Laura knew from a young age what she liked when it came to fashion. Now she’s helping everyday families and even NFL players find the same confidence.
Some people start college with their goals crystallized.
Others use the experiences along the way to chart a path. Texas Tech University alumna Laura Fedock certainly fell into the second category. Through the relationships she built in the College of Media & Communication and the classes she took, she was empowered to start her own company called Life+STYLE by Laura.
Laura serves a variety of clientele – including women, men and children. In recent years, she’s added many collegiate and professional athletes to her client list, too. Then, with the introduction of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) in college athletics, she’s taken on even more work – especially from Texas Tech Athletics.
When Texas Tech’s all-time leading rusher, Tahj Brooks, was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in April, he was sporting an ensemble Laura hand selected for him.
“I’ve always wanted to work with Tahj and obviously I’m a Texas Tech fan,” Laura said. “I knew he didn’t have anybody doing his draft look, so I reached out.”
With Brooks, he picked out the shoes first and Laura built his outfit around that.
“Laura is someone who genuinely cares,” Brooks said. “Not just what you do on the field, but off. She wants you to look fire on game day, but it’s deeper than that. She enjoys building relationships with each of her clients.”
The Scarlet & Black
When Laura arrived at Texas Tech in 2001, she had specific passions: faith, family, fashion and sports.
And while Texas Tech has an apparel design program, Laura didn’t see herself doing that. She loved styling clothes that were already created, and she had too many interests to commit to one focus.
She graduated with honors with two degrees – broadcast journalism and advertising, along with two minors in creative writing and French. Laura tailor-made her education the same way she creates a timeless ensemble.
It’s something she’s done since she was 3.
“Every mom dreams of being able to dress up their daughter, but my mom wasn’t able to do that,” Laura jested.
One day when Laura was in preschool, her mother purchased a pink dress with a matching bow from a children’s boutique in their Houston suburb.
Laura was having none of it.
“I’m not a pink person,” she asserted. “I prefer shades of red, like scarlet.”
One of the reasons Laura decided on Texas Tech was because of its location, and it didn’t hurt that she loved the school colors. It was far enough away she wouldn’t be tempted to go home each weekend. However, she could return on a quick flight if need be.
This was a big move considering how close Laura is with her family.
“My brother was dying from the day he was born,” Laura said.
Her older brother Brian had been diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder causing tumors to form in the brain, spinal cord and even along the nerves. After having Laura, their parents relocated to Kingwood, Texas. It was a promotion for her father, but most importantly, it put the family next to a premiere medical facility for Brian.
By the time Laura was ready for college, Brian was in school himself, closer to home, and he wanted her to have her own adventure.
“There was something so special about Texas Tech,” she mused. “I felt it from the time I came up for university day.”
So, as she does with everything, Laura threw herself fully into the experience.
“My parents are both perfectionists, so I never stood a chance,” she joked. “That’s the Taurus in me; it’s just the way God made me.”
Laura selected two degrees, she rushed and joined a sorority, she lived in the dorms and attended as many campus events as she could. She also was accepted into the Raider Recruiters (now known as President’s Select). This led to a job with Texas Tech Athletics where she helped host top-level recruits.
For the Both of Us
In the middle of Laura’s junior year, Brian’s health suddenly took a turn for the worse. A tumor overtook the part of his brain that controls breathing.
It was inoperable.
“He was in a coma the last year of his life,” Laura said. “He never complained, and he never gave up.”
The family thought he would pass away months before he did, but Brian wanted one last Christmas. Laura and her parents turned their home into a hospice space and made it a magical final Christmas for Brian.
He passed away Jan. 7, 2004.
As friends headed back to Lubbock for the spring semester, Laura spoke at her brother’s memorial service in front of several hundred people. She did not take any time off from school to grieve, though.
“My brother wouldn’t have wanted me to do that,” she says. “He would have wanted me to live my life. I was like, ‘I’m going to live this life for the both of us,’ and believe I am.”
The Family You Make
Laura would grieve off and on for years, but loss didn’t turn her inward. It granted her a new outlook on life and helped her practice gratitude each day. Even though she lost a family member, she was bolstered by the relationships at Texas Tech.
The connections she made in athletics especially provided her with a sense of family.
“I worked under Mike Leach and helped occasionally with some things for Bob Knight,” Laura recalled.
She saw value and purpose in each athlete she met.
“When a big recruit would come in, I’d be assigned to one,” she said.
She remembers each time was different. She also was smart enough to recognize decisions were rarely made in silos.
“For some recruits, it was really important for their mom or sister, or whoever was visiting with them, to feel comfortable,” she said.
It wasn’t enough to convince the student alone.
Some of the recruits Laura hosted were offensive lineman like Rylan Reed and Cody Campbell. Laura was a part of recruiting the largest offensive line in the country; the group that went on to be known for their air raid offense.
Some of the memories Laura will never forget were just the average weekday evenings when she’d cook for her friends, though.
“Cesar Martinez and Vincent Meeks were roommates,” Laura said of the former running back and safety from the 2005 season. “We're still good friends to this day.”
Laura knew they needed a lot of carbs before games, so her go-to was chicken spaghetti casserole. She’d let Martinez and Meeks pick a few different teammates to bring along each time.
Those dinners were as much a gift to the players as they were to Laura. Even though she’d lost her brother, she adopted the team as family and surrounded herself with guys she considers to be friends, if not brothers, to this day.
Building Her Brand
After graduating from Texas Tech, Laura dabbled in a few different marketing jobs before realizing she wasn’t fulfilled. In 2009, she moved to Dallas, where her parents had relocated.
“My mom gave me great advice, she said, ‘Look, I know you’re not happy. Why don't you get a job at Nordstrom, enjoy a discount, and figure out what you want to do.’”
And according to Laura, the rest is history.
She worked at Nordstrom for four years, gaining confidence in her ability to not only style customers, but build relationships. She thrived in the one-on-one interactions.
Finally, Laura decided it was time to go out on her own. She founded Life+Style by Laura in 2012. Since that time, she’s taken on more than 1,000 clients and styled athletes from Texas Tech, Texas A&M, University of Southern California, University of Georgia, University of Alabama, Louisiana State University, University of Michigan and countless others.
Some of those athletes she’s followed to the NFL, such as DaShaun White who played for the San Francisco 49ers, and Matt Jones, a linebacker for the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I met Laura through my college strength and conditioning coach,” White recalled. “He knew of my interest in clothing and fashion and paired us up knowing it’d be a match.”
White says he’s learned a lot from Laura in the time they’ve worked together, not just about clothing, but about life.
“Laura is selfless,” he said. “I’ve grown up around many people who’ve been kind enough to help me along my journey and Laura is at the top of that list.”
Jones met Laura when he played at Baylor.
“I’ve learned more than I can count from Laura,” Jones said. “I’ve learned how to style myself more professionally. It’s not always about getting what’s most popular.
“But what impresses me most is her heart. She isn’t just involved in fashion, styling and sponsorships. She truly cares about her clients outside of work. Most people only work hard for money, but Laura is there for you no matter the time of day.”
Tahj Brooks was fond of the outfit they put together for draft day, but he was equally impressed that Laura took the time to style his girlfriend with the same attention to detail.
The new Bengals player heard about Laura’s work through the Texas Tech community. He knew a basketball player who’d worked with her and got connected.
“I trusted her because the Red Raider family is close and they’re genuine people,” Brooks said.
Back to the Basics
As much as Laura loves working with college athletes, the backbone of her business is still everyday people. And as NIL deals continue to change the fabric of college athletics, she doesn’t want to get so tunnel visioned she loses sight of why she started her company.
“I am still the only fashion stylist in the country to sponsor collegiate athletes with NIL,” she said. “Just like with all my clients, my job is to make sure people believe in themselves, right now. That they feel confident in their skin, right now.”
“I have yet to meet anybody who doesn’t have some level of body dysmorphia – man or woman. So often I'll hear people say, ‘Oh, I’m going to lose 20 pounds first, and then I’ll buy clothes.’”
Laura’s outlook is that confidence starts now. It’s not a reward to be withheld until you reach perfection – a lesson she’s continuously learned since college.
One thing Laura carries with her from her studies at Texas Tech is the power of a good brand.
“You are your own brand, and that’s something you should take pride in,” she said.
She wants her client who is wearing his very first suit for a job interview to feel as confident as the NFL player walking onto the field in front of thousands of people.
“Fashion is my in, but I love helping people with all aspects of their life,” she said.
Her clients may start by knowing her as the person who helped them pick out a new pair of jeans, but she becomes someone they go to with other parts of their life. She’s sat with families during times of loss and celebration, too. She is everyone’s go-to encourager.
And while Laura will always be a Red Raider, what’s paramount to her is the people in her life always know she’s on their team.