Hi! My name is Julia McGuire. I am a model, turned fashion blogger and very recently, a clothing designer for my new brand, JL27!

Julia wears the Yvette Reversible Midi Dress from the Convertible Collection

You were on Bravo’s Winter House Season 1. What was this experience like?

SO SO much fun! I had an amazing experience on Winter House. It was truly like an adult sleep away camp with a lot of partying. I was lucky enough to enter a house with a majority of them strangers and leave with friends I will have for life!

Share with us an inside scoop about filming for a reality television show! Would you want to star on a reality television show again?

What you see is (more or less) what you get. They know what they are doing putting all of our personalities in a house! I will say the one thing I was not expecting/you cant prepare yourself for is the lack of privacy. The only place they don’t have a camera is the bathroom... but I would definitely do it again!

Congratulations on your brand JL27 that just launched on June 1st! What can you tell us about the first collection, and what inspired you to start your own brand?

Thank you so much! It has been an insanely rewarding and challenging experience. I have been in the fashion industry for 21 years now and still have so much to learn but I am loving every moment. So many things inspired me to start JL27. Once I started leaning into posting more fashion content and purchasing more clothing, I continued to find the quality didn’t match the price point with the closet staples I was trying to find and bring my followers. I wanted something I knew would last without breaking the bank.

Another inspiration to this collection was my grandfather. (Fun fact: He was born 1/27/1927 which is there the 27 in the name comes from!) I would always steal his blue stripe button ups to wear with a pair of my favorite jeans. I really wanted to recreate that effortless garment, with a bit of a feminine touch and better fabric. Forming the rest of the collections pieces really came down to wanting to simplify a customers wardrobe. By investing in closet staples with year-round functionality, you can really create some amazing polished every day looks that wont clutter your closet! Im really proud to be making everything in New York City so I can be a part of the entire process and ensure amazing quality.

Shop the Oversized Button-Up from JL27

Similarly to Mestiza’s founding story where Alessandra and Louisa’s grandmother’s passed down their heirloom dresses to them, one of your inspirations for your brand was a button-down shirt passed down to you by your grandfather. Tell us more about why it’s important to reference the classics with updated improvements?

I absolutely love that! There truly is something to be said about classics. You know that old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it...” Well, it really is as simple as that. They never go out of style. Of course, I have fallen into fast fashion trends in the past but I never regret investing in a really good closet staple. I can already hear my mom reading this and saying, “I told you so!”

What does the daily ritual of getting dressed in looks you love mean to you?

Getting dressed is one of my favorite parts of the day. I always go off my mood. If I want to be cute and flirty, I’ll reach for a dress with a flat or heel depending on the day (city life). Most days, I reach for a t-shirt or button-up with my favorite denim to rush out the door. I truly feel most confident in the simple looks.

Can you share your go-to style tips for looking and feeling your best?

Don’t overthink it. If it makes you happy, go for it! Invest in great basics/closet staples so you always have an easy base to accessories and play off of!

Tell us how you are styling the Yvette Reversible Midi Dress with a piece from Shop JL27 to curate the perfect look!

This is the PERFECT summer dress. I am going to throw this on with a simple nude heel and the JL27 Classic Blazer in Ivory. I can wear this to a lunch, dinner, meeting or even a party.

What is it about the Mestiza brand that you admire?

Mestiza puts a fun twist on the classics! All of the dresses offer that show-stopping elegance. They have the perfect touch of power and femininity in every piece.

How does wearing your Mestiza piece make you feel?
Wearing Mestiza makes me feel elegant and super polished. There is no better feeling that a good outfit!