6 Tips for Shopping on Shein + My Orders Over the Years

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Last Updated on May 30, 2020

Ever since I posted the outfit above on my blog over 3 years ago I’ve been getting questions about shopping on Shein. “Is it safe to order from them? Are the clothes actually that good of quality? How long does shipping take? What is sizing like?” So, for today’s post, I thought it might be helpful to make a post featuring my tips for having a successful shopping experience on Shein, plus the clothes I’ve ordered from them over the years.

I started shopping on Shein over 4 years ago, after I noticed one of my favorite bloggers (A Clothes Horse) was featuring many items from them, and they were SUPER affordable. The skirt above was my first order from them and it was just over $20.

Full disclosure, the past couple years Shein has been a sponsor of mine and has sent me clothing at no cost to me. However, this post is in no way related to that. And as always, all opinions are my own.

Heads up! Shein is experiencing some major shipping delays given the current world events.
Click here to read my blog post “20 Stores Like Shein for Affordable & Fashionable Clothing.”

What is Shein?

Before I get into my shopping tips, I should probably explain what kind of store Shein is in case you haven’t heard of them yet! Shein is an online women’s clothing store based out of China. They feature fast fashion pieces…meaning, many items will look similar to pricey designer pieces, but will be VERY inexpensive but also not as high of quality (obviously) as the original pieces. At first glance, Shein’s prices seem too good to be true, and there is always a negative stigma about ordering from online goods from overseas companies.

However, if you follow these tips, you can have a fabulous time shopping on Shein!

This skirt is from Shein!

6 Tips for Shopping on Shein

1.) Look at Sizes for EVERYTHING

The sizes on Shein’s website vary…A LOT. I am anywhere from an XSmall – XLarge, depending on the clothing item I’m ordering. It really does vary that much. So, know your measurements and look at every single item’s sizing guidelines.

2.) When in Doubt, Size UP

If you’re in between sizes on an item and not sure what to order…always size up. I have yet to have this method fail me. The majority of items do seem to run on the small side. (They also just recently started carrying plus sizes!)

3.) Ignore Their “Promo Codes”

When you click on the item and see the price…that’s how much it’s going to be. The get “10% off with this code” or whatever, is misleading. These promo codes will take a percentage off “the original” price of the item. Not the “sale” price. Then, they’ll cancel out the sale price. So, you’re basically back at square one. And as you’ll notice, not too many clothing items on Shein are the “original price.” Almost everything is listed as a “sale price.”

4.) Order Several Weeks Before Any Event You’re Trying to Shop For

Shipping on average takes 2 weeks. I’ve ordered from them while in the US, Japan, Australia and Russia. No matter what country I was in my order took about 2 weeks. So, their shipping estimates are quite accurate. However, if you’re trying to dress for a specific event, don’t risk it! Order at least 3 weeks in advance! Also, shipping costs are quite reasonable. It’s free for US orders over $50 and only $3.99 for orders less than $50. Click here to see other country’s rates.

Update as of May 2020 – Heads up! Shein is experiencing some major shipping delays given the current world events. (They say it *can* be an additional 4-6 days before your order ships but prepare for it to be longer. 
Click here to read my blog post “20 Stores Like Shein for Affordable & Fashionable Clothing.”

5.) For Best Results – Order Dresses, Skirts & Tops (and Read Reviews)

I’ve had the best luck with dresses, skirts and tops. The quality seems to be higher in these items. They’re also not getting as much wear and tear as outerwear and shoes tend to get. I’ve always been underwhelmed with outerwear orders, and my friend Shannon has ordered their shoes. While they are nice looking shoes, she, unfortunately, had the heel snap off after a few months of wear. So, I have not been tempted to order their shoes yet for this reason.

Shein also has a pretty good review section. Many people upload helpful reviews and photos of the items they ordered. So, certainly check out reviews before ordering too!

Skirts & dresses are your best bet…

6.) Adjust Your Expectations

If you’re someone who normally spends $30+ on a top and then you order a $9 top from Shein…there’s going to be some noticeable differences in quality compared to what you’re used to. However, for $9, it’s going to be a quite nice top. Just don’t expect it to be on the same level as its designer counterpart or the $45 top you just bought from ModCloth. I’m 9 times out of 10 really happy with the quality of the product I get based on the price.

My Shein Orders Over the Years

Looking through my blog, I have A LOT more pieces by Shein..more than I realized. So, I’m only going to chat about my top 3 favorite pieces, and then I’ll make a gallery of all the items I have. I’m also going to show the one and only time I had an order not match the photo on the website. (I get questioned a lot about whether the items look like they do on the website, so I can definitely say yes, except for one time a couple years ago.) You can click here to see all my blog posts featuring Shein clothing.

1.) White Eyelet Midi Skirt

I’ve had this midi skirt for over 2 years now, and it gets A LOT of use. It’s versatile, it’s held up well in the wash and I am pleased with the quality…especially for the crazy low price tag.

Click here to shop it. Click here to see the outfit post featured above, and click here to see all the ways I’ve styled this skirt over the years.

2.) Color Block Shirt Dress

This shirt dress is honestly probably my most used Shein piece. I wear it for EVERYTHING. Corporate events, dinner dates, parties, exploring, everyday life, etc. I’ve had it for a couple years too, and it still looks like new, despite all the washing it’s gotten over the years.

Click here to shop this dress, and click here to see the outfit post pictured above.

3.) Floral Maxi Dress

I’ve had this maxi dress for years and have worn it on countless adventures! It works great for hot weather, as it’s breathable, but can easily be layered for fall. (You can see how I style if for fall in this post or in this post.)

Click here to shop this dress, and click here to see the outfit post pictured above.

My only item that didn’t match the website photo…

This dress looks A LOT longer on the website. In reality, it’s quite short. The material was also a lint magnet and always looked kind of wrinkled. This one I ended up donating to charity.

Click here to see it on the website, and click here to see the outfit post above.

Check out all my Shein pieces in the gallery you below!

You can see all my Shein outfit posts by clicking here

Click here to shop Shein.

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Have you ever tried shopping on Shein before? What was your experience like? And if not, would you consider trying this site? Let me know in the comments!

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I appreciate each & every share. Thank you!