Q AND A WITH FASHION STYLISTS DELIA FOLK AND ALISON BRUHN
In the glamorous realm of the fashion world, where creativity and style collide, there exists an extraordinary duo that takes you behind the scenes of the fashion world with their unparalleled talent and unbreakable bond. Meet the dynamic mother-daughter duo, Alison Bruhn and Delia Folk of The Style That Binds Us. With their helpful insight and introductions to "low key" brands, this duo is set out to support women with their creativity and tips for styling, making it easy and effortless for you!
TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU BECAME A MOTHER/DAUGHTER STYLING TEAM.
DELIA: "I began my career interning at Versace and then worked at Barneys on the buying team. My mother became a personal stylist at age 50 after attending FIT where she got her Image Consulting certification. We were organically working together: I would share the emerging brands I was discovering at Barneys and then she would introduce her styling clients to these under-the-radar brands. We started separate blogs that we then combined in April 2018 and brought them to life with our YouTube channel & podcast, and The Style That Binds Us was born!"
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE PUBLIC FIGURES AND INSPIRE WOMEN? WHAT FULFILLS YOU MOST WHEN YOUR AUDIENCE REACTS POSITIVELY, AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH NEGATIVE COMMENTS?
We did not plan on being public figures necessarily when we started our business. Our business was born from the questions that our community, clients, friends and family were asking us. We saw a need both from the retail and styling side, and knew our experience and knowledge could help set women up for success. Whenever we have a personal issue or seek answers to questions, we want to share our findings with others. We wanted to share the access we had gained to the fashion industry with our audience. Thankfully, we do not receive many negative comments which I think is due to the fact that every single thing that we do is in support of a creative like a brand, artist, etc. (like Change of Scenery!) or to give our audience tips to live their most stylish and fearless life. The most fulfilling part of producing content is when we make someone’s life better -- give them confidence, inspire them, etc. We are thrilled to support emerging brands with brand awareness and sales, because we know how difficult it can be as an entrepreneur to survive! With our consulting business (Both style and brand consulting), we love to hear post-session that the styling advice we shared with them will set them up for success in their personal or professional life.
OFTENTIMES, WOMEN FEEL VERY EXPOSED AND UNCOMFORTABLE IN A SWIMSUIT. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE BODY POSITIVITY? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE WOMEN? HOW CAN YOU BOOST SELF CONFIDENCE THROUGH YOUR FASHION CHOICES?
We hear you! That’s why it is so great that Change of Scenery offers ready-to-wear options like skirts, pants, dresses, coverups, etc. Do not pay attention to what other people are wearing. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident. Choose a swim look with a coverup, sandals, hat, sunglasses & jewelry that makes you feel beautiful.
A big part of confidence is how you carry yourself. Own your look and your body. Keep your head held high, shoulders back and a big smile on your face. Become comfortable and aware of your your body type. Pick a swimsuit tailored to your body type, not just a style that follows the trends.
HOW WOULD YOU STYLE OUR BLACK EYELET JENNI SKIRT?
TSTBU: We love this gorgeous skirt with a classic black bikini top like the Allison String Halter top, or something with a little interest like the Melissa Top or the Cindy Top from the Sanibel Island group. The black textured fabric is so beautiful! We also love pairing it with a print, like the Loryn Top in Abstract Wave. The greatest thing about the Change of Scenery skirts is that it's just as easy to pair them with a swimsuit as it is to pair with your favorite knotted tee or sweater.
CHANGE OF SCENERY IS A BRAND COMMITTED TO MAKING THE BEST CHOICES POSSIBLE WITH THE LEAST IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. WHAT DOES SUSTAINABILITY MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT ROLE DOES IT PLAY IN YOUR WORK?
Sustainability means making conscious choices each and every day to try to minimize our impact on the environment. We encourage our clients and audience to buy less and wear more, be thoughtful about what they are bringing into their closet, and buy the best quality they can afford in order for it to last.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE AUTHENTICITY AND SPONSORED CONTENT ON YOUR PLATFORMS?
All of our content -- paid or not -- is authentic. We will only work with a brand or products we genuinely wear or use. That said, our audience believes in us and is supportive of our business. In order to continue creating free content for our The Style That Binds Us audience, it's important that we do accept paid commissions from time to time to support the business. Paid commissions allow us to grow our audience and continue to support emerging brands.
HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE YOUR SWIMSUITS WHILE MAXIMIZING YOUR CLOSET SPACE?
We keep them neatly folded in a waterproof bag -- bikini separates folded together -- so we are ready for a trip to the beach at any moment!
TELL US HOW YOU ELEVATE YOUR RESORTWEAR LOOKS WITH THE PERFECT SUMMER ACCESSORIES. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVES?
Large hats, Laiik sandals (*Use code TSTBU15 for 15% off), aviator sunglasses & sunscreen! Here are our favorite sunscreens: https://thestylethatbindsus.com/the-best-sunscreens-of-2023/
+ Shop here for some of Delia and Alison's favorite summer looks!
+ Delia wears the best-selling Niki One Piece Black; Alison wears the Cherry Red Loryn Top and Side Tie High Waist Bottom
+ For more styling tips, look here!
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Norma Mattout is a rising college sophomore. After one year at Boston University this New York girl couldn’t stay away. She has decided to move back home, excited to transfer to New York University. She is currently interning with Change of Scenery with a focus on E-commerce and influencer management.