In the Fall, I kept seeing ads and blog posts for SheIn. I decided to give it a try...
Shipping was free, but I had to pay $1.99 return insurance. By doing that, return shipping is also free, otherwise you have to pay shipping costs for any returned items.
It seems they have since changed that, but I'm telling you for a reason... I used every bit of that 'insurance' to return every item I ordered the first time :/
The reason? |
Back to sizing. The site warns that it is neither US nor EU sizing, but lists measurements for every item. So basically, a tape measure is your friend for this process. (Ain't nobody got time for that! but really...)
I was so disappointed, I didn't even take pictures, but here's what I got the first time around:
- Bell sleeve shirt- I almost kept this. The shape was ok (I ordered a S), but-- as it warns-- this fabric has no stretch. So it was awkward to get into, and it was the man-made-iest of materials.
- Dual Pocket Sweater- see above-mentioned plush animal comparison. Enough said.
- Dip hem shirt- this was suuuper long on me. I'm only 5'3", so that's not rare, but this was excessively long. And it was made out of the same material as a body suit I had in 1996. Returned.
- Dropped shoulder hoodie- this was probably the best of the bunch. It was just SO wide. And I could do better than $16 for a cross-front hoodie.
- Elbow patch tee- I thought this was so cute. But the material was actually shiny. So again: returned.
Ugh, such a letdown.
I continued to see shirts that I liked, and so many times I would click through only to find they were from SheIn. I don't understand! How can everyone else get all the good stuff, and my order be so bad?!
So I tried again. There's always some sort of sale, so I went for it. Free express shipping, free one-time return, cheap trendy clothes. Let's do this.
Rookie mistake-- I added a bathing suit on at the last minute to put me into the free shipping range, only to realize it's not returnable after I hit Order. I'm ok with that policy, that's just my bad. (More on that in a minute.)
Here's how the second order went:
Two items arrived before the others. I opened the bag to a *smell*. It was like petting zoo and chemicals. Like somehow nature and poison mixed? So, like, a barn? or a shed? Either way, not what I want my sweaters to smell like. So that was a pretty hard turn off. I held my breath and tried them on.
Drop Shoulder Sweater- This looked cute. Cropped, sure, but maybe styled correctly it would work? But then I put it on. It was somehow too big and too small at the same time. And there was a hole at the shoulder seam. And that smell. So no. In fairness, it was One Size (no other option). So maybe that one size was just not my size. BUT, the next sweater was also One Size, and let's see how that fit my same body... |
Mock neck sweater- This seems to have the length that the previous one was missing. Bella Swan? 90s Kate Moss in some strange grunge-themed perfume ad hahaha But really. What? Is this on trend? The sleeves are hella long and it makes you smell like an actual sheep! But there's glitter in it, so you're also fancy! No thanks. Return pile. |
Crew Neck Sweater- This one seemed promising. The material was a little squeaky (you know what I mean, right?), but overall it wasn't bad. This was much more of a mockneck than the crewneck it was titled as, and the body to sleeve proportion was still off a little, but it's cute overall. This was another One Size, falling somewhere between the other two. |
Two way sweater- this convertible sweater probably ties with the last one. It has its faults, but it works. It looks better off-the-shoulder. As a cowl neck, it kind of rolls, and there's a seam down the side that looks, well, like a big seam. I ordered the medium, anticipating that it'd be small, but I probably could have gone with the small. |
Speaking of tying, I bought this Lace up Hoodie in two colors-- maroon and gray. The laces came separately, and didn't have aglets (word nerd!), so I felt like I was fraying the ties as I laced it. Overall the fit was small, which was the size I ordered. I'm usually an xs or small, and hate boxy wide tops, but this was so narrow, the laces didn't really stay together. Plus, it had this weird part that stuck out at the top, no matter how I laced it. I didn't even bother lacing the gray. Both are going back. |
Ladder cut bikini-- Finally, the bikini. It looked cute, but I buy my 2-pieces as two pieces (separate sizes for the win!). But this is actually not awful (considering it's February and I'm pale and out of shape). I'm not wearing it to the family pool, but if I find myself headed to a beach, I'll take it with me. It's supposed to be a U-shaped top, but the angle is off (or maybe it's me...). So I criss-crossed the straps. I think it gives it a better style and shape. It can't go back, so I'll make the best of an $11 suit! (Not a chance in hell a picture of the bottoms are hitting the internet. You can see them laid out here. ;) ) |