Chloe by Design: Measuring Up

by Margaret Gurevich

  The next model comes out in an outfit that I not only love but could see myself wearing too. It’s white and taupe with dark blue accents and eyelet shoulder details. I like the striped pattern, and the blue is a fun, bright pop of color.

  “You’d look nice in that,” Jake whispers.

  “Maybe your mom will give it to me as an early Christmas present,” I joke.

  “Well, you definitely have the right connections,” Jake replies, giving my hand a squeeze.

  More models come out, and I’m so impressed with Liesel’s range. After she won Design Diva several seasons ago, she started a jewelry line. Then, when I was in New York, she collaborated with Stefan on his art deco gowns. And with this new collection, she’s showcasing her eye for edgy, feminine style.

  When I did work for the PR department during my internship, I noticed how easy it was to identify the clothing of some designers. That’s not the case with Liesel. It’s like she’s always reinventing herself. I want to be the same way. I want my designs to keep people guessing.

  * * *

  After the show, Jake and I congratulate his mom and then head back to my house. Rather than going inside, we take a seat on the porch swing. He hasn’t let go of my hand since the show, and I’m glad.

  “So it seems like you really liked FIDM, huh?” he says softly.

  I look down, avoiding his gaze, and nod. “How did you know?”

  “I’m a smart college boy, remember? Not to mention that you managed to answer all of my texts except for the ones about FIDM.” He smiles. “It was sort of a dead giveaway.”

  I sigh. “Picked up on that, did you?”

  Jake taps his temple with his finger. “Like I said, smart.” We sit quietly for a few minutes, and then he says, “Tell me about the tour, Chloe. I want to hear about it. Seriously.”

  I smile. Jake is such a good guy. All he wants is for me to be happy. I take a deep breath and tell him all about the tour and the FIDM museum. I talk about the classrooms and how bright and colorful the walls are. I glance over at him when I’m finished and feel better when I see his wide smile.

  “It sounds amazing,” Jake says. “Now I wish I had looked into that school!”

  I nod. “I’m glad I saw it. And I’m glad we went to the fashion show today. Both these things made me realize how much California has to offer. I think I kind of wrote it off since I grew up here. But now, even if I do choose New York, I’ll at least feel like I gave both options a fair shot.”

  Jake nods. “That’s all you can do. I mean, I’d obviously love it if you came to New York, but you have to do what’s best for you.”

  While I’m in the middle of tackling topics that make me nervous, I might as well bite the bullet — I still need to ask Jake about Winter Formal too.

  “Um… I also wanted to ask you… there’s a dance in December,” I say. “I know it’s a long shot, but do you want to go with me? I mean, that’s if you’re coming out to Cali to spend the holidays with your dad. Otherwise don’t worry about it. I don’t want to —”

  Jake grins. “I thought you’d never ask,” he interrupts.

  I’m surprised. “How did you know?”

  Jake blushes. “Alex mentioned something about dresses you’re designing for the dance online, and… I might have looked up your school’s website to see when your winter break is. I saw the dance listed on the calendar there. I am coming out here for the holidays, and I had to book my plane tickets and work out details with my dad. But you never mentioned the dance, so I didn’t want to push. I thought maybe you wanted to go with someone else.”

  “Oh my gosh, no! I just didn’t know if you’d be able to come.” Talk about miscommunication. “Speaking of the dresses I’m designing, did you happen to see that Nina is helping me?”

  Jake raises an eyebrow. “Nina? Apparently we have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “A lot,” I say with a smile.

  “Let’s not get this behind again. I want to know what’s going on with you. You can tell me anything.”

  I squeeze his hand. “Thanks. Same goes for you.”

  “My application is due November first,” Jada says at lunch on Monday, “and I don’t think I can do it.” She’s applying for early decision at several Ivy League schools, which means her applications are due almost two months before the rest of ours.

  Mia shoots a glance in my direction and shakes her head. Just two weeks ago, I didn’t want to hear any college talk — it was too overwhelming. But since I’ve visited FIDM, I feel better about the whole process.

  “Don’t worry, Mia,” I say. “I’m okay. Besides, if I had something due in two weeks I’d be a real mess.”

  “Thanks,” Jada says with a groan.

  “No, I mean I can’t believe how well you’re handling everything. You seem so calm,” I say.

  Jada laughs. “It’s all on the outside.”

  “What do you have left to do?” Dan asks. He and Alex are holding hands, as usual. Seeing them together bummed me out when I first came home — I really missed Jake — but after this weekend, their lovey-dovey stuff just makes me smile.

  Jada blushes. “Not much. Just sorting my files and uploading them to the right websites.”

  Mia rolls her eyes. “Sounds like you’re done. What’s freaking you out?”

  “Well,” I say, mock seriously, “attaching a document can be hard. What if Jada attaches a clip of puppies instead of her college essay?”

  “Yeah,” Alex jumps in, “imagine Yale opening the file, and it’s a dog chasing a ball. Tricky stuff.”

  Jada throws a corn chip at Alex. “You guys are the worst!”

  “Fine,” I say, throwing a chip back at her. “What’s really bothering you?”

  Jada sighs. “It’s kind of stupid, but sending everything in is just so final. Does that make sense?”

  This time no one teases her. That’s something we all get. Even Dan, who’s normally goofy, looks a little sad.

  “It completely makes sense,” says Alex. “It’s like we spend all this time working toward this huge thing, and then it’s done. Then what?”

  “And then we have to decide where to go,” Mia says. “Ugh, I hate decisions.”

  “Okay, enough with the depressing big-decision talk,” says Dan. “We have the rest of senior year to look forward to. Winter Formal, prom, graduation… once college applications are done, it’s party time.”

  “That’s another way to look at it,” says Jada, smiling again. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’m going home today, attaching documents like crazy, and hitting send.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about,” says Dan. “Like a Band-Aid.”

  I take out my sketchpad to capture this moment of all of us together. I start drawing Alex, who’s wearing black leggings, an oversized blouse, a brown scarf, and brown boots. Just last year, those boots would have been sneakers, and she’d never have worn a scarf as an accessory. Then I add Jada’s preppier look to the page — a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, blue shorts, and a brown belt.

  “Do me next,” says Mia, noticing my sketch. She sucks in her cheeks and strikes a pose.

  I sketch Mia’s ivory tulle skirt, chunky black ankle boots, fitted black shirt, and funky hat.

  “Chloe, I’m taking you to New York with me,” says Mia, leaning over to admire my finished drawing.

  I pause. “You’re applying to New York?”

  Mia nods. “I just added NYU to my list. I decided I’m definitely majoring in theater, and they have a great program.”

  “That’s great!” I say. I add a mental checkmark to the pro-New York column. I could potentially have another friend there too.

  “Can we just pretend for a few minutes that there’s no college stuff left to do?” says Jada. “Let’s focus on some of that fun stuff Dan was talking
about.”

  For the last few minutes left of lunch, I take Jada’s cue. Even though I’m feeling better about my LA versus NYC decision and college stuff, I’d be lying if I said all those things weren’t always in the back of my mind. But for now, I hug my friends and pretend none of us have anything left to worry about.

  The next day at lunch, I’m sitting in the courtyard waiting for Nina. That morning she appeared at my locker, looking more stressed than I’ve ever seen her — even taking into account our time on Teen Design Diva. She asked if we could meet for lunch, and I agreed. Alex wasn’t thrilled I’d be “ditching” her, but I’m hoping she doesn’t really see things that way.

  “Hey,” says Nina, plopping down on the bench beside me. Her hair is all over the place, and her eyes look tired, but her outfit is as stylish as ever. Today, she’s wearing a loose gray sweater and a floral skirt. “How was FIDM? We haven’t had a chance to talk since you got back.”

  “It was fantastic,” I reply. “I liked it way more than I was expecting to.”

  “Right? I was so impressed when I visited over the summer.” Nina plays with the bracelet on her hand, opens her lunch, and frowns. “I’m not in a tuna mood. This morning I kind of was, but not now. You have to be in a tuna mood to eat it.”

  I take a bite of my turkey sandwich, not sure what to say to that. Nina seems all over the place. Tuna mood or not, she unwraps her sandwich and starts to eat. After she doesn’t say anything else for five minutes, I say, “So, what’s going on?”

  Nina groans. “Ugh, sorry. I know I’m being weird. It’s just all this application stuff is starting to get to me. I know you felt behind because you hadn’t visited schools or started your portfolio, but your real-world experience is kind of intimidating. I was thinking maybe we could help each other.”

  I almost choke on my sandwich. It’s one thing to not hate each other but help? “How would that work exactly?”

  Nina looks down and takes a sip of her drink. “I know we weren’t exactly friends before, and I —”

  “Didn’t always play fair?” I interrupt, thinking back to how Nina tried to sabotage me on Teen Design Diva.

  Nina rolls her eyes. “Fine. Let’s say that. But we also pushed each other. We got better because we both wanted to win so badly.”

  I also wanted to win fairly, but I don’t harp on that. She’s right in a way. I would have preferred Nina not be so obnoxious, but she did make me want to do my best. “Yeah, okay,” I say.

  “So, here’s what I’m thinking — I’m probably ahead of you on the application front, but you can tell me a lot about working in the fashion industry and things you learned from your internship. If we work on our portfolios together, we can bounce ideas off each other.” She pauses, puts her sandwich to the side, and picks up her apple.

  It’s not an idea I would have thought of myself, but I have to admit, it’s a good one. I told Alex we need to try to see the new Nina. I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t take my own advice. Besides, it’s not a competition like Teen Design Diva. If Nina gets into a school, it doesn’t mean I won’t get into the same one. It’s not really a rivalry anymore.

  “Deal,” I say.

  Nina perks up, and she looks much more relaxed than when she first sat down. “Great! There’s only ten minutes left of lunch, but I brought some of my Winter Formal designs. I wanted to get your thoughts on them. Then maybe next week you can come over and show me yours and your portfolio too.”

  “Sounds good,” I say as Nina opens her sketchpad.

  She flips through the pages. Nina’s designs are very pretty but understated. They have elements that stand out, but they’re not big on embellishments. The first dress is a floor-length ombré gown done in silk. Darker shades of plum start at the top and fade into white at the bottom. The bodice is textured and looks like a bunch of flowers sewn together.

  I look through more of Nina’s pages. Her dresses play with texture and most have a flower motif. I like the variations of floral designs. She even has a few with flowers delicately embroidered into the dress. One of my favorites, not surprisingly, is one without a floral print.

  “That one’s kind of plain, don’t you think?” Nina asks, biting her lip.

  I laugh. “I love it. I would totally wear it.” The skirt is lavender and a wrap style, and the top is a perfect contrast in a darker purple. She paired it with open-toed shoes in a floral print, which helps break up the solid colors.

  Nina laughs too. “I bet we can take each other out of our own comfort zones more.”

  By the time the lunch bell rings, Nina is smiling. I realize I am too and have been for most of lunch period. It’s been a week of surprises. LA was as great as New York. Talking with Jake wasn’t as scary as I’d built it up to be. And now it seems I’m bonding with someone totally unexpected. Whatever happens next, I have a feeling there will be more surprises in store.

  Not to toot my own horn, but I think I’m really getting the hang of this college application thing. There are still a lot of portfolio requirements to complete, but I’m actually starting to feel like I’ll get them all done. Believe it or not, I have Nina to thank for that. Trust me, I’m as shocked as anyone, but it’s been a nice surprise. Brainstorming ideas with someone who’s in the same boat has been really helpful.

  It’s also helped to have someone to talk to about the different schools. Visiting FIDM was better than I imagined, but also threw me for a little loop. I could really imagine myself there. But liking the school — and LA — more than I expected to means I’m going to have an even harder decision to make when it comes to deciding where I want to go to college.

  Speaking of… in just one week, I’ll be back in New York City visiting FIT and Parsons. Dad’s frequent flyer miles couldn’t cover Mom’s ticket and mine, but they did pay for one of us. And Bailey, my suitemate from my summer internship, said I could stay in the FIT dorms with her. I know I stayed in the dorms during my internship, but this will be different. I’ll get to see what it’s like to actually live on campus during the school year. I’m also planning to

  stop by the Stefan Meyers headquarters while I’m in town and see Laura, my former supervisor. Jake and I are trying to make plans to connect too. It should be a great time!

  The only thing not so great lately is how Alex has been acting. She was in a great mood when I told her how much I loved FIDM. I know she’s rooting for me to go there because it’s close to UCLA, which is where she wants to go to school. But she also said she just wants me to be happy. I believe her, but every time I bring up my upcoming New York tours, she acts distant and snippy. The fact that I’ve been spending more time with Nina working on college applications hasn’t been helping. Alex is not a Nina fan. But Alex also knows she’s my BFF — nothing is going to change that. So here’s to hoping we can get past this difference of opinions sooner rather than later…

  Xoxo — Chloe

  “Tell me why we’re doing this again,” Nina says on Monday after school as she spreads her designs out across her bedroom floor.

  I let out a little laugh as I organize my own designs and place them in piles beside Nina’s. She and I have a version of this conversation almost every time we get together — which is a lot lately. Sometimes I’m the one asking for reminders. Other times it’s Nina. It’s kind of a running joke now.

  “Because we want to get into awesome fashion colleges so we can be fabulous fashion designers,” I remind her.

  “Riiight,” says Nina. “I remember now.” She pauses to take in the mess surrounding us on the floor and lets out a sigh. “I just wish the path was a little easier.”

  I laugh. “Don’t we all?”

  Today, I brought my pop star designs, one of the requirements for FIT. I have to create a fashion line that imagines what a performer might wear on stage, out with friends, and lounging around. I chose Lola James, one of my fav
orite singers. So far I think my designs are developing nicely, but the casual wear is looking a little drab. I can’t quite figure out what would make them pop.

  I pick three looks to show to Nina, putting my least favorite on the bottom of the pile. “What do you think?”

  Nina looks at the first sketch, which features an outfit Lola would wear onstage. It’s a short silver dress covered in fringe and beading. Sequins embellish the V-neck, and black beads are placed within the silver to break up the colors.

  “I like this a lot,” she says, holding the sketch at a slight distance to get a better look. “I went to her concert once. She wore this black, sequined outfit, which was fine — very Lola James. I mean, she couldn’t look bad if she tried, but this is way better. I can imagine it sparkling under the lights. You should send it to her.”

  I laugh and roll my eyes. “Yeah, right. Picture how that would go.”

  Nina shrugs. “You never know. Besides,” she mumbles, “I’m planning to send my designs to Diana Gardo.”

  She kind of muffles the last part of that sentence, but I hear her anyway. “Really?” I ask. Diana Gardo is at least as big a star as Lola James. I’d be intimidated to send her any of my work.

  Nina looks down and plays with her hair, avoiding eye contact. “Why not? What’s the worst that can happen?”

  That’s the thing about Nina — she’s bold. She’s not scared of rejection or taking chances, no matter what the results. Alex is like that too. I’m way more cautious, but I know it wouldn’t kill me to take more risks.

  “You’re right,” I agree. “It can’t hurt.”

  Nina smiles and looks at my next design — Lola’s going-out look. I made the dress electric blue to show Lola’s confidence. The formfitting style hits at the knee and is covered in circular and rectangular patterns that remind me of the art deco line Stefan showcased at Fashion Week this past fall. Illusion netting offsets the blue and offers a glimpse of skin.