No, don't reach for your glasses. You actually read that correctly. I bought not one but TWO pairs of stretch cargo pants from Forever 21 and I'm LOVING them. Seriously. They're cotton with a slight stretch, they pull on but not in a mom-jeans way, and they fit perfectly. Well, they fit me perfectly anyway. They're definitely more skinny cargo/ skinny jeans than leggings, so they don't come with any of that leggings-are-not-pants drama. I've been wearing them with a t-shirt, blazer, and booties. They're tapered at the bottom, so they're almost stupid easy to tuck into boots.
Oh, and I actually factually give these an A for quality though that's relative quality considering they're from Forever 21. But for fast fashion, these are really sturdy -- I've worn them for months, washed them (obviously), and they show no signs of slowing down (kind of like, say, the Tea Party, unfortunately). I actually may buy two more pairs for backup.
I bought these in both grey and olive, though the olive is basically your standard-issue khaki/ army green. I bought these in large (because Forever 21 is a store for teenagers, and I am not a teenager, at least not according to my birth certificate), and I'm about a size 8, so if you're an 8-ish or under, go crazy. Get two pairs. I did!
I really wish I'd have purchased this Forever 21 cardigan I posted the other day. Sure the See By Chloe one is cashmere and this one is probably made out of recycled Scotch tape and Splenda, but I actually like it better, especially due to its lack of '80s-ness. (I like a lot about the '80s BUT NOT its cardigans.) Buuuuut it looks like it's sold out online in my size. Bew. New York Bingers, anyone hit up a F21 here recently? Anyone see this in a large, by chance?
Forever 21 just launched their new "luxury line" (in this case, luxury being anything over like $12), Twelve By Twelve. Nothing totally earthshattering -- it mainly looks like French Connection crossed with Club Monaco, which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- but here are few cute pieces.
This tidbit came up the other day while discussing that Zara swastika (Zarastika?) story... in case you din't know... yes, Forever 21 DOES have wee little John 3:16s printed on the bottom of their shopping bags. Weird, right?
The highly underrated New York Sun (which, to me, is like Salon.com but less of a commitment!) did a good piece on the Forever 21 bags last year.
I love this amazing quote from the New York Sun article: "Jesus wore clothes," a 22-year-old from Brooklyn, Jason Schultz, said when informed about the phrase on his bag. He said it didn't bother him that the company wanted to spread a religious message.
TROOTH!
Anyway, I personally don't really have a problem with this. If I were Christian and super into the Bible, maybe I would, but then again, if I were Christian and super into the Beeblay, I'd probably be really stoked that John and his message were getting out to those who need it most: teenagers who buy cheap, slutty clothes! (Or, adult women like me who buy their designer knockoffs!)
I actually find it WAY more disturbing that In-N-Out burger prints a passage from Revelations on the bottom of their burger wrappers. Because NOTHING says “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” like animal style fries!
(Photo by me from my trip to the ORIGINAL In-N-Out Burgz in San Francisco.)
Note I did NOT say MAD! Eventhough it's hotter than two bullfrogs here, I've been all about the most-unsummery plaid for some reason. Mucha what I've been admiring is dresses, several of which are by Marc Jacobs. So, I've been reduced to fantasy shopping, but if I were actual shopping, here's what I'd get:
($198, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Shopbop) Lovely and colorful, but...
($24, Forever 21) Also lovely and colorful cute and nearly $200 less!
N'sure how much it is, but it's super cute, and it's from World Market.
($25, Paul Frank, Karmaloop.com) K, it's not plaid, but it sorta feels like it could be related to plaid, doesn't it?
($30, Forever 21) Again, not plaid but it IS patterned. I threw this in because I was totally surprised to see something so elegante at f21. If I woulda said this was by Cynthia Steffe, you could even believed me! Case in point: ... But... lyin's for suckahs.
($104, Talla, Beklina.com) I truly adore this amazing top.
Because I'm feeling charitable, check out this amazing clip of Clay Aiken's soul-crushing horbsness. Why the fuck is he waxing nostalgic about "kids today" like he's some 85-year-old dude who once played the Catskills? Anyway, if you wanna skip over that, head straight for 3:00, where he does his rendition of "Baby Got Back" followed by "Like A Virgin." Seriously. Someone get this kid a tutu.
No, no, no, no, and, once more, with feeling.... NO, hos. Not even to the GYM. SO bad. Leave the tiger-striped booty shorts to the type of girls who'd pair them with an Ed Hardy tank. (Familiar with the name "Tara Reid"?) AND YOU are SO not that girl.
Whether or not you choose to accept them, '80-style wayfarer glasses (AKA: Risky Business/ Top Gun glasses) are back in, as are aviators, for the seven billionth time, and big bug-eyed '60s glasses are still sorta in, at least as long as Nicole Richie continues to hide her sad anorexic eyes behind them. I don't mind any of these styles, as long as one knows which look best on one. I discovered the hard way -- seeing a horrific photo of me in huge bug-eye glasses on the fridge of my boyfriend's parents and nearly barfing of shame. Now I stick with aviators, specifically these.
Anyway, I suppose all of these styles are better than those horrid John Lennon glasses, though of course, those'll probably show up on some poor model's face on the runway this fall. Sigh.
So, why pay... $225 for these: (Ksubi, Oaknyc.com)
($86, Paul Frank, SunglassesGiant.com) I know they're not cheap, but they're SOOOO cute. And I love the name: The Bass And The Movement. Check eBay for Paul Frank Mach 4, a similar design.
Finally, Fred Flare encourages you to party like it's 1985 in these appropriately named "80s glasses" ($9, FredFlare.com)
