During my last trip to Forever 21 at my nearby mall, I saw a couple really cute faux fur pieces, including a faux chinchilla coat, a faux leopard fur coat, a faux rabbit vest and a faux shearling lined aviator jacket. I have to say, they've really improved the look of budget faux fur and I'd be proud to wear any of these pieces. They look luxe, feel soft and the prices can't be beat. I'm not sure how practical any of these pieces are, but they certainly look good. But don't take my word for it: Check out nitro:licious' Wendy rocking her Forever 21 faux fur here!

More pics after the jump...

I popped into my nearest Urban Outfitters store this weekend on a whim, drawn in by the cheerful window displays. UO can sometimes be a dreary place but it was bustling and upbeat, holiday gifts were out and lots of sparkly holiday party outfits on display - great for styling inspiration. The uniform seems to be a girly blouse, dress shorts or a skirt topped with an oversized open-front cardigan sweater, tights and boots (heels for evening). Mix and match to suit your taste. I picked up some fingerless gloves and a supersoft layering tee. I might go back for some ironic stocking stuffers (love that stuff!), greige nail polish, lace tights, cloche hat, fur shrug, sequin jacket and shiny statement necklace...wouldn't that be dreamy?

More photo inspiration after the jump!

It's no secret that I'm a HUGE Forever 21 fan, so when I got invited to preview the Grand Opening of Forever 21's 5th Avenue store in New York, I did not hesitate to wake up at 6 a.m. and ride that 2 hour-long train into the city for a press preview called Coffee & Couture. The store is gorgeous, meticulously organized, and all the staff members on hand were super cheerful, polite and eager to show off their swanky new home. Definitely worthy of its Fifth Avenue address! In addition to tons of fall layering pieces, cozy knits and outerwear, this Forever 21 location has loads of holiday party dressing options from embellished tops to faux fur to accessories like rhinestone jewelry, shiny clutch purses and platform heels.

The highlight of my morning had to be my conversation with Senior Marketing Manager Linda Chang, sister of Esther Chang (who heads the visuals department) and daughter of the fast-fashion empire's founders. We talked at length about everything from the company's humble beginnings to its bright future (watch out for bigger stores and more collabs, although don't expect them to be in the same vein as H&M). Linda struck me as incredibly intelligent, kind, humble and down-to-earth. She seems like a beautiful person inside and out. I liked that she said the focus of the company has always been the customer, that's why we've seen things like the launch of Faith 21 (plus size), Love 21 (contemporary mature), maternity, beauty and more. You had me at hello, Forever 21.

If you're ever in NYC, don't miss this super hot shopping spot. More eye candy after the jump.

Oversized, patterned sweaters look cool - not clunky - when paired with skinny jeans and edgy ankle boots, as seen on Jessica Simpson. Here are 5 options from Forever 21 that are all under $50 so you can give this trend a spin without buyer's remorse.

On Friday I did a little shopping at Kohl's, where all LC Lauren Conrad collection clothing was marked down 35-40% off - meaning most items were well under $50. Had I used my Kohl's charge, I could have gotten additional discounts but instead I used a giftcard, courtesy of Kohls, to purchase an embellished tank top (above) for $36.99. I thought I paid $23.99 until a few moments ago when I checked my receipt for the purpose of writing this post. The moral of the story: Double check prices before you check-out!

Other items I liked included a lace jacket, lace-back cardigan, leather-look jacket (previously shown here), and "granny floral" blouse. A cropped fur jacket seemed to have potential - might be cute with a cocktail dress, or it might look like you've been attacked by a teddy bear. On the rack, many pieces looked lackluster (like the shapeless sweaters) but I recommend trying things on. A shopping buddy of mine observed that the LC collection lacks petites and cold-weather clothing, but if you're looking for a cute top or cocktail dress to wear for a casual night out, you might find some gems. More photos after the jump!