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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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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'Five things I’ve learned about friendship during the pandemic' says best-selling author Phoebe Morgan
As a survey states friendships have deteriorated over the last year - thanks largely to three lockdowns, Phoebe Morgan shares five key lessons she's taking way beyond 2021
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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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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Marie Claire Changemakers 2021: meet the Gen Z activists transforming the world
The pandemic’s changed our lives, but you're never too young to make a difference. Just ask these activists and grass-roots campaigners - five incredible women taking action in 2021
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
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Re-entry anxiety is a thing: how to cope in the changing working world
Boris has unveiled a roadmap to some sort of normality but let's face it, many ways of working will never return to the 'before times' - aka Feb 2020. Mental health advocate, Elaine Carnegie, explains how to survive and thrive in our new working lives
By Maria Coole
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Life after lockdown: how to get your head around the New Normal
Life is suddenly looking brighter with a phased lifting of lockdown restrictions now in place, so why are we still feeling anxious? Therapist Anjali Singh-Mitter reveals how to be more resilient about life after (how many?) lockdowns
By Maria Coole
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'As I ended my marriage, lockdown trapped me, the kids and a heartbroken husband together'
After a tumultuous year and weeks of rumours, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are officially filing for divorce. But what's it like splitting from your partner and still having to share a house. Natalie Simpson cries alone in the shower every day while her estranged husband and two small kids happily ignore the elephant in the room...
By Maria Coole
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Mind the orgasm gap - how to get the sex you deserve
Kate Davies quit hetero sex in pursuit of better orgasms and a more fulfilling love life. Now she's revealing what sleeping with women taught her about the orgasm gap
By Maria Coole
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Catcalling is not a compliment - it’s time to make it a crime
Not even a pandemic has stopped Evie Hairsine from being publicly harassed. The student campaigner and founder of Our Bodies Our Streets, tells her shocking story and why street harassment should be illegal
By Maria Coole
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The STEM Power Pair: "Our app is supporting people in need"
It's Women in Tech week at Marie Claire, and we're sitting down with the female trailblazers making waves in STEM. Next up is Dr Rayna Patel and data scientist Georgina Kirby – the brilliant brains behind AI cancer care app, Vinehealth
By Maria Coole
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The Campaigning Health Innovator: 'Contraceptive methods are not good enough'
As Marie Claire launches Women in Tech week, we meet Alice Pelton: the reproductive health innovator who created the world's first contraception review platform
By Maria Coole
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Valentine's Day trees are totally a thing and taking over Instagram
Because why not dress up your old Christmas tree in love hearts and ribbons...
By Maria Coole
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The Trialblazing Tech CEO: 'The biggest challenge to young women is ourselves'
By Maria Coole