After almost 8 years on social media, Tulane’s very own Sophie Cohen has successfully turned her love for fashion and self-expression into a career. As of this January, Sophie had the privilege of quitting her corporate fashion job to transition into a full-time social media fashion influencer, and here’s how she did it:
Growing up with a stylish mom, Sophie says, “fashion was just in my blood.” She learned from the very best as her mom, Susie, is a personal stylist and co-owner of The Refind Closet, a luxury resale shop in Seattle (check out her mom’s account @stylewithsusie and @the_refindcloset). As a senior in high school, Sophie began her social media account, @stylewithsoco, out of a sheer passion for fashion. She used her platform as an outlet to document outfits and spread her creative vision, which she explained was received very well by friends and peers. Sophie even used her account to sell hoodies as a fundraising effort, raising money for meals for first responders.
It wasn’t until Sophie graduated college that this fun pastime began gaining momentum. During the pandemic, with little else going on, Sophie started a TikTok page, creating more content to continue her social media journey. Though, the landscape of TikTok was very different during this time. It wasn’t until around 2021 that the New York fashion influencer scene gained popularity, and we started seeing influencers like Kate Barrett, Acquired Stye, and Lauren Wolf popping up on our feeds.
Shortly after graduating from Tulane in 2020, Sophie moved to New York City and began working at Bloomingdale’s corporate in the buying department for their brand Aqua. Little did she know this move would be the catalyst for her career in the social media space.
“When I moved to New York, I had posted a video [vlogging the moving process] that went viral, and that’s kind of what launched me to dig deeper into this social media platform that I had, and I started to gain a following on TikTok and then that transferred over to Instagram but I was doing both and loving it for so many years.”
Sophie worked at Bloomingdales for about three years, simultaneously creating content for her account. During these years, her success as a fashion influencer only grew. Sophie’s following began to increase rapidly as she received offers to work with some of her favorite brands, all while balancing a nine-to-five in corporate America.
“[In 2021] I just really started to see all the opportunities that could come from social media, all these really cool things that I never in my wildest dreams would’ve thought I would get to do. It got to the point where I was ready for a change in my career, and I was putting a lot more energy into social media…I was talking with my parents and my therapist, and I was like, the right move is to take the leap, sink or swim, like I’ve been trying this for eight years, I may as well give it my full attention. So I took the leap; I decided to quit in the fall of 2023… and to finish the rest of the year at Bloomingdale’s, starting 2024 fresh with this new role.”
While Sophie’s job as a social media fashion inspiration to many may seem like a dream come true, it did not come without uncertainty or doubt, just as many of us college students feel right now job searching for the summer.
“I woke up on January 1, and it was so scary because I had no idea what I was doing. Slowly but surely, I’ve learned that this new role as a full-time influencer freelancer is like totally taking it day by day, even four months, and now I still am taking it day by day, so it was definitely a big transition, but it also just kind of happened really naturally. I feel like even though my schedule is so different, I’ve adjusted to it so well because, having that corporate background, I also developed such a strong work ethic, so I try to build somewhat of a routine for myself, but it is also a career where every day every week is different. Overall, the transition has been great. I have not looked back once.”
Sophie has made some significant milestones in her career. She recently partnered with Susanna Chow, a New York based luxury outerwear and accessories brand. Together, they designed the “Dorthy” leopard print maxi coat with gorgeous baby pink fur trim. Sophie also recently collaborated with Crocs. When asked about this, she explained how fun it is to work with brands she wouldn’t normally think to shop at. Crocs do not necessarily scream high fashion, but with the right eye, they can appeal to a whole new demographic. Sophie styled the Crocs Getaway Platform Flip in shade acidity with a pair of Bermuda shorts, a tank, and a trench coat for the perfect spring look with a pop of color.
Speaking of color, Sophie’s love for color can be seen all over her TikTok and Instagram accounts. Her ability to blend masculine and feminine silhouettes effortlessly and her eye for color stand out among the many ways she plays with her style. Her favorite fashion elements are experimenting with different color combinations, patterns, and nontraditional pairings of pieces. Sophie has been loving brown and pink, hence her coat collab. She also expressed her love for jewelry and all vintage designer goodies, which she most frequently gets from her mom’s store, “it is seriously one of the best curations of luxury bags I have ever seen, not just because she is my mom.”
Since Sophie dove headfirst into the fashion influencer community, she has had the pleasure of being invited to a plethora of brand events, meeting all the influencers who share her love for fashion. She shared how positive the environment has been and how special it is to grow in a community with space for everyone to explore and experiment with what they love.
“When I first started social media, I thought it was very competitive, and only a few people could succeed, but now that I’m in it, I think I’ve seen that as long as you like, stay true to yourself and keep sharing what you love, there really is a space for everyone. I just love that it is such a trial-and-error kind of job. There is no perfect way to do it; everything is so unknown, which can be kind of scary. One day, something will do well, and the next day, it’ll flop, but it’s this very fun, exciting environment… I’ve always been a perfectionist my whole life, and if you’re in this social media world, you really have to get a custom to failure because it’s just like a lot of trying things and seeing if they work. I think I’ve grown so much from that process.”
Sophie has shared that social media can definitely be toxic at times, but the platform it has given her to be unapologetically herself while leaving a lasting impact on others is something she is truly grateful for and extremely excited about continuing.
“I genuinely feel that I am able to express my true self online. I will put things out that resonate with me, and then they resonate with somebody else across the country. If you’re passionate about something, sharing it with the world is amazing because you never know who you will inspire or impact. Really, that is my favorite thing about social media. If I can inspire one person, that is all that matters to me.”
Sophie is currently living out her dreams in New York as her rise to fame in the fashion industry is just beginning! If you are interested in all things Sophie, check out her Instagram and TikTok accounts @stylewithsoco for more!
Some extras!!
When asked how she could stay true to her unique style in the constraints of a corporate dress code, Sophie shared that while working at Bloomingdale’s, she could express herself in more ways than some other corporate jobs may allow for, as Bloomingdale’s is a fashion company. On her first day, she wore a black and white polka dot dress instead of black pants to show her personality. She expressed that she has always been the type of girl to reach for the pink blazer over the black blazer. This is who she is; she was not ready to water down her style for a job. Sticking true to yourself while still remaining work-appropriate is key!
Sophie’s favorite places to shop are the NYC flea markets, where she gets a ton of secondhand pieces. The Ludlow flea and Chelsea flea are staples, as well as the East Village Crossroads Trading, which she stops by weekly! She also loves No Standing NYC, Heart and Lou’s, Seven Wonders Collective, and Tokio Seven. Sophie also loves vintage shopping in Paris, where she has gotten some of her favorite designer pieces, aside from those from her mom’s shop.
Sophie’s summer trend predictions are capris and athletic shorts paired with sandal heels. She is super excited to play with soft and hard vibes this summer, as she recently wore Adidas track pants with a tweed jacket and heels. She is also excited about many vibrant colors, fun, and unique jewelry stacks this summer!
Some advice from Sophie for all of us looking to enter the fashion industry: get as many fashion opportunities as possible on your resume and network!! She explained how small the fashion community is, that everyone knows everyone, and that leaving a good impression is very important. She also explained how important it is to be a good getter, “if you’re not doing it, someone else is.” You have to go after what you want, just as Sophie did.
About Alyssa Puccio
Alyssa is the college life editor. She is currently a senior majoring in English and minoring in social work on the pre-law track. After graduation Alyssa plans to attend law school. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, creative writing, and all things fashion.
Alyssa is the college life editor. She is currently a senior majoring in English and minoring in social work on the pre-law track. After graduation Alyssa plans to attend law school. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, creative writing, and all things fashion.
