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The Windy City is a little more stylish now that the second season of Fashionista, AOL Latino's online fashion designer contest, wrapped up. Host/model/actress Patricia Velásquez named Chicago-based designer Horacio Nieto, 27, the winner. Nieto's sizzling Arlo menswear line and self-titled women's line are inspiration for his next mission--designing a dress for Mexican actress Ana de la Reguera (Nacho Libre). In the meantime, Nieto gives the fashion-handicapped tips to stay and look cool this summer.

SiTV.com: How did you find out about this contest?
Horacio Nieto: I was in a fashion show with last year's winner and they always referred to her as the AOL Fashionista winner. It wasn't until she sent out an email, saying they were doing the contest again that I realized what it was. I ended up being one of the top 20.

SiTV.com: How has your life changed since you won?
HN: It's on every page of the website's beauty section, so I've been receiving a lot of phone calls for interviews and opportunities. It's been great.

SiTV.com: Has fashion always been your thing?
HN: I was the kid who always dressed up in a suit. In elementary school, I was wearing those spandex bicycle shorts. There's always those trends that come and go. [Thank God.] My mom raised me by herself. She and my grandmother were big inspirations. My grandma would tell me stories about being really poor. My great grandma would sew all their clothes—she wouldn't use patterns, just cut out stuff. It wasn't until middle school that I started sketching and realized it's something I liked to do. I moved to Chicago in 2000 to study fashion design at The International Academy of Design and Technology.

SiTV.com: What's fashionable this summer?
HN: White's always big, vibrant colors, linens, playful skirts, dresses with a Latin feel, ruffles...not pastel colors, but strong bright greens and blues. Think Caribbean.

SiTV.com: What can women wear to the office when it's hot outside without looking like a hoochie?
HN: Something you can dress up and down with style lines that give you curves, like a blazer and fitted pencil skirt. It's fashion-forward and not so officey. At the end of the day, you can change into jeans, leave the blazer and blouse on, and go to a party. It still works.

SiTV.com: How short is too short for a woman's skirt?
HN: More than five inches above the knee.

SiTV.com: Oops! (Laughs). OK, so what's hot for men this summer?
HN: Playful jackets that hit at the waist, vests—before, you would wear a blazer and jeans out, but now a shirt and vest—polo shirts in bright colors with the collar up. I think men are starting to be more fashionable with what they have in their closets.

SiTV.com: For some reason I can't stand when men wear flip-flops with jeans.
HN: I do that look myself.

SiTV.com: I mean... [awkward pause.]
HN: I think flip-flops are good for casual wear and sandals for dressing up—nice leather sandals.