While it’s been a staple of North American malls forever (pun very much intended), it isn’t hard to understand why shoppers would want to find some other clothing stores like Forever 21.
On the one hand, it’s a great place to snag some affordable basics like tees, sweaters and jeans, in styles that are always on-point and of-the-moment.
On the other hand, as its name implies, the store definitely skews young.
It doesn’t take long for shoppers to “age out” of their clothes, and go looking for stores that are just as affordable, but carry a wider and/or more mature selection of styles.
Plus, they’ve been closing a lot of stores over the past few years as the entire retail industry struggles, so who knows how long they’ll even be around.
Fortunately, the world of affordable retail fashion is large, and you don’t have to look far to find some great Forever21 alternatives.
In this post I’ve rounded up two dozen stylish and affordable stores like Forever 21 where you can find great styles that won’t break the bank.
Cool Clothing Stores Like Forever 21
Rounding Up the Best Brands Like Forever 21 ↓
Madewell
Madewell is a great alternative to Forever 21 because they have a similar focus on casual staple pieces, but their clothes are higher quality.
The person wearing a tee, sweater and pair of jeans from Madewell is always going to look a little more mature, stylish and put together than someone wearing the exact same getup from Forever 21.
J.Crew
J.Crew is the parent company that owns Madewell, and is a great place to turn if you’re looking for clothes that are more grown up and mature.
They carry everything from casual staples like shorts and tees all the way up to tuxedos and gowns.
While the selection is quite wide and diverse, the quality is consistently high, and worth the slightly higher price tag than you’ll find at cheaper stores like Forever 21.
J.Crew Factory
J.Crew Factory kind of splits the difference between Madewell, which is well made, but super casual, and J.Crew, which is more grown up and slightly more formal.
Like other factory stores, JCF started as a way for J.Crew to sell last year’s merchandise at a discounted price, but they now carry their own line of clothes that are similar in style to much of what the flagship store sells, but at much lower prices.
Frank and Oak
Frank and Oak is a Canadian brand that’s not quite as popular as stores like H&M and Forever 21, which you’ll find in any mall.
But their website is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for stylish, well made staples.
What I like about their clothes is that they somehow feel both modern and classic all at once—so you’ll look on-point and trendy, and if you take care of your clothes, you can probably keep looking great for years to come.
Romwe
Romwe is a super trendy and on-point European brand that’s a great alternative to Forever 21 if you’re looking for clothes that are a little more fashion-forward.
Europeans tend to be one season ahead of North Americans in terms of their tastes, so Romwe is a great place to shop if you want to be on the vanguard, and be the first one to wear what everyone else will probably be wearing next year.
JackThreads
JackThreads is one of those affordable online stores like Forever 21 for guys who want to find stylish clothes that won’t cost a fortune.
They carry pretty much every category of menswear and men’s accessories, all in modern, good-looking styles.
End.
One of the pricier options on this list, End is a trendy online store like Forever 21 that sells clothes from big designer brands.
They also go beyond fashion and carry all manner of lifestyle products, including homeware, tech/audio equipment, grooming supplies and more.
YesStyle
YesStyle is another online retailer that sells more than just clothes.
As an Asia-based company, their aesthetic is focused more on what’s popular in Asia than in North America, making it a great place to shop if you’re looking for brands and styles you won’t find in every mall across the country.
Uniqlo
If you’re looking for styles that are a little more mature than Forever 21, but don’t want to shop somewhere that’s quite as pricey as J.Crew, Uniqlo is a great option.
Like Forever 21, they carry a ton of casual staples at decent prices, but their aesthetic is a little more grown up and professional, and the quality of their stuff is definitely higher.
Topman
Like its sister store Topshop, Topman is a trendy British retailer that sells everything from underwear to formalwear, all at affordable prices.
It’s one of the cheaper stores like Forever 21, but their product offering is a lot wider and their styles are more European (as is the cut of their clothes, so consider yourself warned).
Everlane
Like Forever 21, Everlane specializes in stylish, modern and on-point casual staples.
But Everlane has an added bonus: in addition to getting clothes you’ll look good, you can also feel good about shopping there. Everlane puts a heavy emphasis on ethics, and exclusively sources their clothes from ethical factories that treat workers well.
So shopping at Everlane isn’t just good for your style, it’s good for your soul.
Levi’s
In a lot of the ways, the casual and quintessentially American style that Forever 21 strives for was invented (and some would say perfected) by Levi’s.
More than 165 years after it was founded, Levi’s continues to be a leader in denim and all the casual staples that look best with it.
So shopping at Levi’s instead of Forever 21 is kind of like going straight to the source.
Fisher + Baker
Online menswear retailer Fisher + Baker is a great alternative if you’re looking for stores like Forever 21 for guys – or to be more accurate, for men.
Fisher + Baker is more grown up than Forever 21 in pretty much every way, from the timeless style of their aesthetic to the higher quality of their pieces (and the slightly higher prices that often accompany those two).
Bonobos
Another menswear outlet, Bonobos might be considered a closer competitor to stores like J.Crew or Banana Republic than Forever 21.
But it’s a great place to turn for any guys who have outgrown Forever 21 and are looking for styles that are modern, but simultaneously timeless and classically masculine.
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters is a great alternative to Forever 21 because both stores cater to the same demographic, but Urban Outfitters carries a wider range of brands and styles.
In addition to clothes, it’s also a great place to pick up everything from accessories like shoes and boots to housewares and interior design pieces.
The Gap
While their styles might not be quite as on-point as Forever 21’s, the Gap is still a great place to pick up affordable, casual staples.
And it’s especially affordable if you shop on weekends, when they almost always run sales, both on the website and in stores.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie is a close F21 competitor, though their prices aren’t quite as low as some of the cheaper stores like Forever 21 on this list.
Their aesthetic is a little different too, skewing more toward laid-back California vibes than Forever 21’s all-around Americana.
Banana Republic
Banana Republic is owned by the same parent company as The Gap, but caters to a slightly older and more professional audience.
It’s a great place to shop if you’re looking for alternatives to Forever 21 that are a little more mature and sophisticated.
Old Navy
Like Banana, Old Navy is also owned by the same Gap parent company, but falls on the younger, more casual end of the spectrum.
It’s a closer competitor to Forever 21 in both its pricing and target demographic, but its styles are a little more generic and less trendy/hip.
Hollister
Owned by Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister is to them what Old Navy is to the Gap.
It has a similar aesthetic, but Hollister is aimed at even younger demographic, making it a great place for teens looking for stores similar to Forever 21, but with a different range of styles.
Amazon
At this point Amazon is so massive that it belongs not just on a list of websites like Forever 21, but in pretty much any article that contains the words “websites like…”
They carry a wide range of affordable fashion from a ton of different brands, but two of the best options are actually their in-house brands Goodthreads and Amazon Essentials.
ASOS
Another trendy British brand, Asos is a great online-only outlet for anyone looking for alternative websites like Forever 21.
Asos is a great place to turn for the sort of super-on-trend and flashy statement pieces that you usually don’t find at American stores like Forever 21 and the Gap.
Aeropostale
Aeropostale is a close competitor to stores like Forever 21, American Eagle and Old Navy.
Like those stores, it’s a staple of malls across North America, and another place to turn for casual clothes targeted to people in their late-teens and early 20s.
boohooMAN
boohooMan is a spin off of its womenswear sister brand boohoo, and is another UK-based online retailer that sells fashion-forward styles.
Louder than a lot of the traditional mall retailers in terms of color, pattern and design, boohooMan puts a particular emphasis on super on-trend streetwear.
You Know The Most Stylish Sites Like Forever 21
Now Learn How to Become Your Most Stylish Self
Now that you know the best stores, brands and websites like Forever 21, you’ll know exactly where to turn when you want to expand your wardrobe beyond the basics.
But while knowing where to buy good-looking clothes is a good start, knowing how to wear rock them is another thing entirely.
The handsome devil, as they say, is in the details. (Alright fine, I think I’m the only one who says that. But it’s true!)
After all, anyone can buy clothes from a popular store.
But the guys who really stand out from the crowd are the ones who know how to nail all the small but vital details that add up to make a man look his best.
Enter your email address below and I’ll send you a checklist outlining the nine most important details you need to nail if you want to put your best face forward and present your sharpest self to the world.
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More Resources:
More Men’s Style Advice from Irreverent Gent:
- The Best J.Crew Alternatives for Men
- The Most Stylish Men’s Casual Boots to Wear with Jeans
- The 25 Best Stores Like Marshalls for Great Deals on Stylish Brands
- 12 Stores Like H&M for Stylish & Affordable Fashion
- How to Dress Better for Guys
- Thursday Boots Review
- The Best Stores Like TJ Maxx Online
- The 10 Best Fake Yeezy Slides Replicas
- The 20 Best Stores Like Express for Stylish & Affordable Clothes
- 28 Stylish & Affordable Stores Like PacSun
- The 25 Best Stores Like Abercrombie & Fitch
