VARSITY READER: issue #33

credit card points hacks, flowy summer pants, and a new TikTok favorite

Happy Friday from an NYC that just seems to get more frigid.

But things happen for a reason! Just as the temperatures started to (sadly) drop, so many good TV shows came out. My current favorite is MOBLAND with Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, and Pierce Brosnan—have you seen?!

Unless it’s THE SOPRANOS, I’m usually not really interested in the mob. This show totally proved me wrong and is the perfect combination of uppity British culture and Jersey-esque mob tactics. I personally think it’s the new WHITE LOTUS in terms of character complexity and plotlines (though it’s not quite as meme-able).

The delicious bread at Upland from my dinner with

Hannah Orenstein

. A friend has a theory that if you have to pay for bread at a restaurant, that means it’s incredible. (Because free bread is good…but paid bread is even better). The theory has never steered me wrong.

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

1. Can we talk about LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM?! The most heartwarming and inspiring show out there. I just discovered something icky, though—as the show is classified as a documentary series, cast members aren’t paid a cent.

   1. The cast has certainly benefited from their time on the show (e.g., Tanner’s recent Sephora campaign!), but Netflix is really cheaping out here. If Netflix can shell out $320 million for this monstrosity of a film, they can pay adults on the spectrum who don’t have traditional earning potential. Do better!

2. My newest TikTok obsession is Alexander Widener, aka Gay Martha Stewart. Alexander moved from NYC to coastal Maine with his husband earlier this year to open an interiors shop and guest cottage. He is truly Ina Garten’s long-lost son—impeccable taste and super warm energy. He came on my For You page and I instantly knew his content would take off!

3. An unfiltered review of Meghan Markle’s raspberry jam. Not ashamed to admit that I raced to the As Ever site on launch day—but all products were sold out by the time I hit checkout.

4. Everyone is inundated with Sephora sale content this week, so I’m cutting through the noise to recommend my all-time hero product. This dry shampoo is spectacular. But I wasn’t loyal at first. I used another brand for years—but the packaging was terrible. I lost so much product to the sink drain.

   1. No more! This product has a simple non-aerosol application…powder in a bottle vs. my old spill-prone jar. I use it every week and it’s enabled my blowouts to last up to six days. I apply to my roots on day two and more liberally on the following days. Get this dry shampoo and never look back!

The career corner

Everything always tastes better on the corporate card! When you’re not paying for it, life just feels a bit sweeter. If you do have a corporate card, I hope you’re maximizing your points.

The points game is truly a different language, so I’m excited to welcome

Rachel Lipson

of

Brooklyn Family Travelers

this week to share her top points tips. Whether you’re taking a work trip to Omaha or hoarding your points for a trip to Oahu, her tips are super actionable—and way more specific than other points advice I’ve heard before!

Thierry Mugler S/S 2026 or a $2 rain poncho? A snap from my recent trip to Iguazu Falls, Brazil, which was booked almost entirely on points. It pretty much took a PhD to accomplish, though, so I wish I had Rachel’s counsel earlier!

Focus on welcome bonuses. It may seem tempting to get a card that your friend says is great, or one that pops up in your inbox (see my next point!) or the one that the flight attendant tries to sell you, but 9 times out of 10, none of this will be in YOUR best interest.

The best card for you will be a card that earns point “multipliers” that make sense for you (3x on restaurants, 2x on travel for example) and earns a significant welcome bonus (i.e. spend $X in 3 months and get XX points).

Putting $4k on a card you already have may earn you around 4k points. Put that same spending on a new card that earns 60k points in 3 months? Now you have over 60k points instead. Welcome bonuses make a huge difference.

Ignore pre-approval marketing. You know those emails that say you’ve been pre-approved? Or this card has been “selected for you”? Or my favorite…“you’re invited to apply!” All of these are marketing tactics to try to convince you to get a card—and they’re all meaningless.

You are no more approved for this card than any other! And these cards are all publicly available - you don’t need an invitation to apply. You can fully ignore those emails and instead focus on the best card(s) to meet your goals.

There is one card that is hands down the best for traveling with points and currently has a temporary bonus of 100k points (worth $2000+ in travel)! It is the foundational card for points travel that everyone should have. Click this link and press “our favorite cards.” The card you want is card #1 in this list.

✈️ Thank you, Rachel! Highly recommend subscribing to

Brooklyn Family Travelers

—Rachel shares even more on her own Substack.

Three damn good buys

This icky weather has me dreaming of my next getaway (and the next time I won’t have frizzy rain hair). A few well-priced buys I’m eyeing for nicer weather:

1. Flowy summer pants

I spotted these green pants the other day when online shopping and fell in love. They make any outfit look luxe. But for $600? We can do better.

These pants are just as cute…and $98. Come in a rainbow of colorways, and would look just as good with a white tank as a blazer.

2. The statement-making bag

This is a splurge…but a beautiful one. My mom and I were at Bergdorf’s trying to find a dress for my rehearsal dinner the other day and came across this bag.

(Unrelatedly, there’s a HUGE gap in the market for mother-of-the-bride and MOG dresses that aren’t totally dowdy. If any brands are doing this well, I’d love to know! I feel like the dresses are either Jessica McClintock, are plain $800 gowns that look like they’re $5, or wildly $$$).

We both loved that this is the perfect travel bag—but has a bit of edge too. A designer bag that’s unbranded and looks unique vs. many of the cookie-cutter bags that are out there.

I found the black at a major discount here, and you can find the full range of colorways here. (Black, blue, red, and white!)

3. The striped pants

I love to throw on these pants and go. They’re wide-leg, high-waisted beach pants that pair easily with a jean jacket and t-shirt for a bit more of a dressed up (but still super comfy) outfit. Not to mention that they’re only $30!

In case you missed it…

• Stylist secrets: the dowdy clothing item you need to cut from your closet

• The biggest icks in this job market (what to do & how to turn them into wins)

• Nine new TV shows to watch (once White Lotus ends)

• Toxic career advice that’s going viral (why it’s so bad & what to do instead)

• My 10-day itinerary for Machu Picchu, Lima, Buenos Aires, and Iguazu Falls

• Five things that are the norm in the corporate world (that really shouldn’t be)

• An easy fashion DIY for the next time you attend a sports game

• The nine must-listen podcast episodes with female founders

• The networking no-no we all need to correct

• The peel-and-stick wallpaper that transformed my rental bathroom

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