When I receive my items in the mail I try to make it a point to do a try on over on IG (@kotineru) and show a little more detail of the items, so you can really get an idea of fit & quality. I do want to preface this by saying, just because I work with them, I would never recommend products that I don't stand behind! I myself have had a great experience with everything I have ordered. There has been 2 times out of the last 2 1/2 years that I wasn't satisfied and one was because of fit. This is mostly because I do a ton of research before I place my order!! It can be a lengthy process narrowing it down to the items I want to pick because I have a system I follow. But at the end of the day, it works and I am ok with spending the extra time insuring I get quality pieces!
I do it to benefit all of you! Because if I find something fabulous for $11 then it makes me thrilled that all of you can take advantage of it. I love that I can weed through the crap to find you the gems!
I think Shein is a fabulous place to find affordable, on trend items! A lot of times I order things with a special event in mind knowing it's not something I will wear over & over. But I do have items that I have ordered from them that I have had for 2 years and they are still favorites. Just know when ordering that these aren't going to be Nordstrom quality items, think Forever 21. That's why everything is so affordable!
And now on to my top tips for shopping with Shein:
I'll take you through how I select items.
I tend to have something in mind. Think "White Eyelet Top" (lord knows I have all theirs! lol), or "Palm Print" or "Off The Shoulder Top" or ""Blue & White Dress". Then I will go through the collection that pops up. When something stands out to me and I think it might be what I want then I follow these steps....
#1 READ REVIEWS- The reviews are going to be your best friend!! Customers are really great about leaving reviews. They will give you an idea of fit, if something runs true to size or small. It will also give you a heads up on quality. A lot of time people are really passionate about whether the item is fabulous or awful! If an item has horrible reviews then I immediately move on. If it has great reviews and pictures then I get excited! Here's an example of item I have shared with you girls that has amazing reviews & pictures: click here
Sticking with this same theme, a lot of bloggers style their pieces. I would try to stick to pieces that either myself or your other bloggers share. That way you know the quality is there!
#2 Check the Measurements (Do NOT go off your typical size!)- I can't stress this one enough!! I have been everything from an Xsmall to a Large, when in real life I'm typically a medium. Their sizing is different for every single item! And when I say check your measurements I mean, get out your measuring tape and compare them to the ones they provide. Don't skip this step! Be aware too that they usually list their measurements in CM not Inches. So make sure you are calculating correctly. I also make sure I check the length when ordering dresses. There's been a handful of times their "dresses" turn out to be cute tops ;) Once you do this enough you'll memorize your sizing and honestly it's a fast process.
#3 Don't Order If You Need Fast- What I mean by this is that you should expect your items to take about 10 days to arrive (give or take). So if you are pressed for time, like you're leaving on vacation in a couple days then this is not the place! They do have warehouses in the United States, so there has been times that I get my items in a couple days, but you can't count on it! When I order I give myself at least two weeks if I am planning to wear it somewhere just to be safe. If you don't mind paying extra, I would always recommend Express shipping.
#4 Pay with Paypal- I don't know about you, but when I am shopping online and it's not somewhere like Nordstrom or Target, I tend to use Paypal when checking out. It is an extra step, but I always feel safe. If something goes wrong, I know I have paypal to back me up. I also know that your info can't be stolen because the seller never sees your credit card info when you use paypal.
Here are a few pieces that I have absolutely LOVED from Shein that are still available!
Eyelet Scallop Top (wearing medium)
Blush Pearl Top $14 (wearing medium) *comes in 4 colors*
Pearl Off The Shoulder Top (wearing medium) $15 *comes in 5 colors*
Bow slides || Sunnies || Similar Jeans
Embroidered Blouse (I have a medium) $17 *runs small,size up*
Jeans || Bow Wedges || Similar Bag (this one is sold out)
Eyelet Top (wearing a medium, could have done a large) $12
Sandals (size up 1/2 size) || Phone Case || Similar Jeans
White Eyelet Top (wearing medium) $15
Jeans || Sunnies || Sandals || Earrings || Straw Tote
Jeans || Bow Wedges || Similar Bag (this one is sold out)
Sandals (size up 1/2 size) || Phone Case || Similar Jeans
Jeans || Sunnies || Sandals || Earrings || Straw Tote
Tassel Dress (wearing small, runs large!! Size down) $16
Sandals || Sunnies || Straw Tote
White Eyelet Bell Sleeve Blouse (wearing medium) $16
Blue & White Dress (I have a medium) $13 *comes in 7 different prints*
Sandals || Straw Tote || Sunnies || Jean Jacket
Blush Pearl Top (wearing medium) $17
Bow Wedges (run true to size) || Similar Jeans || Sunnies
Buffalo Check Jacket (wearing medium) $20
Gingham Bow Dress (wearing small) $15 *also comes in yellow*
White Eyelet Top (wearing medium) $19
I really hope this was helpful!! If I missed something or didn't' answer your questions, please send me an email (kaylaotineru@gmail.com) or shoot me a DM!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous week!
XoXo, Kayla
