Introducing the Intern

With all the hype surrounding last years box office hit, The Devil Wears Prada, (based on the allegedly-autobiographical 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger) and ABC’s award-winning new series, Ugly Betty (staring America Ferrara) the glossy world of women’s magazines has never been more coveted.

I like to think that I fell for glossies well before the masses, but the reality is that young women (and girls) have lusted after the shiny pages and pretty pictures in women’s mags for over a century – okay, so maybe the first magazines weren’t so shiny… the point is, us girls just love ‘em. We like the ritual of handing over our dosh (at an ever-increasing price) and flicking through the pages for the first time. The style, the glamour, oh, and the stories… of course!

So who wouldn’t want to work for one?

When I was a little girl all I wanted to be was famous. I just couldn’t comprehend how people might have an alternate dream. In my mind, gorgeous clothes and people screaming my name and taking my picture was the only way to live. This dream has altered somewhat. Don’t get me wrong, I still want the gorgeous clothes but I realised one day (the same time I realised that I would just never be able to give up chocolate) that while I wanted to be invited to the A-list parties, I didn’t want to be the celebrity that people were gauking at. Suddenly being the centre of attention seemed just plain scary (this might also have been around the time Princess Di was killed in Paris whilst being chased by papparazzi).

The magazine world offered me all I could ever want. The glitz, the pics, and the parties. So I toiled through school and university with my eyes firmly focussed on oneday seeing my name on the masthead. This journey took me to New York City. Having watched every episode of Sex in the City like it was a module for my degree I was ready to hit the big leagues – and in all honesty, I did get lucky. I managed to land a role as a travel and features intern at Bridal Guide magazine. A far cry from the tortures experienced by TDWP’s Andrea Sachs, I went on no coffee-runs, or missions to get the new Harry Potter for my editor’s spoilt twin daughters. Instead, I researched, fact-checked and even got published.

So with NYC under my belt I flew across the Atlantic with my sights set on London. And here I am. With my dream, and some clips – let’s see how I go!