rewardStyle’s Behind The Screen With Street Style Squad + The Gucci Giveaway

rewardStyle’s BEHIND THE SCREEN WITH STREET STYLE SQUAD + The Gucci Giveaway

February 13, 2017

Tiffany Davros, Texas native, mother of 3 and full time style influencer, has always felt a strong, personal connection to fashion after a growing up immersed in the industry. With the recent surge in fashion and style bloggers in the digital space, she noticed a sound need for style influencers specifically directed towards women in their 40s. Tiffany’s decision to capitalize on this niche market led her to create Street Style Squad, a digital lifestyle site and shopping destination for stylish women of all ages. Join us today as we go Behind the Screen with Street Style Squad!

rewardStyle: For those of us who are just being introduced to the Street Style Squad, would you share a little bit about yourself? Your background and career path? How Street Style Squad came about?

Tiffany Davros: Hi all! My name is Tiffany Davros and this April I will be married 20 years to my husband, Harry. Together, we have three incredible teenage daughters (ages 14, 15 and 16 — say a prayer for me). Fashion has always been an essential part of my life. My mother, Sue Wade Tortoriello, has always been my inspiration. She was a model at Neiman Marcus, and in 1962, started Wade College, a fashion merchandising and design college here in Dallas. I also dabbled in modeling with the Kim Dawson Agency as a child and my love for everything fashion has never ceased. I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Merchandising then started working for Wade College immediately upon graduation. Today, my husband Harry and I carry on the family legacy of Wade College, and fashion continues to be an essential element in my daily lifestyle.

Before creating Street Style Squad, I noticed that all of my favorite fashion blogs were written by women in their 20s and 30s. While I appreciated their youthful perspective, I felt there was a need to carve out a niche as a fashion and lifestyle influencer with a blog written from the perspective of a woman in her 40s. That’s when I decided I could be someone else’s inspiration regardless of my age. I find excitement in curating a fashion-forward, modern, “beautiful on the inside and outside” lifestyle. I created Street Style Squad to share my perspective with my readers.

rS: Street Style Squad is truly a lifestyle blog — covering style, exercise, healthy eating and recipes, travel, beauty and everything in between. How do you decide, plan and execute what it is you want to write about? And where do you seek inspiration for your own content?

TD: Yes!I believe Street Style Squad is a true lifestyle blog geared towards a life-loving, style conscious, active woman who is not only passionate about fashion, but also a healthy lifestyle, travel, and living a full, authentic, and joyful life. I decide, plan, and execute my posts after doing much research. I always give myself a few weeks to plan and execute my next post. I feel as though I’m always working in that sense, observing and constantly dedicating myself to my blog. In addition to my other research, I am inspired by Fashion Week. Fashion Week always brings renewed excitement for the coming season with all of the beautiful models, talented designers, fashion industry insiders, and other insightful bloggers. This is another reason why I was inspired to begin my journey with Street Style Squad. I attended my first NYFW last fall with some local, Dallas blogging friends and I cannot wait to attend again this fall.

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“I find excitement in curating a fashion-forward, modern, “beautiful on the inside and outside” lifestyle.”

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rS: How would you describe your personal aesthetic and sense of style? How has it changed and evolved with time?

TD: I would describe my personal aesthetic and sense of style as modern, fashion-forward, chic, and edgy. But that does not mean I don’t love some amazing lace or sweet ruffles every now and then. In fact, one of my most liked photos was of a ruffled, one-shoulder blouse. My most reposted photo was a Self-Portrait lace blouse. I love the juxtaposition of a feminine, lacy, ruffled top or pair of shoes with something a little more edgy. My style has evolved in that I am definitely more fashion-forward than I ever was before. Previously, I was more conservative and not much of a risk taker with my fashion choices. Now, I am inspired by the new styles and trends each season brings.

rS: For you, what is the most rewarding part about being boss-to-yourself? And what advice would you give to someone aiming to achieve the same kind of success?

TD: The most rewarding part about being my own boss is definitely the flexibility that it allows me since I am very busy with my three teenage daughters (none of whom drive yet) with all of their social and extracurricular activities, in addition to of all my own blogging deadlines. The best advice I would give someone is that I would be very honest in letting them know that this is not a typical 9 to 5 job. It involves countless hours spent researching, learning by trial and error (exactly what works and doesn’t) and always trusting your instincts and remaining confident (not only in yourself but also in your choices). You must have a very thick skin to be in this business and not always second guessing yourself. Lastly, I would advise against getting caught up in the numbers game on social media. Just keep following your goals to the best of your potential and it will all work out. If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it.

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“If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it.”

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rS: As seen on LIKEtoKNOW.it —there are so many covetable and affordable pieces in your wardrobe. What is the one item from your closet that you’ll never give up? 

TD: I do believe in mixing high and low end pieces in my wardrobe. You don’t need to wear high end goods from head to toe to be stylish. I feel as though I have a good eye for recognizing quality pieces that don’t come with the high price tag. The item I will never give up is my mom’s vintage Chanel handbag. Despite its age, it goes with everything and can be dressed up or down no matter the occasion.

rS: Dallas, Texas is home to you, your husband and your 3 beautiful daughters. If you were to plan the perfect weekend in Dallas, where would you go and what would you do?

TD: The perfect weekend in Dallas would begin with a great workout at Equinox or a run, walk, or bike ride on the Katy trail because I want to sweat a little before I began my journey around the city. Next, I would eat lunch at either Neiman Marcus (I used to take my girls here every Saturday to eat and then shop and play in the children’s section) or Grange Hall. The best part about these is that there is plenty of Street Style inspiration and good people watching and shopping as well. Next, I would head downtown to the newly opened 4510 on Main Street with its 37,000 square-feet of anything the heart desires. After shopping, I would head to the coffee shop for a complimentary coffee. If I wasn’t in the mood for coffee, the Taschen Library at The Joule Hotel provides the ideal setting for afternoon tea. Depending on what I was in the mood to do, I might look for furniture or amazing works of art at Blueprint. They designed our entire home and I couldn’t be happier with it.

If the weather is nice, I would either make my way to the Truck Yard or to the Katy Trail Ice House for some drinks before heading out to dinner. Dinner would be at my favorite sushi restaurant, Shinsei. I could eat there every night. Finally, I would suggest brunch at either Le Bilbouquet or Bistro 31 the next day to cap off a fun-filled weekend. Bistro 31 is located in Highland Park Village, and after brunch I could, no doubt, shop ‘til I dropped and see more great Street Style as well. I’d love to show you the famous Dallas landmark–the Pegasus Flying Horse, not only because of its historical significance to the Dallas Skyline, but because my own grandfather, Bill Wade, came all the way from Muskogee, Oklahoma to help install it atop the roof of the Magnolia Building back in 1934. Although engineers thought it was too hazardous and a very impractical place to hang a sign 450 feet above the street–and most importantly a very dangerous job site–it was eventually hung. The Pegasus was atop the city’s first skyscraper, the tallest building in Texas and even taller than any building in Europe at the time. It soon became one of the most prominent landmarks of Dallas and people from near and far were referring to the revolving neon sign as “The Flying Red Horse.” It flew high above the Dallas skyline for over 60 years above what is now the Magnolia Hotel. It has since been restored and has a new home at the Omni Dallas.

rS: As a stylish woman in your 40s, you noticed the need for fashion and lifestyle influencers for women your age, and soon, Street Style Squad was created specifically for this niche group. Do you find that this niche group of consumers has an active social presence? What is your favorite platform to interact with your followers?

TD: I would say that my niche of consumers has an active social media presence more so on Facebook than it does on Instagram. But I do find that my younger followers are more active on Instagram. My favorite platform to interact with my followers would be Instagram. To me, it is more geared toward images–fashion and otherwise–and not just a “friends and family” news site, like Facebook.

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“You don’t need to wear high end goods from head to toe to be stylish.”

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rS: Street Style Squad is a true shopping destination. Your site features an entire shopping vertical devoted to denim, which means you must know a thing or two about the perfect pair of jeans! What is your all-time favorite denim brand? Favorite cut?

TD: Thank you for saying that! I do like to think of myself as a denim connoisseur. My favorite denim would be my first pair of vintage Levi’s Elsa Jeans that I bought last year. These jean were featured in one of my very first posts for Street Style Squad. Other denim favorites of mine include: Citizens of Humanity, Rag & Bone, Mother, and GRLFRND denim. Since I have shorter legs, my favorite cut would be a high-waisted, slightly flared jean to lengthen my legs. I also love a good cropped flare. These can be worn with a flat or sandal but also a pretty heel for an amazing look.

rS: Are there any rewardStyle brands in particular that you’re fangirling over at the moment? Why do those brands, in particular, speak to you?

TD: I think by just glancing at my blog you will see that I am “fangirling” over Gucci at the moment. (Just don’t tell my husband!) I own four Gucci belts and I just cannot get enough of my black Gucci loafers either. I already have my eye on the gold Princetown leather horsebit mule in gold for spring, as well as the silver Marmont block heel mule. Gucci’s resurgence under the helm of Alessandro Michele has proven to be unparalleled since he was virtually an unknown in the fashion industry when he was offered the job of revamping the famed design house. I think the reason this brand speaks to me is that I love the juxtaposition of a feminine, classic item with something a little more edgy. My loafers are just that–classic, but slightly edgy and oh so cool. I feel as though this new line focuses on a more adventurous fashion lover, but at the same time, the pieces are still very wearable for most people. Every time I wear one of my logo belts in a post, the majority of my comments refer to that one Gucci item. However, with a price tag of $420 for a simple logo t-shirt this isn’t what I would call an “affordable line.”

I do pride myself on finding affordable yet high quality finds, not just the pricier ones. I spend hours upon hours researching great “dupes” for pricey pieces that I get so excited about and cannot wait to share with my readers. I feel as though my favorite brands are always evolving because I am open to new and upcoming designers. Some may not think of Neiman Marcus as a place to shop for bargains, but you’re wrong and you must give Cusp by Neiman Marcus a try. Cusp has some of the best deals around town both in the store and online. If you frequent my blog, you will see that many of my outfits are from Cusp. They have two major sales every year that are called First Call and Last Call, where you can save and receive huge discounts on all items. Not only does the Cusp department provide fabulous chances to save money by hosting different sales promotions throughout the year, but each department in the store does as well. Last March (just a month after I started SSS), I hosted my first blog event during their famous Shoe and Handbag Event. I was also honored to host and emcee the Neiman Marcus Fall ‘Dare to Wear’ fashion show for Cusp in September. After hosting the show, I left that same day to attend my first New York Fashion Week. It was such a crazy, exciting time for me, and let’s just say I didn’t get much sleep. After reading this, I am hoping that some of you who were a little intimidated by Neiman Marcus will now rethink it and give it a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed! I also enjoy scouring Nordstrom, Shopbop and Revolve for great bargains and looks as well.

rS: You message is extremely positive and uplifting, evident in your content and writing voice, through which you inspire women everywhere. Do you have a personal motto?

TD: I appreciate you saying that I have a positive and uplifting writing voice that inspires women everywhere. This truly means the world to me! I would say that my personal motto is something that my mom taught me as a young girl, “Your day is not complete until you’ve made at least one person smile.” I do my best to uplift others and be a positive role model to those around me (especially my three daughters). I guess that I do a pretty good job of this because my college nickname was “Smiley.”

rS: Your LIKEtoKNOW.it-enabled Instagram content features strategic and informative captions including product details and education regarding how to use the LIKEtoKNOW.it service. Do you think this has contributed to the growth of your shopping audience with LIKEtoKNOW.it? What kind of posts have you found to resonate best with your audience?

TD: I do believe that my informative captions have no doubt contributed to the success on LIKEtoKNOW.it. I believe that a caption is a very important aspect of each post and affects how readers engage with you. Other important aspects would be consistent, good quality photos, relatability, and professionalism. I spent a lot of time and thought on my brand and website design right from the beginning of Street Style Squad. I believe wholeheartedly that this has played a major role in my continued success. I have found that my most liked and reposted photos were of me wearing a ruffled, striped, one shoulder top and a lace blouse. The striped top was my most liked photo and a great price point (less than $100). In my caption I referred to being excited about meeting up with my blogger friends for sushi and drinks that night. The black lace Self-Portrait blouse was my most reposted photo (even reposted by the brand itself which made for a very exciting day). I described in my caption how the blouse was “now 40% off” and the photo was a beautiful shot in downtown Dallas. I believe that both the blouse and the location contributed to the photo’s success. Some of my biggest sales using LIKEtoKNOW.It would be in posts with my three daughters accompanying me where I tagged not only my outfit but also theirs. I just love it when my daughters get involved here and there with my blog because I don’t know what I would do without them. My “squad” of good friends and loving family has been the most positive influence in my life and I want them to all be proud of me and my work on Street Style Squad.

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“Your day is not complete until you’ve made at least one person smile.”

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