Forever 21

I was really excited when Forever 21 brought in a plus size line… but I never make it to WEM, so I never got a chance to check it out.
After having a pretty crappy month, I decided I needed a new outfit for my birthday party. I’m bored of the usual Additionelle/Pennington’s/Ricki’s line up, and I didn’t have time to wait for an order from Torrid. I checked out Forever 21 online to see if it was worth making the trek across town for.
Most of the styles weren’t really for me (why are there so many plus sized crop tops?), but I did find a few peices that I’d be interested in trying on, and was shocked at how low the prices were!
So, on a beautiful Friday afternoon, I made the looooong drive over.
Nobody greeted me when I walked in the store, or when I started to look around. There were a few staff members on the floor, but nobody seemed to be helping customers.
The plus size section was pretty small, and really wasn’t organized very well. Seemed like most things were just tossed onto racks. I did find the pieces I had looked at online and made my way over to the fitting room. There was an employee working close to the entrance to the fitting rooms, so I asked her if I should just head on in, or if I needed to have someone open a door for me. She didn’t even look at me, and just pointed to another employee and said «talk to her». She had a really rude tone to her — I assume she hates her job.
I got in the fitting room and realized that the shirts I was trying on were really cheap. Not just the price tag, but the quality. And nothing was actually flattering at all.
When I walked out of my fitting room, again — nobody asked me how things fit or if I needed anything.
So I left the store without purchasing anything and I doubt I’ll ever be back.
I added a star because their location in WEM is prime and easy to find, and the prices were low.

Forever 21 is the Walmart of clothes. If you spend enough time there, you’ll find great deals. There’s no other way to really describe it. The styles are pretty run of the mill consisting of adult and office appropriate clothing to something you’d see on an 18 year old at her first rave.
Since this is a chain store, it’s pretty standard and the quality of clothing is pretty standard (lower rather than higher) in all stores. I find however, that this is probably one of my least favourite forever 21s I’ve ever shopped at. It seems too messy and no one seems to care about the store. Even the employees there seem to be all counting the minutes until their shift is over and the overall atmosphere is negative.
If you can bare going in and searching through the racks for a moderately priced low end piece of clothing, this is a great store. If you just can’t be bothered with the quality or even the hassle of it, just go to other places. You wouldnt be able to find anything at forever 21 that you couldn’t just find in another store. Nothing is super original and the west ed store is definitely one of my least favourites of all forever 21s I’ve been to. Overall, I’d come here if I had lots of time and patience or really needed a cheap piece of clothing.

You get what you pay for.
The store has recently gone through some much needed renovations. Overall it looks much more appealing and much more organized.
However, the lack of staff is still noticeable on the floor — especially when you’re wanting to look at an item that’s displayed on the new higher racks that would require assistance to see. I walked around the store trying to find someone and eventually gave up.
The dressing rooms are nicer now with actual doors. Note that it is a co-​ed space. I tried on about 12 items, so had to split up my load between two go-to’s as the max is 6 items at a time. I found one top from the first run through that I wanted to keep and told the attendant so. But sure enough, when I finished trying on the second lot and returned the items, the same attendant didn’t know where it went. FML. It’s not rocket science to put someone’s item away while they try on the other stuff. Anyways, I was frustrated so I left.

I haven’t been in Forever 21 since the day my younger cousin dragged me in and I was stuck there for over an hour while she tried on what felt like every piece of clothing in the store but they recently renovated and I was kind of curious to see the changes so I decided to pop in today.
First off I have to give them credit because the renovations look great. What had initially gotten my attention was their simple yet classy front window display and I love all the white stone and silver in the store. It also seems like they increased their lighting which I was happy to see as I always thought the store seemed a bit dark.
The prices and the quality of the clothes hasn’t changed much. It is still very much a «you get what you pay for» kind of scenario. I think they are going for a more mature market though. Alot of the neon spandex rave type stuff is gone in favor of blouses, blazers, and cardigans. I always kind of thought of Forever 21 as a bit of an Urban Planet clone (or maybe Urban Planet came first who knows) but now it feels more like a lower end Guess store.
In terms of a staff presence I have to say that part of the experience was lacking. For such a large store they didn’t have very many people out on the floor which seemed like a bad move on their part today as it looked like they were in the process of inventory or markdowns and there was a bit of a mess in a portion of the store. I did pass one young lady who was working hard folding tank tops and didn’t look up as I passed. I also had another perturbed looking young lady stomp past me and scowl which didn’t really help to create a welcoming experience. I have been in her shoes and know what it’s like to have a bad day and have to come to work but for goodness sake if you can’t deliver superstar customer service that day at least have the courtesy to smile and nod as customers walk past.
I think this is a great store for teens and younger ladies just getting started in the work force who need affordable clothes suitable for the office. I don’t think it offers enough though in terms of quality and customer experience to attract older women but everybodies style is different and with the new improved look of the store it might be worth at least taking a look regardless of what category you happen to fall into.

Warning: Asian sizing in effect! Normally a M (and loose at that), I am an XL at Forever XXI. Contrary to the women’s reviews, I have found the items not only durable, but very attractive. The key is shopping regularly and the clearance/​sales racks. Once or twice a month is a smart idea (as stores contain at least 10X the content for women, the men’s area is like a solitary pimple on an otherwise pristine face).
Frontline staff are very friendly, but busy and often looked stressed. Management (largely the asian/​filipino women) are very verbally abusive to their employees and I’ve heard many frontline staff complain of shorted paychecks and timesheets. If you’re a shopper that has moral objections against shopping at Wal-​Mart, I’d attribute the same to Forever XXI.
Black Friday and Boxing Day sales are not as fruitful as general clearance and overstock sales. Often the deals off the website are steeper and the collection to choose from is far more expansive!

This isn’t quality clothing, so expect to wear a few times before they lose shape or look worn. The materials are very ordinary. Not really good value, as I like quality fabrics that feel rich and garments that last.

H&M and Forever 21 are my favorite stores! They have such cute clothes that are always keeping up with the trends! The clothing is cheap! So it really helps if you are A. a poor uni student or B. Love to keep up with the trends and get new clothes often without emptying your wallet! What I love even more is that F21 now uses SPC! Discount time! The store is chaotic and messy and things can be everywhere so it is hard/​stressdul to shop there is you have one thing in mind but if you just want to shop then it is the perfect place to be! 4.5 stars!

Forever 21 is my favourite place to get accessories when I’m «low on dough». Recently I bought some beaded bracelets, a few blingy fake jewel necklaces and a cute scarf for under $ 50. It’s fun to shop somewhere without breaking the bank!
I don’t usually buy clothes there, except the occasional cute cardigan or blazer for $ 35. I have a few blazers in different colours for work. It sure beats spending $ 70 on a blazer at Zara (though I love Zara)! And $ 100 per blazer at Aritzia (yep, I love Aritzia too)!
I really like the «Love 21 Contemporary» section. Everything fits larger but isn’t «plus» sized. I’ve bought cool geometric patterned tops there, in small. And they seem to fit in «reality» sizes, like small is actually a small. Huzzah!
There’s usually a lineup at the cashier, BUT sometimes there’s another cashier open at the front of the store (facing the ice rink) where most people don’t know about. So remember to check if the front cash is open, you’ll get out of there quicker!
Anyhoo, my recommendation is to shop mainly for accessories, because they have a gigantic selection, very reasonably priced. Check out their website too!

Even though I didn’t give Forever 21 a fantastic rating, I do want to say that I shop here… a lot. It’s kind of my go-​to place when I want to find a cheap knockoff of something I was coveting at another store and can’t afford. It’s also the place I go to keep up with seasonal trends. Yes, the quality of a lot of the clothes here is sub-​par at best, but what do you expect? It’s one of the cheapest stores in the mall where you can actually find up-​to-​date styles.
Do make sure you try everything on. Since the quality isn’t all that great, I’ve found some of the clothes that look fantastic on the rack fit incredibly weird on a human body. They don’t have the greatest return policy so if you discover fit issues when you get home, there are no refunds.
Compared to other Forever 21s I have been to, this store is a step above (hence the 3 star rating). It’s jam-​packed with stuff but unlike other locations where the clutter makes browsing impossible, this one manages to maintain some semblance of organization. Maybe they just have a really good staff?

I own very few items from this store, which is strange given the amount of time I have spent in it. From outside the store, Forever 21 looks like a veritable treasure trove of inexpensive and stylish clothing. But when I get inside, and start to browse and try things on, the majority of the time the only thought I have is «yeck.»
Be very careful in here … the quality of construction is lacking (a lot of things are falling apart while still in the store) and sometimes the fabrics used are inappropriately lightweight. (I’d expect a t-​shirt to be lightweight, but not a cardigan, for example.) Many things here do not look good on anything other than a hanger; they just don’t fall right when you try them on.
The prices would be excellent if the items were nice, but they really aren’t. The sale rack at the back is the only place things might be worth it.

Ok, I’m not 21, but I’m not in the Forever category either. The tellers are completely rude. I had to return something I bought from them online, and apparently they weren’t happy about it. So instead of being professional about it, they were rude, dismissive, and in the end told me that I had to deal with their online store, even thought it says right on my receipt that I can return it to any Forever 21 store. Never again.

Forever 21, is a BIG store. Huge in fact. There’s so much stuff to go through, so only go there when you have full energy and shop like your on a mission! There’s tons of racks to go through, but if your patient you can usually find something really cute! Their prices are pretty cheap and I find the quality is too, but I’m not shopping for clothes to last me a lifetime anyways. It’s good for the price, wear it out and get a new one. But they do have really cute clothes and accessories. It’s one of those stores I have to go into when I go to west ed. But i agree about the sizes thing and I find that some of their stuff is made for really petite girls, otherwise it looks horrible. But other than that, in such a huge store, I manage to find something that looks good. Oh and make sure you try on everything you want to buy, even though the fitting room lineups make you want to cry, because there is no refunds, just exchanges/​store credit, so be sure you want it.

When going to Forever 21, a plan needs to be in place. You need to decide what you are looking for. If you can be as specific as deciding a colour as well then you are golden.
Obviously I am kidding, but you can get LOST in this store for hours. There is so much selection, it is hard to pin down something. If it is busy, chances are you will not want to wait in line at the change rooms more than once so you should stock up. I hope you ate before coming because you will need your energy.
I really do like this store. They have some really cool styles available, and of course they also have some weird things that I can’t imagine anyone would wear, but oh well.
This place is worth checking out. Take your time, and look at as much as you can.
DO keep in mind that they have one of the worst return policies ever. They do not accept any returns, only exchanges and even then, you need a receipt or it is a no go. Make sure you try things on and that you like it before you buy it.

Unfortunately I am too old for the kind of clothes sold at Forever 21. I went in couple of times, looked around and saw young girls sweeping clothes off the racks. The store is stuffed from to bottom. There are even some clothes on the floor. Everything is really inexpensive, and most things look young, flirty and funky. A girl can go wild in here, that’s for sure! If only I was 20 again, there would be no stopping me at Forever 21:) What young fashionista can resist stocking up on $ 15 tops, $ 30 sweaters and inexpensive dresses for all occasions? Most shoes look sparkly and elegant, but after trying on two pairs, I can’t say anything compliment about their quality. Jewelry at Forever 21 is worth looking into. There are always interesting looking items in stock be it a necklace or earrings.

Forever 21 is hit or miss with me.
Sometimes when I go in here, I find a million things that I love and that are really cheap (in price, not quality). Other times, there is absolutely nothing at all.
If you’re going into this store, make sure you have time to spare. This store is HUGE! Also, if you go on the weekends, the line for the dressing rooms can get pretty long.
Forever 21 has men’s clothes, women’s clothes, accessories, and shoes (for women). It’s mostly women’s clothes though.
The prices are usually pretty good so if you’re shopping on a budget, this is a good place.

This store used to be a girls only club but they include guys clothing now too. It is decently priced and the guys selection is larger than I though it would be but I’m not a fan. It feels like they just have a random assortment of clothes and many things don’t go together, for the guys clothes that is. Most stores you can pick out an entire outfit because most of the items can relate, but here I felt you can’t do that. Too many things that don’t go with each other. They do have nice clothes though so if you need to buy a particular item you should be able to find something but if you want to discover an outfit or just different items that you think will match your style you may find it a bit more difficult.

I have shopped at Forever XXI (the larger store version of the US’ Forever 21 stores) ever since it opened inside West Edmonton Mall.
This is my ultimate dream shopping destination! The place is huge and I can easily spend an hour plus inside going through all the racks upon racks of female clothing. Although about a year ago, they put in a section for guys that takes up about a corner of the store as well. Prices for a shirt ranges from $ 10 to $ 20. Dresses from $ 20 to $ 35. Now and again they have their «brilliant buys» where a tank top is as cheap as $ 2.50, dresses go for $ 15.
They specialize in having the latest trends in fashion for cheap. The store carries everything from hip to girly to business-​y to more casual and sports/​sweats type clothing. As well they carry accessories such as purses, scarfs, jewelery and shoes. They get weekly shipments of merchandise so the staff practically put out new stuff everyday! I found myself going almost every other week in the summer just to grab up the hot items. Because unlike other stores, once an item is out of stock at Forever XXI they rarely get it back in again.
Since the city only has one location, I am finding myself shopping more and more on their Canadian website:
, I still enjoy shopping in store to avoid the online shipping fee, although its free with $ 75+ CDN purchase.
I am finding the store becoming increasingly disorganized. I was told when the store first opened, the clothing was organized by same colors, so the same shirt in different colors could be found in several areas of the store. But you never knew whether a shirt was available in another color since the same styles were not placed all together. Now apparently the clothes are organized according to themes. Ex. Urban Chic, Business Attire, Girly Wear, etc. but it is often difficult to distinguish between the different areas.
The fitting rooms have full-​length mirrors inside with a curtain. But I don’t like how the curtains go all the way from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. This makes it really hard to pull to close it all the way and tends to flutter whenever somebody walks by.
But other than these peeves, the place is amazing with their everchanging fashions and cheap prices!

Sorry, but the sizes here suck. Small, medium, and Large? That’s it? I was really surprised that there was no Extra Large (or even Extra Small… not that I would ever fit into that). I seriously looked through so many clothes, wanting to see the XL on at least one of the tags, but I was out of luck. I asked one of the associates, and she confirmed that they do not carry anything other than three measly sizes. It’s too bad, because this store has some really great fashions.
I think the styles here are way better than H & M. I also think this store has really good prices. You can tell the quality is kind of cheap, but I think it’s great for younger people (or even older) who don’t have a lot of money, but still want to look trendy.
Yay on their fashions and prices.
Nay on their sizes.

This place is so huge, it’s practically a department store. Whenever my friends and I go here, we can easily lose about two hours in this store alone. I like the different styles you can get here, from seriously girly and feminine to more casual and sporty stuff.
Prices tend to be on a range, although most of their stuff is pretty decent. They always have a clearance section in the far back corner, but this part is usually picked through extensively, so you have to have lots of patience and a keen eye for bargains. Also keep a lookout for damaged items here, as many tend to have tears in them, and the staff don’t go through them enough to clean this section up.
The quality here isn’t too bad, it depends on what you’re buying and the material it’s made of. A lot of it is handwash though, because they have a lot of delicate stuff. I’ve bought lots of clothes from here, including business casual tops and slacks for work, and a cute floppy hat for summer. I usually have trouble buying simple button-​down shirts for work, because I can’t fill them in (if you ladies know what I mean). But I finally managed to find some that fit here, thank goodness.
They have spacious changing rooms with huge white curtains that give you the feeling of luxury. Each room also has a large mirror, so you don’t have to parade in front of everyone if you’re shy. But almost always, there’s a line-​up for the changing rooms. If you’re lucky it’ll be short, like five people ahead of you. And it’s hard to make it a one-​time thing when you’re on a serious spree, because they only let you in with 6 items at a time.
Forever 21 also carries jewelry, nightwear/​lingerie, and sportswear for women. Be careful, ladies — it’s easy to get carried away in this place, because it’s so big, and you can almost feel the shopping fever thriving in here.

Forever 21 is the largest girls’ clothing store I’ve ever been in, apart from in Spain, where a single shop once had four floors. Forever 21 isn’t just for teens who want to look older or 40 year olds who want to look younger, it’s for any girl who wants to stay trendy but doesn’t have an astronomical budget to suit her love of shopping. You can get more for less here, which helps you keep up with the ever-​changing trends. I’ve bought lots of cute tops her for between $ 20 and $ 40. The quality is not bad, but not great, I’d say it’s like Ricki’s or Suzy Shier, but trendier. Even if you end up wearing something for one season, it’s enough mileage to have made it worth it. I’ve driven across town to this store several times when I just felt like buying something — whether it’s a piece of new jewelry, a new top or skirt, you know there’ll be something there for you at the right price. I feel for the guy who gets suckered into entering this store with his girlfriend trying to be all sensitive and accommodating. It tends to be a bit of a time warp for us girls!