A dog inspired hat with professional style; An interview with stylist @DTKAUSTIN
We first met Ashley at a two-day photo shoot for sport headphones in Austin, TX. We were the models (a fact which we love to tout to our wives from time to time) and she was the wardrobe stylist. We were pretty nervous - it was our first real shoot! - and she helped calm us down by making sure we were styled impeccably as well as totally comfortable in the various outfit changes she selected. We had a great time getting to know her during the down time over the course of the shoot and stayed in touch with her afterwards. We loved how her cool, fun-yet-sleek personality transcended into her style and how she inspired others to find the best, most genuine version of themselves through fashion.
With Ashley's vast styling experience, vibrant fashion-forward mindset and strong commitment to a healthy lifestyle, we knew we had to partner with her for our next Alter Ego hat. Thus, the DTKAUSTIN hat was born. And, in true Ashley style, this hat has a very "paw-some" twist!
Read on to discover more about Ashley, our DTKAUSTIN hat as well as all of the ways she inspires us.
Ashley's Dog Inspired Hat: Shop Here
AER: You are someone who is CONSTANTLY hustling to build your brand and making it look easy. Where do you find the motivation to keep this going daily? Biggest social media tip?
ASHLEY: Staying motivated in such a competitive world is honestly tiring! I've had my company/brand, DTK Styling LLC for over 11 years now and my Instagram account since Instagram first started! The times have definitely changed since I started. There were hardly any "bloggers/influencers" so it was really easy to be creative and just share whatever you wanted when you wanted. These days it's much harder to get your content noticed or grow. I've found that you truly need to love what you're doing to stay motivated or it will really show. People are very perceptive to what you truly love and it really comes across in my work. I absolutely love what I do on social media and know that I am making a difference in so many people's lives that I've never even met. Whether it is helping them find an outfit for their first date or a job interview, or giving them ideas on how to donate their time to different charities or just showing Steven's face everyday! It is very rewarding to know that I have somehow had a positive effect on people's lives.
My biggest social media tip would be to f*ck what anyone else thinks. You do you. Setting yourself apart in this industry is the biggest goal. So be YOU, be different!! Don't let social media consume your life either. Remember to take breaks, live your life, and put your phone down to enjoy the little moments before they are gone.
AER: What do you like best about being a wardrobe stylist?
ASHLEY: I absolutely love the creativity behind it. No two jobs are alike so I really get to utilize that creativity in so many different ways depending on the type of project. I also love the fact I get to meet so many different people from all walks of life and I've been able to work with some pretty awesome animals too!
AER: One of our favorite things that drew us to your account is your flip side - your tomboy side! Have you always had this side of you? What are some of your favorite "tomboy" activities? Favorite Lego set you've built?
ASHLEY: YES!!! @justabadash all the way!! I have been a huge tomboy ever since I can remember. I was always outside getting dirty, doing adventurous things and that has stuck with me all these years later. I always think it's so ironic I work in the fashion industry in multiple aspects of my life because I could honestly care less about what I'm wearing or look like! I absolutely love riding dirt bikes, going off-roading in my TRD Pro, and being outdoors as much as I can.
Let's see, favorite LEGO set. That's a tough one!! I would say the Millenium Falcon is probably my all-time favorite because it's one of their largest Collectors Series sets at 7,500 pieces! But any of the Technic sets are pretty epic!
AER: Tell us a little bit about what the saying on your hat means to you? "Be the person your dog thinks you are"
ASHLEY: This is one of my all time favorite sayings because it is so true. When we are at our worst, our dogs will always think we are the absolute best. No matter what! They are always happy, excited and just plain hilarious! Sometimes I think we need to take tips from our dogs on how to live life. Don't sweat the small stuff, live in the moment, be grateful for what we have! I don't know about y'all, but I know for a fact that if I didn't have Steven Jalapeno in my life, I wouldn't be the same person. He makes me truly happy 24/7 and lifts my spirits when I am down. What did we do to deserve dogs??
*Note about this hat: A portion of proceeds of this hat will go to the Bastrop Animal Shelter.