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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White House Farm killer plans new appeal after TV drama shows ‘alibi’ scene
Jeremy Bamber, the convicted killer at the heart of ITV’s critically-acclaimed show claims he now has ‘the ultimate alibi’ to prove he didn’t massacre his family
By Maria Coole
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We're more open about sexual violence than ever but has anything changed for the better
Over the last decade we've realised we're stronger when raising our voices together as the #metoo movement shows, but despite this there's been a staggering drop in convictions for sexual violence. Writer Lizzy Dening asks how can we help survivors in 2020?
By Maria Coole
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Wake up to 'Wakey' - the new, micro breakfast show that'll brighten up your morning
Writer, broadcaster and artistic director Deborah Coughlin talks about why her new app, Wakey!, will help improve your happiness, health and wellbeing. And Love Island's Chris Taylor is hosting!
By Maria Coole
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Diana’s boys: how William's healing the rift as Harry starts his new life in Canada
After Harry's heartbreakingly honest farewell speech revealing his 'great sadness' about leaving the only life he has ever known, Michelle Davies charts the rift between the brothers and how their once unbreakable bond is slowly mending
By Maria Coole
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The Megxit debate: impetuous or an act of self-care?
As Prince Harry, Meghan and baby Archie begin their new life together free from palace protocol, two writers analyse the couple’s controversial great 'royal' escape
By Maria Coole
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'My mum had a stalker for three years and it's shaped my life ever since’
Author and journalist Marisa Bate has spent most of her 34 years worrying about what lurks in the shadows and our vulnerability where predatory men are concerned
By Maria Coole
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Relax and let it go! The alternative way to achieving your goals
Fed up with failing? You need a Personal Responsibility Coach. Nat Rich, founder of the ‘Unf*ck Your Life’ workshops, explains how to boost your chances of getting where you want
By Maria Coole
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‘My rapist was never convicted but I would still urge any woman to report the crime’
It’s not just in Cyprus where rape survivors are being badly treated. As Leigh’s story shows, at a time when unprecedented numbers are coming forward seeking justice, the UK criminal justice system is systematically failing women
By Maria Coole
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Should we be more mindful before dumping emotional baggage on our friends?
Ever sent a torrent of texts to a friend without thinking what they're dealing with? Olivia Foster debates if we need to permission to vent before offloading
By Maria Coole
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Want to take control of your drinking but don't know where to start?
When Annie Grace's stash of beer exploded over her kids she knew she had a problem. Solving it with a self-devised 30-day programme the bestselling author reveals the simple tricks to cutting down or giving up for good
By Maria Coole
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Dopamine fasting is apparently now a thing - so we looked into it...
It’s the latest wellness trend direct from Silicon Valley in the States but what exactly is this new fad and does it actually work?
By Maria Coole
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'How social media has totally screwed up our ageing process'
As one of the first generation of women to age digitally, author Megan Angelo is not just wrinkle obsessing but says social media has stunted our internal growth too
By Maria Coole
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'Adult acne ruined my sex life and this is how I dealt with it'
For years Becca Brown's hormonal acne made her feel hideous, anxious and crippingly insecure, so the last thing she wanted to do was get naked with her boyfriend
By Maria Coole
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Why it's time to rethink positive thinking
Despite an onslaught of self-help books, Insta-inspo posts and TED talks urging us to 'manifest our dreams', research reveals a very real problem with positive thinking: it doesn't work. Here, Clare Thorp explores why we all need a little negativity in our lives to actually reach our goals
By Maria Coole
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Burnout will be a huge health crisis in 2021 – here’s how to beat it
Millennials are those most prone to this most modern of mental health crises. Here's how to stop 2021 from being a total burnout.
By Maria Coole
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Why women are ditching social media for email newsletters - and the ones your inbox will love
Tiny by name; mighty by nature: the TinyLetters free email newsletter service - once dismissed as an outdated form of communication - is booming. Marisa Bate explains why our inboxes are where it's at right now
By Maria Coole
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What do the key trends in 2020 tell us about the future of dating?
We may be post-ghosting, but now there's a whole new set of dating trends to navigate. From 'being Kanye'd' and zoning in on the zodiac, to 'yellow carding' dates by calling out BS, Olivia Foster reveals how the landscape is shifting
By Maria Coole
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Sea Buckthorn anyone? Welcome to 2020's top wellness & lifestyle trends
From designer gaming and sipping dirty pickle martini to ‘normcore wellness’ and visiting virtual spas, a top futurist predicts how our 2020 is shaping up
By Maria Coole
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This is what happens to you after a year in therapy
Seeing a therapist is scary, right? That's exactly what Olivia Foster thought so she lived with high-functioning anxiety for way too long. Now she's ready to tell you a few home truths
By Maria Coole
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The Queen’s ruined childhood and why she won't let Prince George suffer the same heartbreak
At 145 Piccadilly Elizabeth lived a carefree and happy life until one dark December day when her world of freedom and playdates with friends came to an abrupt end forever
By Maria Coole
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Why do 'casual' relationships get so messy when you try to talk about what 'casual' means?
Instagram's cult illustrator Shelby Lorman and author of Awards For Good Boys reckons the no-labels dating scene has its pros, but warns don’t confuse ‘relationship status: unknown’ with stress-free sex...
By Maria Coole
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The Dirty Girls of Lesvos champion laundry not landfill - and they're transforming the lives of refugees
Sea-soaked and shaking with fear, waves of refugees arrive daily on Lesvos's shores. Now, a pioneering initiative is helping to literally wash away the indignity of destitution through the power of laundry. To mark International Migrants Day, we meet Dirty Girls founder, Alison Terry, to share their story
By Maria Coole