The Stylist magazine called… this is how they want you to pitch to them
If you've ever wondered what it takes to get your brand featured in Stylist, this is for you.
Stylist reaches more than 5 million women each month across print and digital, making it one of the UK's most sought-after publications for product and eCommerce brands.
But many brands pitch without really knowing what editors are looking for. They send a press release, a product description or a link to their website and hope for the best.
The reality is that editors like Susanne Norris, Digital Deputy Editor at Stylist, receive countless pitches every week. What they're looking for are the pitches that stand out.
During a PR Dispatch Editor Festival masterclass, Susanne shared exactly what catches her attention, what gets ignored and what makes her keep a brand on file for future opportunities.
She covered everything from subject lines and lifestyle imagery to the 10am editorial meeting most brands don't know about and how to stay on an editor's radar, even if they don't reply.
Here's what she shared and how you can use it to improve your own pitches.
Sell the experience, not just the product
Stylist isn't building a shopping list. They're curating moments, stories and experiences their readers will genuinely delight in.
Susanne put it clearly: the products that stand out are the ones that feel elevated, even when they're functional. A tea towel can make the cut if it feels like something a Stylist reader would love using, not just owning.
Before you pitch, ask yourself: how does this product make life better, easier or more fun? Lead with that. The product itself is secondary to the experience it creates.
Your lifestyle imagery can make or break it
This one is worth paying attention to, especially if you're planning a push for editorial coverage.
Susanne's advice: the better your lifestyle imagery, the better your chances of being used as the lead image for a piece. That's not just a product placement — that's your brand image on the Stylist homepage.
Strong, editorial-quality lifestyle photography doesn't just help your pitch land. It changes how prominently your brand appears when it does.
Tell them your expertise – even if they don't reply
This is one of the most underused tactics in brand PR, and Stylist actively relies on it.
When you email Susanne or the relevant writer explaining your area of expertise and the kinds of features you can help with, that email is kept on file. When an editor needs a source for a piece, they search those files. You don't need a response to be remembered.
The brands and founders who consistently show up as expert sources aren't always the ones with the biggest products. They're the ones who made it easy for editors to find them.
Be specific about where you're pitching
One of the most common mistakes Susanne sees is brands being unclear about which part of Stylist they're pitching for.
Her advice is direct: put it in the subject line.
Tell her exactly which section of the site or magazine you're pitching for and why your idea fits. It signals that you know the publication, you've done your research and you're not sending the same pitch to twenty different titles.
That clarity alone puts your email ahead of most of what lands in her inbox.
Include a bio and a few ready-to-use quotes
If you're positioning yourself or a founder as an expert source, make it easy for Susanne to say yes.
Include a short bio and a couple of quotes she can use straight away, with an offer to provide more commentary if needed. It removes friction. It shows confidence. And as Susanne puts it, confidence shines through — editors can tell when someone genuinely knows their subject.
Timing matters more than you think
Stylist runs a 10am editorial meeting every day. If you can get a timely, relevant pitch into Susanne's inbox before that meeting, it's on the table for discussion.
The hook doesn't have to be breaking news. It just needs to be connected to something happening in the world right now.
Trend-led pitches, cultural moments, seasonal hooks — all of it lands better when it arrives at the right time. Susanne was clear: anything timely is a must, and bonus points if it arrives before 10am.
Keep the tone uplifting
Stylist's editorial identity is built around being a safe haven. They respond to what's happening in the world, but their instinct is to make readers feel seen, uplifted and understood.
If your pitch taps into something readers are experiencing and offers a moment of warmth, humour or comfort alongside it, you're already speaking Stylist's language. Trend-led angles that feel positive and relevant are, in Susanne's words, an absolute win.
What to remember when pitching Stylist
Susanne's advice is simple. Know the publication, pitch something that's timely and relevant, and make it as easy as possible for the editor to say yes.
You don't need to wait until your pitch is perfect. A clear, well-targeted email sent at the right time will always have a better chance than one that's never sent.
The brands that appear in Stylist aren't always the biggest. They're the ones who understand what the publication is looking for, send strong imagery, pitch at the right time and consistently put themselves in front of the right editors.
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