Retail Therapy: The Forever 21 sale section

I just placed a Forever 21 online order today and was struck by how many cute things they've got on sale!  Here's some stuff that didn't make it into my cart but I wish it did.  Please note that these are from the Canadian site, and there is in my experience some difference from the American site in terms of selection and price.  Everything listed below can be found in the sale section or in fabulous finds.  As for what I did get?  Saving that for a future post!

Perforated Leather Gloves - $11.99 CAD

They're real leather!  And blue!  I've already got two pairs of leather gloves, and one pair has bows, so these were a pass for me.  They also come in a cognac colour.

Basket Weave Handbag  - 24.99 CAD

Basket weave accessories, particularly bags and clutches have been popping up all over the place.  I love the simplicity of this bag and the colour-- it looks almost black but is actually a dark brown.  I don't use different handbags too often, so I try not to buy many.

Metallic Details Belt - $6.99 CAD

I really like the shape of this belt and think it would just look fantastic on.  It could also toughen up some girlier pieces, and I don't have many 'tough' pieces in my wardrobe.  However, I didn't get this belt as I got two belts already, and I would have preferred that this belt's design go all the way around to the back, whereas it actually has a solid black stretch panel.

Braided Leatherette Belt - $5.99 CAD

Similar to the metallic details belt, I like the shape of this a lot.  I didn't get it for the same reason-- I would have preferred the design to go all the way around to the back, but it doesn't.

Sheer Lace Turtleneck (Taupe) - $16.99 CAD

I love the scalloped hem and the turtleneck neckline, as well as the colour, which I thought would look good with my skin tone.  The only reason this one didn't make it is its sold out in my size!

Why style & illustration?

There are a lot of personal style and fashion blogs out there.  You can find pretty much anything you're looking for-- daily outfit posts, blogs for petites, male fashion, blogs by style consultants, models, people in and out of the fashion industry and anything in-between.  Now I follow some of these specific types of blogs myself: personal style?  Check.  Petite?  Check.  I particularly love fitting room reviews and haul posts.  I decided a while ago that I wanted to start a blog that in some way related to fashion.  But I never felt like any of the particular niches already designated really were for me.  Besides, there's a ton of that stuff already out there.

In addition to the development of a nasty shopping habit, I've started to draw less and less.  I used to be really good at drawing, I promise.  But that's probably not true anymore, and there's a point to this.  Any outfit photos I've tried to take always look like I'm taking them in a seedy basement, so I decided I would try and combine my loves of… wait for it… fashion and art!  Instead of taking photos, I'd draw my ideas!  (Just a note, I do plan on still using photos, but also using illustrations.)

In starting this blog, I have a few goals:

ONE: Draw more regularly.
What I've decided to do is mostly forego photos in favour of illustrations.  So although I plan on covering topics mostly relating to personal style, I hope the accompanying illustrations will lend a bit of a different flavour than is typical of most personal style blogs.

TWO: Stop buying things so many things.
I'm getting to a point where I feel good about what's in my closet.  Rather than getting my fashion fix by buying new stuff, I plan to use this blog as an outlet.

THREE: Write audience-based content.
I also feel like I have something to contribute to the conversation on personal style, and I'm gonna contribute it!  I feel like I've learned a lot and want to pass on what I've learned, so I'm going to try to contribute lots of tutorial and tip-type content rather than just outfit posts.

So that's why.  And it'll be awesome.