Forever 21 Fall 2015: It’s All About You, Forever You

Forever 21 launches their Fall 2015 collection globally  with the theme "It's All About You, Forever You" - celebrating the uniqueness in all of us.

 

Photographed by Dan Jackson

Styled by George Cortina

“For the Forever 21 Forever You Fall campaign we paired industry veterans with exciting new faces to reflect the elevated aesthetic of the collection, while keeping the core brand DNA of on-trend attainable fashion that we have become known for.” -Linda Chang, Vice President of Merchandising

The heart of the Fall 2015 Collection is the creative spirit of fashion and how individuality connects us all. Each model in this campaign comes from a different background and has a different story to tell. From Alana Zimmer, who is involved with numerous charitable organizations and volunteers in her spare time; her boyfriend Nick Rea, the self proclaimed outlier and adventure junkie; Baylee and Kelsey Soles, the telepathic identical twins from South Carolina; to Yuri Pleskun, the Russian export with a punk personality. They are all connected through one quality; they are all Forever unique.

 

The Forever You Collection is largely focused on menswear, along with key trends such as luxe and layered, oversized, boho chic, and textured essentials, personified by three key personalities: The Romantic, The Adventurer, and The Free Spirit. 

 

The Romantic cozies up in cool knits, elegant layers, and denim.

The Adventurer builds adventure in leathers and plaids that celebrate the rebel inside.

The Free Spirit blends leather and lace with fur and shearling for a classic-cool look.

Whether you love the poetic beauty of a genuine suede jacket styled back with a marled and double-faced knit sweater, prefer to make a fearless statement in a rebel glam shirt in burnout velvet and tapestry, like to be adventurous in a tonal plaid dress with a rainbow faux fur-lined parka, or are drawn to the originality of a camel coat paired back with luxe knits and cool denim, the Forever 21 Fall 2015 Collection celebrates and lets you explore your own uniqueness and what it means to be #ForeverYou.

The Forever 21 Fall 2015 Collection will launch in stores globally and on Forever21.com beginning Friday, September 18, 2015. In the Philippines, Forever 21 stores are located at Megamall, SM Makati, SM City Cebu, The Block North Edsa, Mall Of Asia, Lanang Premier, Aura Premier, SM Fairview, SM City Clark, and SM Southmall.

Like Forever 21 on Facebook for more information.

Love,

Helen

Forever 21 Pre-Fall 2014 Collection

Forever 21 encourages shoppers to “Make a Statement” with the launch of the Pre-Fall 2014 collection. From printed button-ups and fitted skirts to must-have denim in a variety of new fits, the collection features the essential staples any wardrobe needs to create a one-of-a-kind personal style.

 

The idea of self-expression is prevalent throughout the campaign, featuring a troop of dancers using movement to make a statement and display their uniqueness. As inspired individuals, we all have our different outlets – different ways to let loose, let our creativity run wild – and show the world who we are and who we’re meant to be. The Forever 21 shopper is not afraid of being their authentic selves, using the fashion as a means of expression; stepping out of the crowd, into the spotlight and owning their own style – a message that lies at the forefront of the campaign.

 

The Forever 21 Pre-Fall collection launches this August in the Philippines, and will make sure your transition into Fall is a show-stopping one.

Forever 21 is located at Megamall, SM Makati, SM City Cebu, The Block North Edsa, Mall Of Asia, Lanang Premier, Aura Premier, SM City Fairview, SM City Clark, and soon to open at SM Southmall.

Love,

Helen

(Secret) Eyewear Obsession

I'm not a fan of most girly accessories like earrings or necklaces. The most I would wear on a normal day is my citrine bracelet (which I've been wearing since 2009) and my trusty Veloci watch.

Lately, I find myself buying sunnies for no reason and with no occasion. But if I find one that looks good on me, I buy it ASAP! (Most of the time, I find my match at Forever 21, but I hate that they don't come with their own cases.) I now present to you my humble but growing eyewear collection!

Round Blue Plastic Sunglasses from Forever 21

Say hello to my nakakafresh na shades! I think this is the first time for me to fall in love with something blue! It also has this ombre-ish design, clear on the center then sky blue on the sides.

Rose Gold Aviators from Forever 21

This is my nakakayaman na shades. It's cheaper than it looks. It's been with me for a few months already but it's still good as new.

Missoni Eyeglasses

Lastly, is my nakakasmart na glasses, which I wear when I'm in front of the computer. I hope this investment would last me years.

Do you also collect eyewear? :D

Love,

Helen

Haul: Trinoma Green Light Sale + Dice Game Prizes

When Trinoma had their Green Light Sale last September 16-15, 2013, it was actually the first time that I felt the real feeling of being excited to shop. Like, I arrived the mall at 10:30AM! I was really planning on just buying more slacks for work from Landmark, but this time around I tried on like 6 or 7 pairs of "office worthy pants", but to no avail, as everything were loose and/or ill-fitting.

Even if my initial purpose of going to the mall was in vain, I found joy with these semi-impulse purchases. :D

Of all places, I dropped by Toys"R"Us! The first time I saw this set of beads, I immediately thought of my youngest sister so I got it for her.

Dream Girl Beads Set from Toys"R"Us (P200.00)

This set looked like the ones I used to play with as a kid. Throwback Thursday material!

Personalized Mini Flashlight Keychain from Powerbooks (P120.00)

This one's for my youngest sister, too, since keychains and trinkets are her kind of things.

Maybelline at 20% off at Landmark

These ones are my sisters' purchases. Note that I don't use eyeliners and waterproof mascara, but these are staples in their makeup kits.

While they were buying makeup at Landmark Department Store, I went down one level towards Landmark Supermarket, where I bought some boring and "unnecessary" stuff (as I would like to quote my sister). Haha!

Fluocaril Healthy Whitening (P157.65) & Oral-B Essential Floss (P151.90)

Aside from slacks, my planned purchases are toothpastes and dental floss. Boring, but necessary! :D Landmark Supermarket is my go to place for items such as these. I find that they carry the lowest prices - cheaper by P10.00 per toothpaste or floss compared to when you get the same product from SM/Watsons. Now you know!

Hershey's Cookies 'n Cream at Buy 2 Get 1 FREE (about P83.00)

I stopped buying this a long time ago since each bar was priced above P40.00, but now it's on sale, too!

I also dropped by Mercury Drug outside Landmark Supermarket to buy some Vitamin C.

Bewell-C Sodium Ascorbate (P55.00 per 10 pcs.)

I'm actually not choosy with the brand of vitamin C I take since they all have the same ingredient (Sodium Ascorbate), but this one had a Buy 10 Get 2 promo so I bought it anyway. I'm taking Sodium Ascorbate (instead of Ascorbic Acid) since it's a non-acidic version of Vitamin C.

Gladiator Sandals from Celine (about P1,400.00 -> P700.00)

This one is also my sister's purchase. Almost all her sandals are gladiator sandals! :o

Black Animal Print Loafers from Tomato (P500.00 -> P250.00)

It funny how we found this one. We were actually planning to go home, and the "50% off" sign from Tomato's kiosk distracted us. We looked around and saw that they were selling all their flats at 50% off! I've been to Tomato's store earlier that day and saw no sale signage, so I just ignored all the shoes. So, my sisters and I went back to the store, and got 4 pairs of shoes in 4 minutes. (Word play, but you get the idea!)

We also dropped by Forever 21, which was located in the mall next to Trinoma. The items we got weren't on sale, but we still got them anyway.

Forever 21 Black Polka Dot Peplum Skirt (P605.00)

This one's my sister's skirt. It's cute, but I wouldn't buy it. But since she bought it, I'm wearing it. >:)

Forever 21 Black Short Length Dress (P715.00)

When we got home, I realized this this dress was rather overpriced and loose around the torso. Perhaps, I just got carried away in the fitting room, since the fit looks like the dresses Taylor Swift would wear. But I wore this with a skinny belt to work, and everything was a-okay.

Forever 21 Black Cardigan (P455.00)

I found a crazy cheap cardigan in Forever 21! It's even cheaper than the cardigans in Landmark, but the fabric is soft and the fit is nice so this is a GREAT buy. I'll be abusing this one frequently since it goes well with my work clothes.
 

Prizes from Mooncake Festival Dice Game

My teammates and I played the Dice Game after work last week, and these are the prizes I won! Pretty fair for the P250.00 "entrance fee". :D

Any hauls you'd like to share? :)

Love,

Helen

Haul: Forever 21 (SALE Items!)

I go to the mall with my family on Sundays, which we usually do, but I wasn't expecting Forever 21 to have a crazy good sale - a further reduction of 50% off on all markdown items! I wasn't planning on buying anything, but one valuable tip I've learned was this:

Buy clothes when you don't need it, not when you need it.

The rationale behind this is that you'll have the luxury of time to window shop all you want and get the best deal when you don't really need a particular item as of the moment, but in time, you know that you'll have use for it. Example: jackets are on sale during summer, and swimwear are on sale during rainy season. Take advantage of that!

And, when you need clothes, this is usually something urgent, so you'll buy the first one you see. It might not be the best deal, but you still buy it because you need it. Example, a party dress for an event happening tomorrow. Even if it's not on sale, you'll get it anyway because you need it.

The lesson here is that, when you see a good deal that you can't resist, wherein you know that the purchase will give you good value for money, by all means - go for it!

Okay, I think I said too much just to justify my guiltless haul!

Forever 21 Green Athletic Jacket (P1,025.00 -> P719.00 -> P359.50)

Say hello to my first ever hoodie purchase, since I graduated college! I've worn cardigans at work for the longest time since it looks more professional. This one is for weekends or my "feeling sporty" days. I love that it's green! It brings back memories of college.

Forever 21 Light Blue Tie-dye Short Sleeve Knit Top 

(P915.00 -> P619.00 -> P309.50)

My sisters hate this, but I love it! The fabric used in this top is so buttery soft and it feels so nice on the skin. (Pardon its wrinkled state here; it looks nice after I had it washed and ironed.) Because it's loose, it's so comfy. I'd pair it with a high-waist black shorts for an effortlessly sexy look.

Forever 21 Teal Clip-on Earrings (P330.00 -> P179.00 -> P89.50)

My favorite purchase yet! My ears aren't pierced, so it's hell to find clip-on earrings. I actually spotted these months ago in store when it was still priced at P179.00, but I didn't buy it because it's not something I can use everyday. Lo and behold, it's now crazy cheap at less than a hundred bucks. You know what happened next. :D

I'm very happy and satisfied with my purchases. Tell me, what's your favorite Forever 21 find?

Love,

Helen

Forever 21 Hello Kitty Lip Gloss

Most girly girls never outgrow their love for Hello Kitty. I know I haven't! Apparently, Forever 21 knows that, too. Forever 21's Hello Kitty Collection arrived the Philippines towards the end of 2012, and this lip gloss was part of the limited edition collection.

This came in a box of 6, which I believe my younger sister gave away as gifts last holiday season. She gave me this one with Hello Kitty on it. It's my first time to have a yellow lip gloss, and though it my look weird on the tube, I'm happy to say that it goes on clear.

This Hello Kitty Exclusive Collection Lip Gloss set comes in fun, rainbow colors with a sheer and shimmery finish. How I wish that the one with Hello Kitty on the packaging came with the reddish gloss instead!

 

My nerdy self thinks that this lip gloss is similar to my favorite highlighter (no, not the makeup kind).

Pros:

• It has its ingredients clearly listed on the tube.

 

• The manufacturing (12/09) and expiry date (14/09) is indicated on the tube.
• It comes with a slanted tip applicator.

 

• The packaging is simple but very cute.

• It smells nice. It has a subtle floral-vanilla scent (though I'm not sure if I got that right). Bottom line is that it has a pleasant scent.
• It doesn't have any weird taste.
• It does its purpose of adding a hefty dose of shine on my lips - therefore making it look plumper.
• It's sheer so it looks really natural - just like your natural lip color, only enhanced.
• The shimmer isn't too noticeable. (I don't like glittery lips.)
• You can top this off any lip color and it won't cause the color to change. It just adds shine to the look.
• It's cheap. A box of 6 costs about P385.00 if I remember it correctly.

Cons:

• I'm not too crazy about the ingredients they used for this product. I don't think this will have any beneficial/healing effect on the lips.
• This product feels warm on my lips, and I don't know why.
• The texture is quite runny.
• It's sticky, just like most lip glosses are.
• It's limited edition, so it may be hard to find.

Swatches:

 

 

Bare Lips

When Worn

While I love the clothes, I'm still not convinced with Forever 21's makeup products. I haven't encountered one yet that wowed me. This line of lip gloss is like kid stuff; our little sisters and nieces might appreciate it more.

When it comes to Forever 21 cosmetics, do you love it or leave it?

Love,

Helen

Forever 21 Haul

It's time for another haul post! I went to Forever 21 today with my sisters, and this is our haul for when we updated our closet with more Spring/Summer 2013 finds. (Yes, the 5 of us share the same set of clothes since we have a similar body type!)

Tropical Print Dress (P555.00)

I love dresses and when I spotted these on the racks, I immediately took both colors to the fitting room. I'm so happy that they fit me perfectly. I also love that I can wear these to work. Since I had too many black dresses, I went for the colorful one and my sister bought the black and white one!

Floral Muscle Tee with Studded Cross Detail (P765.00)

Ombre Denim Cropped Top (P815.00)

My sister is currently into muscle tees and cropped tops, which are so perfect for summer! I'm so wearing these on my dress-down days when I'm out of the office.

Aztec Print Skirt (P605.00)

My sister was shopping for clothes since she's an incoming college freshman. I told her to go for practical jeans but she got herself this skirt. Since she's petite, she can get away with this one without getting in trouble! Haha. Plus, you just gotta love how this one spruces up plain-colored tops.

Vaseline Lotion Set (GWP)

For a single-receipt purchase of P1,500.00, you can get this Vaseline lotion set for free!

Hope you liked our haul. Do feel free to share with me your recent finds. :D

Love,

Helen

Forever 21 Aviator Sunglasses

My old sunglasses got squished and cracked on my last beach trip, and I've been looking for a replacement since then, but to no avail. I can't seem to find a pair that would my face shape, so I stopped searching. One day, I was just walking around Forever 21, waiting for my sister to finish shopping, and I found a pair of sunglasses that's perfectly made for me. Good things come when you least expect it!

Forever 21 Aviator Sunglasses in Gold/Rose (P330.00)

A pair of aviator sunglasses featuring high polish frames. Brow and nose bar. Nose pads. Tortoise shell arms. Gradated lenses. 100% UV Protection.

I'm used to sunglasses with square frames, and this is my first pair of aviator sunglasses. I love that it's in gold and pink. I also prefer sunglasses to have a brown tint instead of black, so this one's a really nice find!

It's really hot this summer, and we have to protect every part of our body from the damaging sun rays, skin and eyes included. I'd love to know, where do you get your sunglasses? :)

Love,

Helen

Love & Beauty by Forever 21 Eyeshadow Block

Aside from fabulous clothes, Forever 21 also carries a wide array of cosmetics and beauty tools! While this Love & Beauty by Forever 21 Eyeshadow Block was given to me by my cousin from Canada, we also have it here in our local Forever 21 stores for a little over P100.00.

Love & Beauty by Forever 21 Eyeshadow Block

About the Product:

Swatch:

Pros:

• It's nice to know that the cosmetics from Forever 21 are not tested on animals, and are cruelty-free.
• Manufacturing date is indicated on the packaging.
• Packaging is simple but it doesn't look cheap.
• You get 4 nice neutral shades of eyeshadows in one space-saving, slim, and compact eyeshadow block.

• The first and second shade works well in brightening up my eye area, while the darker ones give definition.
• It's very affordable, as Love & Beauty products are generally inexpensive.

Cons:

• The shades aren't that pigmented.
• It has fallouts when used with an eyeshadow brush. Plus, each strip of eyeshadow is quite narrow so if your brush is wide, it can mix with the color beside it. Finger application with this one yields to better results.

I'm liking the first, second, and last shade from the eyeshadow block. I don't know how to work with the third one. :O This one is just nice to have, but not really a must-have. I won't be repurchasing, as I could get nicer, better quality eyeshadows if I just add a few hundred pesos. The cosmetics from Forever 21 are all cute but I don't know if the quality is all good (could be comparable to E.L.F., maybe?).
 
Have you tried Love & Beauty cosmetics from Forever 21?

Love,

Helen