VARSITY READER: issue #34

Anna Delvey, being scammed at work, and must-have summer dresses

May 15, 2025

Hi! Happy Thursday. Writing this from bed after a very late night.

is one of my best friends and the CMO of Mienne, a new luxury body care brand. (I also love her Substack and have trusted her recommendations for years—she’s the reason why I’m so obsessed with these lymphatic drainage and compression leggings).

The launch party was last night at The Box and Julia Fox, Anna Delvey, and Lourdes Leon were there. Big parties are totally not my scene, and I much prefer talking to people 1:1 vs. doing an Elaine Benes dance in a corner. But it was such a cool event and the epitome of an experiential brand.

Anna Delvey in all of her scammy glory. She looked incredible!!! If you haven’t already read the lore or watched her Netflix show, they’re musts.

P.S. If you’re new around here, welcome! I’m Julia, a personal brand & career strategist and content creator based in NYC. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @smarterinasec, learn more about me on my website, and of course, follow along right here on Substack.

Let’s dive in!

This week’s media diet

Lauryn Bosstick of SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL has long been a blueprint for bloggers and content creators. Her content has stirred up controversy (I don’t agree with her political views, for one), but I read her recent WSJ profile tip-to-toe. Her transformation from influencer to CPG brand owner has been fascinating to watch.
If you enjoy love stories, I highly recommend WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES on Netflix. Watch it subtitled—not dubbed. It’s the kind of show that grabs you for hours after the first episode.
Being intentional with how you spend your money isn’t the same thing as being stingy, no matter your net worth. Emma Grede (co-founder of Skims & Good American) shares her POV on spending and risk-taking in business in this article.

The career corner

Working for exposure! It’s an ask that we’ve all been confronted by at some point. I have started sharing more career insights on LinkedIn (feel free to add me!), and this storytime from the other day got a lot of attention.

Never work for exposure. Similar to unpaid internships, “exposure” is its close cousin.

Promised by someone in a position of power, it ends up being a handful of false promises vs. the goldmine it seems like.

I was recently introduced to a Bravolebrity (I won’t say which one). She had been following me on Instagram / Substack for a bit, saw how I built my own personal brand, and wanted some help with her own social media presence. So we hopped on a call.

With a wall of Birkins behind her, she very plainly said, “I don’t have budget for this…maybe $500 per month. But I think you’re awesome and that this would be great exposure for you.”

I quipped, “This isn’t a Sonja Morgan intern situation.” (If you’re a RHONY fan, you know the reference).

She started laughing—because I called her on her BS. And I hit her with honesty, sharing that what she wanted to achieve would require a large scope (and that exposure doesn’t compensate me for my time or pay my rent).

And guess what? Months later, her personal brand hasn’t changed at all. She’s still trying to lure a professional into working for exposure (or cobble together unpaid interns). Everyone wants a deal, but good work is worth paying for.

Three damn good buys

It’s spring, but it doesn’t feel like it. NYC weather has been vacillating between perfect 80-degree days and weather so icky that you want to crawl in bed and stay all day. But as the seasons turn, I’ve uncovered a major gap in my wardrobe—easy dresses that are work-appropriate yet fun enough to wear on the weekend.

A few picks (maybe more than three…) that are in my cart:

1. The throw-on-and-go shirtdress

This dress is viral for a reason. I don’t love the styling (looks too librarian for my taste in this picture), but it’s a winner. I’d pair with a statement bag and Mary Janes for a meeting and swap out for wedges in the evening. At $198, it’s very well-priced.

I love the gingham colorway…

…but really like the brown striped option as well! (Again, we need some better merchandising here).

The lace-trimmed shirtdress

If you’re a shirtdress fan but want something of a different flavor, I really like this shirtdress. The lace trim is a sweet detail (and reminiscent of Love Shack Fancy / DÔEN). $149!

The denim dress

I have two denim dresses in my closet that I wear on repeat. Easy to dress up or down. And as someone who wears a lot of silver jewelry (plus my primary work bag has silver hardware), that’s an added bonus.

This dress is a perfect work-to-weekend option. Throw a sweater on for a meeting (but not necessary!) and change up your accessories at night. I like the retro tailoring.

Others that have caught my eye:

Love this denim mini dress, but more of a weekend pick (unless you work in a very business casual setting).
Bubble dresses are back. I resisted for a while, but this denim bubble dress feels on-trend without feeling too 2008. (And under $100 for a passing trend).

VARSITY READER: issue #34

Anna Delvey, being scammed at work, and must-have summer dresses

This week’s media diet

The career corner

Three damn good buys

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