Celebrity Wardrobe stylist and Image Consultant, Tiffany Gifford has had her handpicked outfits featured in Rolling Stone, Vogue Magazine, Marie Claire Mag and Glamour Magazine amongst others. Gifford has styled artists such as: Miranda Lambert, Brett Eldredge, Maddie & Tae, All American Rejects, Abby Anderson, Shania Twain and Tanya Tucker.

We were able to chat with Tiffany to learn all about the fashion industry, how she styles certain artists and what trend she loves in fashion right now and one not so much.

BC: What made you want to get into the fashion world?

Gifford: “Gosh, my initial degree is in elementary education but I’ve always had an interest in fashion to a certain degree but I never thought I would working in fashion. I personally was in a relationship the last bit of my bachelors degree and thought i was going to get married and have kids.” Gifford tell us, “That relationship didn’t end up working out so I said ‘well I gotta get the heck out of Texas’ and I always had an interest in fashion so why not try my hand and try and apply? So I did investigations into school and applied to Parson’s School of Design. The rest is kind of history. I decided to move to New York from Texas in two thousand and three.”

BC: What an inspiring story - you had said you wanted to be an elementary school teacher - can you tell us a little more about that?

Gifford: “Yeah I think as a young person my parents both worked and I very much thought I would be a mom really young and that ended up not being in the cards for me. To answer your question and to be completely honest with you I chose my education for lack of a better option that would have allowed me to be home with my kids during the summer. Things that I never had as a kid. It’s not something I can imagine myself doing now although it’s not that I didn’t like it. I think I felt like time wasn’t the essence and I if I was going to get into something like fashion it was something I needed to do at a younger age and I felt like education was always something I could come back to. I would say I am definitely more passionate about what I do now. I mean back when I started it was more of a ‘I can’t believe I get to do this’ thing versus teaching.:

BC: How did you get started in the industry with styling celebrities?

Gifford: “When I moved to New York and went to school I knew I wanted to be a stylist. At the time I thought I wanted to be an editorial stylist for magazines - my favorite magazines at the time were Lucky and InStyle. I wanted to be styling the covers and working with celebrities and at the time I didn’t put two and two together in that way. When I graduate with a degree from Parsons with a degree in fashion merchandising working free lance for different stylists after my time interning while going to school. One of the stylists I worked with was Andrea Lieberman who at the time was doing the biggest people in music - jlo and Gwen Stefani, all of Gwen’s solo career. We worked with Mary J. Blige, we worked with Faith Hill. Watching her and getting the honor to work for someone like her at that level was incredible and it definitely planted the seed for me wanting to do celebrity styling. I just thought it was highly creative and even though she did a lot of music, I think at that time jlo was doing more movies versus music but she got put with jlo when jlo was dating P diddy so she had been in the music world and it just seeing hyper creativity that goes along with that and collaborating. I always say now, ‘I like turning someone else’s art medium into an image, what you hear in your ears turns into something you can see with your eyes.’

BC: What is your job description:

Gifford: “Oh wow!” Gifford laughs, “It’s a lot, I don’t have an agent so I do the negotiating, scheduling all of that is me. I have a business manager that handles my billing but the agent job is a part of my job to that’s usually not part of a stylist’s job. It’s my job to stay current with all the stylist’s collections- that means going to New York Fashion Week, staying in touch with designers, having relationships with the PRs, taking my clients to New York Fashion Week. It means looking out for the next award show, what do we want to try and get. I have a client who we’re trying to get to go to the Met Gala in September so that’s a part of it. It’s basically building these relationships on behalf of the clients with these brands. In addition to the actually styling; finding out the project, somebody reaches out saying, ‘hey are you available for this? send us a budget.’ so i come up with a budget estimate based on the project - is it one look, is it ten looks. Am I going to have to travel for it? Whether it’s approved or not we move forward. I plan out my pulls, I usually start my pulls at a week in advance at the very least so they can arrive to me on time because being in Nashville pretty much everything has to be shipped in. Also, arriving on set, having your kit, making sure everything looks good whether it’s a live thing, an award show, a red carpet - knowing the background of all of that stuff and knowing how it’s supposed to look. I was on a photoshoot a few weeks ago and no one knew how a photoshoot was supposed to go clearly. Management was like, ‘we should do it this way because hair and makeup,’ and the photographer is like, ‘no it’s the light,’ and I’m like, ‘it’s actually both - so here is how this works.’ It’s collecting all the credits because of socials, now it’s very much expected that you and the client will post and tag the brands that are being lent to people. Keeping track of all that stuff. Then we have the part I loathe the most is keeping track of all the money that goes in and out because I front of all the expenses for my clients. It’s all on my credit cards so not only making sure I get reimbursed for things that I purchase on behalf of the client but making sure that the vendors who I am purchasing from are refunding me properly and all that which is the reason I have the business manager to run the books basically because things can get lost and out of hand quite quickly and I physically don’t have the time to make sure all that stuff transpires”

BC: When styling an artist where do you start?

Gifford: “The music always. I think it should start and end with the music. I’m specifically talking about musicians - I have a few actor clients but most of my roster is musicians. It’s what I really love, I have such a fondness for music. It plays such a huge part in my life. I feel like the thing that we draw most of our memories from is music and smells. They take you to a place. With musicians it should always start and end with the music.” Gifford continues, “Starting with the music should tell me everything I need to know about the client. You’re telling a story and collaborating on something and trying to turn something you’re hearing, like I said into something you can see. There should be synergy there and it should be identifiably them. I start by listening to the music and I guess I started that by before I consciously knew I was working that way. I think with new projects for instance I was lucky enough when Miranda (Lambert) was doing platinum and that would have been the second album packaging I would have done with her. She was working on Platinum and she was gracious enough to allow me to listen to the music I think even before the record label heard it. We were on her tour bus one day in Oklahoma and she was shooting the “This Is Us,” music video with Keith Urban. She said, ‘I got this music for the next record and I want you to hear it, I’m trying to figure out what the imaging should be.’ She was very vulnerable as a musician to let someone listen to things that hadn’t been mastered yet. I was grateful she allowed me to do that I came up with a board and I sent it to her and she said, ‘oh my gosh this is exactly what I was thinking, this definitely fits the vibe.’ Ever since then that’s really been at the forefront of the creative process. If I wasn’t listening to the music first I would be trying to throw a dart at a dart board blindfolded while it’s moving. It’s very difficult to hit the target. If not impossible.”

BC: How long does it take you to style an artist?

Gifford: “I think it depends on the project,” Gifford tells us, “It depends on the team because every team is different, they work in different ways. When I say team I mean the record label, management, publicist whoever is involved and has a say in the things that are being created. It depends but I would say the longer I’ve worked with someone the easier it goes. There’s been trust built over years and I know them so well.”

BC: How rewarding is it to see the artists in the wardrobe you have styled for them?

Gifford: “It’s incredible. Getting to see what I consider styling is an art form and similar to any other sort of art. It’s equal parts terrifying and really exciting and exhilarating because you did that. I’ll never forget as an assistant the very first time that something that I had pulled for Andrea had been placed in a music video and it was such a cool feeling! I hate to say but I think you get numb to that over the years but It still is pretty amazing to see your work represented in such a public way and also with somebody that is incredibly talented like Miranda Lambert.”

BC: Since you have worked with so many artists, is there an outfit you style that stands out as one of your favorites?

Gifford: “Oh gosh that’s so hard, it’s like choosing your favorite child.” Tiffany says, “One of my favorite - not outfits but just moments was when Miranda went to Fashion Rocks in 2015 and I dressed her in this Tom Ford tuxedo with this crystal top and her hair was in a bob and it was super sleek - really platinum. No one had ever seen her like that before and that particular event, red carpet and photos led to I think one of her first Marie Claire magazine covers. The impact of red carpet moments sometimes is overlooked but they really can take somebody to the next level. Another one of my favorites would be doing Shania Twain’s tour for ‘Rock This Country’ the outfits in general - it’s hard to choose just one but working with her on those looks. I’ll never forget when I got the call from Jason Owens, her manager at the time to work with Shania. He asked if I would be interested. Is that like a rhetorical question? Like who would say to no that?” Tiffany laughs, “She’s an absolute icon. I think my third would be the most recent Grammys and I dressed Mickey Guyton and she wore Valentino. The story of how that came to be was pretty spectacular but in addition to a brand such as Valentino - think the only other artist they have dressed in the country genre is Kacey Musgraves so to have obtained something like that for her in that moment for her very first Grammy nomination and the history she was making that night as the first black female artist to perform on the Grammy stage in addition to be the first black female nominated in that category since the nineteen seventies which I think was the Porter Sisters was an incredible thing to be a part of. Not just for Mickey but for a movement in the right direction in general in terms of race and country music. Being able to be a small part of that was incredibly special.”

BC: That’s amazing to have that amazing dress for Mickey while she was making so much history at the Grammys.

Gifford: “I agree - I had been talking to Valentino about her since November because of course the Grammys were meant to be in January but of course because of Covid they got pushed and having done this for many years at this point I know when a brand is no interested in dressing someone. They have no problems about saying no. We had decided on a dress and I had been told that Valentino had offered us certain options and I wanted something that felt very much Valentino on her. There was a shipping snafu and the day before I was out pulling jewelry the day before the Grammys in L.A. for the looks of the dresses we had and I got the offer of the dress that she ended up wearing and of course there was shipping problems. Literally it came the morning of the Grammys. We had to fit it when I went to get her ready and we had to do some alterations on it - I mean it was very much kind of a fire drill we needed all hands on deck to get it perfect to wear within a couple of hours. People never know what goes on behind the scenes.”

BC: What’s the biggest challenge for yourself as a stylist?

Gifford: “Oh gosh - Shipping issues,” Gifford laughs, “For a long time I kind of felt the biggest challenge for me as someone who decided consciously to move to Nashville instead of staying in New York or moving to Los Angeles where predominately that’s where my industry resides. I made a decision because there wasn’t anyone based in Nashville with my background and experience. It was kind of a wide space and I could be out in L.A. but I would be a dime a dozen celebrity stylist because they grow on trees out there. I made the conscious decision to move to Nashville and I don’t regret it for a day but it was a struggle. The fashion industry for many years was not interested in country at all. Having cut my teeth in New York, I was a fashion editor at Conde Nast for five years before I moved to Nashville and I was at that job when I took on Miranda. Having people be like, ‘oh we’re happy to help’ but when I left the magazine it was like they didn’t know my name.” Gifford confesses, “It was my soap box honestly for years because the fashion world in general, the big brands, the Guccis they would immulate western style in there collections so we were cool enough to get inspiration from but we weren’t cool enough to lend to. Truthfully, aside from Faith Hill because she was one of the only ones historically speaking was smart, she got a stylist who had access to big brands but nobody in the current sphere was wearing big named brands. I knew how powerful something like that could be for an artist to obtain other things that they might one wether it’s advertising campaigns or tour support - whatever they want - elevating their brands so they can do things like have a clothing line. Putting them in certain brands that get them publicity is just incredibly powerful. That was always my goal with Miranda because I knew that she wanted certain things for herself career wise and it was a struggle and it can sometimes still be a struggle. I wanted to make history - I wanted to be the first stylist to do this, and the first stylist for the country segment of the music world and we had those moments. I mean Miranda was the first artist to wear Versace on a country music red carpet - that had never been done before. I give a lot of props to Kacey Musgraves and Erica Cloud, her stylist who frankly, I think have busted that wide open and made people see country in a different way and made people see it’s not all hee haw and denim and cowboy hats and cowboy boots. That’s part of it but it’s so much more than that and there’s so much cross pollination. It’s the largest selling segment of music that exists; I used to quote Forbes and New York Times all these numbers, like we have the most loyal fanbase out there, we have a hundred solely country music festivals. The fan base is so incredibly loyal and spends tons of money every year. Trying to beat down those doors was a goal of mine, it;s changing so vastly but working with Mickey Guyton and what we have been able to do over the last six months, nine months has been incredible. It’s been huge for me personally being able to get brands like Christian Dior and Valentino and people caring and wanting to invest has been great. Like I said, I really attribute it to what Kacey has led the way in and her stylist they have just done an incredible job.”

BC: Is there a misconception people have about your job?

Gifford: “Oh yes, that it’s all glamorous -I get this with label lingo when I’m talking with the labels, they’re like, ‘well we have such and such days, shopping days,’ and I’m like ‘I’m not a shopper,’ like there are stylists, in Nashville that are in my opinion are shoppers and there are stylists in L.A. that are more shoppers because that is the kind of client that they work with. For instance somebody going on tour, if you’re working with a guy that’s t-shirt and jeans, yes you can pull for people and they do. A lot if is going to shop so they can build their closet and have stuff to wear on tour and all that stuff. A, it is way more than just shopping, it’s conceptualizing, it’s thinking big picture, it’s making investments whatever that looks like to lift the profile of the artist. It’s double dipping with publicity so they are getting their name out there more. It’s all that stuff that really understanding the power of fashion can do - when I say the power of fashion I mean being able to build relationships on behalf of the client with brands directly is invaluable. The funnier part for me is I have a lot of interns that came through and have even had assistants and what not that think that it’s all glamorous. It’s very physical work; I always say that I’m basically a professional schlepper for a living. I used to reference The Hills, I don’t even know if anybody evens know what show anymore - where they are doing photoshoots on the beach in their high heels and I’m like, ‘thats not a thing actually,’ Yeah, I think it’s a schlepping stuff around, a lot of physicality.”

BC: How would you describe your personal style?

Gifford: “I would say that my personal style is classic with an edge. I like a really great pair of jeans with a really great fitting white T or a white button down but I like wearing it in ways that are unexpected. I like accessorizing it with something that feels a little edgier, a little rock n’ roll wether that’s a handbag or jewelry.”

BC: Is there a celebrities closet you would like to raid?

Gifford: “She’s not necessarily a celebrity but people know who she is but she’s a jewelry designer - Jennifer Fischer but i would 100% raid her closet, everything she wears I covet. She is the hoop guru. She does really amazing stuff and I have worked with her for years and years.”

BC: Is there a trend in fashion right now that you love and one you don’t love as much?

Gifford: “ I love all the nineties stuff that’s kind of back. I think it was 2018, 2019 I was like I’m going to rewatch Beverly Hills nine one two one o because that was my jam growing up and we didn’t have DVR at the time so I definitely missed some episodes and as I was watching it I was like, ‘Oh my gosh this is what’s happening.’ and behold in the fashion world it was all about oversized blazers, big shoulder pads, vintage Levis - all of that nineties fashion. That I really like actually. The thing I’m not prepared for is the early two thousand fashions, like the super super low rise jeans I could live without. I like a high rise jean moment - I just don’t think I could go back to that place where the zippers are like three inches, ya know?”

BC: What is fashion about for you individually?

Gifford: “I think fashion for me is about expressing yourself, being able to tell someone who you are before you even speak. In relation to what I do being able to say through a client what their music makes me feel when I listen to it.”

BC: What’s a packed day look like for you?

Gifford: “Usually getting up super early, spending some time with God, then going directly into e-mails and I’ve been spending a lot of time In L.A. so of course that makes me have to wake up even earlier because the time difference. Having to make sure I’m starting when New York starts and opens up and getting things done, getting things on time. Non stop appointments, doing an event with a client, trying to do virtual fittings with people back in Nashville while i’m in Los Angeles. The day ends with hanging out with my dog and trying to get some rest.” Tiffanys says, “It’s been busy but I’m so incredibly grateful after the year everyone just had.”

BC: If you could choose a celebrity to style you, who would you pick?

Gifford: “Oh Sarah Jessica Parker of course!”

BC: What advice would you tell those wanting to have this as their career?

Gifford: “You have to be super passionate about it. Intern, intern, intern. Assist. Assist. Assist. You have to have that solid foundation. Quite frankly if you don’t like assisting you’re not going to be able to do the job. If there’s a lot of people coming in thinking it’s like ‘well I put my friends outfits together and I love to go shopping,’ i’m like, “No, that does not make a stylist,’ someone that has good taste and can dress people that’s wonderful but that’s probably twenty five percent of what my job entails. Interning is really important, assisting is really important, being open to getting your foot in the door knowing that you may not be getting paid for something but the experience is invaluable. Treating the internship like a job because that’s what it is, not a volunteer situation. I think doing those things you’re able to know if this is the right thing for you. Ask questions, too. I had this wonderful intern last year and she went above and beyond constantly and she was always asking questions. She ended up volunteering and come out to Los Angeles - and not everyone can do this but she was volunteering when we were doing a lot of the work with Mickey. She said she wanted to do celebrity and I said you have to get out to L.A. Cut you teeth in L.A. or New York because if you can do that, you can do it anywhere including Nashville. It makes you more marketable, it makes you more successful, you have those established relationships that are invaluable. When my intern came out to L.A. with us and now she has moved out here, she’s working with Molly Dickson who does Kelsea Ballerini and Scarlett Johansson and a whole bunch of other Hollywood people. It’s great to watch her flourish, it’s those people who really put the work in, who really dig in, who are willing to help out just to learn. It separates the men from the boys so to speak.”