my style

NAME: Ashley McCarty

AGE: 22

NEIGHBORHOOD/TOWN: Buckhead

OCCUPATION: Hair colorist and up-do specialist at Van Michael Salon

SIGNATURE STYLE: Classy with an edge

WHAT I’M WEARING: McCarty is wearing a plaid cropped jacket and jeans by See Thru Soul, both from Nordstrom; clutch purse by Matt & Nat; and boots by Steve Madden.

A FASHION PET PEEVE: “When people don’t have their own sense of style. I hate to see somebody doing something just because that is what they think they should do. “

ATLANTA STYLE IS … : “what you want it to be. There are so many different types of styles here and pretty much anything goes. You can really just have the look that you want to have.”

BEST FIND: “My Cynthia Rowley bag that I got at TJ Maxx for more than 70 percent off. It is black leather with silver … it’s funky but still classic.”

STAND-OUT FASHION MOMENT: “On a daily basis. Most of my job is about what I look like. People aren’t going to come to me unless I look the part. It takes me a good while to figure out what I’m going to wear and put things together. I have a Chanel-esque dress, and I always feel great when I put that on.”

FAVORITE STORES: “Demure on Howell Mill Road. It is inexpensive, and it has a lot of great pieces that you can really build on.”

FAVORITE LABELS: “Chanel. If I could, I would wear all Chanel. It is classic, but has an edge to it.”

BIGGEST SPLURGE: “When I was in Miami, I bought a handmade T-shirt material dress that was ridiculously expensive. It was $400. I’m like, ‘Really?’ “

A WEAKNESS: “Shoes. … Shoes always make you feel good. I wear a lot of black because I have to for my job. I don’t spend a lot of money on my clothes because I end up getting hair color all over them, so my nice shoes make the outfit.”

See more photos of McCarty as well as past My Style profiles at ajc.com/living.