At Home with Beauty Blogger Julia Porras

For our series Closet Confidential, we interview interesting and uber cool people in their homes wearing outfits from their closet. Esther Lee Leach caught up with Julia Porras of Lola By Jules at her home in Cherry Creek.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ESTHER LEE LEACH

Esther Lee Leach: Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

Julia Porras: I was born in Raleigh, NC, grew up in Charlotte, and moved to Denver when I was 5. I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember, was a theatre major at an arts school and I am currently studying Chicanx Studies and love to blog!

ELL: You created a website, LolabyJules. Tell us more about this and the type of content that you create.

JP: I created Lola By Jules as a platform to connect with other Latinas and share my love of fashion, beauty, and opinions on our what’s happening with our culture. I decided to categorize it as a lifestyle blog so I could create content on a wide range of topics. Followers can expect commentaries on media within the Latinx community, beauty videos and tutorials, outfit photos and other tips I want to share with my readers!

ELL: Describe your style.

JP: I strive to have a balance of elegance and edginess. Day to day my style is very different but some of my most common go-to’s are a chic all black look with leather boots and some sort of statement jacket or coat, an athleisure / streetwear look with great sneakers and pops of colors, or anything that focuses on the textures of the fabrics and working with contrasting different pieces.

ELL: Do you have a go to fashion formula or uniform when you need to pull an outfit together quickly?

JP: Absolutely not. My life would likely be much simpler if I did! My taste is constantly evolving and changing.

ELL: Where do you find your style inspiration?

JP: Instagram and magazines. I love to grab a Vogue or Vanity Fair when I’m in the line at the grocery store and quickly skim through the designer ads. Whether is a certain color or a sort of theme like an equestrian vibe or jungle chic, I always get some inspiration.

ELL: Is there anyone you look to for style ideas? Celebrity? Friend?

JP: I try not to idolize anyone for their style, but I think we can all learn something from one another. If I see a girl walking and I like her shoes I’ll stop to compliment her and get a nice peek at the rest of her outfit without just staring. I think I surround myself with pretty stylish girlfriends, so I feel we are always playing off one another.

ELL: Who are your favorite designers or stores?

JP: GUCCI. My favorite part of fashion is the costume-like aspect of it. For me, fashion is less of just pieces and more of how I can make a whole look. I love Gucci because it is whimsical, daring and unapologetically wild. When it comes to stores, I love to shop consignment. Not only can one get designer items more affordably, but I think it’s time we recognize there is a real problem in the fashion world. Between fast fashion and the general turnover rate of pieces in our wardrobe, I don’t think a little recycling would hurt us. My friend Janice owns Kouture Consignment in Cherry Creek and I get a ton of my pieces from her.

ELL: What are your five favorite pieces from your closet?

JP: My giant Philip Lim pink coat, my Alexander Wang boots with cutouts in the heel, my light tan shawl with a fur trim (I’m super against fur but feel okay buying it consignment), my Tory Burch hexagon shaped orange bag because its super unique, and my big black Pesavento hoops.

ELL: Do you have any items in your closet that you regret buying? Why?

JP: Anything inexpensive because in that not only I am supporting sweatshop labor in other countries, I am also really doing our planet a disservice. My advice: Spend money on timeless pieces that will last you a lifetime and always be chic. Making an investment also demands a commitment to the item and thus, ensures you love it. Ultimately, you will end up with less pieces sitting in your closet that never get worn, and you will value your wardrobe more.

ELL: What are your top five makeup products?

JP: A good brow gel, a moisturizing primer, a great setting spray (hugging people and getting chin makeup on them is NOT OK!), a colorful palette to travel with and have lots of options, and a really fine glitter highlight.

Julia Porras @lolabyjules

In this week’s The Beauty Report, Julia tells us about her top 10 beauty products.