New In: Striped Dress and Forman Mills Store Review

I recently scored this cute black and white striped dress for $14.99 at Forman Mills here in Philadelphia.  This dress is right on trend, and it fits me perfectly! What I like most about it is that the length is not as short as many dresses (it hits just a little above the knee).  

I met up with a friend after making this purchase, and she told me she had never heard of this store. Until then, I thought everyone in Philly was aware of Forman Mills, with its bright yellow buildings and obnoxious radio jingle.  So, I thought I'd do an article about it.  For those of you who don't know, Forman Mills is a discount store that has several locations in Philly.  I think they also have some other locations in the Northeast U.S.  They sell a little bit of everything: men's, women's, and children's clothing and shoes, accessories, and some housewares.  I remember hearing that they originally used to sell close-out sweat suits and that their business grew from there.  These days, Forman Mills is something of a bargain-basement version of Ross or Marshalls.  

They have a pretty large selection of junior's and misses clothing.  Most of their junior's clothing consists of very random unknown brands, along with some of those inexpensive brands you might see occasionally at department stores such as Derek Heart or Energy.  They also carry closeout items from stores and occasionally designer items.  Some familiar names I saw at Forman Mills during my latest trip are: Forever 21, Rue 21, Gap, Old Navy, Aeropostal, Wet Seal, Charlotte Russe, Mossimo, Kenneth Cole, Limited, Reebok, New York and Company, Guess, and Calvin Klein.  

Their selection is hit or miss.  The store is very large and packed with items.  It is one of those stores where you must look through everything in hopes of finding a few standout items.  I saw quite a lot of cute things this past visit, but more often than not, I leave empty-handed.  That's why I don't go there regularly.  when I do stop in, some deals I commonly find there are: 

Their full-price juniors items-They tend to be just slightly cheaper than other stores but still just as trendy and cute.  These items aren't such a great savings, but like my new dress, they are a fun buy and not at all expensive.        

Basic Tees and Tanks-Forman Mills carries a very large selection of tee shirts and tank tops.  Their full price for these items is low, making Forman Mills a good place to stock up on basics.  The quality of these items varies: some are absolute junk, but many of these items come from well-known mall stores.  It is a good place to check out if you are looking for tops of certain shapes or colors to complete an outfit.  For the most basic tees and tanks, Forever 21 is probably still the least expensive, but Forman Mills is a close second, and they offer a lot more variety.

Lingerie- They sell a mixture of cheaply made bras and panties, better-known brands, and store brands.  The best deals I have ever gotten in Forman Mills have been in the underwear department.  Check the sale rack! In the past have gotten Renee Rafe bra & panty sets for $1...yes, both the bra and panties for $1, as in 50 cent bra, 50 cent panty!!! Here is a picture of a past panty haul.    

Hello Kitty Boy Shorts-$1

Zip up bandeau bras- $1 each

Pink, Hot Pink and Orange bra and panty sets-$1 per SET!

Black floral bra-$1, matching thong-$1

Shoes-They have a small shoe department, and usually don't have anything good, but sometimes I magically catch something I like that is both my size and on sale, so it makes it worth a look.  During my trip last week, I spied these Madden Girl t-strap heels in my size in 2 colors, they were on clearance for only $2.99 a pair!  The bargain hunter in me longed to buy them, but I am trying to be more selective about what I buy these days, and sadly, they just do not fit my lifestyle at the moment, so I left them behind.  

So for all my Philadelphia and surrounding area bargain hunters... Forman Mills is worth a quick look.  If you take the time to sort through it, you can find the occasional great deal!