Four + One: She Went From ‘Asking Dumb Questions’ About Watches To Writing A Smart Watch Encyclopedia
When I asked Shirley to tell me a little bit about her life, growing up, pre-career, she asked how far I wanted her to go back. I said she could tell me whatever felt relevant. What she told me was precise but complete, the account of someone who clearly crafts stories for a living. Shirley’s father’s job took her family all over the world, so she grew up largely overseas, and studied French, Italian, and Spanish. Her father told her French was useless, she suspected this was not true, and indeed, she finds it quite handy when talking to watchmakers and on manufacture tours. After graduating from Georgetown, she started out at Elle “living a Devil Wears Prada lifestyle” and went on to freelance at places like Bloomberg Businessweek, Departures, and Travel + Leisure. Now a contributing editor for Forbes.com, she’s been writing exclusively about luxury – travel, food, wine, spirits, style, beauty, watches, jewelry, and lifestyle – for about 10 years now.
