| Table of Contents |
| | Acknowledgements | |
| | Introduction | 1 |
| 1 | fashion magazine | 10 |
| | 1.1 | 'To the Readers of the World of Fashion', The World of Fashion, 1840 | 10 |
| | 1.2 | Fashion Plate from The World of Fashion, 1864 | 12 |
| | 1.3 | 'A Word to Young Maids on Old Maids', by Ella, Le Follet, 1865 | 13 |
| | 1.4 | Cover, Myra's Journal of Dress and Fashion, 1875 | 14 |
| | 1.5 | 'Spinnings in Town', by Silkworm, Myra's Journal of Dress and Fashion, 1876 | 15 |
| | 1.6 | 'Editorial Note', The Rational Dress Society's Gazette, 1888 | 17 |
| | 1.7 | 'Society is Now One Polished Horde', The World of Dress, 1899 | 18 |
| 2 | drawing-room Journal | 21 |
| | 2.1 | Contents page of the 'United Series' of The Court and Lady's Magazine and Museum, 1843 | 21 |
| | 2.2 | Front page of Mrs. Ellis's Morning Call, 1850 | 23 |
| | 2.3 | 'Elizabeth and Victoria. From a Woman's Point of View', The Victoria Magazine, 1864 | 23 |
| | 2.4 | 'The Higher Education of Women', The Ladies' Cabinet, 1869 | 28 |
| | 2.5 | 'Debates of the Ladies' Edinburgh Literary Society', by Ex Cathedra, The Ladies' Edinburgh Magazine, 1878 | 29 |
| 3 | general illustrated magazine | 32 |
| | 3.1 | 'The Sorrows of Gentility, Chapter XII', by Geraldine Endsor Jewsbury, The Ladies' Companion, 1850 | 32 |
| | 3.2 | Frontispiece, The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1853 | 36 |
| | 3.3 | 'Cupid's Letter-Bag', The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1853 | 37 |
| | 3.4 | 'Social Employments of Women', The Ladies' Treasury, 1858 | 38 |
| | 3.5 | 'Pastimes for Ladies. On Three Wheels', Woman's World, 1887 | 40 |
| | 3.6 | Fashion plate, Hearth and Home, 1891 | 44 |
| | 3.7 | Cover, The Englishwoman, 1895 | 44 |
| 4 | religious magazine | 45 |
| | 4.1 | 'Our First Word to Mothers', The Mother's Friend, 1848 | 45 |
| | 4.2 | 'A Word Upon Dress. By the Author of "Not at Home" and "The First Dissenter"', The Christian Lady's Magazine, 1855 | 46 |
| | 4.3 | 'Trials of a Complaining Wife. (A Conversation between Mrs. Fretwell and Mrs. Candid.) By the Author of "Good Servants, Good Wives, and Happy Homes," The British Workwoman, 1864 | 48 |
| | 4.4 | Covers, The British Workwoman, 1866 | 51 |
| | 4.5 | 'Plain Questions Worth Asking One's-Self Daily', The Servant's Magazine, 1867 | 52 |
| 5 | ladies' paper | 53 |
| | 5.1 | 'Mrs. Perryan and Mr. Hardwicke' and 'The Protection of Women', The Lady's Newspaper, 1847 | 53 |
| | 5.2 | 'Un-mental Women', by Fanny Fern, The Lady's Own Paper, 1871 | 54 |
| | 5.3 | Queen, 1885 | 58 |
| | 5.4 | 'A Woman's Work at the Docks', The Queen, 1890 | 58 |
| | 5.5 | 'Gentlewomen "At Home", No. XXVI. The Countess of Cottenham at Queen's Gate.', The Gentlewoman, 1890 | 59 |
| 6 | feminist Journal | 61 |
| | 6.1 | Contents list for The Englishwoman's Journal, 1858 | 61 |
| | 6.2 | 'Are Men Naturally Cleverer than Women?', The Englishwoman's Journal, 1859 | 63 |
| | 6.3 | 'Types of Character', by Bessie Parkes, The Englishwoman's Review, 1866 | 64 |
| | 6.4 | 'Correspondence', The Englishwoman's Review, 1888 | 67 |
| | 6.5 | 'Journalism as a Profession for Women', by Frances Power Cobbe, Women's Penny Paper, 1888 | 69 |
| 7 | magazine for young women and girls | 71 |
| | 7.1 | Cover, The Young Ladies' Journal, 1869 | 71 |
| | 7.2 | 'Only A Flirtation', by A. C., The Young Ladies' Reader, 1881 | 73 |
| | 7.3 | 'On Housekeeping', by Eleanor Bairdsmith, Atalanto, 1890 | 75 |
| | 7.4 | 'Life Behind the Counter', by C. J. Hamilton, The Young Woman, 1892 | 77 |
| | 7.5 | 'The New Woman', The Monthly Packet, 1895 | 79 |
| | 7.6 | 'Our Girls A-Wheel', Girls' Own Paper, 1897 | 80 |
| | 7.7 | 'Helpful Advice, Freely given by your Editor', Sweethearts, 1898 | 82 |
| | 7.8 | 'A Chat with the Girl of the Period', by the Editor, Girls' Realm, 1899 | 84 |
| 8 | cheap domestic magazine | 87 |
| | 8.1 | Cover, Woman, 1894 | 87 |
| | 8.2 | 'Fireside Talks', Home Notes, 1895 | 87 |
| | 8.3 | 'Toilet Queries', Home Chat, 1901; Home Chat: facing advertising and children's pages, 1900 | 90 |
| | 8.4 | Cover, Woman's Life, 1895 | 93 |
| | 8.5 | 'Madge Smith's Revenge', Woman's Life, 1895 | 94 |
| 9 | Mastheads and Covers | 98 |
| | 9.1 | Masthead, The Lady's Own Paper, 1866 | 98 |
| | 9.2 | Masthead, The Queen, 1890 | 98 |
| | 9.3 | Cover, The Servant's Magazine, 1867 | 99 |
| | 9.4 | Cover, The Barmaid, 1891 | 99 |
| | 9.5 | Cover, Home Notes, 1894 | 99 |
| | 9.6 | Cover, Shafts, 1897 | 99 |
| | 9.7 | Cover, Sweethearts, 1898 | 99 |
| 10 | Discursive prose: the article | 102 |
| | 10.1 | 'Hints to Young Ladies. No. IX. Habits of Conversation', The Mothers' Magazine, 1838 | 102 |
| | 10.2 | 'The Women of England in Olden Times. The Anglo-Saxon Ladies', Mrs. Ellis' Morning Call, 1852 | 104 |
| | 10.3 | 'The Adventures of Isabel Fitzbloomer. Narrated by Herself. In a Confidential Communication to Mrs. Kate Norton', the World of Fashion, 1850 | 106 |
| | 10.4 | 'Persia and the Persians', The Ladies' Treasury, 1859 | 107 |
| | 10.5 | 'The Use of a Special Periodical', The Alexandra Magazine, 1865 | 109 |
| | 10.6 | 'Our Domestic Woes. The Servantgalism of the Period or The Alphabet of Woes', The Lady's Own Paper, 1870 | 111 |
| | 10.7 | 'Young Women and Journalism,' by W. T. Stead, The Young Woman, 1892 | 114 |
| 11 | Discursive prose: the short paragraph or 'tit-bit' | 117 |
| | 11.1 | 'Flighty Girls and Good Wives' and Frivolity', Townsend's Monthly Selection of Parisian Customers, 1864 | 117 |
| | 11.2 | 'Crossing a River in South America' and 'Ladies' Thin Shoes', The Ladies' Cozette of Fashion, 1866 | 117 |
| | 11.3 | 'People, Places and Things', Hearth and Home, 1891 | 119 |
| | 11.4 | 'Little Bits that Girls Like', Sweethearts, 1898 | 120 |
| 12 | Prose fiction | 122 |
| | 12.1 | 'Wayfe Summers. Chapter 1. My Guardians', The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1861 | 122 |
| | 12.2 | 'Poor Meggy; or, The Wages of Sin', The British Workwoman, 1866 | 123 |
| | 12.3 | 'Margaret; or The Word "Obey"', Townsend's Monthly Selection of Parisian Customers, 1865 | 126 |
| | 12.4 | 'How She Repented', The Queen, 1885 | 129 |
| | 12.5 | 'His Brown-Eyed Maiden', by Sarah Capp, Home Notes, 1895 | 131 |
| | 12.6 | 'A Lover of High Degree: or, how Norah Flynn Became a Duchess. A romantic story of Unswerving Affection and Mad Passion. By Lorna O'Reilley, 1898 | 133 |
| 13 | fashion plate and the fashion feature | 140 |
| | 13.1 | Fashion plate, The Ladies' Treasury, 1858 | 141 |
| | 13.2 | Fashion plate, The World of Fashion, 1864 | 141 |
| | 13.2 | Fashion page, The Queen, 1885 | 143 |
| | 13.4 | 'Home Dressmaking', Home Notes, 1895 | 143 |
| | 13.5 | 'Lady Falmouth and Lady Helen Vincent Skating at New Niagara', The World of Dress, 1899 | 144 |
| 14 | Poetry | 145 |
| | 14.1 | 'Lines Suggested by Hearing the Blackbird Sing in Early Spring', by E. M., The Christian Lady's Magazine, 1855 | 145 |
| | 14.2 | 'To My Sister', Blackwood's Lady's Magazine, 1855 | 145 |
| | 14.3 | 'Italian Patriotic Song', by E.H., The Englishwoman's Journal, 1860 | 146 |
| | 14.4 | 'The Fast Smoking Girl of the Period. Described by Herself', The Girl of the Period Miscellany, 1869 | 146 |
| | 14.5 | 'To the Slaves of Fashion', by Chestnut, The Young Englishwoman, 1869 | 147 |
| | 14.6 | 'The Rights of Women', The Mother's Friend, 1888 | 148 |
| | 14.7 | 'Defeat', by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Home Chat, 1900 | 149 |
| 15 | Political Journalism | 150 |
| | 15.1 | 'The Laws of Property as they Affect Married Women,' by Bessie Raynor Parkes. The Ladies' Cabinet, 1856 | 150 |
| | 15.2 | 'Should Women be Permitted to Vote? By a Woman', The Ladies' Treasury, 1868 | 152 |
| | 15.3 | 'Women and Politics', The Englishwoman's Journal, 1863 | 153 |
| | 15.4 | 'The Petticoat in the Politics of England. By Justin McCarthy. The Lady's Own Paper, 1870 | 154 |
| 16 | Advertising | 157 |
| | 16.1 | Advertisements, The Lady's Newspaper, 1847 | 157 |
| | 16.2 | Advertisements, The Alexandra Magazine, 1865 | 157 |
| | 16.3 | Advertisements, The Queen, 1867 | 159 |
| | 16.4 | Advertisement, The Lady's Own Paper, 1872 | 161 |
| | 16.5 | Advertisements, The Queen, 1885 | 161 |
| | 16.6 | Advertisement, The Young Ladies' Journal, 1885 | 162 |
| | 16.7 | Advertisements, Woman, 1891; Home Chat, 1901 | 164 |
| 17 | Advice columns and readers' letters | 166 |
| | 17.1 | 'The Englishwoman's Conversazione', The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1854 | 166 |
| | 17.2 | 'Open Council', The Alexandra Magazine, 1864 | 168 |
| | 17.3 | 'Correspondence', the Lady's Own Paper: 'Plea for Boys', 1870; 'Letter basket', 1872 | 170 |
| | 17.4 | 'Answers to Correspondents', Woman, 1891 | 171 |
| | 17.5 | 'Confidential Chat', Forget-Me-Not, 1891 | 173 |
| | 17.6 | 'The Home of a London Bachelor Girl', Home Notes, 1894 | 176 |
| | 17.7 | 'Over the Teacups', by Annie S. Swan, Woman at Home, 1896 | 177 |
| 18 | Reviews | 180 |
| | 18.1 | 'Notices of Books', The Englishwoman's Journal, 1885 | 180 |
| | 18.2 | 'The Book of the Month', The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1860 | 181 |
| | 18.3 | 'The Lady's Literary Circular', The Rose, the Shamrock and the Thistle, 1863 | 184 |
| | 18.4 | 'London Labour and the London Poor', The British Workwoman, 1863 | 185 |
| | 18.5 | 'Literary Notices', The Ladies' Treasury, 1876 | 186 |
| | 18.6 | 'Exhibition of the Society of Female Artist, 9 Conduit Street', The Englishwoman's Review, 1867 | 187 |
| | 18.7 | 'The Theatres', The London and Paris Ladies' Magazine, 1873 | 189 |
| 19 | Competitions | 190 |
| | 19.1 | 'Notice', The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1862 | 190 |
| | 19.2 | 'Scholarship Competition Page', Atalanta, 1890 | 190 |
| | 19.3 | 'The Literary Guild', Hearth and Home, 1891 | 192 |
| | 19.4 | 'Why I am an Abstainer. Our Prize Competition', The Woman's Signal, 1894 | 195 |
| | 19.5 | 'The Best Hundred Books for a Girl to Read', Home Chat, 1896 | 197 |
| | 19.6 | 'Our Prize Story. So Sorry for Herl', by E.S. Curry, Ladies' Fashions, 1897 | 198 |
| 20 | Illustrated biography | 202 |
| | 20.1 | 'Mrs. Jameson', The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 1861 | 202 |
| | 20.2 | 'Dr. Mary Walker', The Lady's Own Paper, 1866 | 204 |
| | 20.3 | 'Out and at Home. Twice Royal or a Royal British Workwoman', by Grace. The British Workwoman, 1879 | 206 |
| | 20.4 | 'Miss Ellen Terry', by A.H. Doubleyew, The Ladies' Pictorial, 1880 | 208 |
| | 20.5 | 'Some Famous Authors as Girls', by Mrs. Tooley, Girls' Realm, 1899 | 210 |
| 21 | personal Interview | 212 |
| | 21.1 | 'Interview. Mrs. Florence Fenwick Miller', Women's Penny Paper, 1889 | 212 |
| | 21.2 | 'How I write my Books. An interview with L. T. Meade', The Young Woman, 1892 | 214 |
| | 21.3 | 'A Chat with Mine. Sarah Grand', by Jim's Wife's Husband, Woman, 1894 | 216 |
| | Bibliography of Titles | 219 |
| | Selected Further Reading | 229 |
