Chloe by Design: Measuring Up

by Margaret Gurevich

  It might be for the best, I think. Alex is still acting weird about me hanging out with Nina yesterday, and I was a little relieved she had something to do today. All I kept picturing was another argument, and I didn’t have the energy to deal with that.

  “I don’t mind at all,” I assure her. “I’m happy you’re here.”

  Just then the doorbell rings, and my mom goes downstairs to get Jillian. To be honest, when Jillian made the appointment, my first instinct was to hand her over to Nina. From what I’ve seen of Jillian’s style, she’s a little out there. Plus, she seems to love arguing, even when she’s wrong. But, then Nina and I became close, and I felt bad sticking her with Jillian. Plus I figure it’s good for me to test myself as a designer, even if it’s not always my favorite thing to do.

  “Is this where all the magic happens?” Jillian asks from my doorway. She wrinkles her nose. I can’t tell if she’s trying to be funny, or if she hates my room.

  “I’m afraid so,” I say. I figure that’s a truthful answer either way.

  “Well, then,” Mom says, clapping her hands together, “let’s get started.” She takes a seat on the floor and picks up my laptop.

  “Do you have any ideas in mind?” I ask Jillian.

  “I’ve heard the other girls talking about how pretty your designs were,” Jillian comments.

  I smile. Maybe I was wrong about her. “Thank you. Want to look through some of my sketches and see if anything speaks to you?”

  I open my sketchpad and hand it over. Jillian quickly flips through the pages. After a moment she hands it back.

  “These are pretty,” she says with a sigh, “but none of them are exactly what I had in mind.”

  “If you tell me a little about what you’re looking for, I can try to create something that matches your vision,” I offer.

  “I think it would probably just be easier if I drew my ideas. Is that okay?” asks Jillian. She doesn’t wait for me to answer before grabbing my sketchbook back and flipping to a clean page.

  My mom raises an eyebrow, but I just shrug. I’ve had to deal with all kinds of personalities while designing for Winter Formal, and I know that won’t change in the real world either. I’m trying to be better about just rolling with it. But even so, Jillian makes me a little nervous. She seems so picky.

  Less than five minutes later, Jillian hands the sketchbook back. “Done.”

  My jaw drops when I see the designs. They look like something from a science fiction movie. Each piece is made up of harsh, jutting angles and bright metallic colors. One of the dresses looks like someone wrapped in green aluminum foil.

  “I know they’re not the same style as your other dresses, but I want a Chloe original without it looking like a Chloe original. Does that make sense?” asks Jillian.

  “Not really,” I say curtly.

  My mom clears her throat. “I’m sure there’s something Chloe can do that combines some of your favorite ideas with hers,” she says.

  I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I know my mom is trying to help, but I don’t know how to combine any of my vision with Jillian’s. I’m not sure if I even want to. If I give her exactly what she wants, the result won’t be anything I want to take credit for. I’m starting to regret not sending her Nina’s way.

  Jillian and my mom both look my way, waiting for me to speak, and I force myself to take a deep breath. “Uh… yeah. I can try to see if there’s a way we can compromise.”

  I draw a long, fitted dress in an electric blue metallic color. Then I add a leopard-print belt and collar and pair it with blue platforms. The design is different from the more traditional dresses I’ve done for other clients, but I can live with it.

  “Hmmm… it’s a start,” Jillian says, “but it needs more drama. How about adding sequins around the middle and —”

  “Sequins will make it really busy,” I interrupt before I can stop myself.

  “Well, I don’t want just sequins,” Jillian says shortly. “Feathers too.”

  “Actual feathers?” I ask.

  Jillian nods. “Like this.” She takes a gray pencil and adds feathered sleeves that look awesome — for an owl or some other bird.

  I study the sketch, trying to find something diplomatic to say, but all I come up with is, “I can’t see feathers working.”

  “Fine,” Jillian says shortly. “What about something with bows?”

  I perk up. “I like bows. They make great accent pieces.”

  Jillian shakes her head. “I don’t want to play it safe.” She takes a bunch of colored pencils and starts sketching.

  “That’s a lot of colors,” says my mom politely, echoing my not-so-polite thoughts.

  “Here. This is the one,” Jillian says, handing me my sketchpad.

  I study the page. This design is even worse than feathered sleeves. The dress is flowing and reaches the floor. But you can barely see it underneath the dozens of huge, multicolored bows Jillian drew all over the dress.

  “There’s hardly a dress here,” I say.

  Jillian looks annoyed. “I thought you were supposed to be good.”

  “I am good!” I snap, raising my voice.

  My mom shoots me a warning look, and I take another deep breath, trying to calm down. I remember other dresses I designed that felt out of my element, like the one I did for Sophia Gonzalez. Her ideas were a little out there too. But the difference was that Sophia was nice and actually cared about what I thought.

  Jillian rolls her eyes. “Geez. Relax.”

  “I have another idea,” I say through gritted teeth. I start sketching and press too hard on the pencil point. It breaks, and Jillian smirks. “You know what? We don’t have to do this. Maybe I’m not the designer for you.”

  I start to put away my sketchpad. I knew Jillian had the potential to be a tough client, but I was still hoping for a somewhat enjoyable afternoon. Instead, I feel like I’m fighting with someone again — exactly what I wanted to avoid.

  “Oh, come on,” Jillian whines. “I’m sorry, okay?” She doesn’t sound sorry at all. “I’ll try to be more open-minded.”

  “Fine.” I pick up another pencil. “But if you don’t like this design either, maybe we should just accept that we’re not a good match.”

  I start off with an off-the-shoulder mermaid dress. That alone, with sequins or sparkle, would be gorgeous for someone else. For Jillian, it needs an over-the-top element I can tolerate.

  I look through Jillian’s sketches. One thing they all have in common is that the dress is almost an afterthought. With that in mind, I cover the dress in horizontal black-and-white stripes. Then I add tiered ruffles to the bottom of the skirt. Thinking of Jillian’s feathers, I add ruffles to the sleeves too.

  “Thoughts?” I ask, pushing my sketchpad in Jillian’s direction.

  Jillian studies the design, nodding. “This is more my speed,” she says. She doesn’t sound thrilled or gush like other girls did when I showed them the final product, but she seems happy enough. “Maybe we can replace the sleeves with long, black gloves?”

  “That seems a little tame for you, no?” I know I sound rude, but I don’t care. This hasn’t gone at all the way I expected it to — I just want it to be over at this point.

  Jillian doesn’t look offended. “Yeah, you could be right. Either way.”

  “Great. I’ll give this to Mimi. Here’s her card. Call and make an appointment for measurements ASAP.” I keep my voice all business, afraid I’ll sound snippy again.

  “Thanks,” says Jillian. “It’s been real.”

  “Yeah, real torture,” I mutter under my breath when she leaves.

  “It could have gone worse,” Mom says when we’re alone. “Can you at least use this dress in your portfolio?”

  “I don’t know. Once I design my dress and Alex’s I’ll have enough, so I probab
ly won’t have to.”

  I study Jillian’s design again and feel like throwing something. At least it’s finished. And it’s not too hideous. But maybe if I have a bad feeling about something in the future, I’ll go with my instincts.

  “Here you go,” I tell Mimi when I stop by her store on Saturday. “It’s the final dress design. Ta-da!” I take a small bow.

  Mimi looks at the drawing I did for Jillian. “It’s certainly different,” she says. “She came in to be measured right after she left your house yesterday and has already called three times to find out if you dropped off the sketch.”

  I groan. “That sounds about right.”

  Mimi doesn’t look concerned. “It’s life, Chloe. You’ll deal with all kinds of people as a designer. Think of it as preparing you for the future.”

  “Ugh, I know. But between finishing my portfolio and Alex running hot and cold on me, I could use a little less chaos.”

  Mimi laughs. “And, don’t forget, you owe me the designs for you and Alex.” She looks at her calendar. “Monday at the latest.”

  “Right,” I say, nodding. “Alex is coming over tomorrow to choose her design, so I can get that to you then.”

  “She’s excited,” Mimi tells me. “She came in last night to get measured and save some time.”

  I want to ask if Alex said anything about me, but I’m not sure how to ask without the question sounding weird. Before I can say anything, Mimi pulls out her tape measure.

  “Speaking of measurements, let’s get that out of the way for you, too.” She instructs me to stand up straight and measures my bust, hips, and waist and writes down the numbers. “Have you thought about what kind of shoes you’ll be wearing?”

  “For my imaginary dress?” I say with a laugh. “Nope.”

  Mimi shakes her head. “Fine. I’ll leave the length TBD for now then.”

  “Thanks,” I say. “Sorry for putting this off.”

  “It’s okay,” Mimi says. “I planned for the possibility. Any ideas at all?”

  “Some,” I say. “I was thinking about experimenting with a two-piece, like a fitted lace crop-top and a flowing skirt. Or I’m thinking about doing something with a simple silhouette but a bright, bold color. But I haven’t really narrowed it down too much. I’ve barely started sketching.”

  “Let’s hope you didn’t use up all your design creativity on the other girls,” Mimi says with a wink.

  I know she’s kidding, but that’s not even a possibility I want to think about. I look around the store to talk about something else. That’s when I spot some familiar-looking designs in the back. “Can I look at those?” I ask.

  “Of course!” Mimi says. “Those are the dresses I’ve finished so far. Nina’s designs are there, too, and you haven’t seen any of those.”

  “That’s right!” I make a beeline to the back of the store. No matter how many times I sketch something, there’s always this excitement and tingly feeling I get when I see the finished product. I’m always amazed when my drawings come to life.

  “Pretty wonderful, aren’t they?” Mimi says from beside me.

  “You’re wonderful,” I say. “I worried if every girl’s idea could work, but you made sure every detail is just perfect.”

  “Thank you, honey,” says Mimi.

  “Where are Nina’s designs?” I ask.

  “Most of them are here,” says Mimi, moving some dresses from the back of the rack to the front.

  “Is the dress Nina is wearing here too?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

  Mimi laughs. “Nice try, Chloe. That one is tucked safely away. She wants it to be a surprise.”

  I smile, not surprised to hear that. “Hey, you can’t fault a girl for trying, right?”

  I sort through the designs. They all have Nina’s signature, feminine touch. I stop at a sea-green gown with a strapless neckline and floor-length, A-line skirt. The skirt is tulle with layers of lace, and rhinestones decorate the waist. “This is beautiful.”

  “They all are. It’s been a pleasure doing these dresses for you girls. Brought me back to my high school days,” Mimi says with a smile. She plucks a dress from the back of the line. “You have to see this one.”

  “Oooh,” I whisper as I run my hand over the soft chiffon fabric of the long mermaid-style dress. “I love the crystal beading.”

  “Yes, that was a lovely touch,” says Mimi.

  Just then a short, light-blue dress catches my eye. The tulle skirt falls above the knee, and beading covers the neckline and waist. It reminds me of the princess-themed dresses I designed for some of my clients. I like that Nina and I have some of the same ideas. It’s another moment that shows me we’re not that different.

  “I’m really looking forward to seeing Alex’s design tomorrow,” Mimi says as we make our way back to the front of the store. She stops at the checkout counter and looks in her planner. “I know I told you Monday is the latest, but you’d make my life much easier if you got me your design tomorrow, too. Is that doable at all?”

  “I do have some ideas, so it’s not like I’ll be starting from scratch,” I say, thinking out loud. I also have no plans tonight. That’s what happens when your best friend is mad at you.

  “It doesn’t have to be perfect,” says Mimi. “Even a rough sketch, with you talking me through the design, will work. I don’t want to rush.”

  I know what it’s like to be in a time crunch and feel Mimi’s worry. “I’ll bring it tomorrow with Alex’s. I’m really hoping she likes her dress. Nina helped me brainstorm,” I confess.

  Mimi’s face lights up. “That was a terrific idea,” she says.

  “You really think so?” I ask. “She and Alex don’t get along well.”

  Mimi nods knowingly. “All the more reason this was the right thing to do. Maybe it’ll help bring them together a bit. And it never hurts to have a fresh perspective — and a fresh set of eyes — when designing.”

  I have a feeling Alex probably confided in Mimi. Like me, it seems Mimi thinks including Nina in Alex’s dress design could end their feud. This makes me feel better about my idea. “Here’s hoping,” I say.

  “You didn’t tell me she’d be here!” Alex complains the next afternoon when she walks into my room to see her Winter Formal dress designs — and spots Nina.

  Nina bristles. “Lovely to see you too,” she says through clenched teeth. She turns to me. “See? I told you.”

  Alex stomps her foot. “You told her? Like I’m the immature one.”

  Alex is being the immature one, but I’m not going to point that out — it would just derail my plan even further.

  “Guys, please,” I beg. “Alex, Nina is here because she helped me brainstorm options for your dress. Nina, Alex was just surprised to see you but could have handled it better.” I nudge Alex. “Right?”

  Alex glares at me, but I stare right back. “Right,” she finally mumbles.

  “Awesome,” I say, clapping my hands. “I can feel the love in the room already.”

  Alex sits down on the floor beside me, and Nina fans out pages of designs. There’s the dress with the top that looks like a fitted T-shirt, a couple two-piece options in a variety of colors, and the bathing-suit inspired dress in the scuba material.

  Alex starts with a two-piece dress. The fitted lace crop top is light blue and has a halter neckline. The long, full skirt is made of taffeta and features a fun floral pattern.

  “This is really pretty,” says Alex. “And surprisingly, I love the floral pattern. It’s nothing I’d normally wear, but it’s really pretty.”

  “Two-pieces are really in right now,” Nina comments. “Some of my designs for Winter Formal use elements of this one.”

  “I stopped by Mimi’s yesterday, and saw your dresses,” I mention casually. “We actually share a few of the same ideas.”

 
; Nina’s face looks panicked. “You saw my dresses? Like all of them?”

  I realize why she’s so worried. “Not the design for your dress. Mimi wouldn’t let me.”

  Nina looks relieved. “It’s not like I care if you see my work. I just wanted my dress to be a surprise.”

  “Right. I totally get that. Mine will be a surprise too. Once I finish it, that is.”

  Alex puts the first sketch to the side, and looks at my other sports-inspired dresses. “I like the idea of s sporty dress, but I want something different than the everyday me, you know?” she says gently, searching my face to see if I’m offended.

  “I understand. I tried to combine both worlds with this dress,” I say, handing her a drawing, “but I think last year’s Alex would have liked this more.”

  Alex studies the design of a classic taffeta ball gown skirt, paired with a fitted bodice with two stripes on the side seams. It’s fancier than the first sketch I showed Nina a few days ago, but I know it’s still not exactly what Alex is looking for.

  Nina seems to sense that too and hands Alex the sketch of the scuba dress, which now shines in a playful, but still elegant, floral pattern.

  Alex’s face lights up. “Oh wow. This. Definitely this.”

  Seeing her so happy makes me happy. Nina smiles widely too.

  I clear my throat. “Nina was actually the inspiration for this design. She’s the one who suggested I play with the scuba material that I used for some of my FIDM sketches and use that for your dress.”

  Alex takes her eyes off the design and looks at Nina. She swallows, like she needs help getting the words out. “Thank you, Nina.”

  Nina collapses on my floor. “Thank you?” she echoes. “The world is ending! It’s the apocalypse!”

  I expect Alex to say something nasty, but to my surprise, she bursts out laughing. “Must be,” she says with a shrug.