2016-10-29 14.26.19.jpg

à la mode

What You Should and Shouldn't Buy at Forever21

Who doesn't love Forever21? It's nearly impossible to walk into the store and not walk out with at least four things. Over the years, I've spent an ungodly amount of money at F21 and have learned what's worth waiting in the long fitting room lines for and what isn't. 


They need to make a store called Forever 25, where they just sell wine and yoga pants.
— Overheard at Forever 21

To Buy:

Summer Tanks

Summer clothing is mostly trend-based and not meant to be long-lasting. Not to mention, with all the beach trips and vacations and sweat, you put your clothes through a lot in the summer. I like buying my go-to summer tanks at F21 because I know they'll hit all the marks I'm looking for: comfortable, trendy, and inexpensive. The price point is a serious pro for me because I don't feel as guilty about giving these seasonable items away when I clean out my closet. If I wore that gingham crop top ten times after paying $15 for it, that's a job well done.

 

Bags

I bought a crossbody bag at F21 five years ago that to this day I still own. I don't use it as much because I got it wet and now the wear is super obvious, but it was a really solid bag. They have great, on-trend bags both in stores and online that will get you the look you're going for without compromising your budget. The quality isn't as great as you would get buying the real deal, obviously, but they get extremely close.

 

Sunglasses

You know you're going to lose your sunglasses anyway, so you're looking for some cheap pairs to mimic the Chanel ones you saw Blake Lively wearing that one time. Well, welcome to the land of trendy sunglasses. Every shape, style, and color you can imagine are hanging on their little hooks waiting for you. If you go into the store, it's also a great place to just stand around and try on a bunch of different shapes to see what looks best on your face structure without people judging you. Literally, everyone is doing the same thing.

 

Workout Wear

Why would you tons of money on something you're just going to sweat in? If you are training for a competition, I get it, your job is the gym, but for the rest of us who would rather be doing anything else that jogging on the treadmill, you just need some leggings. F21 has a pretty expansive athletic section and decent quality pieces that will get you to the gym and back a few times, while looking cute doing it.


Not To Buy:

Jewelry

Some of my friends love F21's jewelry and will never stop shopping there. Their stuff is really cute and I understand. However, for me, the few times I did buy their jewelry, it would tarnish scary fast and leave my skin green. It might just be me, maybe I'm allergic to something in their metals or have hyper-sensitive skin (doubtful), but even so the necklaces would start deteriorating after a few wears. I would have just expected for them to last longer based on the prices, but if you have good luck with your purchases, more power to you. You probably look really cute and I'm jealous.

Try these instead:

 

Jeans

A good pair of jeans can last you for years. If you're going to shop for jeans, don't you want them to last, and more importantly, fit well? The denim section at F21 is good for teens who are still growing and haven't gained their Freshmen 15 yet. The rest of us are pretty much set in our ways and should take the next step of investing in a good pair of flattering, all-purpose jeans. Also, one time I bought a pair of pants here and the more I washed them, the shorter they got until they were basically capris which was not cool when I was 18.

Try these instead:

 

Long-term Pieces

As much as we would all love to truly be forever 21, that's just not a thing. Nothing lasts forever and neither will the clothes you buy here. In 30 years, you're not going to pull a dress out of your closet that you bought here and wear it to dinner. That dress will be falling apart at the seems and two sizes smaller from all the washes. The thing about stores like F21 is that they're not trying to sell you life-long pieces; they're trend-based. The pieces you buy here aren't going to last you much longer than the trend itself. If you're looking for the perfect peacoat or jumpsuit to one day pass on to your children, it won't have a Forever 21 label in it.

Try these instead:

 

Winter Coats

What I've found after purchasing two or three coats from F21 is that I am either always going to be cold in the winter no matter what or their fabrics aren't heavy enough to be made into a coat. Both could be true, but regardless, I felt like I always had to wear three layers underneath all my coats and that's no way to live. No matter where you live, you need a solid winter coat to be reliable and sturdy. Like Ron Swanson. You need the Ron Swanson of coats to last you this winter and many more. Cold fronts come out of nowhere occasionally so we must constantly be prepared. Don't buy a Jean-Ralphio when you need a Ron Swanson.

Try these instead: