The Mother Ship
I was inspired to start this blog when I realized that I spend a lot of my fashion-pondering time thumbing through Forever21, looking for items that might work for me. Whenever I find something good, I feel like I’ve played a trick on the universe. It’s so inexpensive! And it’s for juniors! We are NOT SUPPOSED TO SHOP THERE.
Since Forever21 updates their inventory daily, there are always new chances to thumb our noses at triple-digit wardrobe boosters. I’ll be posting my finds from Forever21 and other fast fashion chains regularly under the category named for what I always say to myself when I find something great: “I Would Wear That.”
First row, from left to right:
I love animal prints, but subtlety is key to wearing them right. This print tee has a small scale (with small scales) print and flattering V-neck. It’s made of Lyocell. I’ve been in the clothing biz for six years and have no idea what that is.
I love the asymmetry and color blocking on this t-shirt. Broad shoulders let you wear what you have to underneath. Blush is a flattering color on just about everyone.
Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Theory all showed a pile of military-inspired looks for spring. This olive linen (100%) cargo jacket lets you get on top of that trend without looking like a fashion victim, or victimizing your wallet.
Second row:
Who can’t use a lightweight neutral sweater? I like the looser knit, the ribbing that go well up the sleeve, and the linen/rayon blend.
Another linen-blend sweater, this one is just plain pretty, and smart enough for work. I’m not sure what would happen if you wore a blazer over it, though. Maybe the “cape” would work as a cowel?
With enough starch, this rusty-rose safari jacket would be great for work as a blazer-alternative. Wash and wear for more casual use.
That concludes my inaugural post. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the blog in general, today’s picks, and the kind of criteria you use for shopping now that you’re a WOACA (woman of a certain age). I’ll be covering accessories, special occasion wear, street style, runway reworks, shoes for grownups, and much more in the days to come. Welcome!
Love it! Esp. how the Forever21 site tells you the measurements of the model, and her size. Some of my favorite basics come from Forever21, even though I am a (*ahem*) grown-up. At 42, I still refuse to consider myself a WOACA… 😀
I love the model measurements too. Big help in figuring out that something that hits the 5′ 10″ model mid-thigh will be above-knee on me!
I love this Blog already. I’d love to see info on tops that have decent short sleeves for someone who is ‘upper-arm shy’, especially in the summer.
Funny about Forever21. I take a slightly different approach to it and don’t look for basics or neutrals because I suspect they won’t stand the test of time. Instead, I look for the odd, fun, fashion-y thing. It took me a year of walking snootily past it in the mall (I had never heard of it and the name was off-putting) before I realized that this would partially fill the hole in my new life in a town without H&M, from which I bought both basics (some) and fun stuff. I bought a fake satin, on some a dress, on me a tunic, with a print of black bird silhouettes and leopard opera jacket and an aqua clutch with a cutout design and yellow leather beneath. That’s it for now, but I take my daughters, 12 & 14, there and we always do a lot of trying on. It’s the only store in the mall that is fun in this way. We are getting an H&M this summer. I’m pretty psyched.
Lyocell is related to Tencel, both fibers are processed in a manner similar to rayon, i.e., take wood cellulose and process the living daylights out of it. It’s a great fiber, drapes well, packs well, very soft. I haven’t been into Forever 21 in a long time, but should check out H & M again. I’ve also found a couple of consignment shops that do a really good job for those with a “classic” style … and shape! Great idea.
Really nice to have you in the blogosphere. A thought: quality. There is something so nice about the feel of quality fabric, even if it’s just a good t-shirt. Fast fashion doesn’t have it. Sort of like once you sleep on 400 thread count sheets, it’s pretty hard to go back to polyester. So I have a lot of fun looking and “pretend” shopping but would rather wait for the sales and buy the good stuff cheaper.
Hi Michelle! I couldn’t agree more: quality fabrics feel better, drape better, and last longer. You’ll notice that most of my selections from fast fashion are the “real deal,” with dominant if not 100% cotton/linen/rayon/wool fabrications. Manufacturing costs have gone down so much in the last ten years that the quality of fabrics has improved. Likewise, you’ll notice a lot of polyester in designer lines, because oftentimes they perform best for whatever the style may be. But like I said, I agree that quality is important whether something costs $25 or $240. I’ll be sure to cover the sales as well.
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