Trendsetter of the Week: Ashley Gallardo

Isabella Kinney
Jan 2, 2021
4 min read

If you love watching fashion videos on TikTok, need fashion inspo, or just need a new girl crush, Ashley is your girl! I found Ashley on TikTok and quickly became obsessed with her videos and her style. I just knew I had to reach out to her and get to know her.

Ashley's Tiktok has become one of my favorite profiles I have followed, she has over 30K followers and over 404K likes. Her videos usually show her outfit and where she got it from and why she picked certain pieces. Her personality really shows in her videos which is why I like her so much, she is genuine and you can see how happy she is when she talks about fashion.

I got to ask her some questions that gives more insight on her life and her TikTok journey, so if you wanna know more about Ashley just keep reading and enjoy!

What made you join TikTok?

"I actually joined because of my 10-year-old little sister. She downloaded the app on my phone and created an account for me about a year ago -- I didn’t think much of it and honestly thought it all about dancing videos. So I didn’t really use the app at first and I had no intention of creating videos at the time."

How has TikTok changed you?

"I would say it’s mostly impacted my confidence in my styling abilities and my desire to pursue a career related to fashion. It’s so motivating and encouraging that people actually care to see and follow what I wear and how I style pieces, and it absolutely warms my heart that I can inspire others to share and explore their own personal style. I overall just feel more confident in myself and in the direction I want to go in life. With that being said, one of the downsides of creating content online is that it’s easy to compare yourself to others and also be really critical of yourself. While I appreciate so much the love I’ve received on Tik Tok, l try not to use it as a source of validation, but rather post videos with the intention of sharing who I am and what I love to do. Having a healthy relationship with social media is so important, and I really just want to prioritize being my most authentic self and encouraging others to do the same."

How long have you been into fashion?

"Literally, for as long as I can remember. I loved playing dress-up all throughout my childhood, and at some point, I even had my own little booklet where I sketched outfit ideas. In high school, I started thrift shopping and caring more about my sense of fashion. My personal style wasn't completely developed at that time, I pretty much just lived in circle skirts and over the knee socks. When college rolled around, I started experimenting with clothing more and following YouTubers such as Best Dressed, but my style was still pretty toned down because I feel like I was still trying to fit in, rather than stand out. Now here we are, post-college and mid pandemic, the time I’ve spent alone really catapulted me into my love for fashion. Styling my clothes and experimenting with different looks became my favorite pastime. So it’s always been a hobby/interest of mine, but it was only this year that I started to consider pursuing it as a career route."

Who are your fashion icons?

"I have so many! But when looking for inspiration, I usually gravitate to the below people on Instagram. Their style is just... chefs kiss."

@Isthisfate
@saraxking
@Curlyfrysfeed
@orioncarloto
@Urfavfamen
@Lexonator

What would you like to do in the future?

"Oooooo this is a good question. And I wish I had a more well-defined answer, but truthfully, I haven't really decided exactly what I want to do. I know for a fact that I am going to further explore the fashion industry. My passion for fashion is undeniable at this point, and I feel like if I don’t seek opportunities related to fashion & styling then I’d just be ignoring everything that I feel is pulling me in. I feel a strong motivation to just try anything and everything. I want to try creating style bundles, continue working as a stylist for photoshoots, and maybe even potentially explore a career in merchandising/fashion buying. In my head, nothing really seems off-limits, it's just a matter of trying it out and deciding whether it feels like my thing or not and going from there."

"Just experiment and wear what you want! I believe wearing what you truly want to wear starts with developing a healthy relationship with the way you view yourself and releasing other people’s opinions of you."

What is your best fashion advice?

"For a long time, I limited my style because of the insecurities and fear of judgment from others. My personal style really started to feel the most authentic and true to me once I began practicing self-affirmations and stopped over-valuing the opinions of others. Fashion is one of the greatest forms of self-expression, and what other people think about you or what you’re wearing truly doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are wearing clothes that you LOVE, that truly feel like YOU, and make you feel GOOD."

What describes your aesthetic?

"Ah, this is a hard one! I’d say kind of a mixture of eclectic modern vintage? Sometimes I wear really bold and unique pieces, but I also pull a lot of inspiration from vintage fashion when it comes to accessories and silhouettes. But then sometimes I add a touch of modern style and incorporate things that are more trendy at the moment."