Back Row | Amy Odell | Substack

Honest. Insightful. Fearless. Unlock Back Row for $5 per month.

'Emily in Paris' Vs. Real French Style

Dana Thomas lived the fantasy of moving as an American to Paris when she was 18. She shares what she learned about French style.

Jan 5 • Amy Odell and Dana Thomas

14:59

Why French Women Don’t Want 'Instagram Face'

Podcast audio, part two.

Jan 5 • Amy Odell

31:04

'Emily in Paris' Vs. Real French Style

Jan 5 • Amy Odell

Back Row's Year in Review

The most popular stories, products, and podcast episodes from the year. Plus, a quick check in on billionaires.

Dec 31, 2025 • Amy Odell

Retail Confessions

Retail Confessions: Ralph Lauren

"[Anna Wintour] says, 'If you can’t do it, just tell me. Don’t promise it and not do it.' And I just say, 'I’ll have it done.' And she says, 'OK.' Then…

Dec 16, 2025 • Amy Odell

Retail Confessions: The Neiman Marcus Flagship

"It was like, 'Oh, $6,000 earrings for my 12-year-old granddaughter.'"

Nov 4, 2025 • Amy Odell

Retail Confessions: Brunello Cucinelli

“I just bought this Lamborghini and it's Sicilian blue. Do you want to come ride around with me?”

Oct 9, 2025 • Amy Odell

Retail Confessions: Loro Piana

"Nobody that I invited ever flew commercial. They all had their own jets."

Sep 18, 2025 • Amy Odell

Back Row Labs

I Tried Victoria Beckham's Clothing Line

I tried her clothing line, including the famous $150 gray T-shirt. This is my story.

Nov 25, 2025 • Amy Odell

Can You Be a Big Workout Pants Person?

I crossed into that great beyond. This is my story.

Sep 23, 2025 • Amy Odell

Apparently We're Too Exhausted to Even Apply Lotion Now

How's your 2025 going?

May 16, 2025 • Amy Odell

The Great Frontier of Compromise Pants

If you want something between a hard pant and a soft pant, step right this way!

Apr 4, 2025 • Amy Odell

Honest fashion and culture news you won't read anywhere else.

Back Row Merch!

Back Row Has a New Look

Same content, new design. Plus: merch!

Oct 29, 2024 • Amy Odell

How Gwyneth Paltrow's Extreme Diet Sparked a 'Detox' Craze

Revisit the origins of Goop and the "detoxes" that turned it into a wellness juggernaut.

Dec 29, 2025 • Amy Odell

What Happens When Fashion Only Serves the Rich

This year, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the ways the fashion industry has given itself over to the über wealthy.

Dec 23, 2025 • Amy Odell

Vanity Fair, The Bezos Met Gala, and the Politics of Condé Nast

Lots of political stories are emanating from Condé Nast these days. I sat down with comedians and cultural critics Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton of…

Dec 22, 2025 • Amy Odell

Gwyneth's Strategic Marty Supreme Fashion Game

Masterful promotional work on behalf of 'Marty Supreme,' mostly without the color orange.

Dec 18, 2025 • Amy Odell

Gwyneth Paltrow's Strategic 'Marty Supreme' Fashion Game

Podcast edition.

Dec 18, 2025 • Amy Odell

6:39

The Ultimate Last-Minute Gift Guide (Crowdsourced!)

Your recs and mine for the people in your life who are impossible to shop for.

Dec 17, 2025 • Amy Odell

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts