Ashton Michael

Ashton from Stylelikeu on Vimeo.

“Always remember that a big slice of humble pie is best with a shot of whiskey, sarcastic smurk, and realness.” Ashton Michael

occupation: designer

Ashton was born and raised in East LA, where he was a child actor, growing up on tv and movie sets. Today, the bow tie tattoo on the front of his neck, and his “Dali” moustache exclaim the dramatic, “dapper dan” in him. However, don’t let his highly visual appearance fool you, as today, Ashton is all about focusing on the background artistry, “behind the scenes.” With his partner, Marko Martone, they are center stage as the founders of The House of Infinite Radness, where performers experience a 360 in fashion and beauty styling, head-to-toe, including access to Ashton’s own “glamourized, ghetto punk” clothing line. Ashton says, “give me a treatment, give me a…

Kimme Aaberg

“Even though it’s where I’ve spent the majority of my life, I’m still endlessly inspired by Los Angeles. I think it’s the perfect place with amazing contrasts – lavender jacaranda trees and trashy lingerie.” Kimme Aaberg

occupation: designer, blogger, and stylist

“If you are not your own muse, who is?” kind of says it all for me. It’s one thing to admire people, like the way Kimme is inspired by Evelyn Nesbit, the first “it” girl (she takes my breath away too), but it’s another to give it all up to someone else and not feel that you have it within yourself to touch others with your own expression. Kimme lets it rip with her interpretations of the world – everything from dresses that are “’30s and ’40s through the eyes of the ’70s” to her love for the romantic, like
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Gregory Alexander

“As long as you are comfortable and confident in what you’re wearing, than it will look good. Confidence is everything.” Gregory Alexander

occupation: promoter and accessories designer

Gregory has our whole SLU office running out to DIY Army/Navy boots in his dead on interpretation of black and white court jester chic. They are so ultra-modern and classic that when worn with his Gray Ant floor-length skirt, crisp Margiela striped button-down, and vintage maitre’d's jacket, Gregory takes on the aura of English butler-meets-2010′s version of Gosford Park. Had Anthony been hanging in the turn-of-the-century French country side at the horse races, Edgar Degas might have painted his portrait in his Raf Simmons futuristic version of jockey sophisticate shirt, Commes for H&M jodphurs, and bondage knapsack of his own design. In fact and sad to say, the gentry of the late 1800s/early 1900s might…

Lesa Amoore

“Fashion is, by design, mood-depending, and energy-altering. That is my favorite thing about it.” Lesa Amoore

occupation: creative director, consultant, stylist, and photographer

Lesa is a mom with a successful modeling career under her belt, including Vogue covers, world travels, and that “less is more” style that comes from experience. When you’ve been around enough of the new season’s runway boots, you develop an eye for the eternally perfect ones that take you everywhere and go with everything, like her buttery leather Margiela ones that have a nail for a heel. As she says, “they are just rock and roll enough, without being over-the-top or losing any classic perks.” It’s hard to deny their classic, edgy power when worn with anything from a clean black dress to leggings to jeans. Lesa’s penchant for the understated brought on an interesting dilemma when iconic hairdresser Oribe convinced her to play with…

Leon Bing

On writing Do or Die: “It woke me up in a lot of ways. Consciousness begins to uncoil and the antennae begin to pulse, because you’re seeing things you’re not used to. I wasn’t that far from having been a model, where all you had to bring were your cheekbones. Suddenly, how I looked didn’t matter.” Leon Bing

occupation: author

I love how Leon says, without an ounce of pretension (after a career as a muse for the legendary designer Rudi Gernreich), that she was never trendy. She arrived in New York City to model in jeans and left in jeans. I “found” Leon in jeans when I came to her home in Pasadena do this feature. I discovered Leon when I read a review of Swans and Pistols in the Style section of the New York Times (that captures, among many…