Virginia Postrel

Former Bloomberg Opinion Columnist

Virginia Postrel is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. She is a visiting fellow at the Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy at Chapman University and author, most recently, of “The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World.”

Latest

California Cities Top The List Of America's Richest Zip Codes

Bloomberg Opinion

Marc Andreessen’s Housing NIMBYism Is Losing Ground

The investor and his neighbors want to block multiunit construction in America’s most expensive town. But California’s reforms are gradually overriding such local opposition.

August 9, 2022

August 9, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Marc Andreessen’s Housing NIMBYism Is Losing Ground

The investor and his neighbors want to block multiunit construction in America’s most expensive town. But California’s reforms are gradually overriding such local opposition.

California Cities Top The List Of America's Richest Zip Codes

July 31, 2022

July 31, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Can the US Housing Crisis Be Fixed By Abolishing Zoning?

A conversation with author M. Nolan Gray on the social and economic costs of urban zoning and what American cities can learn from Houston.

Rent Prices Rise Across The Nation Adding To Inflation Woes

July 26, 2022

July 26, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Sneaky Shrinkflation Is Driving People Crazy

Packaging less stuff for the same price doesn’t fool consumers or economists. But diminishing quality imposes equally maddening extra costs that are almost impossible to measure.

Manufacturers Use "Shrinkflation" Techniques As Their Costs To Produce Goods Increases

June 22, 2022

June 22, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Stakeholder Capitalism Isn’t Working as Planned

It’s a prescription for culture wars, political backlash, managerial paralysis and human-resources nightmares. And it’s anything but nice.

Disney Employees Stage Walkout Over Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' Bill

May 22, 2022

May 22, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Why Goofy Princeton Reunion Rituals Mean So Much to Me

Silly clothes and eccentric traditions link the past to the present and future and build unity and continuity in an era of polarization and change.

PU P-rade 2018-

May 7, 2022

May 7, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

RIP, Ron Galella. Everyone’s a Paparazzo Now.

Social media sapped the power of professional celebrity photographers, making it easier for stars to control their public images.

RIP, Ron Galella. Everyone’s a Paparazzo Now.

April 8, 2022

April 8, 2022

OpinionAdam Minter and Virginia Postrel

Investors Love Fast-Fashion Shein — at Least For Now

Young people care more about price than sustainability when it comes to cheap clothes. But the Chinese e-commerce startup may eventually face other headwinds.

SHEIN X Georgia Toffolo Spring Edit Launch Event

April 3, 2022

April 3, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Is There a Cure For Political Polarization?

A conversation with author Mónica Guzmán on the costs of burning bridges with those we disagree with — and how exaggerated fears of other people’s views are driving Americans apart.

Is There a Cure For Political Polarization?

February 12, 2022

February 12, 2022

OpinionVirginia Postrel

It’s a Healthy Sign When Americans Fail the ‘Happiness’ Test

The ranking measures contentment and complacency. It penalizes imagination, opportunity and ambition.

They may not be happy but they are ambitious.

December 26, 2021

December 26, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Think Old Folks Are Too Scared of Inflation? Listen to This.

Maybe people who came of age in the 1970s can’t see straight when it comes to the prospect of surging prices. But remember: You weren’t there.

Roll Back Food Prices

December 24, 2021

December 24, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Is the U.S. Losing the War for Global Talent?

A Q&A with author Rajika Bhandari on why outdated immigration policies are harming America’s ability to attract and retain foreign students.

Dartmouth Posts 47% Endowment Return

November 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

How Dodd-Frank Locks Out the Least Affluent Homebuyers

Rules intended to protect borrowers and rein in fees have drained the profit from small-dollar mortgage lending. Who suffers? People who are straining to start building wealth.

US-BANK-MORTGAGE-HOMELESS

October 25, 2021

October 25, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

America’s Supply Chain Collides With California’s Nimbyism

A regulation at the Port of Long Beach has clogged national deliveries. It is emblematic of the state’s impasse on housing and other development.

California Ports As Shipping Snarls Force Global Trading To Look Outside The Box

October 12, 2021

October 12, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Starbucks Is 50 and Emboldening Its Rivals More Than Ever

Evolving from a stark Milanese design to a cozy Main Street cafe, it has energized a thriving counter-movement of independent coffeehouses.

Starbucks CEO Unveils Replica Of Original Store In New York

October 3, 2021

October 3, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

California’s Smart Plan to Let Homeowners Be Homebuilders

The way to blunt Nimby resistance to badly needed housing construction is to give single-family owners a path to profit from new development.

US-ECONOMY-POLITICS-REAL-ESTATE

September 19, 2021

September 19, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Are Career and Family Incompatible?

A Q&A with economic historian Claudia Goldin on women’s long struggle to balance the demands of work and children — and why government policies aren’t the answer.

US-HEALTH-VIRUS-VOTE-ECONOMY-EMPLOYMENT-WOMEN

August 9, 2021

August 9, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Would You Trade a Parking Spot for an Extra Bedroom?

A bill in the California Legislature would allow developers more freedom to decide what works best for a given project.

Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Climate Of Anxiety And Changing Routines In America

July 4, 2021

July 4, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

The Big Question: Can U.S. Schools Recover From the Pandemic?

A Q&A with outgoing Los Angeles schools superintendent Austin Beutner on how technology, data, federal funding — and Hollywood — are helping to revitalize the country’s second-largest public school district.

High Schools Return To In Person Learning In Los Angeles

June 22, 2021

June 22, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

Indigo Dyeing May Hold Key to Future of Fashion

Technological innovations, not a nostalgic return to “natural” products, can reduce the environmental impact of textiles and clothing.

Kojima - Japan's "Denim Mecca"

May 11, 2021

May 11, 2021

OpinionVirginia Postrel

‘Natural’ and ‘Ethical’ Are Getting a Divorce

Diamonds from a lab and leather from a vat are better for people and the planet (and no less luxurious) than the stuff nature provides.

‘Natural’ and ‘Ethical’ Are Getting a Divorce