VARSITY READER: issue #32

a new light, funny TV favorite, fractional careers, and your new spring sneakers

Apr 02, 2025

Hi! Happy Wednesday. Writing this from a café in Hudson Yards. As someone who primarily works from home, I’ve made it a point to *get out* and work from a different space at least once per week. Though I love my home office (full tour here on IG), it is a closed space with no windows.

I worked from Fouquet’s a few weeks ago. A beautiful hotel in downtown NYC—with prices to match (rooms start at $1.1K per night). But working from their lobby / restaurant is the cost of a tea & appetizer.

And these outings don’t have to be fancy. Joe & The Juice is around the corner from my apartment, and it’s one of my go-to spots for a quick, healthy lunch and a few hours of work.

Their Tunacado is my lunch go-to. Protein-packed and much more filling than a sad desk salad. 17g of protein.

P.S. If you’re new around here, welcome! I’m Julia, a brand strategist and content creator based in NYC. I partner with clients to tell standout stories—whether they’re an executive changing careers or a CPG brand looking to reach a new audience across platforms. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @smarterinasec, learn more about me / my services on my website, and of course, right here on Substack.

Let’s dive in!

This week’s media diet

MID-CENTURY MODERN is the light, funny watch we’re all craving. Though I feel like our weeks have been laser-focused on WHITE LOTUS, the show is high-adrenaline…not necessarily relaxing. Starring Nathan Lane and Matt Bomer, the show centers around a trio of 50+ gay friends living in Palm Springs. I don’t usually like laugh tracks, but the dialogue is so sharp that it doesn’t bother me.
Do we remember C. Wonder? It was founded by Tory Burch’s ex-husband Chris Burch. Launched in 2011, the brand was neon-bright, playful…and eerily similar to the Tory Burch aesthetic—which is why the brand shuttered in 2015. This TikTok brought the name back into my consciousness, and these articles share more about the prolonged fashion legal battle. The products were adorable!
I’ve been lusting after a yellow-striped cabana ever since I scrolled through this Martha’s Vineyard home tour. So fun and makes the backyard feel like a hotel.
This is a fun read about baby tech. I’m not a parent, but many of my friends now have kids (who have so many gadgets!) The status quo has changed over the last five years. Now every baby gadget has a camera & Bluetooth.
On that note, I love this post from
The Cabro’s Substack
about when you know you’re ready to be a parent. I’m getting married this year and don’t feel ready, so it’s always good to hear this perspective / how others arrived at their own decision-making.
There have been a spate of unfortunate carbon monoxide deaths in the news recently. This isn’t a media rec, but a critical product rec. My mom bought me this travel-size carbon monoxide detector, and I take it with me everywhere I go. $34 for total peace of mind. Highly recommend.

The career corner

If you haven’t already seen this NYTimes article about Gen X creatives, it’s a must-read. (Sharing here via gift link). The article breaks down the sharp decrease in plum senior creative jobs—creative directors, staff photographers, graphic designers, and more. These professionals were earning $200K+ years ago, but their income experienced a sharp drop-off in the last few years. Why? This work is being farmed out to cheaper, more junior fractional talent.

Even if you’re not a creative, careers are going to look very different over the next few years. Besides a select few industries (private equity, finance, law, medicine), we’re seeing a massive shift from full-time work to a cobbling together of fractional positions. Scary…yes. A death knell to your career…no. If you futureproof your career, you can get out ahead of this trend and even end up making more than your corporate job. A few tips:

Start productizing your skillset. Translate your day-to-day work into a service offering. For instance, are you a product manager? Create a deck that spotlights your fractional product management services and how you’ve driven quantifiable results. What pricing would make sense? If you have any friends who are offering similar services, what do they charge?
Build a compelling pitch deck. What are some examples of your work? Why should someone hire you? What is your core expertise? All key questions to answer in a visually forward, sharp pitch deck that you can share with your network and potential clients.
Engage & build your network. Most of these fractional roles are filled through whisper networks—meaning they never reach formal job boards. Seek out networking groups in your industry. One that’s mixed-gender, multi-industry, and free is the Rands Leadership Slack. Networking shouldn’t be something you do only in a time of need—it should be an undercurrent of your career.

Three damn good buys

As spring slowly rears its head, I’m ready to stash away my winter jacket and jump into breezier clothes. While I love layering with winter jackets and scarves, I find I have so much more fun with spring / summer fashion. Three buys that have caught my eye recently:

The silver sneakers

I lamented in a recent edition that my beloved silver sandals are no more. After two years of constant wear, they were looking a little grody and it was time to retire them.

Though I opted for this replacement pair of silver slip-on sandals, these silver sneakers are equally compelling. An unexpected touch with my favorite white tee and jeans—or even with these split-front pants that I often wear to meetings.

Are they Tin Man-esque? Absolutely. It’s the kind of shoe that’s not for everyone, but I know it will be a spring wardrobe staple.

The brown-and-white cardigan

I shared in a previous edition that I worked with an incredible stylist (Nicole!) to shape my wardrobe. One insight that came out of our work is that while I have a lot of jackets / blazers, I don’t have a ton of tops. Items that would be equally home in a professional setting, brunch with family, or a dinner out with friends.

This cardigan perfectly fits the bill. Well-priced, funky (I love the brown & white contrast), and a closet addition that can flex across spring, fall, and winter. And I like how you can toggle the zipper up and down depending on your audience.

A crochet cardigan

I take a walk around my neighborhood every AM as part of my workday’s “opening shift.” My beloved weighted vest is a key part of this routine. (More on how much I love it and how it’s made an impact on my health here).

I’ve been layering sweatshirts and jackets over my vest for the past few months, but as the weather warms, I need some lighter layers. Something that’s presentable but still hides the…questionable nature of the weighted vest.

This cardigan is perfect. Adorable and from the same brand as my treasured jumpsuit. It’s a thick knit, so I know it will last a long time (my jumpsuit has lasted 3+ years without any pilling).

In case you missed it…

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