Outfit Dissecting with Juliana Ramirez

LULU GRAHAM

Name…[hhmc]

​Juliana Ramirez.

What do you do all day?[hhmc]

​Im the brand manager at Lizzie Fortunato, a soon-to-be cowboy boot maker, and a photographer.

LULU GRAHAM

Where do you live and where did you grow up? [hhmc]

I live near Prospect Park in Brooklyn. I grew up in Texas.

Did growing up in Texas have an effect on your style? [hhmc]

Absolutely! I actually thought it didnt because I was so against anything honky-tonk growing up. Im definitely more into Western wear and have such an appreciation for seeing Western silhouettes on the runway. I feel like I have a really terrible, I don't know if this is the right word, ownership… I feel like it almost belongs to me being from Texas, and that's totally not fair! And of course, my love of cowboy boots comes from being a Texan.

Did you realize your love of cowboy boots once you moved to New York City? Or was it always there?​[hhmc]

I always liked cowboy boots, but it was more in the “Im going to the rodeo.” Rodeo is a really big deal. In Texas, if you were “stylish,” in my hometown at least, you would never wear cowboy boots casually in the way I do now. It has a totally different meaning in Texas, which is so silly.

How would you describe your style?[hhmc]

Ever-changing! I truly dont think I could put my “style” in a box and present it to you with a silk ribbon on top. I thrive off of change and my style is a direct reflection of that.

Tell me the story behind something youre wearing right now.[hhmc]

Lulu Graham

I always wear my grandmother's necklace and her ring. I feel like I carry her with me. She always had a witchy vibe, I feel like Im holding some of her powers, if you will. She was very much a Puerto Rican grandma—into all the superstition stuff. I feel like I carry a part of her with me and she protects me through her powers. It sounds so silly but thats totally how I feel about it.

LULU GRAHAM

Do you have any pieces that are sentimental to you? [hhmc]

This [dress] is something my grandmother made for my aunt. Its a cloak/shawl thing. I wore it as a dress for my 25th birthday. It was disco-themed. I wore high waisted black underwear and a cute bra, and this pair of Celine heels that I have that are destroyed. I really love this thing. I was in Puerto Rico with my grandmother, my aunt, and my mom, going through all of these old clothes and I really wanted this, but my aunt didnt want to part with it. Two weeks later it showed up in the mail! About a month before my birthday, when I first saw it back in Puerto Rico, I said “That's what Im wearing!”

What is the best vintage score youve found?[hhmc]

This Celine sport dress was probably the best score I've ever found. I think I got it for around $50, if not less. I was like, 'I just robbed you guys, are you kidding?!' Its the hardest thing to wear. The fabric is heavy. There are probably three days out of the year that I can wear this properly.

What do you buy “too much” of?[hhmc]

Sweaters! I buy way too many sweaters! Im never satisfied with my sweaters for some reason. I think I have a hard time finding them.

Do you have a favorite one?[hhmc]

Yes, I have this grey sweater that I absolutely love because it's never pilled! Ive had it for over a year. But yeah, I have way too many sweaters, which isnt a bad thing here.

LULU GRAHAM

What do you have the most trouble finding when shopping?[hhmc]

Something that I havent already seen on Instagram. Im doing this crazy purge. My best friend and I had this conversation about influencers and personal style. I have this fear of losing my sense of style because Im constantly being bombarded with images of people who wear certain things. Do I actually like this, or have I talked myself into liking something? I have the hardest time trying to figure out if I like this thing Im holding in the store because Ive seen it so many times, or if I actually just like the thing. Its been very recent, within the past eight months, that I've been thinking about personal style and redefining what that means to me.

Lulu Graham

Could you tell me more about the black Nikki Chasin dress?[hhmc]

Receiving my first piece from Nikki was something I didnt realize would end up meaning so much to me. Life has a funny way of working in circles and meeting/working with her was one of them. In Texas, I admired her from afar and funny enough (this is the life working in circles part), when I moved to the city, Nikki ended up being the first person to hire me to do anything. My gratitude toward