My book,
The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (Near) Fall of J.Crew will be out
March 7, 2023, from
Dey Street Books!
Hi, I’m Maggie. I’m an author and freelance writer/editor. I wrote The Kingdom of Prep, aka, “that J.Crew book.” (Read more about it here.) Every week—okay, almost every week—I sound off on the wide world of women’s media in the Spread, whiIe cofounded with Rachel Baker. As a consultant, I’ve shaped the “voices” of fashion and beauty brands that you probably use every day (only the good ones—promise). And I report on things like overpriced baby beds for the Economist; the grey areas of #MeToo for the Atlantic; culinary-world infighting for New York mag; and why we all need a little more human touch for Vogue.
People are talking about
The Kingdom of Prep
“One of the most anticipated books of 2023”—Vogue
The Kingdom of Prep is the definitive history of an iconic American brand, J.Crew, with a whole lot more nestled inside. Part business-of-fashion book, part social history, it covers all the juicy internal politics of J.Crew, but also traces the story of what made it great in the first place. And: the history of the subculture of prep and its place in the American psyche—the beauty and the baggage of all those penny loafers and oxford-cloth button downs. The 40-year evolution of how humans shop, from the ‘80s catalogue boom, to the ‘90s mall boom, to the aughts’ “internet store” boom. The “retail apocalypse” and what that overused term even means. And, oh yeah, the origin story of New York’s newest (and most surprising) Real Housewife, Jenna Lyons.
Read more about the book here.
“The Kingdom of Prep is a fashion-biz chronicle that reads like a page-turner. But it’s also the story of American style writ large—and how what we wear reflects our national character. You’ll never look at a rollneck sweater in the same way again.” — Véronique Hyland, author of Dress Code: Unlocking Fashion from the New Look to Millennial Pink
“Most everyone is familiar with the Jenna Lyon's era J. Crew aesthetic, which extended its influence to no less prominent spheres than The White House, but fewer people are familiar with the ups and downs of the brand before its hot pink, sequined phase. Bullock unravels it all in this lively, entertaining book.” — Chloe Schama, Vogue
““The maddest, wildest, sharpest book about fashion of the last decade—it dissects the industry with warm wit and devastating precision.”
— E.Jean Carroll, author of What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal
What is the Spread, you ask?
In this weekly newsletter, my genius work-wife, Rachel Baker, and I regale you with the best in “women’s media.”
Read all about it here.
Q: What would make the perfect women’s magazine?
A: Juicy yarns, big ideas, deeply personal examinations of women’s lives—and none of the advertiser obligations.