I want to let you in on a little secret: there are gems among the endless racks at fast fashion retailers like H&M and Forever 21. You can totally shop there if you’re over 16, and there are things that will last more than a year. One of my greatest joys is when someone compliments what I’m wearing and I shock them by telling them it’s from one of these stores.
Finding these diamonds in the rough requires a little bit of faith, realistic expectations, and a lot of patience. I tend to turn to H&M for elevated basics and Forever 21 for trendy pieces. I’ve found that it’s easier to go in with a general idea of what I’m looking for than to have a specific item in mind. If you know the style/colors/vibe that you’re going for, seek out the section of the store with those types of items. If things aren’t organized in a helpful way, do a sweep of the floor and keep your eyes peeled for anything that ticks off the style/colors/vibe boxes. Try on everything because you never know what will fit, and don’t be too quick to judge something by how it looks on the hanger. Before you buy, make sure you’ll actually wear everything. If you found something close to what you had in mind, but it’s not quite doing it, go home and look online. H&M has a pretty good return policy, but Forever 21 will only give you store credit.
The biggest thing is to keep an open mind. Just because they have a plethora of crop tops and graphic tees doesn’t mean you should write these stores off completely. If you’re still overwhelmed, start with my picks:
