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!)

A friend recently invited me to join HauteLook, a free site that offers members access to exclusive on-line designer sales. While it's too soon to tell if this site will prove useful, upcoming sales for December - which include fashions from LaRok, Rock & Republic, and Ya-Ya - look promising.

Here's what they say: "HauteLook is a private club which organizes exclusive 48 - 72 hour on-line private sales for its members. Held only for the top designer brands in the fashion industry, HauteLook provides an exclusive platform where these brands can reach their customers directly. As a result, HauteLook members are able to receive discounts of up to 75% off of retail prices on the latest fashion merchandise from the comfort of their home or office."

Join HauteLook Today!