Julee Wilson, '04, Revels in the Excitement, Glamour of Fashion Journalism

Julee Wilson, ’04, couldn’t contain her enthusiasm as she discussed her current position as fashion assistant for Real Simple, a magazine that focuses on “making busy women’s lives easier,” according to the publication’s Web site. But Wilson also noted that it took unflagging persistence in the face of disappointment and adversity to get her to this point.  

Despite her myriad interests and talents—Wilson was a track-and-field athlete, University Dancer, Jepson Student Government Association president and a leadership studies and journalism major while an undergraduate—Wilson knew by the end of her freshman year that she wanted to work in fashion journalism, preferably in New York.  

She interned the summer after her freshman year in the buying and management offices of Bergdorf Goodman in New York, a job which dovetailed nicely with her career aspirations. She often spotted celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston shopping at Bergdorf Goodman and marveled at the amount of expensive merchandise they purchased so casually.  

“Bergdorf Goodman carried $300 bras made of nothing but lace and satin and $5,000 handbags,” Wilson said. “You’re paying for a piece of art.” She once watched Sean “Diddy” Combs purchase five watches, each with a hefty price tag.  

The next year Wilson spotted a posting for a part-time summer internship in the beauty-and-accessory department of VIBE, a magazine dedicated to urban music and culture. But she faced fierce competition for the position.  

“I called the beauty-and-accessory editor three times a week and told her I would work for free,” Wilson said. Finally the editor called her back. 

“There’s a thin line between persistence and annoyance,” Wilson recalled the editor telling her, “and you’re right on the line. But I can tell you’re really hungry.” She offered Wilson the job on the spot.  

That summer Wilson again worked in New York, spending four days a week in an unpaid internship at VIBE and two days a week in a paid position at Bergdorf Goodman.  

Subsequently Wilson landed two other magazine internships, one with Condé Nast Traveler the summer after her junior year and one with Parenting the winter after her college graduation. Despite the quality of her internship experiences, securing a permanent full-time position with a magazine after graduation proved extremely difficult.  

But Wilson didn’t give up. She lived with a mentor in New York while she interned at Parenting and continued to look for a full-time position in journalism.  

“It was an extremely depressing time,” Wilson admitted. “I cried myself to sleep every night. But I am relentless—I kept repeating, ‘I will be working in journalism in New York!’ Not ‘I hope,’ but ‘I will!’” 

Then one day Wilson went for an informational interview with publishing giant Time Inc. and learned about an opening at one of the company’s magazines, Real Simple, as the assistant to managing editor Kristin van Ogtrop. Wilson followed up and obtained an interview with van Ogtrop. 

Van Ogtrop asked a lot of questions about Wilson’s leadership studies degree, Wilson said. Apparently she liked what she heard, because Wilson received a job offer the next day.   

Wilson flashed a dazzling smile as she reminisced about her first big break into the journalism field in February 2005. “Kristin is the top dog and I was her gatekeeper,” she said. “I got to see every decision she made from the first proof to the final proof. I got a real sense of what she wanted and what the readership wanted.” 

Wilson learned a lot about both the editorial and business sides of the magazine industry during the time she spent as van Ogtrop’s assistant. This knowledge proved useful when Wilson received a promotion to fashion assistant in March 2006.  

In this position Wilson assists the editors responsible for working with the clothing and accessories vendors and writing the fashion articles. Wilson’s duties include tracking all the clothing and accessories used in the fashion shoots, researching and composing the credits that accompany every fashion photo and writing some of the sidebars that complement the fashion articles. Recently she has relished the chance to write some full-length fashion articles as well. 

Wilson, who freely admits she’s a fashion hound, enjoys many of the perks associated with fashion journalism, not the least of which is attending New York’s twice-annual Fashion Week. Top designers exhibit their spring collections in September and their fall collections in February. “You get a jumpstart on what everyone will be wearing the next season,” Wilson said.  

Wilson got lucky at one Fashion Week event when she succeeded in getting backstage to meet Tracy Reese, one of her favorite designers. The designer signed the label of the Tracy Reese dress Wilson was wearing.  

Wilson has realized her dream: working in fashion journalism in her favorite city. But it took a lot of perseverance to get where she is today. “You have to believe in yourself,” Wilson said. “Whatever you throw at me, I’m going to do it.”  

Her education has helped her do it. “Jepson taught me about moral and ethical leadership,” Wilson said. “And my journalism major taught me to be a muckraker and remain detail oriented. My education was a perfect balance.  

“In this day and age, people are so focused on getting to the top quickly. I’ve found I can be fabulous in a service position. And I can be fabulous without having a closet full of designer shoes and handbags, though it would be nice. I want to prove myself through hard work. I’m confident I will eventually rise to the top.”