Jenny B. Davis

Journalism

Professor of Practice

Email

jennyd@smu.edu

Phone

817-716-2756

Website

Jenny B. Davis is an award-winning magazine writer and editor, a licensed attorney, and an editorial fashion photoshoot stylist and fashion show dresser. She is the author of Stylewise: A Practical Guide to Fashion Styling, third edition (Bloomsbury 2024) and the revising author of Writing for the Fashion Business, second edition (Bloomsbury 2022). She holds an Inside LVMH certificate and is frequently quoted about fashion, celebrity styling and culture in media outlets like Forbes.

Davis has written for magazines and newspapers for over 25 years. She served as assistant managing editor of the Chicago-based ABA Journal, the nation's most-read legal magazine, worked as both a senior reporter and an assistant editor at Texas Lawyer newspaper, and spent eight years as the editor and fashion editor of Indulge magazine, the luxury lifestyle magazine of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Her freelance writing and styling credits include USA WeekendTravel + LeisureThe Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Fodor’s Travel Guide, Virtuoso Life and many more. She also styles notable people like musicians and athletes; most recently, she styled Nashville singer/songwriter Rico del Oro for the release of his 2023 album Toro and for his single, “Twin Souls.”

Among the many awards she’s received for her work are a 2021 “Azbee” National Silver Award for Print Feature from the American Society of Business Publication Editors, two Lisagor Awards for feature writing from the Chicago chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, a Katie award from the Dallas Press Club for feature writing and an ASCAP writing award.

Throughout her career, she has attended New York Fashion Week every year since 2007, explained Enron, edited celebrity stylist Clinton Kelly, patrolled the Rio Grande with border agents, styled an Olympic athlete, traveled on slow boats in China, eaten reindeer in Finland and hiked to hidden temples in Kuala Lumpur.

Her personal style has been photographed by the legendary Bill Cunningham for the New York Times and has been featured on NYLON.com and in other media outlets. As an officially certified Star Wars cosplayer, she has performed at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago and London and has appeared on the Disney Channel in Europe and in numerous publications.

Davis also has been involved in the fashion industry as an entrepreneur. She has launched two niche fashion lines, earning a stint as a Macy’s Emerging Designer and a write-up in the New York Times.

Currently, Davis writes a column for the ABA Journal, regularly writes and styles fashion shoots for 360 West magazine as the contributing fashion editor and works as a freelance fashion stylist for such clients as the Dallas Market Center through The SWB Agency. She also occasionally works as a fashion show dresser through the Kim Dawson Agency.

Education

Doctoral Student, SMU Simmons School of Education and Human Development
Juris Doctor, SMU Dedman School of Law, 1995
Bachelor of Arts, German, Arizona State University Honors College, 1992

Recent Work

Publications

Stylewise: A Practical Guide to Fashion Styling, ed. 2 (Bloomsbury, 2018; Edition 3 coming in 2024)

Writing for the Fashion Business, ed. 2 (Bloomsbury, 2022)

The Supreme Court Coloring and Activity Book (ABA Journal, 2005)

The Lawyer-President Coloring and Activity Book (ABA Journal, 2006)

Course list

Fashion Journalism  
Media & The Art of Design  
Streetwear Revolution  
Editorial Fashion Styling  
SMU LOOK magazine advisor  
Latinx Fashion Leadership Council faculty advisor  
Sneaker Law  
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