As I was thinking of possible

ideas for this week’s article, the

typical Leah pieces popped into my

mind as they always do. I wanted to

write about fashion, the latest fashion

show, the newest weird trend that

most people won’t catch on to for

another year or two, or something on

a designer.

Then, after a wakeup call from

my mother who begged me to stop

talking to her about what Leandra

Medine thinks about stripes I realized

that the average New Trier girl needs

to read something they can relate to.

You’re walking through Old

Orchard, you just got out of Akira

and are walking towards Bloomies,

and you see it, try to avoid it, until it

drags you in: Forever 21, your hell,

your worst nightmare, your middle

school playground.

And yet, you find yourself

drawn into the head ache inducing,

loud music playing, polyester filled

warehouse of a store.

You’ll begrudgingly tug with

all force at those really heavy doors

and make your way inside where you

are completely overwhelmed by the

amount of clothing.

Most girls put the store down for

selling cheap and ugly clothing. Well,

they wouldn’t be mostly wrong.

But, they continue to spend their hard

earned babysitting money in there,

to regret it and cry over the horrible

return policy.

However, I am not embarrassed

to say that I shop at Forever 21 for a

portion of my closet, and I will tell

you why. For what it is worth, you

can find cute inexpensive pieces at

Forever 21.

Because I am a teenager who is

neither able nor completely interested

in taking good care of her clothing

yet, I especially enjoy owning pieces

that I can ruin without getting upset.

You should ask my family about

the “second carpet” that appears in

my room after a stressful, late-night

filled

week. I think nice clothing

should be treated with respect; I just

don’t have the time in my life right

now for that.

I am well educated in brands, in

the upcoming trends, in the designers

who created them. I just don’t own

them.

One day when I am older, I will

buy these things, but for now I am

okay with my occasional really nice

pieces that I hang on the top bar of

my closet.

Also, Forever 21 has taught me

a few things as a high school girl.

First, you can always find the

positive in the negative. Always.

Forever 21 is a fast-fashion

retailer, meaning it provides the

most recent runway trends at a much

cheaper price than the designer

originals.

Sometimes, I play the “guess

which designer game” in my head as I

walk through the aisles as everything

really is a cheaper version of the

runway show months and months

prior.

The cheap prices obviously

entail clothing that isn’t made well,

and with cheaper fabrics.

For example natural fibers like

cotton and linen are way more durable

then synthetic fibers like polyester.

Most of the clothing at Forever 21 is

made of poly-cotton blends.

If you check labels as you shop,

you may stumble upon wool, linen,

and silk blends, all of which are

awesome finds among a store of less

desirable pieces.

Other things you may want

to check for are seams. If you take

two sides of the seam and slightly

pull them apart from each other, you

should not see threads moving. If you

do, this garment will likely last three

cycles of a wash at most.

Buttons could be another area

for concern; Forever 21 buttons have

a tendency to pop off. Make sure they

are either all attached already, or also

highly secured for continuous wear.

Additionally, you must be ready

to really search for the things you

want. Once I was looking for a simple

slip dress to go under a sheer one I

already had. It took me 30 minutes to

find.

Positive in the negative: if you

search Forever 21 for a long enough

period of time, you are bound to find

some cute items.

Relating this to me as a high

school student: Yes, I wasted four

months dating a jerk, but at least I got

a bunch of split frozen yogurt trips

out of him.

Second, you can’t buy style with

money alone. You need an artistic

eye and good taste, these two things

cannot be taught.

I see girls walking around with

their really expensive clothing. I

see them wearing their jeans, their

sweaters, their Aritzia, their Estreet,

their Topshop. But that doesn’t mean

anything.

I am not a hater, I am just

pointing out that girls who can just

buy these things don’t necessarily

know how to wear them, and that

buying an outfit of a model in a look

book is not style. It is fraud.

I think it says something about

someone if they can create looks on

their own from pieces that aren’t

necessarily expensive or designer.

Third, Creating clothing is an art

form.

Once you finally pick up an item

at Forever 21 you will go through

their sizing and quickly notice that

half the clothing is either made for

a preadolescent or a linebacker. The

sizes don’t make sense, and what’s

worse is that once you do find a size

that will work, the clothing is so

poorly made that it may not flow on

your body correctly.

Buying from this store will

make you recognize and appreciate

the craftsmanship of quality clothing.

Now, obviously if my wallet

was unlimited, I would skip the

hassle of dealing with a Forever 21.

But, for now I am a teenage girl who

spills too often to own a completely

nice wardrobe.

And although I do not wear what

I would love, I know that one day, if

I continue to shoot for my goals, I

will be able to fill my wardrobe with

designers.