A few years in fashion school will teach you plenty about how chaotic fashion shows really are, how to drape a corset and that nifty sewing hack for sewing chiffon together with a toilet seat cover. It taught me a lot of other great lessons too of course, which I hope everyone gets a chance to learn- whether you end up with a fashion degree or not!  

How to properly do the laundry

Ok, so laundry 101 was not a class, but textile science was, and it was the best science class I ever took. We learned about what constitutes a textile, the ways to identify different fibers, and how to clean and take care of them. We also got to set a lot of stuff on fire, which was pretty great. Plus, when I tell personal styling clients that I studied textile science in college, they stop fighting me about putting their jeans in the dryer! (If you are still doing that- STOP IT!)

How much LA has to offer

So I was born in the South Bay, about 40 minutes away from LA proper and had only explored so much when I started school. By the time I graduated, I knew the best places to eat, go out, shop, catch shows, and check out art. It was awesome to get a whole new perspective and appreciation of a city I had lived in (or was adjacent to!) my whole life. Highlights include the monthly art walk in downtown, MOCA, The Last Bookstore, and snagging a $5 plate of Chinese food right before closing time at Grand Central market.

How to fail gracefully

Fashion is a competitive, saturated world. Everyone wants to work in this field because they think it’s creative and glamorous. It can be both of those things, but there’s also a ton of hard work, failure and falling on your face sometimes. I hustled through unpaid internships that had me strapped for cash, I overextended myself to make pieces for my friends that I just couldn’t deliver on, and I flunked a class for the first time ever. I am certain I looked a fool sometimes during these formative years, but I learned something from each mess up.

How to be yourself

Remember how I just said that fashion is competitive and saturated? If you think you can come in and knock off someone else, or that your style is too unique, think again. A lot of people had a pre-conceived notion that everyone at FIDM was going to have the tastes and aesthetics of Lauren Conrad. When I arrived I saw a diverse array of personal styles. If you think you’re a little too goth-core to be in the Hills, I’ve got news for you, there’s plenty of room at the table.

How to wear whatever the hell you want

There are no rules. Anyone who says you have to match your shoes to your bag is full of it. If someone tells you not to mix two prints, it’s because they don’t know how to. Don’t take yourself or your clothes too seriously. Have fun and wear whatever makes you feel good. People with successful fashion lines and massive IG followings also showed up to school in sweats, wore white after labor day, and basically broke every fashion rule under the sun.

How to back up your work

Save whatever you’re working on to the cloud, the hard drive, the flash drive, and email it to yourself because after 6 hours of work goes missing, you never totally move on. This one seems self explanatory, but for real- that thing you’re working on, GO SAVE IT RIGHT NOW.

How to market yourself

Thank you business of fashion classes! This one would be useful no matter what field you’re in. Sell real estate? Design websites? Shoot weddings and engagements? You’re gonna need to know who you are and how to tell the world. I learned how to write a bio, perfect my resume and send professional emails. I’ve gotten better at this over time and experience, but I wouldn’t have been nearly as prepared! 

How to pull an all-nighter

Sure, you’ve partied into the night and watched the sun rise with friends before. But have you stayed up pattern drafting on the floor of your friend’s apartment until the sun rose only to hop into morning rush hour traffic to arrive promptly to a 6-hour class? I mastered the art of not falling asleep in class (eventually) and I think my body is still trying to play catch up. I also learned long term that this is no way to live. Self care includes making sure you’ve had enough rest and a full night’s sleep, and is crucial to showing up as your best self.

How to separate Instagram vs. Reality

It’s no secret that FIDM is associated with Project Runway, The Hills, ANTM, Monique L’Huillier, Karen Kane, and countless other famous alumni. Being neck deep in assignments, internships, jobs, and trying to catch the metro on time will show you what that reality looks like real quick. I love scrolling through my Instagram feed and seeing beautifully curated photos from my favorite bloggers. I also know that there is a team of people helping them with wardrobe, hair, makeup, photography, location scouting and editing. Don’t compare your life to theirs, because there is always more than meets the eye.

Student loans suck, but it does no good to ignore them

I left school briefly, and returned a few months later. Right before graduation, I received a letter in the mail that I had defaulted on my loans. Turns out, I had to inform someone that I had returned to school and by the time I got the letter, it was too late to do anything about it. I didn’t have a job yet, still lived at home, and was struggling to keep any money in savings, let alone start paying my loans off. I ignored them for a few years and RUINED my credit score. I only started to get aggressive with repayment in the last few years, and finally started to see my credit improve. I wish I had been more thorough when I applied for the loans in the first place, and had paid more attention to them up front. Young students are ripped off by the system- I was one of them! 

Was the degree in fashion design worth it? Probably. I met some of the best friends of my life at FIDM, and I became that much more of a fashion authority because of my time there. Could I have gotten a great education elsewhere for less? Probably, but I only know what my experience was like. Where did you go to school, and what did you learn outside of class while you were there? Leave me a comment to let me know!