Don’t forget to show the love over on Facebook by liking the Noisy Shoes Page to be in with a chance of winning a delicious Forever 21 voucher to spend on whatever you like. If I was keeping it for myself I would be buying this lil baby, which is now on sale for the handy price of 21eu!
Forever 21
It’s about time I did a giveaway. The folks at Forever 21 have very kindly given me a lovely voucher, so I have decided to give it to YOU!! To be in with a chance for some free shopping, all you have to do is head over to Facebook and LIKE the Noisy Shoes page, and at the end of the month one lucky liker will bag it. Easy Peasy!
x
On Thursday I popped in to the Forever 21 press morning for a little gander at their Autumn Winter offering. As per usual they had a lovely warm welcome ready for everyone, alongside the finest pieces of the forthcoming season. Stores like Forever 21 really need to tick all the boxes in terms of trends and directions, given that their target market is pretty huge and has such broad tastes, and this season was no exception. So like other high street retailers, they had their overall collection divided thematically, with ’70′s, vintage, preppy and mod being main themes F21 picked up on and developed into stories.
As it was really really busy full of the best and brightest of the Dublin fashion scene, I sort of spent half my time looking at the clothes on the rails and half the time looking at the clothes on the people there. I also managed to remember to bring my camera to a press event for the first time (win!) so I snapped a bit of both. Interestingly, I noted that the way the crowd were dressed reflected the themes on the hangars. Not bad considering those in attendance were some of the most sartorially savvy fashion heads in Dublin.
Of course I forgot to snap all the things I liked, so you will have to trust me when I say that I really can’t wait to get my hands on the cut out denim shirt.
I liked how they had live mannequins interacting with people, the whole morning had the feeling of a salon, which is no mean feat for a mass mass retailer! The clothes themselves stood up to close scrutiny, not only on the hangers but also on the models walking around, looking great. One of the stylists didn’t realise they were models and was struck by how amazingly dressed, and tall, everyone was!
As a very generous thank you for coming along, the folks at Forever 21 gave us a bag to nab an accessory goody. I am, however, far too much of a goody two shoes, and only took one. So I shall be keeping it for myself – next time I promise I will get something to giveaway to you guys, promise!! But in fairness, with my penchant for rings, do you REALLY think I would give this baby away? It’s amaaaaaazing. I die!
dodgy iphone pic. i was so excited i tweeted straight away....
Forever 21 really have their accessories down. Every time I am in the stores or at an event like this, I find myself picking up things almost before I realise it, which is always a good thing. And you know the old saying, when in doubt, lash on a load of jewellery! No?
And to end off, a few sneaky pics of some of the other lovely bloggers I bumped into on Thursday morning. Good to see you girlies! x
Yesterday I was too busy to blog. And the day before. Soz. Sooooooooo….right. Wednesday’s challenge was “your latest purchase”. Yesterday’s is “you and someone wearing matching clothes”. I am not going to trawl through facebook to find a pic of a clothes twin, and I am defo not gonna take a new one. Instead, it’s gonna be a bumper “newest purchase” and “newest made” post instead. (Today’s challenge is “an article of clothing you made or altered” – perfect timing!!)
I mentioned a while back that I was going to try dip dye stuff, so I did a lil tank and a shirt – the shirt, being polycotton, didn’t work as well as the tank but I am pleased with the results. I had a bit of a dye disaster earlier in the week, but seeing as I’m an old pro at dealing with dye-lab disasters, I totally sorted it, and the results are no longer blotchy stains! While I was fixing my dye-saster (groan), I rooted through my box of leftover/I-promise-I’l-do-something-with-these-someday fabrics, and tie dyed some jersey. Then I watched some more Breaking Bad…..uhoh….i’m in danger of describing what I had for dinner here…
SYNOPSIS: I made three tops from scratch on Wednesday, customised two, spray painted a pair of shoes and made an apple crumble. You don’t care about the apple crumble, but it sounds impressive.
Dip dye tank. I bought tank ages ago
I make the tie dye. I make the tshirt!
Stripey tank fun. I make this too
It has shirt tail back detail. I have funny face
I also went SHOPPING last week. IN A SHOP!!!! I couldn’t even believe it myself, the whole experience was so foreign and surreal, it has been that long. However, the lovely folks at Forever 21 had sent me a giftcard to get something nice, and I did just that. The shop still terrifies me a lil bit, it’s so big – I didn’t do myself any favours by visiting on a Saturday afternoon mind – I am not sure the floor plan shows the stock clearly. I also got the impression that some of the stuff I was admiring on the website wasn’t in store, but I have a feeling that they have targeted a certain Dublin market, so I guess man repeller pants are probably not gonna sell so well. 
Nevertheless, I sifted through and soon had my hands full of things I wanted to try on. I settled on a lace-backed tribal-print-front tshirt, and a stripey shirt. I was also taken with another navy long sleeved number, and a red, scalloped edged skirt (that didn’t have my size, sob….note to self – never try on a really teeny size small for the gas. Gas will not be had).
Forever 21 shirt, I couldn’t decide to have it out or in, kinda like it halfsies. Urban Outfitters vintage skirt. Silly face, stylists own.
I have a confession to make. I don’t really own any jeans. Which is odd, because I own plenty of denim. And multiples of most things. But really, I have 2 pairs of jeans that I wear with any sort of frequency. Which should make day 5′s challenge of “favourite pair of jeans” really easy. But instead, it has just made me aware of the fact that I don’t have a decent pair of jeans…
My first pair of jeans are an old battered pair of skinny’s that I got in Urban Outfitters years ago on sale. They have long since been relegated to when-everything-else-is-in-the-wash wear, and more recently, even further down the pecking order to print-day wear (read: ink & pigment stains all over them). Yes they are comfortable. No they are not favourites. NEXT…..
My second pair of jeans are my MOM jeans. I got them in a charity shop in Dalston for £2.50. Not bad for a pretty pristine pair of Paul Smiths. So far so good. They are really baggy, which I like. But I feel like I’m not really skinny enough to pull that whole super-baggy-mom/boyfriend-jeans thing off. In my head I’m going for that easy chic, masculine tailoring with a twist thing, but really I just look like a messy mess with wonky jeans. So I don’t really wear them out that much. Thus they are not my favourite either?
So, I guess it’s time I got a new pair of jeans? I have a voucher for Forever 21 so there are a few on the website I might indulge in…..And then of course, there’s Acne (droooooooool)…….Someone buy me some Acne, please?
Acne Jeans, nom nom nom
Slightly drop crotch Acne Jeans. I wish these would look good on me....
This is what I think I look like when I wear my mom Jeans. I don't.
I might buy these lil Forever 21 numbers?
Or maybe these? Again, Forever 21....
images via acnestudios.com, asos.com and forever21.com
Also, I would just like to point out how truly PAINFUL jeans shopping is!! Once you find the right pair it’s like meeting your soulmate, but man, what an ordeal. I recently made the mistake of half-looking for a new pair, and it properly ruined my weekend. Trying on a pair of jeans for the hell of it is a surefire way to make yourself feel truly crappy. Big calves and skinny jeans = tears. Bums and jeans = tears. Thighs and jeans = bucketloads of tears. Try on a baggy pair to cover the above up, look like a whale. Try find the right pair of skinny’s, minefield. No wonder I don’t have any jeans! Maybe I should hold off on the next reconnaissance mission until I’ve eaten a few more salads….
For the uninitiated, Forever 21 used to be a secret, transatlantic high street store that noone else shopped in. Before the GIANT Jervis street flagship, having an F21 dress meant that you had been to the States. And so, despite the fact that the stuff is practically Penneys prices, there was a certain exclusivity that elevated it over and above your run of the mill H&M’s and Topshops. You were almost guaranteed noone would have the same dress, which is the ultimate win (imagine having a high street dress you know noone else will have!). So, when it opened here, that exclusivity was gone and part of the appeal went with it.
*Not really related point*
Also, and I don’t know how many people will relate to this, but I have a tendency to “stock up” on clothes when I’m away, as I generally have saved money to spend, whereas in real life I am always skint and tend to shop on a very infrequent, ad hoc basis. It’s much, much harder to justify a shopping spree in real life compared to when you are on holiday, when there is foreign value and exchange rates to be taken advantage of….RIGHT?!
*end of unrelated point*
Anyway, the reason I am telling you all this is because I went to the Forever 21 press day on Wednesday, curious to see what they had on offer for the summer. I don’t know why, but before Wednesday, I had been looking at F21 as a separate entity, refusing to marry it into my vernacular of high street stores. It was this other, different thing, the holy grail of cheap dresses that had been denigrated by setting up on Henry Street. Turns out, I was being a sap.
Their offering was considered, they seem to have their trend directions bang on, with some really strong pieces, some really great detailing & fabrics, all with liiiitllle mini prices. I am a demon nazi when it comes to natural fabrics, and they had some great silks, cottons and linens, and even their synthetics and polycottons (half & halfs) were a really good quality.
Highlights?
The Jil Sander inspired colour blocking story, replete with acid brights and sportswear inspired cuts. (fave piece = navy silk parachute pants)
Their utility chic story -more menswear inspired than androgenous- brimming with denim and khaki to be mixed with black or navy at your own discretion. (fave piece = slightly oversize denim shirt cut juuuust right)
The ’70′s tribal hippy collection had some fun prints and paperfine knit tops to see you through the summer (fave piece = super loose tye dye tshirt)
So what have we learned this week?
1. Forever 21 is just another high street store, in a good way. As in, it’s a great place to add to your repetoire of stores to pick up affordable pieces.
2. Wouldn’t it be great if I could get in holiday shopping mode, in Dublin.
3. I need to stop forgetting my decent camera when I go to press days. :/
Utility Chic at F21
70's tribal at F21
Image courtesy of Forever 21
Image courtesy of Forever 21
I bought a maxi skirt this week. It was kind of a big deal for me, because I’ve been avoiding them loads. It takes a lot for me to change my mind about something. Take clogs for example. They stuck their heads up probably about two years ago – I was horrified. Like, properly horrified. You may as well have been telling me that uggs and crocs were the new forward footwear. Then they put sheepskin INTO the clogs. How ridiculous, I thought. However, it turns out that humans are remarkably adaptable creatures, and after being exposed to enough creative styling in magazines and style blogs, I am no longer offended by them. But I feel like I would be a traitor to my former clogophobic self if I were to get on the clog bandwagon. Also, it has taken me so long to become comfortable with them that if I did end up actually getting a pair, they would be pretty much obsolete straight away.
clogs by janealexandra featuring patent shoes
And so it was with the maxi skirt. The maxi 2.0 doesn’t offend me, I actually quite like the silhouette. Maxi 2.0 is not to be confused with the Roberto Cavalli-esque uber-rich sexy glam beach wear type maxis that one might find in gaudy colours made out of questionable satin in certain high street retailers. I still think that they should be burned. Or recycled. Because burning isn’t very sustainable. But if the planet wasn’t totally fucked, I’d want to burn them, ok.
Sorry, enough hating, back to the Maxi 2.0. What was I saying….oh yes, sleek lines. Feminine, but not the candy variety. Comfortable, but graceful enough to be quite stylish. So if I like them then what’s the problem? In a word, hips. I have them. I have a bum too. And I have a deep rooted fear of garments that draw attention to the fact. That I just drew attention to…oops. So after running scared for the summer, I eventually tried one on in the new Forever 21 in Jervis (that place is MASSIVE). And it was comfortable. And swishy. The colour was wrong and the size was funny (is it just me or do their sizes run kinda big, and short?), but it didn’t make me look as whale-like as I was expecting. I think I’m just bad at change. The longer I wore it, the less weird it felt. Now I don’t know if I was misguided thinking that it would make me look like a whale, or whether I am misguided thinking that it doesn’t make me look like a whale…but either way I found one in Pennys that I liked & fit so I got it. I sort of hate myself for still shopping in Pennys, but I did, so what of it. (Note, the seams are shoddy and I had to attack the label so that it didn’t rip my skin off but the shape and the size of the skirt is good, as was the 11EU price tag).
So what’s my point? Well, a) I’m a late adopter. I think I hate change. Or rather, change that I don’t instantly like. I’m slow to come around to things. a.1) unless something blatantly doesn’t fit you, give it a minute or two before you pass it off. Your eyes might just need a few minutes to get used to it. If after a couple of minutes you still think it’s hideous, then it’s hideous. But sometimes, change just takes a while. And b) while it’s important to be aware of what suits our body shape, don’t be afraid to try new shapes because they might not be as bad as the image you have in your head?? But having said that, if they are, then AVOID!
Here’s me in my new hopefully-not-hideous maxi skirt. I am having a leopard print moment. And I’m fine with that.
Here are some other really lovely maxi’s that I have seen about the place. Choose a fairly straight, block colour jersey-type for a minimal look (they look kick ass with leather jackets and that), but there are some unreal sheer & printed ones floating around for the sartorially courageous among us.
Paul Smith SS11
Paul & Joe SS11
Temperly SS11
