forever young. valley.

so it's valley's turn to let you in on her forever 21 purchases. be warned that shopping at forever 21 can easily become an addiction, so tread lightly. good luck and let us know if you have any questions regarding anything below!

x&o.

cake & valley

jacket {similar here} & scarf review: i bought this jacket from the sale section and i knew it was never going to be an everyday item, but for the times that i've wanted something a little fancier, it has been a great coat to have in my closet. i bought a medium because i needed that size in most areas for fit. however, with the medium, the fit is a little off. to correct this, i don't use the button in the front and just use the tie to keep it closed; f i wanted a perfect fit i would also have the sleeves shortened. so, for now it has worked out well just as it is. the make of the coat is pretty nice too. it's lined and will be very wearable in the fall. the color is amazing & even the faux fur is pretty nice. moving right along, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this scarf. i've thought about ordering it in other colors. i own a lot of scarves...as we all do...and my biggest thing when falling in love with a scarf is how full it looks when it's on. who likes a limp scarf? said no one ever! this scarf is never limp. go get yourself this scarf...now!

faux leather pencil skirt review: to be 100% honest i was not sure i wanted to buy this skirt when i had it on in the fitting room, but cake convinced me otherwise, and thank god she did! (that's a great tip for shopping at forever 21! in the fitting room sometimes things seem cheap, mostly because they are. but you have to imagine the item paired, or worn, with something that's a little higher quality. it will instantly seem less like a waste of money to buy the cheaper item!) now, that i have this skirt, it is a staple in my wardrobe. it fits like a glove & i have a medium. a real leather skirt would be awesome, but who has the money for that. i found out when i transitioned from fall to winter that this skirt does not wear well with tights, so it's been in the closet for the last few months. but now that its becoming warm again and my bare legs are coming out i will be wearing this all the time!

cape review: this was a total whim purchase and it was good one. it does shed a little, but not so much that it's an issue. i bought a small because i knew it would be roomie and i'm glad i did because anything bigger would have been away too much material. this cape has been my go-to weekend jacket. it looks great with jeans and boots, as well as, over leggings and a sweater. it snaps on the sides, which you can kind of see in the picture on the right, so it doesn't flap open. this is the sort of detail that i look for when shopping at forever 21. the snaps work and allow me to wear the cape in two different ways depending on how i want too. just like the burgundy jacket above i know i will wear this in fall 2015. Getting two seasons out of jackets that are under 30 dollars, on sale, is a good deal to me.

paris sweatshirt review: i don't often buy stuff like this, but after my recent trip to paris, i just had too. this is a fun sweatshirt to wear when i'm running errands or for a post workout look. i sometimes take myself too seriously and having a reminder like this about my paris trip, and the parisian life-style, helps me remember to enjoy life. so while this might be just a fun paris top to someone else, it's a good life lesson for me. i enjoy wearing this, but always need to wear a shirt underneath it since the backing of the lettering and the Eiffel tower are very itchy. i have this in a medium. occasionally, i wish i had a large so it was less fitted, but it's still very wearable & comfy. 

quilted bag review: this bag might be one of the best things i have ever purchased from forever 21. it might also be one of the more pricey things from the site, but i love it. it holds so much and actually feels really sturdy. it's lined, has three small pockets in it, and snaps closed. this makes me want to buy a nicer bag with the same shape and size. i love how long the handles are. it allows the bag to hang well below my arm {you can see almost see this in the photo below.}  if you are looking for a good work appropriate, not expensive, traditional black bag this is a good one. 

ps the scarf pictured is the one i reviewed at the very top of this post. see why i LOVE LOVE LOVE it!?!?!

turtleneck sweater review: i wore this outfit to a dinner with my coworkers after a long day of meetings at a conference & i couldn't have been more comfortable changing into this top and jeans. this sweater is so cozy while being dressy enough to wear to a causal steakhouse for dinner. i have also worn it with leggings and over- the-knee boots on the weekend. it's very versatile which is nice. the sleeves can be tough to fit into a fitted jacket, but other than that it was a great find. I generally wear a basic long sleeve shirt under it to keep my arms warm. but as it gets warmer out i'll try experimenting with just a short sleeve top or a cami under it. ps my shoes are also forever 21 and they are a go-to weekend shoe for me. 

dress review: i saw this baby doll dress and i knew it was must! this is the sort of thing i live in during the spring and wear all summer long. this one does not disappoint. it fits very loosely, which is how i like my spring and summer dresses. it does air on the shorter side of dresses, so be warned. however, it is not super short like some other f21 items, so don't let that freak you out either. it needed a good steaming after being shipped, but after that it was good to go. i also love the color on this and know it comes in others. i will probably wear this dress all year long. i'm wearing a size medium.