Rue 21

Back in the day, when I lived in Berkeley, CA, there was this store called YarmoZone on Telegraph Ave. It specialized in pretty much everything that was badass about the 80s. I bought my first pair of asymmetrical black n’ white triangle sunglasses there. And many a telephone cord bracelet.
I can just hear it now… kids everywhere saying, «mommy? what’s a telephone cord?»
«Honey, you used to only be able to use your phones at home. They were attached to the wall with cords, and you actually had to twirl a little numbered dial in order to connect to the person you were calling.»
Anyhow, YarmoZone was the coolest of the New Wave Cool… but it didn’t last. The Address Formerly Known As Yarmo’s is currently occupied by a Noah’s Bagels. It doesn’t even compare. Still, whenever I see piles upon piles of neon green and spirals and electric pink and checkerboards… I remember YarmoZone. And I sigh.
Folks, the 80s are back, and they’re alive and well inside Rue 21.
On the surface, Rue 21 appears to be the ghetto cousin of Forever 21. You know… they share the same last name, but one pronounces it with an upper-​crust accent so she can distance herself from Jimmy-​Bob and Joe-​Bob and Candi-​Bob in the trailer park. You’ll find a lot of the same, cheaply-​made, trendy-​for-​the-​moment, gear here as you will at F21… but you’ll also find more. And the «more» is what makes it totally wild and weird and interesting.
Venture into the back and you’ll find yourself in a world of neon comparable to YarmoZone circa 1983. Yeah, there’s the freaky panty bin Maha mentioned, but there are also feathered earrings and giant plastic bling and spazzed-​out checkerboard patent-​leather pumps (inexplicably sized only by S, M, and L). It’s like Claire’s on acid. It is so weird! But cool!
So if Forever 21 is middle-​class girl trying to climb the social ladder, Charlotte Russe is classy-​on-​the-​surface-​but-​trashy/​slutty-​underneath girl, and Rainbow and Papaya are the hoochie ghetto cousins… well, I guess that makes Rue 21 the slightly unbalanced one who takes way too many drugs. Still though, she’s fun to hang out with!!! Just don’t take her out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. You know what I mean.

I bought jeans here. The color turned out to be hideous in normal light conditions. I lost the receipt, they gladly accepted it (the tags were still on) and let me choose another pair. This is after procrastinating for a month about doing anything.
I take the pair home, and to my dismay, my typical size ¾ was tight enough to force my gastrointestinal tract out. For the first time, petite ol’ me felt as fat as an elephant. I go back, they gladly let me exchange — except my jeans weren’t available in a larger size. So. I got another rad pair, plus had store credit left over to get a shirt and bangles. All for $ 34.00.
Plus, they sell NASA’s dried-​ice cream at the cashier.
Some warnings, however:
1. Store sizes are abnormal, so buy 1 – 2 sizes up from your normal. The fitting room is a b*tch to get into because no one’s around.
2. This place gets super busy and super messy. If you don’t see your size for something you like, look around and see if some inconsiderate ass put it someplace else.
3. Avoid rummaging through their delightful panty box. I felt like some hooker on Colfax going through it.
4. Check out their website for the kind of things they sell before going, or else you’re going to end up wandering aimlessly and depressed in the TJ Maxx next door.