Vogue's Oh, Behave! Tackles Substack Etiquette with Carole Radziwill and Jalil Johnson
Vogue's new monthly column Oh, Behave! explores modern social etiquette, focusing on Substack newsletter norms. In the inaugural installment, Carole Radziwill, author of The Voice of Reason (12,000+ subscribers), and Jalil Johnson, stylist behind Consider Yourself Cultured (15,000+ subscribers), debate dos and don'ts. Topics include unsolicited subscriptions, frequency of posts, cross-promotion, subscriber milestones, and whether to disclose earnings. Radziwill argues for aggressive self-promotion, comparing Substack to a small business, while Johnson advises subtlety. Both agree that asking casual acquaintances to share is gauche. Radziwill reveals her best-performing post was a feud with Graydon Carter; Johnson's top send features outfit roundups. They also discuss reading habits, tiered subscriptions, and who should start a Substack—suggesting Martha Stewart, Sade, and Dario Vitale, while warning against extremists and those who merely link to luxury brands.
Key facts
- Vogue launched a monthly column called Oh, Behave! about modern etiquette.
- Carole Radziwill runs The Voice of Reason Substack with over 12,000 subscribers.
- Jalil Johnson runs Consider Yourself Cultured Substack with over 15,000 subscribers.
- Radziwill believes unsolicited subscriptions are encouraged; Johnson finds them gauche unless migrating from another platform.
- Radziwill posts a long essay every Sunday after initially over-posting.
- Radziwill promotes her Substack on Instagram, calling it the marketing arm of her media company.
- Radziwill's best-performing post was a two-part story about a feud with Graydon Carter.
- Johnson's best-performing sends are outfit roundups; party coverage underperforms.
- Both agree it's acceptable to celebrate subscriber milestones publicly.
- Radziwill says disclosing newsletter revenue is inappropriate for a private company.
- Johnson suggests Martha Stewart, Sade, and Dario Vitale should start Substacks.
- Radziwill warns against people who just like to hear themselves talk; Johnson warns against extremists and those who only link to luxury brands.
Entities
Artists
- Carole Radziwill
- Jalil Johnson
- Graydon Carter
- Liz Plank
- Jessica Yellen
- Martha Stewart
- Sade
- Dario Vitale
- Carolyn Bessette
- Taylor Swift
Institutions
- Vogue
- Substack
- ABC News
- Real Housewives of New York City
- The Voice of Reason
- Consider Yourself Cultured
- X
- TikTok
- OnlyFans
- Valentino
- Studio 54
- The Row
- Khaite
- Toteme
Locations
- New York
- United States