A insiders view of the Forever 21 London store

Curiosity got the better of me yesterday, and on my way home I couldn't resist making a detour to the new Forever 21 store on London's Oxford Street.

After being tempted by all the hype, I plucked up the courage to tackle the hordes of people all desperate for a bargain like myself.

The best way to describe Forever 21? Primark meets H&M with a Topshop vibe and an Urban Outfitters design, with typically American features such as drawers housing lingerie and folded t-shirts stacked on dressers.

The clothes? Lots of festival fashion-ponchos, hareem trousers, slogan tees and vests, tribal and folklore inspired designs and prints, and a mix of day and evening wear, ranging from a bargainous £3 (plain tops) to £40 plus.

Forever 21 really is a shopper’s paradise. Similar to a department store, but a cheap one, filled with clothes, shoes, bags and jewellery. Never have I seen so much jewellery in one place.

After tackling the three floors, ground and lower ground clothing and 1st floor accessories, my basket was overflowing with goodies including a pair of monochrome tribal print harems (£14), a gypsy inspired sheer shirt (around £12), red velvet shorts dungarees and a necklace with a robot pendant.

However my fashion bubble was burst when I saw how big the queues were for the fitting rooms and tills. Unfortunately, the lure of ordering clothes from the Forever 21 website in the comfort of my own home outweighed queuing for 30 minutes in their amazing flagship store.