Not all Forever 21s are created equal, and I’ve become seriously disenchanted with the one in Union Square as of late – if I see one more rack with nylon/rayon blend, bold-colored, babydoll tunics, I’m going to spew. Thankfully, the Soho outpost has a more varied selection of styles (NOT nine thousand duplicates of the same item in different colors…grrrrr).

I expected to be pissed off by the amount of Twelve by Twelve on the downstairs racks of Soho’s F21. Not because some of the stuff isn’t totally cute, but because I initially thought it was overpriced – if I wanted to pay $40 bucks for a t-shirt, I’d hit the Bloomies “sale” rack. As I perused the section, I was pleased to discover that F21 actually hadn’t jacked their prices just to legitimize their “high-end line.” Most of the Twelve by Twelve stuff wasn’t just adorable, well-made and trendy; it was still relatively cheap. I’m heading back today to try the goods on for size – here’s what I’m hoping to find.

The fab, sweater thang pictured above is technically a long cardigan, but it can def double as a dress. Lace Sleeve Cardigan, $34.

From the front, it’s an ideal layering piece. From the back, it’s a subtly sexy statement. (Did I just channel a Lucky mag editor in that description? Apologies.) Sheer-Back Cardigan, $28.


Okay, okay, this trench is on the pricey side for Forever 21, but coats are worth a lil’ extra, especially when the color rocks this hard. Am also going nutso over the pleated trim and gold buttons – it’s all in the details, peeps. Modern Trench Coat, $59.