I honestly cannot believe I am just now writing this post because hands down, this is one of the most requested posts from you guys. Every single day, I get the exact same question from at least one reader in regards to Shein. Not even just from readers, from my closest friends too! The notorious……
So like….. is Shein Legit?
“Because…….. a super cute $13 shirt seems too good to be true”
“How is the sizing? What about the quality? I’m always so nervous to order from them!”
Trust me, I get it.
As someone who has been working with Shein for over a year. I have shared the good and sent back the bad. I hope you guys know that I would never share something with you all that I didn’t 100% love. The good news is, I have had way more good luck with Shein than bad. I can honestly say that out of over 15 orders, I have only ever had 2 or 3 things I didn’t like or fit horribly. As you will see below, some of my most favorite pieces from the past few years have been from Shein!
So if you’re worried about ordering from Shein, don’t worry. I’m here to answer all of your questions!
SHEIN REVIEW
Why I Like Shein
Shein is your one-stop shop for trendy affordable clothes. They take high-end items, that you see everywhere running for $50+, make a similar item but sell it for way less. Trends come and go every year. What’s in this summer may not be in next summer and keeping up with trends each year can be expensive. So when it comes to trendy pieces, I would rather spend $13 at Shein than $50+ at Nordstrom. That’s just me.
Sizing
Sizing for Shein tends to run small and their dresses tend to be very short. So if you are even the least bit worried about something fitting or being too short, always size up. I am very petite and sometimes the dresses, even on me, are a little bit shorter than I would prefer. I suggest reading the reviews! Most pieces have very reliable reviews and a lot of times girls will even upload their photo to show how it looked on them. This always helps me when deciding which pieces to pick. Looking at their Instagram and their tagged photos is also a good idea!
***The One Size Fits All Pieces tend to be baggier and surprisingly have always fit fine.
Shipping
Shein Head Quarters is in Kansas I believe, but the warehouse is based in China and at one point it took a ridiculous amount of time to receive an item. Shein recognized this problem, took initiative and built a new warehouse. Since this renovation, they have been getting orders out much faster! Is it overnight? Not exactly…. but it is still much better. I would always allocate at least 1 week before expecting to receive an item.
The good news is that they offer free shipping and free returns. So if you don’t like it, no frets. Just return it.
Understand What You are Buying
My rule of thumb for Shein is, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. For example, one time I ordered this gorgeous, elaborate white dress for like $30. It was identical to one that I had fallen in love with, that was over $500. When I received it, it was disastrous. It had way too much fabric and even though I ordered a small (which I always order from there) the waist was so tiny that it didn’t even fit around my leg. Case in point – I knew when I ordered it, that it was too good to be true.
I suggest sticking to purchasing basic items like flowy tops & dresses. Then I suggest staying away from ordering shorts or anything too form fitting. I swear the shorts could barely fit an infant.
Understand that you are getting what you pay for. At the end of the day, you are still purchasing a $13 top with free shipping. So when it comes in, you cannot expect it to feel like cashmere. At the same time though, some pieces have been unreal/incredible quality. It’s a gamble but as I said, I have had more good luck than bad luck.
CURRENTLY COVETING
SWIMSUITS I LOVE
**NOTE**
This post IS NOT SPONSORED by Shein. Although after years of shopping their products, Shein did reach out to offer all of my readers an extra 15% off their purchase with the code: Q4lifetolauren15
KEEP SCROLLING
to check out all of my favorite Shein pieces from the past!
(wearing size medium)
Obsessed would be an understatement! Runs Small – I suggest sizing up one full size. I’m normally a small but sized up to a medium.
SHOP THE POST
ABOUT THE LOOKS
The perfect summer dress! Runs TTS (true to size) – Wearing a size small. If you are larger chested though, I would reccomend sizing up! It’s a tad tight in the chest area.
Could also be dressed up with pumps and worn as a workwear dress! Runs TTS – Wearing a size small.
Very cozy, thick pink cardigan! The material and quality seriously beat out all of my expectations. Runs TTS – Wearing a size small.
I can’t say enough good things about these sandals! I have acatually owned then for almost two years and they have never let me down. While I have never walked miles at a time in them, they are my go – to sandals to wear to lunch, to annd from the pool and etc.
SHOP THE POST
Seriously SO in love with this dress!! Definitely runs large. I’m wearing a small (I’m normally either an xs or small) and I wish I would have ordered the xs!
SHOP THE POST
White Romper-SOLD OUT
Turned out cuter then I could have ever expected! Runs true to size. For some reason I sized up to a medium but wish I would have ordered my normal size (small).
SIMILAR WHITE ROMPER OPTIONS
Such a cute top for the price! Love the ruffles on the bottom. Wearing a size small. If you have a larger chest though, be sure to size up!
SHOP THE POST
The cutest little cropped zip-up hoodie! My favorite to throw on after a workout.
Wearing a size small.
SHOP HOODIES
This photo is honestly not doing this romper justice because it’s so cute and so flattering!
Runs true to size, wearing a (small)
SHOP THE ROMPER
Cherry Swimsuit – Sold Out
Similar Red Swimsuits
Obsessed with these shorts! Perfect for every day looks or for a swimsuit cover up! I wanted mine to be baggy so I sized up to a medium.
SHOP THE LOOKS
SOLD OUT
The most fun fringe jacket!! Wore it in Mexico City and it was perfect and so fun!
Wearing a (small).
SHOP MY FRINGE JACKET
Truly beat my expectations. Runs TTS – very long though!
Striped Sweater – SOLD OUT
Favorite Sweater of the season! Perfectly warm, yet light weight at the same time! Oversized – wearing a (small).
SHOP MY SWEATERS
SHOP THE TEDDY COAT
teddy coat c/o
Absolutely obsessed with this coat! Runs a little large but still perfect for such a great price!
A forever favorite! I’ve had it for almost two years and it’s still in great shape!
Runs TTS – Wearing a small
SHOP THE SWEATER
{striped swisuit} SOLD OUT
I had a lot of requets for a SHEIN swimsuit review so I took the plunge and was totally impressed!
I’m telling you, I was shocked by the fit and the quality and it was surprisingly really flattering. When picking a swimsuit, my advice is to read the reviews. Before picking this one, I read so many reviews and decided on this bikini because I thought it was the cutest and had hundreds of great reviews.
SIMILAR SWIMSUITS
SHOP
Absolutely Obsessed with this polka-dot dress! I wore it out while in Miami on a girls trip!
SHOP THE LOOK
original dress – sold out 🙁 but below are identical options!
Similar Dresses
{ striped two-piece set } SOLD OUT
I have to say, I absolutely adore this set and worn it a ridiculous amount this summer….. no shame!
SIMILAR OPTIONS
If you have any questions – please drop a comment below!
xo,
Lauren
love!!!
Thank you for posting this. I already knew some of this but I felt validated hearing it from someone else. My first three orders were great and then I bought a Zara look-a-like skirt that was comically disastrous. Lol. I haven’t ordered since but I keep seeing it on the blogs and now I’m thinking I should try them again.
Hi Lauren,
So I’ve been trying to find this very specific white eyelash scallop lace bralette and underwear set that I found pics for online in google images, which I know is a long shot but I’ve still been trying to find it. All the websites I’m finding it on I keep seeing very bad reviews for, and the only one I did find to be legit says it’s out of stock and you can’t order from them unless it’s in stock (Zaful, the Australian based clothing website). The next best one I found was Shein, and I’ve been looking at reviews and finding very mixed reviews, so I’m still iffy about ordering from them. And even then their version is still off from what I want — they added these oversized little bows to the front of the underwear waistline as well as the part right between the cups on the bra, which I could just cut off but still makes me worried it’s going to be cheap. And see I would be fine with ordering from them and losing the $8 if it was cheap and I was unsatisfied, but my bf wants to buy all my lingerie for me so he gets to spoil me (and himself lol) so I don’t want to waste his money. We’ve already bought a lot from a more trustworthy US site (Vict.’s Sec.), but I am obsessed with finding this set I keep finding online everywhere. I’m at the point where I’m gonna just find a local mom&pop clothing boutique shop that can custom make the set for me, because there’s a lot of locally owned wedding/bridesmaid/prom dress shops in my city that I know also offer to make lingerie for the brides, so “worst comes to worst” I’ll just go to one of them and pay whatever price to get the set made for me. I mean literally if you search on google “white eyelash scallop lace lingerie set” or even just “white lace lingerie”, it’ll be one of the first results in images of a very tanned woman leaning back on her hands and wearing an unbottoned, botton-down shirt over the set, and the lace piece under the cups on the bra has a leaf right between the cups and the underwear has 2 small triangular cut-outs on the front piece. Anyways, since you’re a fashion blogger and I absolutely am not, I am asking for your honest opinion about what you think I should do? Literally if Zaful wasn’t out of stock of the set then I wouldn’t be having this problem at all, but they are and have been for awhile so not sure when they’d get it back in, if ever. Just want some advice from a girl who knows her stuff about this kinda stuff, since I have no clue lol. Hopefully you see this soon and can get back to me asap!
Many thanks,
Rae
Hi Rae,
Thank you so much for reaching out! I googled the set you are looking for and I believe I found which one you are looking for. It’s gorgeous – no wonder you want it so badly. I have never bought lingerie from Shein before, but I just so go for it. If you love the set, it’s only $11….. if you don’t, it was a good try. Probably 7/10 I have loved what I have received from Shein – so you may be surprised! Just make sure you don’t size down because all of their sizes either tend to run TTS or a little small.
Hope that helps!
Lauren
Thank you for the post! Have you ordered bathing suits from them before?! I have seen some that I LOVE but I am nervous to order…
I’m so sorry, I have not! Good luck! If you order, let me know how it goes lol.
Have you ever bought their leggings? If so, are they true to size and fabric? I have read a lot of reviews that are good and bad about their leggings and I just want to know if I should order them and if I should order up or down.
Hi Harley, my apologies but I have not! xo, Lauren
Hi Harley,
Have you ever purchased a purse. I fell in love with one on their site.
Thanks
Hi love, I have not!! But I have met a few girls who have and were pleased!!
Question; You said that you’ve been working with Shein for a while? Does this mean that they reached out to you and sent you clothes? I just wonder if this affects the quality and the service you receive because they know that you will review it. It seems like the only positive reviews I can find are all from bloggers / YouTubers who Shein has reached out to. They had such cute stuff but I’m still very hesitant to buy anything from them …..
Hi Jill!
Thanks for reaching out! So when I work with Shein, I go to their website and pick out the clothes myself. Then they send them. I have only done that a few times though, the other times were pieces I have purchased. I can definitely see your concern though!!! I would be worried about that too -lol. The reason you only see reviews from bloggers and YouTubers is that we are the only ones writing about our experiences.
& not all of my experiences have been positive!!! But at the same time, most of them have. I mean, they are like $12 shirts, so you can’t expect phenomenal quality but at the same time, for what it is, I have been impressed! I have an order coming in the next week or so and I’ll be doing a try on session on Instagram if you want to look out for that! My handle is @lifetolauren
xo, Lauren
How do the bathing suits fit ? Have you ever brought one from them ?
I just recently bought one and am surprisingly impressed! I just made sure to read the comments on the websites from other purchasers before buying!
Hi, Lauren
Im Cynthia from Indonesia. This is my first experience worldwide shipping and lil bit confused about the payment. they said you can pay it when the stuff is arrived, so my question is: what kind/name of the delivery service? is there will be currier to deliver my stuff? and what should I do after I confirmed the purchase?
thankyou
Hi Cynthia, my apologies but I do not know the answer to this. I do not work for SHEIN, I am just a customer leaving a detailed review! I will say that I have never paid when it arrived. I have always had to pay, place the order and then receive my items. Best of luck! Lauren
Hey, I’ve been reading your replies after the review, and you keep suggesting to size up. How do the measurements from the size chart line up with the sizes? i matched my size to the size chart instead of my typical size, but I’m still worried. Thanks!
Hi Emily!
For the most part, they definitely match up with the size chart size! I just recommend people to size up because not everyone looks at the size chart like they should!:) Hope that helps! xo, Lauren
What am I doing wrong? I’m on the website but I cannot *for the life of me* scroll down! TIA!
Hi love! Are you talking about on the SHEIN website or mine? If it’s SHEIN I am sorry but I cannot help! I do not work for SHEIN, I only wrote a personal review on my site on the fashion website. Good luck! Best, Lauren
Hey I was wondering have you ever purchased a bed set from them, if so, how are they? Is the quality good? And what would a queen sized bed size be because the sizes are very confusing for me.
Thanks!
I’m so sorry but I have only bought clothing!