We Aim To Slay

I’m the kind of girl that believes DEEPLY in retail therapy, so when I saw that Forever21 was having a 50% off sale in honor of American Independence Day (Fourth of July) I thought I’d take the opportunity to order a couple of cute work-friendly items.

I placed my order of Friday, June 21, received shipping confirmation on Saturday, June 22, and a large yellow package arrived on Friday, June 28.

My order consisted of six items: a jumpsuit, a bodysuit, one short and one midi-length body-con dresses, a pair of pleated shorts, and a pin-stripped button up. All of these items were chosen because of their potential to be work-wardrobe staples throughout the summer.

First I picked a ribbed bodysuit. I find bodysuits to be the perfect layering piece – you can pair them with jeans, skirts, fashion pants, coveralls, etc., and wear just about any jacket or cardigan over them. I bought mine in white with a black strip across the front.

I ordered this in a size small, and I need to go into a brick-and-mortar Forever21 to exchange it for a size medium – the size small is just tight enough that I don’t think I’ll be able to wear even a bra underneath. And, like another item in this haul, it’s just see-through enough that it’s been rendered not work appropriate.

This is my first pair of pleated shorts. There was a matching jacket but I chose to forego it at this time. I pictured these shorts paired with any sort of plain white shirt – be it a t-shirt, tank top, button up, or bodysuit – and a cute pair of sandals.

I ordered a size medium, which fits really well. But, because I have kind of a large booty, they hang a bit shorter in the back, but wearing them around my hips rather than my waist helps.

I paired them with a graphic t-shirt – it’s an off-white shade, featuring a portrait of Marilyn Monroe and a black-based floral bar across the chest. I finished of the look with sandals and a fun pair of earrings.

You can never go wrong with a pin-stripped button up. They can be paired with literally anything. The one I’ve chosen features burgundy stripes, a staple color in my wardrobe. I ordered a size medium, and would highly recommend!

I wore this shirt on a day when I had gotten maybe four hours of sleep, slept through my first alarm, and could barely pull myself out of bed. I paired it with a pair of “fashion leggings” from JustFab, a Calvin Klein sports bra, and my teal, mermaid scale Converse – this outfit was the epitome of comfort and laid back, business casual style.

Who doesn’t love a floral print dress in the summer? And, this dress is midi length, meaning I can dress it up when I’m covering important events or dress it down for a day spent in the office – in comfort and in style!

I ordered a size medium, and it fits perfectly – but as in most of my online shopping experiences, things took a turn for the worse.

Being a mixed woman of color, I tend to get very tan, very quickly in the summertime, and this little white dress was a little too see-through for my tastes. So much so, that you could see every undergarment I tried (even the few pairs I bought specifically so they wouldn’t been seen) was visible, as were several of my tattoos, which typically wouldn’t bother me, but I try to dress more “professionally” for work, you know?

(** This is not me saying that I think tattoos are unprofessional, on the contrary, I have several. But, I try to respect the fact that some people do not like tattoos. And, because four of my nine tattoos are located in easily covered places, I try to tread gently with the other five – meaning that I don’t want all of my coworkers to see that my chest and hip are covered in ink  **)

There’s something so versatile about a good jumpsuit. Not only can you layer a t-shirt under it to make the look more casual, but you can add a statement shoe and accessories for a more dressy event.

Again, I ordered a medium, and it fits very true to form.

I’m wearing this jumpsuit today actually, and paired it with a plain white cotton t-shirt (a mere $3 from Walmart!) and a beige pair of booties that have rhinestones on the toe and around the back of the ankle area.

And finally, a ribbed, body-con dress. When I opened the package I was a little surprised (but not displeased) to find that this dress is a peach and white pinstripe, rather than a solid peach – that’s somewhat visible in the photos, but not enough, in my opinion. I ordered it in a size medium, and that fits my body perfectly.

This dress is absolutely my favorite item in this haul. I’ve worn it to work several times, pairing it with sandals, booties, an oversized cardigan, a purple-striped cardigan, and my denim jacket, so far. It’s light weight but isn’t see through, making it a perfect summer staple!

And here you have my Forever21 haul, for a grand total of $54.70 ($58.17 with tax)! But honestly, despite how budget friendly these prices were, I think I’m over Forever21. It was one of my favorite stores all throughout high school, and sadly, it seems to caught in that age group. 

Let me know what stores and brands play a big role in your work/professional wardrobe! I’m always on the look out for new and different pieces!

Have a great day, my loves, and remember to SLAY!