Should You Shop at SHEIN?
link for the skirt: http://shein.top/rdho9gn
link for the top: http://bit.ly/2qxXO9P
So this whole SHEIN thing— if you follow me on instagram, then I’m sure you’ve heard me mention them before. Also if you’re a modern day basic girl in her 20s/30s and shop for clothes online and have a Pinterest, then I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you who they are. The question is— are they legit? How are their prices so low? What is the quality like?
I am here to answer your questions, and (spoiler alert) let you know why I LOVE shopping their site.
DISCLAIMER- Because I love shopping their site, I have become an ambassador for them (AKA they send me free clothes in exchange for exposure in the form of blog posts and instagram posts). The opinions in this blog post have NOT been affected by this. The second I don’t think shopping their site is worth it, is the second I will stop promoting them. Scout’s honor.
ALSO- You can use my code: kh1 if you decide to shop their site for 15% off your order!
My Experience with SHEIN
The Beginning…
So I have been shopping SHEIN since 2012. (Okay and also after typing and doing the math I am SHOOK that is 8 years ago). Let me tell you, they have come a long way. I remember I was living with my parents, just quit my first big-girl job (killin it), and was going to school and working part-time at a dentist office. AKA I WAS POOR AF. And no shot my parents were going to buy trendy clothes for me at a time like this.
SO I stumbled upon (no like literally I was obsessed with that website stumbledupon.com, how’s that for a throwback?) SHEIN.com. But I think they were referring to themselves as “She Inside” at that time. Anyways, I found this site that had SUPER cute and super trendy clothes at INSANE prices. Like tops and skirts for $8.
I DID IT. I found a way I could still buy cute clothes without losing all my pride and trying to guilt my mother into taking me to the mall where hopefully she would feel bad for me and also hope that maybe this cute sweater would finally land me a man. I know, I know— not my proudest time period of my life.
ANYWAY I bought a sweater. It was ADORABLE, but simple. It was grey, had this cute cut-out scenario happening at the neck-line (which for 2012 was VERY cutting edge let me tell ya), and it was over-sized (perfect for leggings or skinny jeans depending on the occasion). This sweater was going to be THE sweater. It was gonna boost my confidence, turn my life around, get me out of this sad little post-grad funk I seemed to have found myself in. It was going to be a God damn magical, life-changing sweater. (I have a flair for the dramatic if you haven’t noticed)
It took 2 long weeks to arrive. I received an e-mail notification that it finally came and I was PUMPED. I sped home from school, ripped open the package, tried it on, and …. wait…. IS THIS A CHILD’S SIZE SWEATER??? My oversized cute sweater was… not oversized, and not cute at all. The material was thin and itchy. The cut-out was so thin that it didn’t even look like it had a cut-out at all! And my oversized/loos-fitting/perfect for leggings sweater was actually a tight crop-top. WELL, lesson learned, if it sounds too good to be true, it must be. And I moved on with my life.
link for the jeans: http://shein.top/wsal40m
Fast forward to 2017…
I am employed (nice), I am living with my boyfriend (my mother can sleep at night), and now I am a straight up shopping addict and obsessed with all things Like.to.Know.it and Pinterest. I hop on Instagram and find this blogger wearing the cutest outfit EVER and she’s wearing this super cute plaid skirt.
“I MUST OWN THIS SKIRT”, I think to myself. I click through and it takes me to her “Like.to.Know.it” page, where I see the skirt is listed at $10. TEN FREAKING DOLLARS?! Now I have decided, but this time with even more enthusiasm, “I MUST OWN THIS SKIRT”.
I click the link and where does it bring me? SHEIN dot mother effing com. OH HELL NAW. No. Not this again. I am not falling for your BS, SHEIN!!! …. But I can look around, can’t I? And oh wow, they have some really cute dresses! And wait, these sweaters! So on-trend! So cute! …. 45 minutes later and my order is on it’s way. And I immediately regret my impulsiveness. Time to do a deep dive on the internet on all things SHEIN to find out if I just threw my money out the window.
So I Google searched “is SHEIN a scam?” and discovered tons of blog posts, youtube try-on hauls, and more information than I could consume in a lifetime about SHEIN. It seemed like a lot of people were digging SHEIN, and so I felt better about my impulsive decision.
My package arrives and I am skeptical. I am an absolute A-hole and ordered 7 things. And I still own 6 of them to this day! (yes this wonderful tale has a happy ending). It was pretty much Forever 21 quality (so like, I’m not above it), one of the items smelled a little like mothballs (a quick wash fixed that) and everything fit well! Except the damn skirt that started this all. Figures. But 6 out of 7 being great absolutely restored my faith in SHEIN. And I am still a proud customer turned brand ambassador to this day!
link for the top: http://shein.top/mh29ppb
Shopping SHEIN in 2019/2020
So fast forward a few more years and now I am an affordable fashion blogger and a seasoned SHEIN shopper. I have both bought and have been gifted many items over the past year from SHEIN, and I have to say I’m super impressed.
As far as navigating their site— there is a TON of inventory on there. Like 10 different versions of the same teddy coat. It’s hard for people who get analysis paralysis and can’t decide what product to buy.
My advice? Look at the reviews! People leave reviews and photos, so definitely check that out to see if it’s worth buying and if you should size up or down.
If there aren’t reviews (or not enough reviews)— make sure the item you’re considering buying is something simple. Now is not the time to roll the dice on a two piece set, something super bedazzled/fringe, a deep-V, or denim. Simplicity is DEFINITELY the key when it comes to their bathing suits too. Simple one pieces are always a win on their site.
Another tactic (and shameless plug), but search #sheingals or #shein on Instagram and you’ll probably find tons of fashion bloggers rocking their stuff. If you see something you like, you can see if the caption gives any hints as to the quality/sizing and if not, you can always just DM them! Most fashion bloggers are posting it because they enjoy sharing about it, so definitely reach out if you have questions! (Can’t speak for everyone obviously but that is definitely the case with me!)
link for the coat: http://shein.top/8edr6xc
I hope this review on SHEIN is helpful for those of you who want to try their site out. If you have any questions or want to share you SHEIN experience, please feel free to drop a comment below or shoot me a DM on Instagram! (@champagnetaste_blog)
Happy Shopping!
