Streetwear gets a preppy twist on this cropped hoodie with all-over anchor print by Primp (left). For more coverage (and less cash) cast your net for the cute basic hoodie on the right.


Luxe: Primp anchor hoodie, $143 $100.10
Less: Forever 21 Anchor Hoodie, $17.80

No ugly ducklings here, just a sea of pretty little swans on a comfy long-sleeve henley. Perfect for layering on chilly winter days.


Luxe: Primp Swan Henley, $88 $61.60
Less: Forever 21 Swan Waffle Henley, $13.80

Who knew folding shirts could be so much fun??

This Japanese "How to Fold a Shirt" video is just about the coolest thing to come along since sliced bread. Check it out and give it a try - it's not as hard as it looks, we got it on our second try! OK, we'll shut up now.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we made a pilgrimage to what shall be henceforth known as the mecca of all budget fashion shopping destinations: The new XXI Forever at Old Orchard shopping mall in Skokie, Illinois.

Old Orchard is definitely one of the best malls in Chicagoland, with anchors like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor and Macy's - and just about every specialty / accessory store imaginable in between. But it's never had a reputation for being a budget-friendly place to shop - that is, until now!

When you add a Forever 21 store to a chichi mall like Old Orchard, the result is sheer magic. First class all the way! (Let's face it, not all retail stores are created equal - so much depends on location, location, location.) No piles of clothes to sort through, no disorganized shelves - just a gorgeous layout, astounding selection, and plenty of sales associates to help a girl out!

Funky decorative elements, pleasant lighting, and loud music (good or bad, depending on your pref) creates the ultimate shopping atmosphere. They even have a separate section for the "couture" collection TwelvebyTwelve (stunning!), an entire room devoted to jewelry and accessories (super fab!), and a men's section (loves it!).

We felt quite literally like a kid in a candy store and shopped til we nearly dropped. It was glorious. Word to the wise: shop early or at off-peak hours because even this humongous store managed to get packed full of voracious shoppers. Dressing room started to get a little chaotic, me-ow!

Clearly, Forever 21 is doing something right and business is booming. Meanwhile, nearby Bloomingdale's was barren - we walked through on our way back to our car, and it was so quiet and empty you could have heard a pin drop. Hmmm, wonder where all their customers were... oh, that's right - Forever 21!

So pack light the next time you visit the Chi - which, btw, is one of the best cities in the world for shopping (no joke) - and be sure to hit up the biggest, bestest Forever 21 EVER! Scroll down for lots of pics. (Sorry for the photo overload, we got a little trigger happy!)