A Quick Q&A with Miss Gunner’s Ashley Schuberg

Voted one of the top 10 Influencers at Australia’s Top 50 Influencer Awards this year, the Miss Gunner blog, created by Ashley Schuberg, is an enviable feast for the eyes. It is filled with articles and images that track Ashley’s life as she travels the world in style, while wearing great clothing and using cool beauty products. In other words, a visual diary of stylish self discovery.

Ashley, who was born in Thailand and moved to Australia at the age of eight, launched her blog in 2015. Her unique perspective mixes her Thai heritage with her “girl about town” stories of living in the bustling city of Sydney. In 2016 she gave up her day job as a dental hygienist to devote herself to her blog full time.

It’s a move that paid off as she has lined up collaborations and campaigns with the likes of  Microsoft, UNIQLO, Missguided, Sofitel, ShopBop, Jo Mercer and Banyan Tree, just to name a few. And now fans of her blog will be able to follow her new big adventure, moving to London. Ashley took the leap to conquer Cool Britannia, in what she is calling her  “F*ck it year”. She plans on just talking life as it comes and seeing what this fashion capital has to offer a dynamic young woman with big blogger dreams.

Here Ashley talks about her passion for shopping, how other bloggers have inspired her and the challenges of picking up sticks and moving across the globe to London.

The front page of the latest Miss Gunner’s article “My Big London Move!”.

Q: How did you first get interested in fashion?

A: These days I live and breathe fashion! But I don’t have a fashion background, I trained as a dental hygienist. I always had an undying love for fashion, even from a really young age when I used to try on my mum’s handbags and dresses as a toddler. Then in my 20s, when I wasn’t working, I was always researching new trends, looking for new brands that I can purchase and re-creating different trends and looks in my own way. Then a few years ago I became really determined to make a living from this passion and it worked! Where there’s a will there’s a way!

Q: What made you finally decide to launch out on your own and create your brand and blog?

A: Ok first you’ll need to try and understand my obsession with clothes. Like most girls, I love shopping! But, like, I LOVE shopping. My body just lights up when I see new looks that I like. So I spend most of my free time researching and buying new clothes.

So I was working really long hours and online shopping was always my outlet. It was a hobby, but one day my husband said to me, since I shop so much I might as well take some photos of my outfits and start a blog! I love mixing my outfits with some designer pieces and fast fashion pieces. I am a real person with a real budget and I wanted to showcase to my followers that they can create amazing looks with pieces they can afford. The thought of being in a position where I could naturally share interesting, relatable and affordable content with fashion followers was key to my decision to doing this.

I didn’t think anyone would look at my blog, and I could only dream of working full time as a fashion blogger. Fear can stop you from really going after what you love. But for me, I had nothing to lose, worst case was that I got to share what I really love with like-minded people and that to me was a win-win situation. Then my blog started growing and getting some traction, and I never looked back! I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve had through my blog. I get to shop for a living and I wake up happy and excited because I get to do what I love every single day.

Ashley strikes a pose in London.

Q: What was your big break?

A: My big break was my first Cleo shoot and interview on Australia’s up and coming bloggers back in late 2015. That was when I realised that I wanted to take things a bit more seriously.

Q: Who inspires you?

A: I really look up to other bloggers! I spend most of my time on social media and I love looking at other bloggers and how they style an outfit. It’s the individual personal takes on fashion that I love. I love trends that are wearable and I find other bloggers relatable because they wear things that I can afford and buy with just a click of a button! Aimee Song was always a huge inspiration for me. I love her style because I feel that LA is so much like Sydney and I can pretty much wear everything she wears… or at least I try to! I started following her when she first started and now she has to be one of the most influential fashion bloggers in the world.

Apart from Aimee, I look up to my peers, and that’s anyone who you see me having little conversations with in replies on my Insta account – all of these girls are doing amazing things in the bloggersphere! I love them so much! You know who you are!

Q: Who living or dead would you love to be able to have dinner with?

A: Lydia Millen (@lydiaemillen) – she’s just super positive and beautiful and down to earth and I know I would just get along great with her.

Q: What is your favorite trip?

A: There’s nothing that makes me happier than driving along the Amalfi Coast on a clear blue day, having a quick granita stop and then arriving to my happy place – Positano. We’ve made a habit of going every year and I hope that never stops!

Q: When are you happiest?

A: When I’m shopping, eating and traveling!! Hahaha I’m a huge foodie and I love finding cute cafes and yummy restaurants. So if I get to spend my day shopping and stopping somewhere delicious for lunch, then I’m a happy girl!

Q: What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing?

A: I’m relocating to London so I am leaving everything behind (including my custom wardrobe!) and starting again in London. So trying to pack up my life as well as preparing for Sydney Fashion week isn’t the easiest thing to do at the same time! But I am so excited and couldn’t be happier. I’m ready to face the challenges so bring it on!

Miss Gunner’s Instagram feed.

Q: What is your secret talent ?

A: I’m really good at cleaning people’s teeth! I’ve been told I have really gentle hands! Hahaha I’m also really good with kids! Dentistry can be a scary thing but it’s how you make a patient feel that can really affect their experience for the rest of their lives. One bad visit to a dentist as a child and you’ll have a phobia for life, so I love working with kids!

Q: What is your motto or the best piece of advice you ever got?

A: Life begins outside your comfort zone! For me starting my blog was way outside my comfort zone. I was worried people would judge me and think that I was crazy to want to take photos of myself and post it up on social media. So for the longest time, I didn’t tell any of my friends about my blogging life until one day I couldn’t hide from them anymore because they started seeing my photos come up on their discovery page!

If I had have given into my fear back then, there wouldn’t be Miss Gunner today. My blog has allowed me to work with brands that I love, make friends with inspiring people and travel around the world. Life is short, so spend your time doing more of the things you love! Quitting my job as a dental hygienist to become a full time blogger was outside my comfort zone but I wouldn’t have it any other way, because it has lead me to where I am today. I’m happier and more content with my life than I’ve ever been. This happens when you get to wake up and do what you love every day.

Q: What emoji do you use the most?

A: The laughing emoji of course!!

Q: What is the latest Instagram feed you decided to follow?

@helloemilie has so many beautiful photos! I’m not the only one that thinks that because she has over 1 million followers!

Jessica Michault

Jessica Michault is the Senior Vice President of industry relations at GPS Radar by Launchmetrics. She is also the editor-at-large for ODDA magazine and contributes to publications like the New York Times, the Business of Fashion, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Mixte magazine.