Some areas of a woman's life — such as health and relationships — could do with the insights of other women. That's where women-centric websites come in. They explore female interests and issues, often walking a tightrope between stating facts and stereotyping.
Here are our top picks of women-friendly websites. Men are welcome to join the conversation.
Work and Money
Women are stepping into the role of the breadwinner just as often as men and are fulfilling it just as well. They're not only ambitious about their careers, they're also getting savvy about their finances.
Levo
If you want to be part of a positive network that can help you fulfill your career aspirations, Levo is the place to be.
You'll find personalized tools on the site to build your career from the ground up. Get easy access to the best job opportunities, mentors, and fellow professionals. Articles, interviews, guides, Q&As — the site has everything!
Expand your reach further by joining one of the local chapters Levo has in various cities across the world.
DailyWorth
DailyWorth gives you the know-how to gain financial independence, manage your money, and deal with financial crises. It also covers topics like career, travel, relationships, and culture. The site aims to help you lose the money-related fears you might be carrying around as a result of familial or societal conditioning.
The important thing is that DailyWorth places self-worth ahead of net worth.
Tech and Culture
Tech and culture are entrenched in our day-to-day our life. Here are four websites that look at various aspects of it.
Women 2.0
Women 2.0 highlights the work of female entrepreneurs in tech and helps aspiring ones move forward with confidence. It's welcoming of men in its network-building activities and events.
The platform seeks to help more women step into the roles of innovators and leaders by giving them the resources they need. Think meetups, annual conferences, competitions, and regular Hangouts with investors.
Remember, you also get a steady stream of helpful articles on Women 2.0. They cover everything from startup costs to developer tools to maternity leave.
Brain Pickings
Brain Pickings is a super successful blog curated by writer Maria Popova. It delves into the intricacies of art, science, history, and culture — all in the quest to decipher "what makes a good life".
This website is not just for women, but it's just too brilliant to keep out of this list.
Paper Droids
Paper Droids is an online magazine for women geeks. It publishes content on science, technology, art, literature, and entertainment.
Regardless of the type of geek you are, you're sure to find something of interest on Paper Droids. Hardcore gaming, literary criticism, indie comics, and blockbuster movies are some of the topics you'll find on the site.
The Mary Sue is another site that focuses on women geeks, and has branded itself as "a guide to geek girl culture". Much like Jezebel, it draws polarizing reactions, so it's hard to tell if it's something you'll like or not.
On a side note, we could certainly do with more mainstream websites where women can get their geek on in peace.
Pop Sugar
Lifestyle, entertainment, pop culture, tech, fitness, food, fashion, love, beauty — PopSugar delivers it all. Clear categorisation on the site makes it easy to find topics that are of interest to you.
Self Worth
High self-worth is a different (and the best!) kind of beautiful. We'll get to the websites that help you shine on the outside, but first, let's focus on the ones that show you how to tend to your inner beauty.
Gala Darling
Gala Darling has made it her life's mission to help women fall in love themselves. She urges her readers to practice radical self love. It refers to unlearning negative concepts related to self image and accepting one's self.
And yes, Darling leads by example. Her own practice of radical self love shines through in her unapologetic writing and presence.
Everyday Feminism
Everyday Feminism champions the cause of equality for every individual. It takes a stand against discrimination and marginalization of people based on any type of social disparity.
The site works to help women reclaim their lives and take better care of themselves in every way. Everyday Feminism also has a couple of courses to help women build healthier relationships with themselves and with others.
Begin with the site's Fem 101 category and work your way through the others like Self Worth, Gender, Body, Love, Race, and Violence. You'll find everything from explanations of cultural phenomena like mansplaining to discussions on transgender issues and sexual trauma.
HelloGiggles
HelloGiggles is a fun community for the modern young woman. It explores news, pop culture, careers, style, etc. with a humorous and intelligent approach.
What's encouraging to see is that the site keeps negativity out of the picture without glossing over important issues. Have you visited their Kindness Uncovered archives yet?
Beauty and Style
Websites that showcase the latest in fashion make great eye candy. But you won't always find practical advice that's lifestyle appropriate and pocket friendly on such websites. For that, the following websites are much better. They're powered by women who're easier to relate to.
Wardrobe Oxygen
Wardrobe Oxygen has been around for a decade now, and is still going strong. If you're a woman over 30, Alison Gary's blog is for you! She helps you express your personal style through your wardrobe regardless of your working budget.
You'll find outfits categorised by season, capsule wardrobe suggestions, and beauty tips. If you want to get your style queries answered, there's an Ask Allie feature. There's also a What I wore section where Alison shows off her outfits and shares links to help you recreate it.
The blog not only highlights the importance of picking quality over quantity, but also teaches you how you can find quality at any price point.
Penny Chic
Shauna, the woman behind Penny Chic, has spent enough time in the fashion world to know what goes into dressing well. But what she's intent on proving is that you can get all the chic you want while staying within your means.
From shopping tips to outfit ideas, you'll find a little bit of everything on the website. Everyday women who make up Team Penny Chic model the ensembles.
15 Minute Beauty Fanatic
The name of the website says it all. 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic brings beauty tips and products for busy women. Hair care, skin care, makeup — you'll find information on all of it. (If you want to experiment with a new look, try these apps for a virtual makeover.)
The Skin 101 and Hair 101 sections are good places to start exploring the website. Hop over to the Get the Look section for Mommy Fast Friday. It's a series in which beauty bloggers who are mothers share their 5-10-15-minute beauty routines.
Homekeeping
Even if you share or delegate responsibilities, keeping your home beautiful and running efficiently is no small task. You need all the smart tips and tweaks you can get your hands on.
Apartment Therapy
If you want to find the best ways to improve your living space, look no further than Apartment Therapy. Its focus is on inspiring you to create a healthy and beautiful home in an affordable manner, and it gives you the right resources to accomplish that.
The folks at Apartment Therapy recommend a sensible, work-with-what-you-have approach. They prove that good design is accessible to all and home improvement projects need not be expensive.
You can filter content based on room type, project type, decor style, lifestyle, etc. Be sure to join Apartment Therapy's thriving community scene. You'll find some great tips in the comments.
Real Simple
Real Simple tackles various aspects of home and life from a practical perspective. Get tips on organising, decorating, meal planning, etiquette, entertainment, and travel. Don't miss the quick links to resources on gift giving and wedding ideas in the footer.
Also, check out some of Real Simple's digital products. They have a Weeknight Meal Planner that you're sure to find useful.
Parenthood
Balancing the demands of the workplace and the home is tough as it is. Add new little humans to the mix and things are bound to get a lot more hectic. The good news is that parents can seek out a bit of handholding online as they navigate the tricky terrain of parenthood.
Mumsnet
Mumsnet is a thriving, UK-based online community that tackles different areas of life from the perspective of a parent. It started out as an information-sharing resource for mothers.
On various occasions, the site has been in the news for the wrong reasons. This is due to what many see as Mumsnet's unhealthy, competitive approach to motherhood. But, there are many who think otherwise and for whom the site is a daily lifeline of sorts. We'll leave it up to you to decide whether Mumsnet is a good, reliable resource for you to consider.
Keep an eye out for the handy set of tools in the footer. It includes an ovulation calculator, a pregnancy calendar, and a baby name finder.
The Longest Shortest Time
Hillary Frank's difficult start to motherhood led her to start The Longest Shortest Time. It's a refreshing, tell-it-like-it-is podcast and website on parenting.
For expecting and new parents, the reality of daily living can be far different from what popular books and other media portray. Sure, there's cuteness and laughter, but, there are dark times too. The Longest Shortest Time guides moms and dads through the latter by helping them see that they're not alone.
If you had to choose just one parenting website to keep up with, we'd recommend this one! And to know how the podcast got its name, read about the experience that started it all.
Non-parents, the site is worth your time as well.
Life Hacking
Want find your calling? Start eating healthy? Learn to be more assertive? You're sure to find a website to help you improve any part of your life.
Health and Wellness: EmpowHER
EmpowHER gives you practical advice on your physical and mental health. It also pays attention to the impact of your emotional and financial health on your well-being.
You'll be able to read up on a wide variety of topics right from medical conditions to fitness regimens, from pregnancy to caregiving. You can also get your health queries answered.
What makes EmpowHER such a great resource is its connections to a wider network of people and information. Join one of their many health groups if you want guidance and support in dealing with specific conditions such as depression or diabetes.
How about also tuning in to EmpowHER's radio show about health and wellness?
Buying and Selling: Etsy
Etsy is the ultimate marketplace online. You'll find everything from clothes to craft supplies to vintage cameras.
Selling on Etsy makes for a decent home-based business idea, in case you're looking for one. You're free to sell anything that is either vintage or that you have crafted yourself. Items such as clothing, furniture, jewelery, photography, and art are acceptable. Do keep in mind that there's quite a bit of competition in this area and it takes some serious work to maintain an Etsy store.
DIY: Pretty Handy Girl
If you're a do-it-yourselfer or want to be one, Brittany (aka Pretty Handy Girl) can help you out with all kinds of projects. She writes in-depth DIY tutorials related to areas like home improvement, repairs, sewing, and crafts.
Clicking on my home in the navigation gives you a virtual tour of her home and you get to see how Brittany's DIY personal projects have taken shape.
Travel: Journeywoman
Whether you're traveling for work or pleasure, Journeywoman can help you travel smarter and better. It delves into packing guides, safety tips, solo travel, love stories from the road, travel tips for older women, and much, much more.
I started 2015 with a solo trip (my first) to the Maldives. What was a scary step for me didn't seem all that scary after I had pored over the experiences and tips shared online by other female solo travelers.
Of course, you can't guarantee that nothing will go wrong on your trip. But with help from sites like Journeywoman, you'll be better equipped to deal with anything that does. When it comes to traveling, knowledge is indeed power.
Creativity: Pinterest
How netizens portray or perceive Pinterest is of lesser consequence than what you can do with it. The site can provide the right sparks for your creativity and productivity.
Of course, to use Pinterest effectively, you must choose well-targeted feeds based on your interests.
Your List of Women-friendly Websites?
The Internet is too vast to map completely, and we're sure we have missed some awesome websites as well as categories. Care to help us out in the comments? Which are your favorite women-friendly websites? Ladies and gentlemen, please list them for us!
And if any of the men in your life would appreciate a similar list tailored for them, share our roundup of the best websites for men with them.