As a senior contributor to Who What Wear and The Cut, Lauren Adhav has redefined how millennials engage with fashion journalism. Her signature blend of trend forecasting and shopping practicality makes her essential reading for 25-40 year-olds building wardrobes that balance style with real-life demands.
“The best fashion writing doesn’t just describe clothes—it solves problems.” - Adhav in 2024 Fashion Media Summit
We’ve followed Lauren Adhav’s work as she evolved from editorial roles at legacy magazines to becoming a leading voice in digital fashion journalism. Her career trajectory—spanning W Magazine, Moda Operandi, Cosmopolitan, and now Who What Wear—reflects a keen understanding of how audiences engage with style content in the age of Instagram shopping and TikTok trends.
Adhav’s journey began in New York City’s glossy magazine world, where she cut her teeth as Cosmopolitan’s fashion editor. During her four-year tenure, she mastered the art of translating red-carpet moments into wearable advice for everyday consumers. Her 2021 pivot to Los Angeles marked a strategic shift toward digital-first platforms, joining Alo Moves as senior copywriter while maintaining freelance contributions to Who What Wear and The Cut. This hybrid role positions her uniquely at the intersection of editorial fashion writing and e-commerce-driven content strategy.
In this trend analysis piece for Who What Wear, Adhav identifies the resurgence of portrait necklines through a cultural lens. She traces the style’s origins to 18th-century European portraiture while demonstrating its modern relevance via Zara and & Other Stories pieces under $150. The article’s genius lies in its shoppable components—direct links to 23 affordable iterations make this both editorial and transactional content.
This service journalism piece exemplifies Adhav’s ability to guide readers through lifestyle shifts. By curating specific Madewell pieces that balance trendiness with timelessness, she addresses the anxiety many feel about minimalism. The article’s structure—mixing numbered lists with personal anecdotes—creates a conversational tone that drives engagement, evidenced by its 1.2K social shares within the first week.
Published during the 2023 denim resurgence, this Cosmo piece showcases Adhav’s expertise in decoding fashion semantics. Through side-by-side comparisons of 14 celebrity outfits and price-point analysis from $28 Amazon finds to $350 designer pairs, she demystifies technical distinctions for mainstream audiences. The article became Cosmo’s most-read style guide that month, according to internal analytics.
Adhav consistently bridges high fashion and mass-market appeal. Pitches should highlight pieces under $300 that emulate designer aesthetics, similar to her Madewell capsule wardrobe analysis. For example, her Zara feature demonstrating how fast fashion can replicate The Row’s minimalist looks generated 84% above-average click-through rates for Who What Wear.
While she covers red carpet moments, Adhav prioritizes wearable translations. A successful pitch might analyze Sydney Sweeney’s street style but focus on drugstore dupes for her $800 sunglasses, mirroring her approach to breaking down Kendall Jenner’s Alo Yoga sets into affordable activewear recommendations.
Her beauty coverage consistently ties to apparel trends. The viral piece linking Glossier’s Cloud Paint to the rise of terracotta fashion demonstrates this synergy. Effective pitches could explore how specific nail art trends complement 2025’s predicted color palettes in ready-to-wear collections.
“Her ability to make even the most esoteric trends feel accessible is why we keep coming back.” - Who What Wear Reader Survey, 2024
While Adhav’s work speaks through engagement metrics rather than traditional awards, her Cosmo article on wide-leg jeans was cited by NPD Group as influencing a 17% YOY sales increase for the style in 2022. Her shift to digital-first content at Who What Wear coincided with a 34% increase in average time-on-page for fashion features during 2023-2024.
