G-Stage vs. Forever 21

I'll be honest, I am an avid Forever 21 shopper but had never heard of the clothing store G-Stage until recently. I decided to visit the G-Stage on Lakewood Blvd. after work one day to shop for some shirts and I must say I was surprisingly impressed by the wearables and the price tag attached to them. The clothing at G-Stage has a similar feel to Forever 21 in that they are fashionable and affordable, but I must say G-Stage had some pieces that were more original than anything I've seen in Forever. G-Stage also has an awesome plus size section with price conscious, trendy clothing. I bought 2 light weight sweaters, two shirts and a mock leather, hooded bomber jacket in dark camel (sooooo cute) for like $110 total. Find a G-Stage near you and incorporate them into your shopping routine. It's worth it.

Santee Alley in Downtown L.A.

There was a time period from a couple years ago on back when I wouldn't dare step foot in Santee Alley. I was a snob. I didn't want anything to do with what I considered cheap threads in a seedy part of town. (Little did I know I would practically live in this same area) It's crowded, smells like bacon wrapped hotdogs, and full of hagglers trying to negotiate a deal. BUT, in these hard economic times, I must pay ode to this downtown treasure. First of all, I have enough fashion industry experience to realize that the clothing sold downtown is almost the same, if not the exact same garment that I can buy at a boutique, except I'd be paying much more at the boutique. They have women's and men's fashions, cute shoes, baby clothes, lingerie, etc. Many boutique buyers purchase the same clothing from the same wholesale shops lining Wall St. and in the San Pedro Mart that the Santee vendors buy from. Also, I like bacon wrapped hotdogs! Even if I can't indulge in one I savor the fragrance of cooking onions and pork wrapped in pork. MmmmmMmmmm. And the haggling with the salespeople? That's only increased my negotiating tactics. Anyone who has never been to Santee Alley needs to experience this shopping frenzy and those who snub it need to reconsider it's good points. It's stylish, it's cheap, it's always current. If you're a label whore then simply take the label off and go without one. Who even cares about that anymore. If you look good in it then that's all that matters.