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Second Life

Hosted by Who What Wear co-founder Hillary Kerr, Second Life spotlights successful women who have made major career changes. Guests share lessons they've learned through fearlessly daring to pivot, and how they've used skills from their "first lives" to navigate their winding career journeys.

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33 episodes
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Avg 42 min
English

Episodes 33

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July 8 · 29 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: "Elle" Costume Designer Sara Byblow on Storytelling Through Shades of Pink and the Legacy of Elle Woods's Style
This week, Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings sits down with Sara Byblow, the costume designer of the new Legally Blonde prequel Elle. They discuss keeping the legacy of Elle Woods's iconic style alive, sourcing more than 70 looks for young Elle's wardrobe, and the meaning behind different shades of pink in the show. Plus, Byblow shares which wardrobe staples carried over from Legally Blonde. Watch this episode on our new ⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe!
July 6 · 57 min
Beatriz de los Mozos: Founder and CEO of Flabelus
Beatriz de los Mozos is the founder and CEO of the shoe brand Flabelus. Before founding her own brand, de los Mozos earned a law degree and a master's degree in comparative politics. She began her professional career in law in London and then transitioned to a legal startup, where she took on the role of sales manager and senior legal expert. However, after her doctor told her that she could no longer wear her favorite shoes due to scoliosis, she came up with an idea for a shoe that would be both comfortable and stylish. She set up a Kickstarter campaign, found a Spanish factory to produce her Italian furlane and Spanish espadrille hybrids, and Flabelus was born. Within five years, the brand expanded from an online-only model to selling in over 700 stores across 54 countries, as well as establishing a growing network of flagship boutiques.
July 1 · 28 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: The 2026 Who What Wear 100 Beauty Awards
For the third year in a row, the Who What Wear beauty editors have tested nearly 1000 products and tools and whittled them down to a list of their top 100 items to shop. The team tested for efficacy, innovation, and lovability across seven categories: makeup, tools, fragrance, hair, skincare, nails, and body. Beauty Director Erin Jahns is back on the pod to share her team’s findings, including four new special-recognition categories: Timeless Classic, Social Media Sensation, Worth the Investment, and High Impact, Low Price. Read the full 2026 Who What Wear 100 Beauty Awards story here! Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel, and be sure to subscribe!
June 29 · 46 min
Leigh Batnick Plessner: Chief Creative Officer of Catbird
Leigh Batnick Plessner is the chief creative officer of Catbird. Before landing at Catbird, Plessner graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in English literature and anthropology, and she worked at various DC coffee shops and as a cocktail waitress before landing a job in the children's room at renowned DC bookstore Politics and Prose. At the bookstore, she was eventually promoted to sidelines buyer, selecting everything for the store other than books. While in this position, she had the opportunity to go to various stationery shows, which prompted her to start a stationery brand of her own called Jezebel. In 2005, she met the founder of jewelry brand Catbird, Rony Vardi, at a stationery trade show. Soon after, she started working at the brand's storefront in New York. Eventually she transitioned out of running her stationery brand and into working full-time for Catbird. She grew with the company and now holds the role of chief creative officer, where she's responsible for the visual identity of the brand, including Catbird's partnerships with talent like Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers.
June 24 · 35 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: Special Episode! Stylists Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald Put Their Partnership to the Test and Share Met Gala BTS
Wayman + Micah are one of the most sought-after styling duos in the business, and their clients include Colman Domingo, Chase Infiniti, and Regina King, to name a few. In today's very special episode, the iconic duo sits down with Hillary to play a series of games related to their partnership and creative vision, from breaking down the behind the scenes from your favorite red carpet looks to dissecting sketches of their best Met Gala outfits. To get the full experience, watching the full-length video on our YouTube channel is recommended!
June 22 · 47 min
Irene Chen: Cofounder of Parker Thatch
Irene Chen is the cofounder of the functional luxury brand Parker Thatch. Before founding her own brand, Chen graduated from UCLA with a degree in political science and began her career in financial consulting. After a couple years in this field, she decided to pivot to fashion, an industry she'd always been drawn to. She first worked for Calvin Klein in its licensing department before transitioning to Donna Karan, where she worked her way up to become the director of product development. Upon meeting, she and her business partner and husband Matthew Grenby decided to start a business of their own, an e-stationery brand called iomoi. This brand went through multiple iterations—from e-stationery to physical stationery to homeware—before they landed on something that stuck. After the success of their first bag, Chen and Grenby decided to focus on functional luxury handbags and rebrand the company to what it's known as today: Parker Thatch.
June 17 · 41 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: Tibi Founder Amy Smilovic on Why Creatives Should Make "Almost Reckless" Decisions in Fashion, Business, and Life
This week, Amy Smilovic, founder and creative director of Tibi, returns to speak with Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings about her new book, Almost Reckless. The last time Smilovic joined the pod in 2024, she gave us a guide to her design philosophy: creative pragmatism. This time, she's here to share the "almost reckless" framework that helped her uncover creative pragmatism and how you can use this framework for your own creative pursuits. They discuss everything from how to make sense of your current closet to taking fashion risks that pay off, and Smilovic gives us a BTS look at her design process at Tibi. Plus, learn how to make the most of your suitcase space when packing. Watch this episode ⁠⁠here on our new YouTube channel⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe! Listen to Smilovic's previous episode here!
June 15 · 54 min
Rose Previte: Restaurateur and Entrepreneur
Rose Previte is the restaurateur and entrepreneur behind acclaimed DC restaurants and bars such as Maydan, Medina, and Sook as well as a new food concept in Los Angeles. However, Previte started her career in local government after graduating with a master's degree in public policy. Her first life was interrupted when her husband became NPR's Moscow correspondent, and they moved across the world, visiting over 30 countries in three years. Inspired by her travels, she decided to open a restaurant in DC, and in 2014, her first restaurant, Compass Rose, opened to much success. She then went on to open additional restaurants and a bar in DC, and she recently expanded to L.A. with a food hall, Maydan Market. Previte has also written a cookbook, launched a CPG brand, started a wine company, and founded the restaurant group No White Plates.
June 10 · 37 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: The Summer 2026 Shopping Guide
This week, Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings sits down in studio with Executive Editorial and Style Director Lauren Eggertsen and shopping editor Chichi Offor to give you the rundown of the best pieces, trends, and brands to shop in summer 2026. They discuss staples that never go out of style and how trends from last summer have evolved (is taffeta the new linen?) and name-drop the exact pieces to snag to update your wardrobe. Watch this episode on our new ⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe! To shop products mentioned in this episode, click here!
June 8 · 53 min
Lauren Harwell Godfrey: Founder of Harwell Godfrey
Lauren Harwell Godfrey is a jewelry designer and the founder of the brand Harwell Godfrey. But before she started her own jewelry brand, she began her career in advertising. Her advertising career spanned 15 years, working with clients like Adidas, Levi’s, and Ray-Ban. However, she didn’t feel artistically fulfilled and decided to enroll in culinary school. After graduating, she worked in Bay Area restaurants Chez Panisse and Bar Tartine. She also contributed to cookbooks and started her own vegan food blog. Ultimately, she decided that the culinary world was not the right fit and pivoted back to designing jewelry. She started making jewelry for herself and her friends before launching her fine jewelry brand in 2017. Today, she remains the sole designer, and her pieces have been worn by everyone from Kamala Harris to Rihanna.
June 3 · 40 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: The Summer 2026 Swim Report With Natasha Oakley and Lauren Chan
This week, Who What Wear Executive Editorial and Style Director⁠ Lauren Eggersten⁠ sits down with three swimwear experts to talk about everything 2026 swimwear style. Our guests include⁠ Natasha Oakley⁠, a model and the CEO and cofounder of Monday Swim,⁠ Lauren Chan⁠, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, entrepreneur, and former Glamour editor, and⁠ Sierra Mayhew⁠, one of our fashion editors and the writer of our annual Swim Report. They discuss everything from this year's trendiest swim styles to the best accessories to pair with your bikini (or tankini), plus how to find the perfect swimsuit fit. Watch this episode ⁠⁠here on our new ⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe!
June 1 · 38 min
Brooke Averick: Content Creator, Podcast Host, and Author
Brooke Averick is a content creator, cohost of Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast, and the author of the new novel Phoebe Berman Is Going to Lose It. But before she was a content multi-hyphenate, she began her career as a preschool teacher at a Quaker school. Then, in 2020, she downloaded TikTok and began sharing videos of herself reading from her childhood journals. The videos went mega-viral, and she soon pivoted from teaching to full-time content creation. Since then, she’s continued to create vulnerable and hilarious videos and podcasts, and now she’s embarking on her latest venture as an author with her debut novel, which hit shelves this May. Order Brooke Averick’s new novel here!
May 27 · 30 min
The Who What Wear Podcast: It-Girl Stylist Dani Michelle on the Impact of a Simple Look, Sourcing Archival Vintage, and Summer Accessories
Celebrity stylist Dani Michelle is known for creating looks that set trends and often ripple through the entire fashion industry. She works with some of the most influential tastemakers in the business, such as Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Daisy Edgar-Jones. This week, she joins Hillary Kerr in the studio to discuss how some of her simplest looks have become so impactful, why she loves to use a mix of runway pieces and vintage, and how she gets her hands on some of the rarest archival designer pieces in the world. Plus, she shares her favorite sunglasses, bags, and color combinations for the season. Watch this episode ⁠⁠here, on our new YouTube channel⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe!

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