Julie Ragolia is a regular sighting at Men’s Fashion Week in New York, Milan, and Paris—but usually a fleeting one. Because as often as not, the Brooklyn-born stylist is backstage, working with designers to mastermind the look of a show. Of maybe she’s off with a photographer, driving the creative for a magazine shoot or major ad campaign. Informed as much by ease and authenticity as she is by high fashion, Ragolia tends to prefer timelessness over trends, both for herself and for the projects she works on. An expert in mashing up vintage and luxury, she takes style seriously but also recognizes the necessity of having some fun with it. Here we pick her brain on getting dressed, grail garments, and the one secret she won’t share with the rest of us.
Esquire: Sockless in a suit?
Julie Ragolia: No.
Shorts?
Yeah.
Multiple rings?
Love multiple rings.
Black and navy?
Love black and navy, too.
Fun socks?
Only at home.
Which designers do you love right now?
I love what Alessandro Sartori is doing at Zegna. What Mrs. Prada and Raf are doing at Prada. Dries Van Noten. Irae is another brand that I love.
Do you have a grail garment—something you’ve always wanted but haven’t gotten yet?
Those Phoebe Philo shearling denim pants.
Do trends matter for you personally, and for the world generally?
Personally? No. For the world? No. Trends to me have always been boxes. I don’t like to be put in a box, and I don’t think anyone should be in them. Just do what you love.
Do you have a style icon?
Mrs. Prada. Nino Cerruti. Patti Smith. My former photo professor from college. I have so many—it’s countless. I’m someone who just loves to look at people. I think style is something individual and inherent, and we take so much from people from all different walks of life and from our journeys. It’s hard to pinpoint it into one.
What’s your favorite social follow in the menswear space?
Die Workwear.
What never goes out of style?
Style. It changes, it moves, it goes up, it goes down. But it’s always there.
Above: Dress and bra by Cerruti 1881.
What’s your go-to style rule?
Have fun. Be who you are. Clothes are there to be yours.
How much is too much to pay for a pair of socks?
If you love them and you have the money for it, pay what you want.
What do you spend the most on in your wardrobe?
I’m all about spending a lot more on garments that will last. I think it’s worth it to spend more and live with your clothes for a long time.
Is there an under-the-radar brand that you love right now?
ZN ALI. He [Zain Ali] is a Pakistani designer out of London who is making some of the most incredible clothes. Anyone who loves Bode, definitely check out ZN ALI.
Which is worse: try-hard or zero effort?
Try-hard. At least someone who’s putting zero effort in knows what they want.
Is there anything in your wardrobe that you never wear but refuse to part with?
There are so many things, from old, beat-up jeans to T-shirts that I’ve had for 30 years. Actually, wait—I wear those all the time. What am I talking about?
What’s the one thing that you find yourself buying over and over again?
White T-shirts.
What is better to buy vintage?
Jeans. I love a worn-in jean.
What do you think American men do best style-wise, and what do they need to improve on?
They take inspiration from music with good cues. And what American men could do better in is understanding a well-tailored garment.
What’s your favorite vintage store?
I don’t want to tell anyone.
Photography: James Macari
Sittings Editor: Alfonso Fernandez Navas
Hair: Kevin Ryan using Unite
Grooming: Ryo Kuramoto for Nars
Design Director: Rockwell Harwood
Contributing Visual Director: James Morris
Executive Producer/Director: Dorenna Newton
Director of Photography: Elyssa Aquino
Camera: Derrick Saint-Pierre
Video Editor: Josh Archer
Associate Producer, Video: Janie Booth
Associate Producer, Video: Carly Bivona