posted by anonymous

Jul 03, 2007 11:10AM

yes! i saw it on her. pretty sure it was the F21 version. looked awful and added about 20lbs to the woman.

posted by Beth B.

Jul 03, 2007 11:45AM

I'm surprised those smocked high-waisted strapless dresses (like the F21) are still selling...how long ago did Carrie Bradshaw wear hers? Snooooozee...

I don't think Foley + Corinna have anything to worry about, someone interested in their dress isn't going to buy it at F21 just because it's cheaper.

I used to work at a fashion retailer in their "design" dept. and they'd knock-off designer clothes, all you had to do was change three things about the garment to not get sued.

posted by anon

Jul 03, 2007 1:19PM

remember, anytime forever 21 (or any company) copies a designer's creation, they are able to sell the item cheaper because they not only use cheaper materials and labor, but they do not have the development costs. That cute dress by the small designer did not happen overnight. It took many hours, many revisions, and thousands of dollars to get that dress to look as cute as the final product does. Forever 21 doesn't have to invest in those development costs, because their development has already been paid for by the small designer. Aw, isn't that nice?

posted by Helena

Jul 03, 2007 5:39PM

You can tell immediately that the Foley original is so much better. The details are more artfully applied and the material looks more delicate.

posted by Anon

Jul 03, 2007 7:50PM

This is more of a random question that I hope some of you will respond to, and it comes up every time I read one of the entries about a stolen design. How do people who love fashion negotiate not being able to afford high end pieces all of the time? I know mixing high end with low end is one way, but what if you can't afford high end at all? Am I evil for wanting to try on those F21 dresses to see if they won't look terrible??

posted by Bonnie Lass

Jul 04, 2007 12:41AM

(I'm probably the last person that needs to respond, but ...)

1.) You're definately not evil for wanting to try them on and/or even purchase them.

2.) Don't get stuck on whether something is 'high-end' or 'low-end.' I've seen people dressed in thousands of dollars worth of clothing look like complete shit, and yet, find a coworker who looks adorable in Target and Old Navy.

The trick to making low-end look good is all about how you put it together.

Get creative and visit Goodwill and second-hand stores for funky pieces no one else has. Play around with colors and textures and of course, accessories. Look at your fave fashion spreads and see why you identified with them so much.

Fashion isn't about labels or what you paid for your purse or jacket or shoes. It's about style -- your style.

And assuming you do find yourself with money to spend on something a little pricier, do yourself a favor and buy some nice wardrobe staples that will be with you for a while. There's no point in shelling out money for something that will be a joke in 6 months.

posted by Jennie

Jul 04, 2007 2:19PM

amen Bonnie Lass!

posted by alexandra

Jul 05, 2007 8:25PM

Oy, I don't think these dresses really look anything alike. The fabric is *similar* but the shape is not. Also, F21 had the same smocked dress with the same flower pattern last summer in black. I bought it, wore it a couple of times as a beach cover up and then the elastic started coming apart. How old is the Corrina dress? And also, I don't think there's any way that one of these dresses could be mistaken for the other.