SHEIN: Is She Really All That?

Online shopping is the new "thing". It's 2020-- malls are becoming an endangered species. I remember when I was a teenager, before bills ruined my life, I would save up my allowance for months and then hit the mall for a good old shopping spree. This is back when Deb, Mandee, Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, and Fashion Bug were still popular go-to stores. It was a day I'd plan and look forward to for awhile. My mom would drive my best friend and I to the mall, and we would walk out with arms full of bags. Back when you'd go home and put on a fashion show to show off your new purchases.

Ahhhh, the good days.

Fast forward to today, it's much more common to shop online than venturing out to a crowded mall. Even right now with COVID-19 going on, it's much safer to buy clothes online.

You can find most clothing retailers online. People trust the big names like Forever 21, Hollister, H&M, etc. There are also a lot of little league players out there like Fashion Nova, SHEIN, ROMWE, Adore Me, Fabletics, and Zaful (just to name a few) that get overlooked because they don't have physical stores. People are hesitant to buy things they can't try on because, for women, all brand sizes fit differently. I felt this way too when I took a leap of faith in SHEIN.

I have seen so many posts on Facebook and Twitter of girls asking how trustworthy the site is, if the clothes are true-to-size, if the shipping is timely or reliable, and if the clothes are of good quality. Well look no further, my kids. I am here to tell you all about SHEIN, answer all your questions, and show you some of my favorite purchases.

The Who

SHEIN is all about affordable, quality shopping. Their main focus is on clothing and cater to women, men, kids and more curvaceous bootyful ladies.

The What

They sell everything from jeans to dresses to rompers to shoes to purses to bathing suits to makeup to lingerie to outerwear to active wear to accessories. They even sell phone accessories, hair wigs, bedding, home decor, drinkware, bathroom necessities-- I mean, you name it, they sell it.

The Where

Obviously we are talking about online shopping, so just get on the internet. Their website is Us.Shein.com. They also have an awesome app, which is where I always do my shopping. It's quite dangerous. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play Store. The app offers extra savings. All you have to do is check in daily and you gain points. Every 1 point equals $1 that you can apply to your purchases for a discount. You can also collect points by making purchases, rating them, and confirming your package was delivered.

I thought I was on to something clever and cute, but "when" and "how" don't work here..

Sooooooo...

Let's dive into some reviewing.

I am not reviewing every piece of clothing I've gotten from SHEIN because, well, we'd be here for weeks. I'll review my more interesting purchases. You can also find most of the items by just clicking on the links.

This adorable bralette/crop top was part of my very first purchase. Perfect for summer, the beach, my then upcoming bachelorette in Myrtle Beach. Cute right? I thought so. Until it came in the mail..

The website should have said that some assembly was required.

This is the part where you think, "Okay, so put it in a bow." I tried. So hard. It never came out like the photo. I'd get the bow but the top wouldn't cover my boobs. I cover my boobs but the bow looked like a tragic knot. This wasn't a huge loss because this only cost $6. This is where I realized that reading the reviews is very important.

This is one of my top favorite buys. This is a super cute, flowy, fun, flashy.. romper?

YES a romper.

I bought this for $16. I wore it on a night out dancing with the girls and I've worn it for a wedding rehearsal. It's versatile. It's a little short, so if I was any taller that may pose an issue but I'm short as shit. The only flaw is that the cleavage has to be safety pinned so the girls don't pop out. I also think that if I had girls, that wouldn't happen..

This is head to toe SHEIN. Well, not the socks-- those are Le Walmart.

It's important that I tell you I always use coupon codes that you can easily find online, so everything I buy is around $2-5 off. The choker came in a pack of 10 for $5. The top is a partially see-through bodysuit with a built-in bust line perfect for my bustier gals. I snagged this for $7.75. The belt was $2.38 and is made out of really good material. The jeans have a backstory.

These jeans were $22.89, are stretchy and comfortable, but, again, I'm short as shit. The high-waist is very high and the length is too long but they fit in all the right places so I can wear them just fine. However, this was an exchange buy. I first bought an almost identical pair, but they fit horribly. The knees were super baggy, the waist was awkward, and the length was even longer. So, I made my first return. Honestly, it was so easy. Another reason to love SHEIN. You go online to your order and choose what item you want to return and you print out a return label. Package the item, tape the label, and mail that sucker. You can choose whether you want a credit or your money back, which they'll give to you once they receive it. In about 5-7 days from mailing it back, I already had my new pair of jeans.

This is my most recent purchase. I bought this whole outfit plus the belt in the last picture for $25.50. You can call me the Crazy Coupon Lady.

The top is a lace see-through bodysuit for $7.81. It fits well, it's just a little tight around the booty. The pants are so silky and comfortable. They were $16, but I got them for $9.61. They're a little long (a recurring theme), but not bad. The waist is really high, but it kind of works. The belted fanny pack was $5.41, great material, and fits more than you'd think. I wore this with a sleek black blazer and the belt instead for a full look.

Only the top is from SHEIN. The pose is extremely awkward, but I wanted to show off the bell sleeves. It wraps around and ties in the back. If you look closely, this also had to be safety pinned at the boobies. A fun top that can really can't be worn much but I HAD TO HAVE IT.

Hi, my name is Rossana Nelson and I'm a shopaholic.

This top was only $7.68.

Another SHEIN outfit. This is a scallop trim bodysuit that is easy to get in and out of. The material is super sleek. I've been on the hunt for a nice pair of paperbag/bucket pants and these are it. They're stretchy, the bow adds a nice touch, and it's very figure flattering if you know what I mean. You could have these for $9.19. They can be dressed up like this with a blazer or dressed down with a fun crop top, white sneakers, and letterman jacket.

I bought this strapless crop top with the exaggerated bow for an Ariana Grande Concert. I wore it with a black mini skort and knee high silver sparkle boots. I miss going places..

The only downside about the top is the bow is a little flimsy, so I safety pin both sides to the top so it stays in place. A friend bought this for me but it was around $6, I think. The bottoms were $11.20 and is not a skirt, but a SKORT.

The 90's are coming back, honey.

This bikini. I love it. It didn't fit the best, I'm not gonna lie. The bandeau top was a little too big, but not enough to fall off. The bottoms were too big, but I snipped the sides, tied them in a small knot and that seemed to do the trick.

I've bought other things like sweaters, hoodies, plenty of shirts, a multi-slot hanger for pants, and even a seamless lace up sticky pushy-up bra. I have not ventured into buying shoes yet, but it's on my list to try.

The Verdict

I give SHEIN an 8/10. It exceeds expectations on the quality of the materials, ease of returns, and especially price. Where it loses points is on the advertisement of some clothes because not everything is mailed to you the way you see it or the way its supposed to be worn. It also loses points on shipping times only because they are never very accurate. The cheap option delivers in about 10 days. Sometimes, everything ships out really quick considering it comes from China. Other times, it takes 2-3 weeks. However, all in all, shoot your shot. If you haven't cashed out your overflowing cart because your also overflowing with doubts, doubt no more ladies. SHEIN is definitely worth the money.

Side note-- if you do decide to fulfill your order, keep in mind that the products do come from China, so take some precautions when opening your package. Use gloves, disinfect the package/items, and throw your clothes directly in the wash.

Be safe and happy shopping!