Spring Trends

Miranda Priestly: "Florals? For spring? Ground breaking." -The Devil Wears Prada

As cliche as it may sound, I actually really enjoy florals in spring. Now this is definitely not a new concept but in my opinion, its a classic. As well as pastels. Spring is light, beautiful and sunny here in Southern California so a pastel color scheme matches the surroundings perfectly. Florals, although, can be quite tricky because you don't want to end up looking like your grandmother's couch. So if you are scared of taking the risk, start by just adding small pieces such as a floral purse or floral rimmed sunglasses. If you want to avoid it altogether, think about other pastel prints. Spring is a perfect time to experiment and update your closet getting ready for summer.

Stay tuned for some upcoming lookbooks!

xxx
Ashley

Nicholas K Fall 2014 Fashion Show

The first show that we went to during Fashion Week was one of my favorites. Nicholas K, a brother sister duo. They have an eye for creating beautiful shapes and achieving stunning draping. Every single shade of grey was carried throughout the collection, which drew my eye to it. One of Nicholas K's recent pieces even got film recognition when it was put on Jennifer Lawrence's character Katniss in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Stay tuned for more posts!

Love, Ashley xx

Best Dressed: The Oscars 2014

I could not choose only one best dressed celebrity starlet at The Oscars, so I chose four instead! In no particular order, my favorites were Jennifer Lawrence in Dior, Cate Blanchett in Armani, Lupita Nyong'o in Prada and Amy Adams in Gucci.

Each lady looked so effortless and stunning. In my opinion, they are best dressed because they are not over styled and have just the right amount of elegance and sexiness. Cate won this evening for her role in Blue Jasmine. As well as Lupita for her role in 12 Years A Slave. Both handled themselves so well and had lovely acceptance speeches.

xxx
Ashley

P.S. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the first 2k views of Down In The City!!

Ricardo Seco Fall 2014

The best finale of every fashion show that I attended was Ricardo Seco, by far! His show was the only full menswear collection that I saw and it did not disappoint. Ricardo Seco is a very infulential Mexican Designer and this was only his third time presenting at NYFW. The "FOREVER" collection was trendy and cool. The styling was incredible; all of the guys sported clean cut looks and some even wore awesome round shades. The garments were inspired heavily by the 60's with their sleek and sophisticated tailoring. Also, Ricardo took a bit of a different turn by using pastels, what are known as, "Spring colors" in the fall collection which set his garments apart from the crowd. The show ended with each model stepping up onto a box and being serenaded by beautiful music that worked so well with the incredible venue of The Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts.

Stay tuned for more of my adventures during NYFW!

xx
Ashley

NYFW Day 1: Erin Fetherston Fall/Winter 2014

Erin Fetherston had to be one of the most beautiful collections I have ever seen! The collection was shown in a presentation at the W hotel Union Square. The vibe of the hotel and the clothes together made me feel like I was being transported back in time. The collection was refined yet flirty, elegant and romantic. Emerald, sapphire and ruby tones made the clothes feminine and light. One of the most stunning elements of the collection was the delicate lace. Although it was definitely inspired by old-fashioned beauties such as Grace Kelly, it still managed to feel fresh and current. Overall, the collection had glamorous, lush, and romantic pieces perfect for lady-like city girls. Above are my 3 favorite pieces.

xx Ashley

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@avgumm

NYFW Day 1: Richard Chai LOVE + Men's Fall/Winter 2014

The first day of New York Fashion Week was a whirlwind! I attended 4 runway shows and 1 presentation. All of which were absolutely amazing in their own ways. Probably the biggest show of the day was Richard Chai. The front row was star studded- Joe Jonas, Colton Haynes, Bryan Greenberg, and Zachary Quinto, just to name a few.

Richard did a perfect job of blending neutral outerwear, sequins, and leather. Jewel tones accented throughout the whole collection. He kept with his signature geometric shapes and opted for stripes, plaid and lace-like prints. Overall, the collection was beautiful and fresh. Above are a few of my favorite looks from the show and a cheeky picture of Colton Haynes and myself after the show.

Stay tuned for more!

xx Ashley
Instagram: @avgumm

Photography credit: Matteo Prandoni for BFA

Travel Essentials

As I am packing for New York Fashion Week, I thought it would be a good idea to share a few of my travel essentials. I'm waking up very early tomorrow morning to catch a flight to NYC and I can't wait! Here are just a few things that I think are necessities.

Stay tuned all this week for daily posts about my adventures at Fashion Week starting Thursday!

Ashley
xxx

P.S. Follow me on Instagram for live posts!
@avgumm