Five Must-Listen Podcasts This Week: Fashion, Crime, and Business Insights
If you're seeking podcasts that cut through the noise and deliver captivating content, look no further. Our curated selection features five standout shows spanning fashion history, true crime, business leadership, personal growth, and cultural exploration. Each podcast offers unique perspectives and immersive storytelling, perfect for enriching your weekly listening routine.
1. Dressed: The History of Fashion
Streaming platform: All major platforms
Genre: Fashion
With over eight billion people worldwide, one universal ritual unites us all: getting dressed each day. Dressed: The History of Fashion builds on this simple premise, unpacking the stories and politics behind what we wear and why it matters. Hosts April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary guide listeners through fashion's rich tapestry, making historical context feel alive and relevant.
In a special catch-up episode ahead of season nine's May launch, the hosts preview upcoming content while revisiting iconic figures. Highlights include Elsa Schiaparelli's unconventional rise in the late 1920s—launching a fashion house without formal training—and charming details from Jane Austen's era, where "gown" could refer to fabric or finished attire.
The new season promises enhanced immersion with on-the-ground reporting from exhibitions in Paris and Versailles. Explorations will delve into fashion's intersections with power, etiquette, and national identity, such as Queen Sirikit of Thailand blending Thai silk with Western couture. Whether you're a style enthusiast or simply curious about clothing narratives, season nine is poised to be essential listening.
2. Not My Best Moment Podcast
Streaming platform: All platforms and YouTube
Genre: Life and entertainment
Everyone experiences mistakes or challenging periods, but Not My Best Moment Podcast transforms these into lessons. In a recent episode, basketball wife turned media mogul Shaunie Henderson discusses how discomfort fuels creativity with comedian Kevin Fredericks (KevOnStage). Henderson reveals creating the hit reality show Basketball Wives in 2009 during her uncertain marriage to Shaquille O'Neal.
Despite lacking preparation for marital struggles, Henderson credits her father for instilling confidence to pitch the show with minimal experience. She told Fredericks, "it had to work" during that difficult time. Twelve seasons later, as Basketball Wives concludes, Henderson now hosts a relationship podcast with her husband, pastor Keion Henderson, whom she married in 2022.
Living under a different spotlight, Henderson emphasizes human imperfection in a relaxed, engaging conversation. Her journey from personal turmoil to professional success offers inspiring insights for listeners navigating their own challenges.
3. Beware Book
Streaming platform: All major platforms
Genre: True crime
Journalists Collette McGonigle and Callum McQuade investigate a series of unsolved murders in Glasgow between 1991 and 2005. Following Iain Packer's 2024 conviction for Emma Caldwell's 2005 murder, this podcast sheds light on eight killings of women involved in prostitution, many remaining unexplained.
The hosts depict Glasgow's ruthless environment during those years, detailing the daily struggles of victims, some battling drug addiction. Their high-risk lifestyles often relegated them to low police priority, forcing them to protect each other. This led to the "Beware Book"—a leather journal where warnings about dangerous clients were shared, believed to include names of high-profile lawyers and police. The book's disappearance adds layers of mystery.
Initial episodes cover Diane McInally and Marjorie Roberts' tragic stories, featuring interviews with friends and relatives. The podcast paints personal portraits while suggesting corruption and broader criminal networks contributed to cases remaining unsolved, offering a gripping exploration of justice and vulnerability.
4. The Cultural Tutor's Grand Tour
Streaming platform: Audible
Genre: Travel and history
In Georgian times, aristocratic young men embarked on Continental grand tours for adventure, cultural enrichment, and escapades. The Cultural Tutor's Grand Tour podcast, hosted by Sheehan Quirke, revives this tradition with educational depth. Beyond guidebook basics, it delivers esoteric tales from six key cities: Paris, Barcelona, Naples, Vienna, Sarajevo, and Istanbul.
Listeners discover medieval stone heads from the Seine and what might be history's first blogger documenting Vesuvius's eruption nearly 2,000 years ago. First-person narratives enrich the podcast, explaining how art, architecture, and literature influenced these travelers' return to shape Great Britain.
Ideal for holidaymakers seeking deeper city-break insights or anyone desiring fascinating anecdotes for social gatherings, this Audible production blends history with engaging storytelling.
5. The Bottleneck Podcast
Streaming platform: All platforms and YouTube
Genre: Business and culture
This week's episode features hosts Rory Sutherland (Ogilvy UK vice chairman) and Elfried Samba (former Gymshark global head of social) with Omaze founder and CEO Matt Pohlson. True to its name, the podcast uncovers obstacles hindering success and practical solutions for business leaders, marketers, and culture-shapers.
Pohlson discusses his career genesis as a filmmaker, distinctions between impact and awareness, and motivations for attending business school. He also shares how a near-death experience altered his business trajectory and why community fosters joy. Samba, also CEO and co-founder of Butterfly Effect marketing agency, contributes insights on behavioral science and creativity.
This Sassy+ original bi-weekly series effectively blends real-world experience with analytical depth, cutting through noise to deliver actionable wisdom for professional growth.
