Fashion School Fix: Nick Verreos Begins his FIDM "3 Days of Fashion" Tour in FIDM San Francisco!

Fashion School Fix: Nick Verreos Begins his FIDM "3 Days of Fashion" Tour in FIDM San Francisco!

City by the Bay Couture and Fashion School FAB-U-Lousnesss!!!!!

Nick In Heaven: Nick Verreos at the de Young Museum "Balenciaga and Spain" Exhibition San Francisco

Last week, I began my 2011 FIDM 3 Days of Fashion "Tour". As the Official Spokesperson--and Alumn of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, I travel to all the Campuses for their annual "3 Days of Fashion" EXTRAVAGANZA!!!! Three Days of Fashion is the event where high-school and post graduates:

• Discover new and exciting career options
• Take workshops such as Draping, Creative Thinking, and Product Development
• Learn how to sketch the nine-head fashion figure
• Find out what a Designer really does
• Meet FIDM Grads who have found success and are doing what they love
• Find out how the industry gets the latest information about trends
• Tour some of the best shopping spots in the world
• Get the answers to all your questions from the people who really know: the working professionals

My first stop was San Francisco:

I flew up to San Francisco from my home base in Los Angeles on Virgin America (my plane above)--one of my favorite airlines! The flight attendants are always so friendly and I love the ordering food and drinks from the TV screen thing--even on a one-hour flight!

Chic Airport: SFO Terminal 2

I landed in SFO's spankin' brand (almost) new Terminal 2. The terminal was outfitted with cool red "egg" chairs and an overall post-modern design aesthetic: Loved it! Reminded me of the Jet Blue Terminal at JFK. After getting my suitcase (I brought gowns kids!!!), I got to the City and checked into my room at one of my FAVE SF Hotels--the Kimpton Hotels' Hotel Monaco.

Kimpton Hotels' Hotel Monaco San Francisco "Welcome"

As always, there was a "Welcome Nick!" bottle of wine (Hello!) and glasses for me to enjoy. Sometimes there is a cheese-and-snack plate but not this time unfortunately. Maybe this was a "Welcome with a small 'w' ". But nevertheless, I was very THANKFUL for the wine but I saved it for later because besides making my FIDM SF "3 Days of Fashion" appearance, I had one other thing on my mind and that was:

De Young Museum: Balenciaga and Spain

Yes....going to the De Young Museum and visiting the "Balenciaga and Spain" Exhibition Hello??? My Northern California friend Didi Simon and I drove to the Museum (I ordered the tickets online beforehand) and we went and enjoyed EVERY single COUTURE Gown of it!

It was AMAZING!!! The Exhibition closes on July 4th and I will be traveling to Europe July 5th so this was the ONLY time I could see it!!! It was GLORIOUS!!! I absolutely LOVE , adore, admire Cristobal Balenciaga and his creations so to me, it was like being in Fashion Heaven! The Exhibition is organized into six "Inspiration" sections: Spanish Art, Regional Dress, the Spanish Court, Religious Life and Ceremony, the Bullfight, and Dance.

Gown Central: "Balenciaga and Spain" Exhibition, De Young Museum San Francisco

At one point, I gave an impromptu "Haute Couture Lesson/Tour" as I was describing all the intricacies of the Art of Haute Couture and construction/seaming to my friend Didi, and then I turned around and there were about TEN or so other exhibit visitors listening! And funny enough, many visitors recognized me and were very happy that A) I was there, and B) I was giving them a FREE knowledgeable mini-tour!

But soon, it was time to make my "special appearance" at FIDM SF's "3 Days of Fashion":

I always LOVE coming to San Francisco and the FIDM SF!!! They always treat me like a Star! Today was supposed to be the final day of their annual "3 Days of Fashion" and I was their "special guest star"!!!

FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion Welcome

As part of the "3 Days of Fashion" events, FIDM SF organizers have a fun-and-fabulous "Project FIDM" fashion show, where participants get to "re-create" and "re-cycle" garments and then have a fashion show that is judged a la Project Runway.

Jackets Required: FIDM SF Alumna Julia A. Hill and Nick Verreos, FIDM San Francisco "2011 3 Days of Fashion"

For the 2nd consecutive year, I was joined by Clinton Kelly's (from TLC's "What Not To Wear") Executive Assistant and new Director of Design for his QVC line--FIDM SF Alumn Julia A. Hill as one of my co-judges of that aforementioned contest. She was looking VERY "NY Vogue Magazine Jr. Editor" in her pleated high-waist khaki trousers, lilac tank and black "Boyfriend" jacket.

Judges Judging: Julia A. Hill Nick Verreos and three Guest Student Judges discuss who the winners of "Project FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion" will be

Model Rachael Sitz in NIKOLAKI red silk satin-back crepe backless gown with...

Swarovski crystal straps, gathered back and Godet-train

In addition to the Contest, I also brought several of my NIKOLAKI Red Carpet Dresses to show the "3 Days of Fashion" attendees. The dresses were modeled by Look Model Agency model Rachael Sitz, one of the BEST--and favorite--models in San Francisco!!

Model Rachael Sitz in the NIKOLAKI lilac hand-beaded lilac cocktail dress, FIDM SF 2011 "3 Days of Fashion"

I even brought THE "Katy Perry" dress--a lilac-colored hand-beaded one-shoulder sequin dress that Katy Perry wore to launch her Purr Perfume. Yes, kids, Miss Katy Perry wore one of my designs!!!

Say "Hi" San Francisco: FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion Attendees, waiting for an autograph and a photo

Posin' Fashionistas: FIDM "3 Days of Fashion" attendees and Nick Verreos (center)--and a signed t-shirt

FIDM Goodie Bags:Nick Verreos, Julia A. Hill and Winners pose with their autographed FIDM bags, FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion

All in all, I had a BLAST at FIDM San Francisco's "3 Days of Fashion"; the Contest, the fashion show, showing my gowns/dresses, I even stayed a coupe of hours afterward and signed autographs and took pics with each and every one of the attendees! (which I LUV doing!)

I was even asked to sign someone's iPhone!!! Someone's iPhone may end up on Ebay...

Thanks San Francisco and Northern California for a FAB FIDM "3 Days of Fashion"!! Can't wait to come back!!!!!

How to Pack

How to Pack

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Packing for a trip. If you are like me, this is one of the most dreaded fashion situations you can face. I’m really hoping someone will invent a way to teleport your entire closet with you wherever you go. In the meantime, here are my tips, tricks and past mistakes in hopes of helping you become a better packer!

1. Brainstorm.

On my recent trip to Europe, I spent at least two months planning my outfits in advance. That might sound excessive, but I was visiting a climate that was very different from the one I live in, wearing shoes I never wear (flats) and I also wanted to come up with cute outfits I could use as blog posts. ;-) You may not need as much planning as I did, but I still think that doing some initial brainstorming can really help with packing. Write down outfit ideas for your trip in the days and weeks leading up to your trip. Use inspiration photos and fashion blogs to get fresh new ideas.

2. Check the weather.

Leading up to your trip you’ll want to be checking the weather on a fairly regular basis. I recommend checking online, but also asking people you know that live there or have been to that region at the same time of year. I am notoriously bad at packing correctly for the weather. On my recent trip to Europe, I underestimated how hot Rome would be despite having checked the weather a gazillion times. If you are unsure of the weather or visiting multiple climates as I was, I recommend bringing an item from either end of the spectrum (both a warm coat and a pair of summery sandals, for example) *just in case.*

3. Pick your shoes first.

So… where to begin? With your shoes, of course! My #1 packing tip is to start with your shoes. These are by far the biggest and bulkiest items in your suitcase, so I always start there first. Often, I will pick either black or brown shoes and stick with that same color theme for the whole trip. Another tip: wear your bulkiest pair of shoes on the plane (both directions) to save room in your suitcase.

4.  Pick your jackets next.

The weather research you do will help determine how heavy and how many jackets to bring, and I recommend picking them next since they are also one of the bulkiest items in your suitcase. Use the shoes and jackets as a guide, and then only pack the smaller items (tops, bottoms, dresses) that go with them.

5. Layer it up.

Even the best meteorologist can't detect quick weather changes, so whenever possible I suggest packing outfits that have varying “stages” like the one above, that you can be adjusted based on how cold or hot it turns out to be that day. This can also be a helpful way to pack if you are traveling from one very hot climate to a very cold climate in the same day, or if it's warm during the day and gets much colder at night. Try packing a cardigan that can go under each jacket you packed and/or a scarf or gloves that you can add to your outfits.

6. Pack full outfits.

To ensure that I don’t pack a single item I won’t use, I like to try everything on and pack full outfits, rather than bits and pieces. This method might not work for everyone, but it has been a huge space saver for me. (Bonus: if you take the time to snap a photo of each outfit, you can look back at the pictures to help you remember what's in your suitcase and choose which outfit to wear while you're on your trip!)

7. Reuse, reuse, reuse.

I try not to pack anything that I won’t wear twice, even on a short trip. Try to think of packing as a fun puzzle and challenge yourself to come up with a way to re-wear any given item more than once.

8. Evaluate.

At the end of packing, I recommend going through everything and do three things: 1. Count how many outfits you have. Make sure you haven’t packed too many outfits, or not enough. 2. Imagine as many scenarios as possible (museum, church, mountains, dinner) and make sure you have head-to-toe look for every occasion. 3. Pick which outfits you will wear on the plane in both directions.

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A Packing Case Study: What I Packed for Europe


My recent trip to Europe was 16 days, 7 flights, one train ride and three countries (England, France and Italy). This is everything I wore (minus two outfits, those photos were unfortunately erased). I packed: 

Three pairs of (cute) shoes.

• My super-comfy flat Bakers boots that I’ve had for a year.
• A new pair of Michael Kors loafers. I must’ve tried on 50 pairs of flats and these were by far the most comfy!
•  A new pair of boat shoes. These are a great alternative to sneakers since they have a cushy rubber bottom like sneakers but are much cuter (in my opinion).
•  My gym shoes. I had planned to work out at least 3 times, but only wound up wearing them once, on a run through the streets of Milan. I would consider leaving these behind next time, but then again that run was one of my favorite highlights of the trip, so it’s a tough call!

Four jackets.

• Trench coat. (didn't use it, not pictured)
• Wool navy coat. (worn 4 times)
• Camel blazer. (worn 4 times)
• Tan leather jacket. (worn 4 times)

Five bottoms.

• Dark skinny jeans. (worn 2 times)
• Black skinny jeans. (worn 2 times)
• Camel wool skirt. (worn 2 times)
• Red cords. (worn 2 times)
• Striped skirt. (worn 1 time)

Seven dresses.

• Light pink ruffles. (worn 1 time)
• Polka dots. (worn 1 time)
• Gray t-shirt dress. (worn 1 time, with leggings on the plane)
•  Camel t-shirt dress. (worn 1 time, with leggings on the plane)
• Sweater dress. (worn 2 times, not pictured)
• Olive dress. (worn 1 time)

Eight tops.

• Graphic tee.  (worn 1 time)
• Blue collared shirt. (worn 2 times)
• Plaid collared shirt.  (worn 1 time)
• Striped t-shirt. (worn 2 times)
• Mustard tank top.  (worn 1 time)
• Red silk blouse.  (worn 1 time)
• Leopard blouse. (worn 1 time)
• Polka dot blouse. (worn 1 time)

One purse.

• I brought one, large purse. It was big enough to stuff full on the airplane, but then small/lightweight enough to wear cross-body style while sightseeing. It usually contained a bottle of water, snacks, maps, and the usual stuff (wallet, lip gloss, sunglasses) for sightseeing.

Tons of accessories. 

• The right statement necklace can dramatically change your look, but as I discovered they are also very heavy, so choose wisely when packing these. I wore my heaviest necklace (Stella & Dot Jacqueline) three times on this trip.

What I packed but didn't need: 

• My trench coat (planned to wear it over the pink ruffled and polka dot dresses). It was much hotter in Italy than I thought it would be and I didn't need it.
• Four cardigans/sweaters that I packed "just in case." I really overdid it on this part. I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold, and overall I just really thought it would be much colder than it was in Italy and France. I wish I had done even more research on the weather beforehand to avoid this! I also wish I had considered the other end of the spectrum - a super-hot day, and packed a pair of flat sandals. These would have really come in handy in the 100-degree heat in Rome!
• I packed an "alternate" outfit at the very last minute that I didn’t wind up needing. I wore the other pieces, but not the cargo pants. Those were wasted space in my luggage!

Other packing tips for Europe:

• Since I was checking a bag, I felt free to stuff it full. This was a mistake. It wound up being over 50 pounds, which meant I was removing items at the airport and putting them into my purse. Which then meant I was carrying the world's heaviest purse on and off the plane. We also opted to take public transit to and from the airport most of the time, which resulted in my lugging my own 50 pound suitcase up and down stairs all over Europe. Choose wisely.
• Historical places like churches will make you cover your legs and arms when you enter. Since it was 100 degrees in Italy, I wore a breezy skirt and tank top and just covered up with a scarves (see photo above) as I entered the church.
• I packed my straightener, but not my hair dryer since hotels usually have those. You will need converters for anything you want to plug in (like your phone charger) so make sure to pick those up before your trip.
•  Don’t forget the snacks. I brought a jar of peanut butter that saved my life on a super-early flight. Nothing was open yet so that became my breakfast.

What are your best tips for packing?

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