recycling your rubbish or having a meat-free Monday can seem pointless in the face of such consistently bad climate news, but as Rachel England argues, collective action is more important now than ever
By Maria Coole
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#FilterDrop Sasha Pallari on being happy with the skin you're in
The beauty activist secured an important social media ruling with her #FilterDrop campaign. Now Sasha says we need to work on self love for the sake of our mental health
By Maria Coole
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Four Gen Z beauty creatives on getting back to business after lockdown
From beauty salon owners to nail technicians and hairstylists, we spoke to four resilient beauty professionals about bouncing back. Long live the salons
By Maria Coole
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The homeless crisis: "At 38 weeks pregnant I was filling out a homeless application form"
More people than ever live in fear of homelessness in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But this fear became a reality for Malak Nasir, a Masters graduate, who was forced to sofa-surf throughout her pregnancy
By Maria Coole
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Sustainable eating isn't so hard if you've got these 10 hacks up your sleeve
Trust us when we say, these tips will help you cut down on waste, protect our planet and save money. Winner, winner
By Maria Coole
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'Why we must celebrate diversity and cherish our common ground' says author Naomi Ishiguro
Against the backdrop of headline-grabbing unrest and division, it's so important we tell stories of solidarity and friendship across cultural boundaries, argues Naomi Ishiguro
By Maria Coole
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Why we're still saying sorry more than men - and what to do about it
Sorry about this but we officially can't stop apologising. Robyn D’Arcy analyses why this has far-reaching consequences in all spheres of our lives. Sorry not sorry...
By Maria Coole
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We're hooked on BBC Three's The Surrogates - but it also highlights why the law needs changing fast
The Surrogates follows the ups and downs of women and wannabe parents as they try to have a baby. Surrogacy is becoming more popular for numerous reasons but if the law doesn't change soon a potential nightmare scenario lies ahead
By Maria Coole
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Marie Claire's Save The Arts campaign: A year ago today venues had to close, here's how you can still help
It's been an incredibly difficult year for the hundreds of thousands of freelancers in the creative industries who make the art forms we love and miss
By Maria Coole
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These women were at Sarah Everard's vigil and this is what they want you to know
As the vigils, protests and political fallout continues following Sarah Everard's shocking death and the distressing scenes at the Clapham Common vigil, three young women explain what it felt like to be there and the physical and psychological impact it has had on them
By Maria Coole
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Why you need Zeena Moolla's five amazing lessons in parenting from her single-parent Indian-Muslim Dad
In her debut book, Everything I’ve Learned about Motherhood, Zeena Moolla reveals her experiences set against a backdrop of being raised by her father. We can't get enough of her honest, heartfelt and hilarious advice
By Maria Coole
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Grieving your past life when you become a mum is OK
Motherhood can feel claustrophobic and incredibly lonely, despite the fact you’re never alone, says best-selling author Katy Colins. She loves her kids but has battled that insidious 'Mum guilt' feeling for far too long. Here Katy shares how you can conquer it and get a sense of self back
By Maria Coole
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How to challenge gender inequality in the workplace
The fight against inequality is an ongoing battle. We speak to three inspirational leaders challenging the status quo in their industries
By Maria Coole
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Catherine Mayer on women's rights: 'I see how much is to be done and how urgently'
Co-founder of the Women's Equality Party, Catherine Mayer, was married to influential musician Andy Gill until his death in Feb 2020. This International Women's Day, Mayer shares with affecting honesty how grief adds clarity to her life-affirming activism
By Maria Coole
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This International Women's Day, we ask why feminism is still making people angry
From suffragettes to the politics of #MeToo, Anna-Marie Crowhurst celebrates 21st century activism reclaimed by a new generation, but asks: why are some people still so upset about equality for women?
By Maria Coole
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The most shocking royal TV interviews you need to watch
It really never ends well. For Meghan and Harry's sake let's hope they buck the trend
By Maria Coole
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Here's what I learnt from Why Men Love Bitches - the 19-year-old dating manual that's gone viral
Almost 20 years after first published, Gen Z on TikTok have pushed this controversial self-help book back onto the bestseller list. Anita Ghosh explains why
By Maria Coole