Name: Micaela English
Class Year: 2008
Title: Beauty & Fashion Writer
Organization: Forbes Vetted
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
I report on the intersection of beauty and style by combining a deep appreciation for luxury fashion and skincare science with extensive product testing, expert interviews, and a healthy dose of skepticism.
2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?
My career path has been a winding road, but writing and a deep curiosity have anchored me. I started in full-time editorial roles at Condé Nast and Hearst, transitioned into brand storytelling—both full-time and freelance—for Anthropologie, Fresh, J.McLaughlin, Fleur du Mal, and 1800-Flowers, and consistently kept my journalist byline by contributing to Vogue, Marie Claire, Travel & Leisure, The New York Post, and more. Through every pivot, maintaining my authentic voice is what has kept my work grounded.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
I was a devout Philosophy major and in the philosophy club. What up Philosophy majors! Stay curious.
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?
Philosophy taught me how to think, how to question, and how to stay completely open—both in my mind and in my career. I still think back to my classes with Professor May Sim and the massive impact she had on my life. She taught me so many things, but the one lesson that always stuck with me is to simply pay attention. Diving into Aristotle with her showed me that living a meaningful life comes down to that kind of deep, deliberate observation, and it’s what ultimately anchored my belief in my own purpose.
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?
Putting in the hours and putting your best foot forward is what gets results. My time at Holy Cross proved that achieving your goals isn’t a matter of luck. Real luck is what happens after years of consistent sweat equity.
6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?
Your uniqueness is your superpower. Stop looking left and right at what everyone else is doing. Your career is entirely moldable. You can start over as many times as you need to, so never be afraid of reinvention. Focus your energy on promoting what you are passionate about, and make it a priority to be someone people genuinely want to work with. Bring a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, and the humility to acknowledge exactly where you need to grow.