Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
A love letter to you — and an official front-row welcome. So glad you're here.
Welcome to The New Front Row—aka my new front row.
Thank you so much for subscribing and following me on this journey — it means the world. This is actually my Substack welcome letter, which I never set up.
Because you’re already a beloved subscriber who never got this, allow me to properly introduce myself.
I’m Natasha Silva-Jelly, a career fashion, beauty, and lifestyle journalist and editorial director. I started at Vogue — in a very Devil Wears Prada way — and clawed my way to the top of the glossy magazine world to become fashion news and features director of Harper’s Bazaar in New York. Which also makes me NSJ in NYC.
A country girl from Wagga Wagga, Australia, at that. I grew up with a mullet, riding dirt bikes, not reading glossy magazines. (I actually wanted to be an actress — but that’s another story.) I watched the rise and fall of magazines in real time, and pivoted more times than I can count as the media shapeshifted beyond recognition. Along the way: bylines in Elle, InStyle, Grazia, The Guardian, The Telegraph, CNN Underscored, and Forbes Vetted, to name a few — and interviews with everyone from megawatt A-listers like Reese Witherspoon, Sydney Sweeney, and Oprah, to fashion’s most elusive legends, like the late Jane Birkin. (I’ll drop more names in the Stack.)
And now, here I am — telling stories about life, midlife (a reckoning, not a crisis), and all the good stuff: fashion, beauty, travel, and of course, shopping. This Substack swirled around my head for years before I pulled the trigger.
As a bona fide member of my beloved community, you’ll receive a story every week: an unfiltered personal essay, the tale of an influential woman I admire, or a New York adventure (with the odd wanderlust detour). And every weekend, The FROW hits your inbox — think of it as a glossy weekend newspaper supplement: an edit of the sh*t we need to talk about, plus the fashion and beauty must-haves to shop.
Thank you — it means the world that you’re here, supporting independent journalists who, thanks to Substack, are now free to write and share their stories on their own terms. And trust me, I have plenty.
Like how my divorce sent me to a psych ward, staring down my childhood trauma, and why in midlife you finally age out of f*cks. But there’ll be fun and fabulosity in equal measure — trauma to trendspotting, skincare and midlife drama, and why the perfect button-down is the foundation of every good wardrobe. And it’s free.
But if you can, consider upgrading to a paid subscription: for $60 a year, you’ll get insider access to me and everything on The New Front Row — and you’ll help me grow this baby. And to my paid subscribers already— you’re the sh*t.
Love, NSJ
DM me anytime.
READ — A Few of My Favorite Articles
Whether you’re new here or have been following for a while, here’s a glimpse into NSJ’s brain.
THANK YOU
So much for your support. Please tell your friends about The New Front Row, share it on social, and restack on Substack. Let’s grow and glow together.
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Instagram @natashasilvajelly @NSJLifeAndStyle