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"As the Associate Fashion Market Editor of Teen Vogue, it is essential that I expose myself to the latest brands, designers, trends and styles. I have to know how girls dress, and how they are...\n\nAs the Associate Fashion Market Editor of Teen Vogue, it is essential that I expose myself to the latest brands, designers, trends and styles. I have to know how girls dress, and how they are going to be dressing in the future. I am able to keep up with the fast paced fashion industry not only by attending fashion shows during twice-yearly fashion week, and weekly market showroom appointments, but also by going to trade shows. A trade show is a convention that brings similar designers and manufacturers under one roof to show their latest products to retailers, sales representatives, and press editors like myself.\n\nThis past weekend I hopped a cross-country plane to beautiful San Diego, California to attend the ASR (Action Sport Retailers) tradeshow. In the huge space of the convention center, many of Teen Vogue's favorite skate, surf, and street brands gathered under one roof. It was every Teen Vogue reader's dream!\n\nI met with representatives from all the cutest brands: Hurley, Volcom, O&amp;amp;#xE2;&amp;amp;#xBF;&amp;amp;#xBF;Neill, Roxy/Quiksilver, Nixon, Fox, Element, Ezekiel, EMU Australia, Sanuk, RVCA and Alpine Stars to name a few.\n\nThough I enjoyed the warmer weather, super cute skater boys and a few industry parties, it was all about getting a first look at the fall lines that I hope to include in upcoming issues of Teen Vogue. Here are some of the highlights from my trip:\n\n1.) FOX PHOTO BOOTH\n\nAfter previewing a few hot little leather jackets and fur lined hoodies, a FOX representative took me to their old-school photo booth where we posed like crazy people for the camera in neon FOX hats.\n\nfacebook dialogPinterest\n\n2.) HURLEY'S FALL 2008 LINE\n\nRich raspberry, navy and emerald green with pops of tangerine and neon green, Hurley&amp;amp;#xE2;&amp;amp;#xBF;&amp;amp;#xBF;s fall 2008 line of dresses, skirts and jackets takes the line beyond surfer girl cool and into killer back to school style. I was mentally taking notes of the pieces that I cannot wait to buy once they hit stores. Get ready for amazing pieces like this ethnic print dress.\n\nfacebook dialogPinterest\n\n3.) NIXON'S CANDY COLORED AND SLEEK GOLD AND SILVER WATCHES\n\nStopping at the Nixon booth, I decided that it is time for me, as well as many young girls I know, to stop relying on cell phones, iPods and Treos to tell the time. After I saw the bright colored bead bracelet watches, Lucite bangle watches, and ''I just stole this from my boyfriend'' classic gold watches by Nixon, I knew I was ready to grow up and start wearing a watch again to tell time. Whether digital or analog, Nixon has made father-time the hottest guy on the block.\n\nfacebook dialogPinterest\n\n4.) VAN'S ENDLESS SELECTION OF PRINTS, COLORS AND FABRIC CHOICES\n\nAs if I don't own enough pairs already, visiting the Van's booth, I couldn't stop myself from picking out a few new pairs. I was drawn to numerous pairs of the classic kicks in amazing color combos, patterns and new shapes. The good thing is, Vans look cute with jeans, skirts and dresses, so stocking up on them is always a smart move.\n\n[\n\n](http://blog.teenvogue.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/28/vans.jpg)\n\n5.) EMU AUSTRALIA'S LEARNING SESSION\n\nI sat down with the intelligent CEO of EMU AUSTRALIA and he took me through the process of how the company's cozy shearling boots are made. Did you know that some parts of Australia are quite cold? In that case, the sheep that EMU ASTRALIA breeds in those regions are fed special diets to ensure that their skin doesn't get dry, and the wool that is shorn from them stays super soft. I love that the boots are worn in hot weather by surfer's fresh out of the water, and in cold weather by city girls on chilly New York City winter streets.\n\n[\n\n](http://blog.teenvogue.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/28/emu.jpg)\n\n6.) HURLEY'S WALK THE WALK EVENT\n\nAfter a day spent at the convention, the highlight of the tradeshow trip was the fashion competitions sponsored by Hurley featuring four talented high schools who were given a selection of Hurley clothing to customize, style and present on the runway. The vent, held at the House of Blues in San Diego was wild. I was inspired by the creativity of the young fashionistas I saw both on and off the runway. Though all four schools rocked their Hurley creations of mid and matched bikinis, shorts, dresses and tees, the prize went to Lincoln High School, who turned the runway into a dance party. Even the school's bubbly mascot, a bubbly bumblebee, worked her stuff. The show gave me some ideas of how to shake up my own Hurley gear and showed me that San Diego teens have great style.\n\n[\n\n](http://blog.teenvogue.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/28/teens1_2.jpg)\n\nfacebook dialogPinterest\n\nThough I am excited to get back to Manhattan for the start of New York Fall Fashion Week 2008, my days at ASR surrounded by the incredibly cool vibe of the surf and skate culture made me eager to share the bright colors, funky prints, amazing sneakers and West Coast cool with Teen Vogue's Readers. I even found myself ditching my normal wardrobe of mini dresses and heels for skinny jeans, sneakers and plaid shirts, and I just cannot wait until the fall lines hit stores.\n\n[\n\n](http://blog.teenvogue.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/28/teens3.jpg)\n\n&amp;amp;#xE2;&amp;amp;#xBF;&amp;amp;#xBF;MARY KATE STEINMILLER"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.teenvogue.com/story/digging-the-west-coast-vibe>