Looking back into 2025, the saddest fashion moment for me was when F21 closed down. For those who followed me for years on this blog, most of my clothing finds and inspirations came from F21. Going into a massive Forever 21 store with glittery flooring in the mall was the highlight of my college years and early adult life. When COVID hit, I was amazed how fast shipping was with F21 compared to all the other retailers....I mean once I ordered, I received my items in 3-4 days, verses the 10-15 days of other online clothing retailers. I also loved scrolling through the endless pages of items on their app to catch the latest fashion trend and find unique items that were like works of art because they were inspired by celebrities and runway looks. Of course the best part was the affordable prices for such fun items, and junior sizing was perfect for my petite frame!
However, there were the bad and the ugly with fast fashion like the horrible environmental impact, the waste, the stories of the condition/treatment of the factory workers....maybe it is for the best they closed down in the States.
Despite all the controversies and ethical debates, F21 still holds a "happy place/happy memory" for a suburban girl in a lower-middle class family who just wants to look her best and enjoy fashion.
Even though F21 was meant to be fast fashion, I've collected several pieces that have lasted a decade or more including their jewelry. And I plan to preserve the current pieces that I have to last more decades....thanks to the forever chemicals in them I suppose!
Anyway, to fill the empty void since F21 is gone, I haven't found any equivalent retailer that does it quite right. The closest I can do is to browse ASOS, Francesca’s, and my new obsession with Altar’d State. But their prices are super high compared to F21 for similar quality. To get the price tag like F21, one has to be patient and lucky for the clearance sales, so it is a bit of a bummer.
Currently eyeing these items...
St. Moritz Pullover (sale $19.88, original price of $74 is crazy)
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