My Honest Experience with SHEIN
Ok, guys… I finally gave in and ordered from SHEIN. I have found cute stuff on their website for years now but always hesitated to make a purchase because I wasn’t 100% certain that the company was legit. Well, I finally decided to give it a shot and order a few items for an upcoming summer beach trip.
First Impressions:
Like I mentioned above, SHEIN has so many cute items all at incredibly low prices. I instantly found a few items to add to my cart. I specifically came to the website for swimsuits and beach coverups, so I can really only speak to my first impressions of these items. The suits were trendy, cute and there seemed to be something for everything.
Shipping:
I’m not sure how they accomplish this, but shipping at SHEIN was only $3.99 with standard shipping. Shipping is free over $49 and express shipping is available for $12.90. I placed my order two weeks before our trip to the beach. Due to COVID-19, I knew there was a high likelihood it wouldn’t make it in time, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I was shocked when my order not only arrived prior to my vacation, but also two weeks prior to the date they had given me on my order confirmation.
Quality:
One of my biggest concerns about ordering from SHEIN was the quality of the items. Sure, they look amazing on the model, but with the prices being so low I was anticipating low quality items. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the suits I ordered. They weren’t sheer, falling apart or looked as inexpensive as they were. The only issue I had was with this color block suit. The pads in the suit could clearly been seen through the bikini. I ended up taking them out, and replacing them with my favorite silicone petals. After replacing the padding with petals the top of the suit was perfect. Full disclosure, my torso was too short for the high-waisted bottoms, so I decided to wear these black bikini bottoms from Old Navy instead.
TIP: One thing to watch out for, is that not all suits have padding. While that may not deter some, I personally like suits with padding for a little extra support and comfort.
Pricing & Company Ethics:
This all leads to the number one thing that brings most people to SHEIN, the crazy affordable prices. There are a lot of negative things to say about fast fashion: unfair labor, unethical practices, poor treatment of workers. Yes, this is not ok. At all. However, I think it is important to dissect consumer practices. This company will continue to sell and make clothing, so how am I going to ensure the longevity of this item? I have never been one to shop for items I don’t anticipate wearing for as long as the garment holds up. I still have swimsuits from high school that are stained with sunscreen and lake water that I still wear because I didn’t purchase them as disposable items to just throw away at the end of the season. I purchased them because I am extremely petite and have a lot of difficulty finding items that fit me, regardless of price. I’ve tried on a $200 Theory dress and $20 H&M dress, and ended up purchasing the H&M because it fit me better. All in all, it is on a consumer to think about their purchasing patterns. Are your purchases things that are trendy and only going to last a season, or staples for your closet you plan to wear as long as the items holds up? For me, SHEIN are items that hold up and will stay with me for a while in the future.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, I loved the SHEIN swimsuits I received. They are high-quality, affordable and perfect for your next vacation. I was overall impressed with everything from the ease of making the purchase, having it arrive early, and the quality of the suits. Again, I am not the type to make a purchase just to make it. These items are high quality enough to last me a few seasons.
For size reference, I am 5’2” and just under 100 pounds. I ordered size XS in the leopard coverup and S in all the swimsuits.