But! The internet has, of course, proved me wrong, and this year particularly, there have been a lot of genuinely interesting style-related podcasts that have launched. Here are a few of my favorites, perfect for the car/plane trip home.
Fit Tea—GARAGE’s new podcast Fit Tea just launched yesterday (!) but if the first episode is any indication, things look very promising. Fit Tea, according to its description, “is the podcast that spills all the tea on celebrity outfits.” I like any podcast/article/video that dives into a seemingly mainstream pop culture moment from an obscure angle, like this episode discussing how Madonna’s “Ray of Light” era introduced Hollywood (and us) to wellness and mysticism.
So Fashionating—I say fashion needs to involve MORE comedy, and So Fashionating, run by New York comedians Ruby McCollister and Max Wittert, is here to do just that. There are lots of funny sound effects, and each show features a “Celebrity Guest” talking about style and life things. From designer Christian Cowan on Paris Hilton to comedian Lily Marotta talking about the campiness of ankle bracelets, So Fashionating is very good.
Articles of Interest—Often, so much of fashion coverage is runway shows, trend reports, and quick coverage of capsule drops, and while this is all well and good, there can sometimes be a dearth of deeper cultural reporting on fashion that’s not business-oriented. Articles of Interest, a spinoff of 99% Invisible, covers subjects ranging from an exploration of why womenswear often lacks pockets to the history of Hawaiian style. It’s smart and fun, and the show’s episode on punk fashion was on Vulture’s list of 10 Best Podcast Episodes of 2018.
Fashion Hags—Fashion Hags reminds me of the early days of style blogging—insightful, voice-y conversation for readers (or, in this case, listeners) who just really love fashion and magazines. Evan, Katie and Abby, the show’s hosts, talk about “runway, magazines, designers, movies, art.” Episode themes include: hypothesizing on the future of fashion to the joys and woes of shipping.
American Fashion Podcast—This no-frills name is kind of perfect for a podcast that’s about the nuts and bolts of fashion—there are deep dives on many corners of the industry, from a talk with the director of the Universal Studios costume department to asking “What exactly does WGSN do?” Fashion nerds will appreciate the insight, and people who don’t know a lot about fashion in the academic sense (me!) will come away informed.