Today we’d like to introduce you to Marena Bronson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Marena. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a pop culture and lifestyle journalist and on-air host. I’m also a nerd. In fact, I’ve been a nerd all my life – long before I even knew what the word “nerd” meant. It was hard not to be when I was raised in a home where Star Wars was a religion and with a father who spouted Vulcan proverbs and told us Tang was “Tranya.”
I’ve written and produced segments for a variety of mainstream news and pop culture outlets over the years (and still do). After years of writing for others, I finally decided to take the advice of friends and colleagues who have been encouraging me to start my own site for a long time and launched “Fashion and Fandom.”
When I was growing up the options for nerdy clothes were pretty limited, often resulting in me making my own nerdy t-shirts from the men’s shirts I could find. Over the past five years, there has been an explosion in geek fashion brands. “Fashion and Fandom” is an entertainment website covering the latest in clothing, accessories, fan-made fashions and trends in the pop culture world. I also curate content about news from the “nerdisphere” along with interviews with some of the leading and up and coming designers in the growing world of geek fashion.
Before “Fashion and Fandom” I spent 15 years in broadcast news, working as a television anchor, reporter, and producer in markets around the country. I started writing for some online pop culture sites back then as a creative outlet and a way to write about some of the things that I’ve been passionate about since I was a kid. It was also a way to covertly wave my “nerd flag.” Back then, it wasn’t as “cooL” to be a nerd as it is now.
I expanded from writing just about pop-culture and lifestyle features to include some mainstream news coverage for some outlets when I stepped away from the traditional broadcasting world. I continue to do some on-camera hosting, as well as field produce and conduct interviews for production companies.
I’ve also done time in the modeling world, where I got a chance to work with some amazing photographers, designers, creative directors, editors, stylists, and make-up artists — and developed a love of fashion. I still shoot and style shoots for others on occasion. “Fashion and Fandom” is a way for me to channel thingsI’ve learned in the various chapters of my working life into one place – a place I hope will be a source of entertainment, information, and community for those who visit and follow along on social media.
Has it been a smooth road?
“Fashion and Fandom” continues to be a work in progress. It still has a long way to go before it evolves into what I hope it can become. Yes, I want it to be a creative outlet for myself, but I also want it to be a place where fellow nerd fashionistas can be entertained, get the news that is relevant to their interests, get styling tips on ways to incorporate their fandom into their everyday wardrobe, and most importantly find a community.
To quote Thanos, I’d like to say my life is “perfectly balanced, as all things should be”, but it’s not. I continue to struggle finding the time to juggle everything, let alone find as much time as I’d like for myself. I’m sure that’s something most women can relate to. Some days, I don’t feel like I do anything well, and when you are a type A/perfectionist, that can be a “challenge.”
That said, as frustrating as some days can be, it’s also been a good learning experience for me on so many levels. Particularly when it comes to being kinder to myself. Good things take time. I hate cliches, even when they are true. 🙂
I used to get asked by young women during my television and modeling years: “Do you think I can be on TV?” or “Do you think I could be a model?” My response was always, “I don’t know. Why would you want to be on TV (or be a model)?” “Why don’t you want to be the News Director?” (or managing editor of the magazine). Being “the boss” is so much better because life “on-air” or in front of a camera doesn’t last that long in the big scheme of life.
Maybe that wasn’t the most inspiring advice to give back in the day, but I was younger then too. So, if I was asked to give advice to some younger women starting out in any endeavor now, it would be this:
— It’s good to have a “plan” but know that plans will always change. And that’s okay.
— It’s okay not to know the answer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to be humble enough to learn from those who know more than you do.
–Don’t be afraid of trying new things. If it doesn’t work out, it’s not a waste of time because you will learn something from the process.
–You can have it all but you can’t have it all at the same time.
–Take a leap of faith in yourself. You’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
–Laugh more.
–Know that without ‘mistakes’ and ‘failures’ you won’t learn. Pain is how we grow. Once you understand this and REALLY understand it — you will know that everything can serve a purpose if you let it, and then there really are no limits to what you can do.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As I mentioned earlier, I spent more than 15 years in the broadcast news world where I covered everything from breaking news and politics, to entertainment and lifestyle stories. As a journalist, you’re often given a front row seat to history which is a tremendous privilege but also a tremendous responsibility.
Winning awards was something I appreciated, and I am very proud of those awards. I also am proud of the fact that some of the stories I did over the years brought corruption to light, sparked civic change, and sometimes made people smile. But if you’re asking what I’m most proud of about that part of my career I have to say it’s that I had a responsibility each time I went out on a story to gather the most accurate information I could and disseminate it to the public in the non-biased way possible.
“Fashion and Fandom” is so new I don’t have any big milestones to celebrate with that (yet). Check back in with me next year. Some of the things I’m most proud of from the last few years might sound silly to some, but they’ve meant a lot to me personally. I haven’t mentioned until now that one of the things I’ve been juggling the last several years is a circus. Yes. I have been running away with the circus (literally) for the last few years. It’s a long story, and a journey I never planned on taking. During the course of that journey, I’ve gotten the chance not just to perform and choreograph pieces for myself, but also to coach, teach, and choreograph for students.
I seriously geek out watching my “chicks” fly. There’s something to be said for setting goals and pushing yourself to accomplish something you never thought you could do. The confidence you get from that can permeate into all facets of your life. I get to see that every time I teach. Being part of someone’s journey that way – even in a small part – is a tremendous privilege and I’m proud of that.
One of the biggest thrills for me personally happened last year at San Diego Comic-Con. I’ve written many things over the years – for many publications, and I’ve been fortunate enough to do signings before. But I’ve never done a signing at SDCC. As a life-long nerd that was a HUGE thrill, and getting to send my dad pictures of me signing copies of IDW Publishing’s “Full Bleed” was a proud moment for me. Big thanks for to Dirk Wood and IDW for that experience. It was better than winning an Emmy!
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
My Grandma Ruby is the first name that always comes to mind when I’m asked this question. Like so many children of the Depression, she was resilient, hard-working, humble, and appreciative of the simple joys in life which are often the most important things, but so often we take them for granted in today’s busy world. I was, and still, am in awe of all the things she knew how to do. She was a small business owner in the 1950s at a time when most women didn’t get a chance to explore that avenue. She was a civic organizer and politician – again, at during a time when most women weren’t getting a chance to have those career experiences. She was an artist and a gifted writer – something she never believed because she didn’t get a chance to go to college. She could also be monumentally stubborn and an overall pain in the neck – two qualities I’ve been told I’ve inherited but come in handy sometimes when you are pursuing a goal.
Til Madrigale is another woman that has been a huge source of inspiration for me. She was a fashion editor/stylist I met and worked with during my time in fashion. To me, she epitomized the da Vinci quote: “Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.” She taught me so much about the history of fashion, about style, and that there is a lot more to class and elegance than what you wear.
Finally, Leslie Stahl… I was fortunate enough to be mentored by some incredible people during my television career – people who pushed me and taught me about the craft and made me a better journalist in the process. Leslie Stahl was someone I looked up to growing up long before I even entered that world. She’s a trailblazer and pioneer for women in television. An excellent writer and a tenacious journalist. It was a huge thrill for me as a young journalist to meet her early in my career and have her mentorship. I will always be grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fashionandfandom.com
- Email: fashion.and.fandom.blog@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fashion.and.fandom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fashionandfandom/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/fashion_fandom
- Other: https://twitter.com/MarenaBronson
Image Credit:
Michael Regala (All Other Photos), Jennifer Curry Wingrove (IDW Signing Photo), Meghan Meredith (Beach Shot)
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