5 podcasts for fashion fans
By Emma Dibdin
Fashion, being a visual medium with a relatively niche audience, may not appear to be the most conducive subject matter for a podcast. But in a peak podcast era, where there seems to be a show for everything, style has no shortage of audio content. These five shows approach style from a variety of perspectives, exploring breaking fashion news, the place of clothing in pop culture, and the historical and societal forces that shape what we wear.
‘Every Outfit’
“Every Outfit” started life as a sharp-tongued Instagram account deconstructing the fashion worn by the core cast members of “Sex and the City,” both on and off-screen. Having amassed a dedicated following, Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni created this spinoff podcast in 2021, where they apply their snarkyyet-loving fashion policing to a range of topics, analyzing pop culture news and trends through the lens of what was worn. Fairless, a social media consultant and designer, and Garroni, a writer and director, share witty repartee.
Starter episode: “On Gwyneth’s Trial, Capacious Bags, Lana Del Rey”
‘Dressed: The History of Fashion’
Historians have long studied clothing to understand the economics, values and belief systems of cultures, and this richly researched podcast takes the same approach. Hosted by two fashion historians, Cassidy Zachary and April Calahan, each episode of “Dressed” delves into an aspect of style through the ages, with subjects that include the history of Black dandyism, the connection of fashion and politics during the French
Revolution, and the story of pioneering designer Elizabeth Hawes, who decried the industry’s mistreatment of women.
Starter episode: “A Dressed Guide to Dressed, Part 1”
‘Articles of Interest’
“Articles of Interest,” hosted by Avery Trufelman, is a series about how clothing design both mirrors and shapes society. Now in its fourth season, the show has examined gender constructs within clothing, the surprisingly complex history of Hawaiian shirts, and Cher Horowitz’s iconic closet in “Clueless.” Last year, the show debuted its first miniseries, “American Ivy,” on the perennial popularity of the preppy look. Preppy style has become so ubiquitous that it’s now, to quote Trufelman, “not the clothing of a subculture … but the clothing of the dominant culture.”
Starter episode:
“Pockets”
‘Pop Fashion’
Since 2014, this weekly podcast has offered a rare blend of down-to-earth comedy and sartorial commentary. With a stated aim of appealing to indus-* try insiders and outsiders alike, Lisa Rowan, a finance writer, and Kaarin Vembar, a fashion journalist, talk fashion news, breaking down what’s happening with retailers, designers and celebrity labels, as well as on the runway and the red carpet. As hosts, Rowan and Vembar are well-informed, but never in a way that feels alienating to novices.
Starter episode: “Fashion Inferno”
‘Who What Wear
With Hillary Kerr’
“Who What Wear” was one of the first digital-only fashion brands, founded in 2006 by former Elle magazine editors Hillary Kerr and Katherine
Power. In May 2021 came the brand’s first podcast, offering trend analysis, runway coverage and interviews with designers, stylists and celebrities. Kerr is a warm and affable host whose interviews go deeper than many others in the genre. The show is also an especially smart resource for anyone curious about Hollywood costuming.
Starter episode: “WWW 100: Your Definitive (and Exhaustive) Guide to Spring Shopping”