I'm strolling through the hosiery department at Nordstrom when I spot a salesgirl wearing the most adorable outfit. She's got on a long-sleeved, cotton knit dress with a simple yet very flattering shape, and she's rockin' some layers over it. Her finishing touches of a cute, wide headband and some casual, heeled boots made her pretty as a picture.
I eye her up and down. I have the boots, I have the headband. Long tee, check; cropped jacket, check. I need the dress.
"That is the cutest dress. Is it from here?"
"No, I got it at Forever 21."
Dude, you just blew my mind! Forever 21? For serious? Since I was already at the mall and I know that there are two Forever 21 stores there, I decide to roll into one and check it out.
This is not the Forever 21 I remember. Not the skank clothing haven bustling with overly-fragrant females with questionable occupations toting shopping bags filled with scores from Rave and DEB. Sure, it had been a couple of years since I even walked into a Forever 21, but every time I passed by, I always thought of Rex and his joke about parking on the bench outside the store so he could be the dirty old man gawking at all the trashy 19-year-olds coming in and out. The store was a stigma. No respectable girl walked in there and actually bought something.
But I walk in there and see about two dozen things I want to buy. Plaid knee skirts, sailor pants, and plenty of adorable cotton knit dresses. All at very affordable--if not sweatshop slave labor--prices.
Confused and overwhelmed, I quickly exit Forever 21 and call Janelle. She confesses that she experienced the same phenomenon just recently, but didn't know how to bring it up in conversation. We make a pact to go back, together, and do some serious shopping.
Stay tuned for part two of the Forever 21 saga. Perhaps we'll even bring the digicam. Until then, watch for "Who Knew: Restaurant Edition", which will be appearing on the blog sometime this week.
Welcome to the club; I find” Forever 21" disturbingly addictive and trust me, you will too. I am glad that I can finally talk to someone about it…what a relief…
Posted by: Marina | September 25, 2006 at 01:51 PM
geez, thanks, more temptations to resist.
Posted by: courtney | September 25, 2006 at 05:27 PM
That wasn't a joke; that was Saturday afternoons.
But seriously, I was in San Fran recently and saw the HUGEST Forever 21 ever -- it was like the size of a downtown department store. I supect Forever 21 is doing really well right now.
(Also noted: every city I visit also seems to have a Juicy Couture outlet opening. And I know how Lux likes her Juicy.)
Posted by: Rex | September 27, 2006 at 11:05 AM
Ugh. F*CK JUICY!
Posted by: Alexis | September 27, 2006 at 03:39 PM
I've never heard of Forever 21, but I am a big fan of the also- underrated Rainbow for girl-clothes shopping, that is when I have a girl to buy clothes for.
Yes I am clueless; I'll just go stand over here now.
Posted by: Simon | October 04, 2006 at 06:02 PM
Aha, Rainbow! That's the store I was trying to remember when I wrote the part about Rave and DEB.
Posted by: Alexis | October 04, 2006 at 06:15 PM
Wow...let me tell u...and this is coming from a serious Forever 21 Addict (and by addict, i mean full-fledged, part of every pay-check is devoted to this, i will be bankrupt cause of this store) that i'm so glad u realized how amazing this store is.
ha
Posted by: Angie | October 13, 2006 at 09:41 AM
that is because they are slave labor prices! http://www.39thandbroadway.com/hate-21/
Posted by: Jocelyn | August 17, 2010 at 08:04 PM