Today's look contains the same three colors as my inspiration photo - I just switched them around! I've been loving lavender so much lately. When I saw these jeans, I immediately snapped them up. They are from the junior's section, which brings me to today's topic. You may have noticed that all of the items from my recent shopping trip are from the junior's section. This was not from lack of trying. I tried on at least 20 things from the women's section but didn't like any of them - and then wound up buying 3 out of 5 items I tried on the junior's section, which made me chuckle. :-)

In all seriousness though, this is a topic I find myself discussing with other women in their 20's often. The junior's section can be cut too short, and feel too young. The women's section can be too boxy, and feel too old. So what's a girl to do? I'm personally a big fan of buying the best from both and mixing them together. My tips for each department:

Junior's section:

Fit. The fit works well for petite women, especially those who can't find their size in the women's section. (I know I often struggle with the smallest women's sizes being too big.) Junior's jeans also often have a more "trendy" cut, whereas women's jeans often have a higher rise. Clothes are short though (especially dresses), so buyer beware. Most clothing is not work appropriate in this section.
Value. Prices are often lower, but the quality is also lower. There are exceptions - like the 100% silk tops I've purchased at F21. Overall, be cautious when selecting fabrics in this section.
My recommendations. Stick to casual clothes for the weekend such as jeans, shorts, fun shoes and accessories. Also, buy anything trendy you want to experiment with in this section, as well as tops or dresses you only plan to wear a couple times (such as sundresses for a beach vacation).

Women's section:

Fit. Ladies with curves or "girls" (as Stacey London calls them) fit great in the women's section clothes because they have the shape to fill them out. Belts can be a great strategy if you find the fit of a dress or top to be boxy in this section, and I also like tucking in blouses to help minimize the larger fit.
Value. Prices are higher, but the quality is also usually much better. Mixing these pieces into an all-juniors wardrobe is a good strategy for looking more polished.
My recommendations. Buy pretty much all of your work clothes in this section such as collared shirts, dress pants, work skirts, and suits. I also recommend a classic pair of denim, a handbag, shoes that you can walk in for miles and anything you want to last for years.

Which section do you generally shop in? Are there any junior's vs. women's section woes or successes you've experienced over the years?