Forever 21. You. Go There. Now.

My love for Forever 21 is no secret. I tell everybody to shop there and have no idea how more people (my age) don't shop there regularly. No worries. I've got Forever covered for you.

After stalking this romper for weeks, I finally found it in the store and was pretty amazed at how well it fit and how high end it looked for less than $30. I can't wait to wear this! P.S. Please excuse the dirty Forever 21 mirror. Currently, the romper is sold out, but when it's back in stock, I will share the link!

Next up, the fit and flare scuba dress. Fit and flare dresses are so flattering and easily one of my favorite silhouettes. Add in scuba material and a bright royal blue (plus an exposed back zipper) and I was all in before I even saw the $22 price. I wore this to work today and it's so comfortable and versatile. For anybody who wonders how this material washes, the answer is easily and well. 

Solid finds. I kind of wish they made both of these in every color of the rainbow. Rest assured, I will let you know when they do! 

Forever 21 Skinnies

Pants are my nemesis. I am short and pear shaped, but only weigh 100 pounds. Fortunately, I like skirts and dresses, because let me tell you, pants are just not manufactured for my body type. Work pants are the most difficult to find, but jeans are the absolute worst. I could shop for an entire day and come up empty handed.That being said, imagine my surprise when I discovered how well Forever 21's skinny jeans fit me. Let me discuss why they're so awesome:

-the length is 29 inches. Perfect! No hemming needed! 

-they come in every color of the rainbow

-they last forever (no pun intended)

-the fit is amazing

-the price for their jeans begins at $7.80

-they are like the sisterhood of the traveling pants in that they fit everybody I know...and trust me, I make sure everybody knows about them! 

Yesterday, traffic was pretty bad after work, so I swung by the mall while other people sat in a jam. I picked up a spare pair (for $7.80) and had to share my tip. Forever 21 - my go to for denim!

Proof they look good with various shoes:

l. to r., Sperry boat shoes, Nine West pumps and Lucky Brand ankle boots. 

Shirt: Old Navy, past season

The Accidental Fitted Coat

Two weeks ago, I went away for a long weekend of rest and relaxation with my best girls. I spent one night at my parent's house, and in true me form, left one very important item at their house when I left - my dress coat. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, except on Wednesday, I accepted an invitation to a gala for Friday night...Friday as in two days after Wednesday. Gala equates dress coat. Shit! This called for an accidental purchase (falls outside of planned budget). 

Not one to shy away from a challenge, I spent my lunch break on Thursday at the local mall trying to find the nicest, cheapest dress coat. I tried on several between Forever 21 and H&M, where I settled on a gorgeous sale item. Their Fitted Coat (what they actually call it online) is a gorgeous dark blue with gathers at the front and back that highlight your waist. There is also a surprisingly non-offensive pleather belt included. The jacket normally retails for $79.95 but I snagged it for $34.95 (thanks to a winter sale). 

For the price, the coat is lined, tailored quite well and completes any look (according to my constant wearing of it/highly scientific research)! Definitely wish they had this in other colors. Love how happy I am with this accidental purchase! The rest of today's outfit details: 

Bag: Vintage Coach, $30 (online yard sale)

Glasses: Derek Cardigan 7012 in black-fade, this season ($9.95, code FIRSTPAIRFREE, coastal.com)

BON JOUR Fingerless mittens: Forever 21, this season ($5.80)

So...what did I wear to the gala? In 2003, I bought a BCBG layered tulle gown to wear to a fundraiser that I had helped organize. My date stood me up and married a lunch lady (not that night, but eventually - not that anything is wrong with lunch ladies, just stating facts). I have zero pictures of myself from 2003 in the dress (never keep evidence of tears shed over a guy), but happily have some photos of me putting the same $400 dress to use 10 years later! 

Grey Jeans for Less

I usually don't aimlessly go to the local mall, but on a night when the Eagles are playing an evening game and traffic is impossible, it's a great way to kill time before heading home from work.

Now, I love to shop, but ironically, I do not like to shop without a purpose, mainly because it has the potential to really throw off my budget. To help keep myself on track, I only let myself go to H&M and Forever 21 (I can kill a lot of time in both). H&M has some killer fall options - I am a big fan of mixing tough basics with softer pieces, and they have a nice mix of both available, but I needed none of it. On to Forever!

My weakness at Forever 21 is their denim. For those of you who don't know me, I used to be a designer denim snob. Major. $300 for Diesel jeans? No problem. My pug is named Diesel. When my entire life changed four years ago, I bought one last pair of jeans as a farewell to designer denim and vowed to not buy them again for a very long time. I was thrilled to find that Forever 21 makes jeans with an amazing fit. They literally work on every body type and last forever. They truly are the sisterhood of the traveling pants. Slowly, I have turned even my most cynical friends from various financial backgrounds into Forever 21 denim devotees. Given my praise for Forever denim, you can imagine how excited I was to see their jeans were on sale for $7.80. I do not need jeans. But the sale included grey jeans - a color I do not have, but have been lusting for. 

Hm. What's a girl to do? If you're me and have about 25 jeans in a variety of colors, you sleep on it. Then you wake up at 4 a.m. and look at images of grey jeans on Pinterest. Then you decide you must go to the mall over lunch and that you can't live without grey jeans, and for $7.80, you should have just bought them on day one. Lesson learned and grey jeans purchased! 

Monogram Madness...and a Mystery Animal

Forever 21 is my secret weapon. From $10 skinny jeans to my Kate Spade knockoff black and white polka dot cigarette pants to my sheer chiffon tops and graphic sweaters that instantly make an outfit, I can always count on Forever. Their jewelry selection is also worth perusing, and yesterday, I struck gold. Well, plated, at least. Not only was I able to buy an adorable "L" necklace and ring ($3.80 and $2.80 respectively), but I also bought a really cute ring with a mystery animal on it. What is that thing? A fox? A gazelle? For $3.80, it's cute and cheap, and, now, it is mine.

I actually had to stop myself from buying several other items including House of Harlow starburst knockoffs and a Kate Spade bow necklace/earring set. Too much jewelry, not enough places to wear them to, but I can't pass up monogrammed anything, so voila and ooh la la! Love these new Forever finds!

The $5 J. Crew Pencil Skirt

If you read my pages looking for tips, you likely questioned that whole shopping via social media business I mentioned. After all, who goes on Instagram or Facebook to buy and/or sell things? Turns out, a lot of people! My first Instagram purchase was a vintage leather pencil skirt from a girl I follow on Instagram ($20). She could have kept the money and never sent the skirt, but indeed, it came in the mail (from Oklahoma), and when I wore it, I posted a picture, which she blessed with a double tap and a compliment. Since then, I've successfully bought and sold (quite a bit, actually) through social media. Just the other day, I was super excited to be the first commenter on a post for a mustard yellow pencil skirt from J. Crew (for only $5). The seller is expecting her first child and is apparently quite confident that her waist will never again see a size 2-4, because she is selling all of her clothes. I met her in a Panera Bread to exchange cash for skirt and was thrilled to get home and find that it's such a good fit. Here's how I wore it: 

Skirt: J. Crew (2011), via Facebook via Panera Bread, $5

Shirt: Old Navy, $14.97 (sale, fall 2012)

Shoes: Loft, $22 (sale, winter 2012)

Necklace: Forever 21, $4 (years ago, can't believe it hasn't fallen apart)

Earrings and bracelets: fake pearls, Wal-Mart, $5