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I get a lottttttt of packages! When I was younger and first moved to New York City, I remember spending hours lugging packages up from downstairs to my apartment. At that time, I think I was only 17, and that was just the beginning of my blogging career! I used to wish I didn’t receive as many packages as I did because throwing so many boxes out every day is a hassle! Now, I’m so blessed I followed my dreams because I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t kept pushing for my dreams…

On the topic of dreams, have you listened to This is Life Unfiltered, Episode 6? If you’re wondering what you can do to follow your dreams today, it might be helpful to listen to this very honest episode above!

On a good week, I’ll get about 2 packages. On other weeks, I can get upwards of 7. I do get quite a workout every time I bring the boxes out to be recycled, which makes for a lovely midday workout.

Happy Monday!

Xo,

Alexa

Everyone who knows me knows Gabe. Growing up, I was in love with Gabe. When we sat down last week to film a best friend tag, we couldn’t stop laughing about all of the stuff we’ve been through together. Like when I kissed him in my parents basement because I was SO obsessed with him! Because I spent so much of my time when I was younger worrying about not having strong friends around me, I was always thinking about what came next. Instead, I should’ve realized that I didn’t need more people because no one will ever match Gabe. This kid has been with me through every up and down, every bad business decision, and most importantly: every time someone told me no.

I don’t know where I’d be without you Gabe. Listen to Episode 6 below, and you might be quite shocked to hear what people told us when we wanted to transfer to online school from our public high school.

Xo,

Alexa

Wow, what a morning! I teamed up with Lane Bryant for a KTLA segment this morning. I’m thrilled that this segment happened today, because yesterday I found myself surfing through YouTube & Instagram seeing some content that I wish I hadn’t seen. Between Oscar De La Renta models on Instagram, and Victoria Secret models working out on YouTube, I had to sit back for a second and turn off my cell phone last night. I’m in total support of people working hard in the gym, eating right, and taking care of their bodies, but yesterday, I had an epiphany. These models are so highly paid, endorsed, and respected in this industry, that no one is willing to speak out about the type of content they are putting on their social pages. Specifically, certain magazines like Vogue, that shares videos, Instagram stories, and Snapchats of everyones favorite VS models working out. Titles like “How I Got Ready for the VS Runway Show” and “My Last Workout Before the VS Show” filled my social pages at the beginning of this week. The fashion show, which happened this week, is known for being the fashion show of the year. Models spend months preparing to walk down that runway, and it’s a career moment if you make it to modeling for that company. However, I don’t find those girls to be role models. Because the company is so known, it seems like a blurry line between talking about the top models, and promoting unhealthy obsessions and regimes. They might be role models because of how beautiful and wealthy they are, but are magazines promoting the right content by sharing videos about how much a model restricts before a runway show? I’d love to know your feedback: let me know in the comments below, or email me.

I decided to choose 7 natural models for this segment, because of the way that looking at underweight and fitness obsessed models makes me feel. That feeling in one word is insecure. I want people to watch my work and understand that I am just like you. I feel the same way when I look at models that other people feel. I wish that more natural models were asked to walk down top runways instead of all size 0 ones, but that just means I have to work a bit harder to help direct the industry in the way it needs to go.

Traveling is my favorite part about the career path I’ve chosen. I used to spend hours planning trips when I was younger, with the intention of one day being able to travel and venture around the world. Maui was always one of those cities that I dreamed of seeing since I was little, and I always said that the minute I could afford a ticket, I’d take myself there. Since my boyfriend and I just celebrated our one year anniversary, I wanted to treat us both to something special, and a trip to Hawaii was the first gift that came to mind! I told myself I wasn’t going to work or try and get any cool freebies, but I couldn’t resist. We ended up getting to zipline for free with Skyline Eco Adventures, hang by the pool at the Hyatt, and drive on the road to Hana to see the sunset over the coast. I’m proud to be able to say I finally got to Maui, and all I had to do was work hard to get myself there!

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Xo,

Alexa

Wearing an H&M sweater and Joe’s Jeans

I was asked to speak at Love Your Body day with Karen Michelle LA on Sunday at the LUXE Sunset BLVD Hotel! Karen Michelle is a super cool boutique in Los Angeles that caters to all sizes, so you can pretty much walk in that store and know you’re going to be able to find something that makes you look and feel fabulous. Since I take social media off on Sunday, I wasn’t on my phone the whole day, which was refreshing because I was feeling like I needed a break. I have times where I feel like I can easily sit on my phone for hours a day, and on other days, I get overwhelmed and stressed with my phone. It’s an interesting feeling to be working and not posting tons of live content, because that’s what I’m so used to doing during the week. I had to remind myself yesterday that being off of my phone doesn’t mean that I’m not still actively doing something: I’m just living in the moment!

I was one of three speakers for the event, and I was in great company! Shea Vaughn, who is Vince Vaughn’s mom, spoke prior to me, and an inspiring eating recovery specialist spoke after me. I don’t always get to speak to my target demographic (which is primarily parents and young adults) so I was thrilled to finally speak to an audience that can relate to what I speak on. Each speaker was only given 3-4 minutes to speak, so I briefly touched on my nonprofit, M.I.N.T., and the concept behind my blog. Many people don’t know that I come from a small, sheltered town in Eastern, CT, and I initially wanted to be a model because I thought that was the only way I’d be successful. Once I stopped modeling at age 16, and decided to pursue my blog (because I didn’t know what else I’d do) I found myself recovering from my body image issues, and truly finding peace with myself and my mission to inspire teens across the globe. The moral of that story is that you may follow your dreams and end up going in a different direction that will lead you to your ultimate destiny. Life is all about experimenting and finding your true passion.

Xo,

Alexa

Yeah… me neither. And you know what? I don’t think I’ve ever been that size. That’s right… I skipped it. I literally went from like a size 14 in girls to a size 8 in women’s overnight. Or that’s what it felt like…

The first time I ever even thought twice about my size was in my 2nd grade class. A bunch of us kids were instructed to all sit down in a circle for an activity. We sat down, and a kid who I won’t name said, “Whoa! You have fat legs!” 

Um… what? I thought I was like everyone else?! Heart. Sunk. 

From that moment on, I would constantly question my mom about my weight. I remember waiting for the school bus and crying about my outfit. My mom asked me why, and I told her because I felt fat. 

FAT. 

Are you kidding me? It’s hard to believe that one foolish kids’ comment could have such an impact on my life. But it did. 

Throughout elementary school, we had the coolest babysitter ever and I wanted to be her when I grew up. One day, I realized her shorts were a size smaller than mine and she was 10 years older than me. Ouch. That realization was devastating to me.

The next period of life that stands out to me is in middle school. This is when they started weighing and measuring everyone in PE class. I weighed 135 pounds in 7th grade and thought I was huge.

HUGE. 

Seriously? 

This is around the time that I started being exposed to a lot of media and I remember seeing music videos of Mariah Carey and thinking “it’s okay, Ashley, maybe when you grow up you will lose the baby fat and look like her.” Whoa. That’s some serious self dis-respect at such a young age, don’t you think? 

In 8th grade, I discovered Billy Blanks Tae-Bo and would secretly work out in my bedroom. My mom caught me a few times, and always gave me positive reinforcement which I still appreciate. Sure, it was healthy to do something active. But I was doing it for the wrong reasons… I wanted to be thin. I wanted to fit in with what society said was beautiful. 

Fast forward to high school… guys started referring to me as “thick”, which was better than hearing the words “fat”… and to be honest, I didn’t hate my body. I just wanted to be able to fit into the cute clothes my friends were wearing. I didn’t want to be an outcast. I wanted to be viewed as beautiful. And I didn’t feel that way, because I wasn’t the standard. 

In 10th grade, I put myself on a diet. I would eat Chocolate Cookie Dough Slim Fast bars for lunch and I was on the weight watchers program. Sure, I saw results. I felt better. But WHY was I doing this? WHY was I so secretly obsessed with changing my body at such a young age? I guess you could blame the media, or the mean kids who bullied me because I was bigger than them. But at the end of the day, you’re in charge of what you do with your life and what you make of yourself. I can’t blame anyone.

My point is this: I spent my whole childhood trying to be something I wasn’t. Don’t be like me. Love yourself the way you are. You don’t need to be held to any sort of standard.

Whether or not you’re big or small, or if you have body image issues or not… I beg of you: be nice, and love yourself. You never know what someone is going through on the inside, and what you say could impact someone forever. 

My hope and prayer to the generations that come after me is that no matter what size or shape you are, that you still feel beautiful. This is why I fight for body positivity. Because when I hear a 12 year old girl call herself “fat and ugly,” it breaks my heart. No, you’re not fat and ugly. You are beautiful. 

By the way, I realized in my late 20’s that no matter how “thin” I got, I would never be smaller than a size 10 because of my body frame. So cut yourself some slack. Stop worrying about what size you are. I’m a 14-16 now, and when I’m really taking care of my health sometimes I can squeeze into a 12. 

Be you, and be good to yourself.

xoxo, Ashley Dorough

Alrightttt, I know you’re all wondering how you become famous. Don’t deny you’ve wondered how people make it as an actress, an influencer, or any type of personality. It’s hard to not wonder what being a celebrity is like, since the minute you walk out of your front door you’re bombarded with every type of media figure possible. Is being an actor actually what it’s cracked up to be? Heck, is being an “influencer” anything like what Aimee Song or Chiara Ferragni show on Instagram?

You may know Kimberly J. Brown from the hit movie Halloweentown that first premiered in 1998. Since the premiere, Kimberly has appeared in three Halloweentown movies, and has starred in tons of other hit shows along the way. She’s 32, and has been in the industry since she was 6 years old, performing and acting. Over the past ten years, she has proven herself more than most celebrities ever will. Kimberly won an Independent Spirit Award for her performance in an indie film, which she says was totally unlike working on a high budget TV show like Law & Order: SVU. When she’s not acting and attending casting calls, you can find her mentoring other actors, working on her YouTube channel, and writing kids books. Let’s just say, there’s a brain behind her beauty. We had the chance to meet with her at our new studio in Culver City, CA and ask her everything about the entertainment industry and what people should know before they move to Hollywood to become a star. Oh, and what the f*** an established actress thinks about YouTube overnight sensations.

Kimberly is answering all of your questions about what you’ve always wondered about being a celebrity, and getting into the acting business. Listen below, and don’t forget to rate + subscribe! 

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Ep. 4 with Sophie Elgort, you can listen below!

Xo,

Alexa

Since I’ve made the transfer from being a fashion blogger to a lifestyle blogger, I’ve gotten out of the fashion scene. I have no clue how to put proper outfits together anymore, which is one of the key reasons why I hired a stylist to do just that for me. I can totally swing a pair of cute jeans and a comfy sweater, but I’m not even interested in attempting to stack every ring and bracelet on my body until I look like I’ve just walked out of a jewelry store.

Before I headed to Lake Tahoe, I had a fitting for some winter outfits so that I wouldn’t completely freeze on my mini trip. Regardless of where in the world you live, layering is an easy way to take your style to a new level. In these pictures, I’m wearing a graphic tank over a knit sweater with a jacket on top of that. I’ve never even considered wearing a top on top of a sweater, but it totally took the look to a new level. If I had worn the top with no sweater, I wouldn’t have gotten the same winter layering vibe that I was going for with the different pieces.

My layering tips for winter:

1. Throw color in

You can see how we didn’t stay with the same color scheme throughout the entire look: if we had done that, the layering would have looked less like layering and more like a mop of clothing put together.

2. When experimenting is key…

I was incredibly hesitant about putting a top on top of a sweater, but Michael always knows what he’s doing so I knew I had to trust him. The cool thing about experimenting with style is that you never have to worry about being “too much” or going too far out of the box. Style is always about what you want to make it. If you’re a teen OR an adult, the same rules still apply to you. Always be your own person and let it shine through with what you’re wearing.

3. Playing with graphics

If you’re planning to do a graphic top and a graphic jacket like we did, be careful to make sure that each piece isn’t trying to outshine the other one. There’s nothing worse than wearing two statement pieces at once. 

TOMORROW ON THIS IS LIFE UNFILTERED: HALLOWEENTOWN ACTRESS Kimberly J. Brown is joining us! 

Xo,

Alexa

NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO JUST WENT UP! 

A recap of my KTLA segment + time hanging with this beauty on set a few weeks ago just went up in a new video. #SexEdForTeens is back on FRIDAY, and we’ve got some awesome content coming up. I’m talking about STD’s, finding the right girl/guy for you, dating in 2017 and more. This is Life Unfiltered has been getting some really awesome comments as well, ranging from guests people want to hear on to topics people want us to talk about.  I’m quite excited for the episode I’ll be filming this week on how I got myself sponsored by British Airways at age 16.  People always think I’m joking when I tell them British Airways has been sponsoring me since I was a kid, but I’m not lying. That was the best pitch email I’ve ever written, too! Hopefully, we’ll have a guest locked in for the sponsorship episode because I think it would be incredibly valuable to have a social media star talk about another experience landing sponsorships and gigs.

I realized that I didn’t edit out the part of the video where I mention how I thought Alessandra was underweight, if you watch until the end of my new video. I almost went and deleted the video, and then I realized that you guys follow my work (hopefully along with other reasons) to see the real side of this industry AND who I am.  I’m not afraid to say that I think people would be healthier with a few more pounds on them. It’s not my business, nor do I get affected by the way other people look, but I do find it concerning that so many young girls look up to celebrities who talk openly about what they do to make their bodies look a certain way. VS models in particular are incredibly vocal about what they do to maintain their tiny figures before the annual runway show in December. If you’re a parent reading this, do you let your children watch the anticipated fashion show? What do you think about Victoria Secret models and are they really role models?

Episode 5 of This is Life Unfiltered will be up on WEDNESDAY at 4 AM PST (I’m getting quite exhausted waking up every Wednesday at 3:50 AM) and 7 AM EST. Don’t forget to subscribe + write a review- I read through ALL of them!

Xo,

Alexa

I walked my first red carpet on Saturday at the WildAid Gala in Beverly Hills, CA and it was crazzyyy! I’ve never done anything like that, and it was an incredible experience and opportunity. I had my AMAZING STYLIST (he’s literally my new God) put together a look worthy of my first red carpet outing, and he ended up putting this rad dress together with a Moschino NATURE jacket. I didn’t initially think the glitter and jacket matched well, but when he paired it with the black + white heels, the whole look came together. My style has been evolving drastically the longer I’ve stayed in LA, which I wasn’t expecting when I moved here. Since the weather is always above 65 degrees, I can wear summer clothing 24/7. I went with simple hair and makeup since I wasn’t expecting to get bright red cheeks like I usually do on TV sets (people like to call me tomato), and the simple bun paired well with the extravagant dress. Josh Duhamel told me he liked my jacket, which made my entire night go from 0-100 in a matter of seconds. Can you tell how invested he is in my jacket orrrrr.

LA is such a different scene from NYC. Going out here is the opposite of what it was like in Manhattan- people actually socialize here! Going out in NYC is all about wearing as much black as you can and trying to avoid socializing with anyone besides your core friend group. I’ve heard terrible stories of how fake people in Hollywood are, however I have yet to meet someone who wasn’t as genuine as I’d been hoping. You notice how much happier you are when you surround yourself with people who lift you up instead of bring you down, which is something that I’ve spoken about frequently on my platforms. Don’t fill your feed with people who don’t make you feel like you’re being the best version of yourself.

Xo,

Alexa