Profile

Upon walking into a Strawberry, one's first realization is that all the hours spent on eBay securing the details of last year's Halloween costume (yellow superhero tights, princess-inspired elbow length gloves, a striped top hat) were all for naught had you known that this bizarro-Forever 21 even existed. The clothes are organized more or less by the whims of customers who placed unwanted articles back on whatever rack was nearest to their dressing room, and the lingerie section has inexplicably conflated "sexy" with "rhinestone-studded." If you're willing to devote the time and energy to sifting through the overcrowded selections, you'll eventually uncover a fashionable and financial steal of a dress. But the real shopping thrills lie beyond the discount racks, occasionally down a flight of stairs: Strawberry sells remarkably cute knock-off shoes at about a quarter of the price of higher-end retail stores. — Annsley Chapman