Forever 21 Sweater Reviews

January is always a blah month for me shopping wise. Everything on sale and clearance is left-over Christmas and winter stuff which I didn't really need even before the holidays. Spring lines are being released, but you won't ever find me buying that stuff at full price. The UPS man and I go through withdrawal if we don't see each other at least once a week, so I though I would try my luck with some cheap thrills at Forever 21.

And since things move pretty quick at F21, I though I better interrupt my riveting vacation run-down for a few quick reviews. This is the first of my big haul. Pardon the low quality mirror shots. Apparently Forever 21 doesn't warrant me dragging the tripod out.

Forever 21 El Captain Anchor Sweater

Wearing: sz. Small
$22.50 retail

Fabric was a light to medium weight, a thinner more refined weave. Design done in a rabbit hair blend. Not itchy at all. Seemed good-to-better quality than I'd find at Old Navy. Also came in White with black lettering. I saw the white one in the store, and it didn't seem sheer or see-thru. Fit was good in the small. Sleeves and body length seemed adequately long (I'm 5'9"). I'm particularly fond of this one, and probably my favorite of the bunch. Anchors have been slightly over-done lately, but anything declaring me captain in Spanish is cool with me.

FOREVER 21 El Capitan Anchor Sweater

Forever 21 Polka Dot Sweater

Wearing: sz. Small

$17.50 retail 

Fabric was a heavier, thicker/chunkier weave fabric blend, ever so slightly itchy, but nothing unreasonable. This came in a variety of colors/dot combinations (I almost got the mint green version). Fit was a bit cropped in the sleeve and body for me, but still manageable (probably better on anyone shorter than I am) I think I'll be wearing this with higher waist pencil skirts anyway. It did have that weird synthetic fabric smell that some sweaters have (I notice this at Old Navy a lot too).  But overall nicely made for the price. 

FOREVER 21 Polka Dot Sweater

Forever 21 Retro Car Pullover

Wearing: sz. Medium

$22.80 retail

I should have got this in the sz. small. I was basing my size choice on the garment measurements provided in product description  Clearly my mistake. They listed a sz. small at 32" bust, whereas most of the other sweaters I bought listed the bust at 34" for a sz. small. Whatevs. I'm going to wash this in hot water in the delicate cycle and tumble it dry and see what happens. Sleeves and body length were long on this one. It probably looks normal, but I'm so unused to having sleeves actually hit lower than the wrist bone, it felt odd. 

Fabric is nice on this one too. A blend of course. But not see-thru at all. Mid-weight, I'd say. 

I like the design and colors. Maybe a bit too 'Grease' for some, but I always liked the Pink Ladies. Plus, it's not any worse than J Crew's Yetti, right? I can see wearing this one with a polka-dot pencil skirt. 

(the model's sweater must be pinned to death too)

FOREVER 21 Retro Car Knit Pullover

Forever 21 Crab Print Sweater

Wearing : sz. small
$22.80
I hunted this one down specifically after seeing it mentioned on Caroline's Day. 

But I swear I got a miss-marked one here or something. This cannot be a sz. small in a Juniors clothing line. This thing is huge! Since the sweater doesn't come in XS, and I was ever so enamored with the darling crabs as soon as I saw it, I'm going to try to hot-water-wash this one down a size. Lets hope it works. (btw, item description lists the bust measurement at 34" for a sz. small. Um, not quite F21. I measure mine at over 36".)

The fabric is very nice on this one though. I have no idea what it's called, but it's that weave where you could turn the sweater inside out and still wear it, just with reversed colors--almost like it's double layered or something. Well made for what it retails at. 

Product photo is very misleading on this one, and a if I were shorter I could do this one as a tunic. But darn it I love nautical anything, so I'm going to make it work. 

FOREVER 21 Crab Print Sweater

Forever 21 Striped Anchor and Rope Sweater

Wearing : sz. small

$19.80 retail

This just goes to show you how screwed up F21's sizing is. This sz. small is almost too small for me. I think it will still work though. The color is listed as lime and navy, but it's one of those limes that is having identity crisis and wants to be a lemon. Might make it hard to pair things with, but white and jeans always works. Again, a nice mid-weight blend, and well made for F21. I like the buttons on the shoulders. It also came in solid navy with the lime/lemon trim at neck, waist and cuffs. Stripes, anchors, what's not to love?

FOREVER 21 Striped Anchor and Rope Pullover

Forever 21 Nautical C'est La Vie Sweater

Wearing: sz. small

$24.80

My delicates laundry load is apparently going to be a full one. I don't get it. I should not small by "juniors" standards. None of these sweaters were listed as oversized or 'relaxed' so this sizing baffles me. Maybe the trend now is to go baggy in sweaters like they did in the 80's? 

Anyway, still a cute sweater. This one had more of a fuzzy angora look to it though with a heavier, chunkier knit. Sadly, the saying is just screen-printed on. After my first shrink attempt, I'll be careful to wash this one to avoid the lettering falling off. 

It also came in red stripes with blue trim, but of course I needed the navy. 

FOREVER 21 Nautical C'est La Vie Sweater

Ok that's it for now. Some winners, some almost-winners, and some wish-they-were winners. I will say that on all the sweaters I was impressed quality wise (considering the price points). Granted they are all synthetic blends, but I knew that going in. Not any different than J Crew these days though. At least F21 calls a spade a spade. I also have some F21 pants coming in the mail and I'm crossing both my fingers and toes that they will fit as I've always stuck with just tops before. 

Has anything else at Forever 21 caught anybody's fancy lately?