Forever 21

Forever 21 started in 1984 (my birthday!) as Fashion 21 in Los Angeles. The CEO and President of Forever 21 is Don Chang – and part of the advisor board at FiDM -> the school I am going to in July! He is a Christian Korean-American man and the reason why John 3:16 is printed on the bottom of each and every iconic yellow bag. 
For God so loved the world, He gave His one & only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16


Affectionately known as F21 to all fashion bloggers, I am telling you this now – Keep an eye on this super trendy store – it is really really about to blow up.  There are over 400 stores worldwide and flagship stores over 24,000 sq ft. (Half a football field!). A favorite shopping destination in the US, it is now in Toronto at Dundas Square, Vaughan Mills (soon) and Fairview Mall (soon).  It is the epitomy of fashion lovers heaven.  It is trendy, it is versatile, it is fast, it is cheap and it lets you be a fashion forward recessionista without going broke!  The trick to rocking items from F21 is to mix it up.  Don’t wear head-to-toe one brand. EVER.  Don’t ever look at a store mannequin and duplicate the look exactly – that is uber lame.  This is where ‘style’ comes in.  Match your Forever 21 piece with something vintage, something splurge (shoes!), your mom’s bracelet, a bag you bought traveling and always with a bit of sass.  


These are new at Forever21.com for under $30!


Going out to a lot of events means a lot of outfits.  Do not ever EVER be embarassed to wear something from lower end stores like F21, H&M, Winners, Urban Behavior or even Stitches!  Shop smart and you will always be en vogue.  If you are buying basics, there is nothing wrong with getting it from a discount place.  I think buying a plain black tank to at Marciano for $50 is a waste of money!

I say:
Splurge on JEWELRY (turning green!), SHOES (ouch!) & MAKEUP (breakout!)
Save on BASICS (leggings, tanks, etc), TREND ITEMS (fringe, metallics, belts) & COCKTAILS (take at least 30 mins between drinks!)

Caitlin and I had a convo about how we loving ‘stand out’ pieces. LBD means loud, bodiacious and daring to us and not Little Black Dress.  So, let’s get creative.


Rocking Forever 21 dress with a black corset underneath CanFar Gala Nov 08

rocking the same ‘paperbag skirt’ at Warner Girl May 09


If you want more tips on how to stay fashionable in recession time… Check out this post over at
What Women Want

For you jet-set divas, find Forever 21 in the United States, Philippines, Canada, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Thailand, South Korea, Puerto Rico, and Japan