Leopard Look: Julia Manacher

Interviewee: Julia Manacher ‘14

Location of Interview: Outside of Pardee Hall

Leopard Look: purple maxi dress, patterned scarf and ornate accessories

BC: Where are you from?

JM: Greenwich, Conn.

BC: Would you say that influenced your style?

JM: Actually, the opposite. Greenwich is considered to be very preppy and I don’t consider myself preppy. 

BC: Do you have any siblings?

JM: Yes, I have a little sister who’s sixteen … she has more of a “California style,” but we do share clothes sometimes. 

BC: What would you describe as your style?

JM: I would describe it as boho and urban. I spend a lot of time in New York City. I lived there in the past … during various summers. I am definitely influenced by people watching. I’ll walk around on the street and just look around on the street and see what everyone is wearing. If I like something, I make a note to see if I can find something similar. I also make a note to see if they’re wearing it well, whether I could wear it well and if I have any pieces to match it. 

BC: So how did you start dressing like this [boho]?

JM: Coming from Greenwich, people are very conscious about what they wear. Growing up there, I started thinking about clothes and how you present yourself. Then, from there, it was about what I like to wear … which happened to be different than what I grew up with, but I like that.

BC: Are there any days that you try something new with your style?

JM: Actually, sometimes I dress a little more on the preppy side. Sometimes, I dress like a hippie. Often, what I wear is influenced by what music I listen to in the morning … if I listen to the Grateful Dead, I’m definitely dressing hippie, but if I listen to something more contemporary, I’ll dress … more contemporary. 

BC: Where do you shop?

JM: LF Clothing, Lord and Taylor…every shoe I own is from Lord and Taylor … I also love Free People and Lord and Taylor has a great selection. Also, I worked in mid-town; there were some really small, mostly wholesale stores where I got a lot of great pieces this summer. 

BC: What is your favorite item of clothing?

JM: Definitely dresses. I really am looking forward to carrying my maxi dresses over to winter … I want to wear them with tights (for warmth) and big scarves with long cardigans. 

BC: What is making you want to carry out this style?

JM: I really got into the long skirt trend this summer and I just don’t want to stop! 

BC: Do you ever shop in Easton?

JM: I shop online. I shop on Nasty Gal and Etsy. I get mostly dresses. 

BC: Does your personality define your style?

JM: I guess it kind of has to, doesn’t it? For me, I think it does because what I’m wearing is always what I’m feeling in the morning. Therefore, it’s always a reflection of my personality that day. 

BC: What is your advice for fellow fashionistas?

JM: I think that it’s not about the dressing; it’s about the buying. If you make a conscious decision to buy something cool that makes a statement, every time you go shopping, then after a while, you build a wardrobe. Then, every time you go to get dressed, you’ll have something that you’re excited to wear.

Lastly, if you don’t absolutely love, love, love something, don’t buy it! Do fun things with your clothes. 

BC: What is something unique about your closet?

JM: I might see something cool that I really, really love, but I may have no idea how to wear it. So, something new can sit in my closet for three months until I figure out how to wear it. For example, I’ve had this bag for 6 months and I had no idea how to wear it, and now I finally have! 

BC: Describe your style in three words.

JM: Unique, changing and fun.