Ashley Mears

I am an associate professor of sociology at Boston University. I write on pop culture, gender, and economic life. My first book, Pricing Beauty: The Making of a Fashion Model (University of California Press, 2011), examined the backstage production of the ‘look’ in New York and London fashion markets.

I recently just published Very Important People: Status and Beauty in the Global Party Circuit (Princeton University Press), based on years of researching the social ecosystem of high-end parties. Currently I'm working on a project about labor insecurity in the service industry.

My research and writings have appeared in the New York Times, Jezebel, Slate, and Literary Hub. I live in Boston and sometimes Belgrade.

My website is https://www.ashleymears.com/