Many people may be surprised to know that, despite being a 20-something who’s always on my phone or laptop, I typically don’t shop for clothes online.
When I’m on the hunt for a new pair of shoes, jeans, a dress for a special occasion, or pair of earrings, I tend to do what many people in my generation do not: I go to a brick-and-mortar store.
That’s right — I’m willing to brave sometimes ridiculously long fitting-room lines or trek all the way to a store, even if I leave empty-handed. But my affinity for shopping in-person ensures that I only swipe my credit card on clothes that fit me and that I know I’ll wear. That’s important and necessary for me as I want to express my personal style without breaking the bank.
That said, like many people in my demographic, I’m constantly targeted by ads on social media for unbelievably cheap fast-fashion stores — so I wanted to see whether this type of shopping could be a viable option for me instead.
I decided to purchase items that were less than $10 each from five online stores: PrettyLittleThing, Romwe, SheIn, AliExpress, and Boohoo. Then, I considered three factors: ease of ordering, shipping, and clothing quality. I also shared my overall impressions, including struggles with sizing and how the item compared to the photo online.
Keep reading to see what happened when I put fast-fashion finds from online stores to the test.
I admit to being a believer in retail therapy — but I wasn’t always a fan of clothes shopping. As a teenager, an innocent trip to the mall would easily (and often) go south with any negative dressing room moment, resulting in a self-esteem dip that made me dread trying on more clothes.
I think people of all ages can relate to that sinking feeling when a garment on the rack seems perfect, but it ends up in the “looked better on the hanger” pile.
Somewhere along the line, I convinced myself that online shopping would only make for more frustration — from feeling discouraged that items in real life didn’t look anything like the website’s photo, to having to constantly return items that didn’t fit.
Since then, I’ve been an in-person clothes shopper, aside from the occasional online order of an item that was out of stock in store.
Several online-only, fast-fashion brands target users in my demographic through social media with flashy ads for their inexpensive, trendy clothes.
For example, here’s a post that appeared in my Instagram feed as a sponsored post from the online store SheIn, showing a plaid skirt for just $7.
I ordered from the online shops PrettyLittleThing, Romwe, SheIn, AliExpress, and Boohoo, but there are a handful of other online stores known to offer similarly priced clothing.
The website’s “About” section says: “From launching in 2012, we are slaying the online fashion world, one milestone at a time. With hundreds of new products dropping daily, all ‘nothing to wear dilemmas’ are gone for good. This is fast fashion accelerated.”
At the time of my purchase, in order to get the discount or free shipping, shoppers typically had to spend at least $50 or more.
In my experience, I was disappointed to find a lack of sizes. After nearly 30 minutes of scrolling, I found only a handful of items that caught my eye and had more sizes than a size 0 or size 2 in-stock.
At the time of purchase, the gingham dress was $6 (about the same price as the Starbucks almond milk latte I had yesterday), and the denim dress was $8.
Two dresses for $14? At such a low price, I could only wonder what the garments would actually feel and look like, but I also started to understand how these websites can seem attractive.
The pastel package definitely stuck out in our office’s mail room.
While in my opinion the fabric was reminiscent of a waterproof tablecloth, I was impressed with the look of the dress as a whole. I probably could have chosen one size smaller, but the hem hit in the right place, and I liked the brown-and-white checkered pattern.
I was a little disappointed that the dress had more of a grey tone than the blue color in the photo online. In my opinion, the buttons were a bit flimsy, and it was annoying that the pockets weren’t real — but in all fairness, many women’s fashion brands make clothes with faux pockets, so I wasn’t shocked.
I was surprised at how much I liked this denim dress. While it was a little short, with the sweater underneath (which was my own), this dress is definitely something I would wear again. For $8, I was impressed.
PrettyLittleThing ordering experience: I was disappointed in the lack of sizes available.
Shipping: Package arrived in 1.5 weeks with standard shipping, which cost $6.99.
Clothing quality: I was pleasantly surprised at the denim dress’ fabric quality. The gingham dress had less-comfortable fabric but wasn’t see-through or flimsy.
SheIn, founded in 2008, describes itself as a “fast fashion e-commerce platform” that follows the philosophy that “everyone can enjoy the beauty of fashion,” according to its “About” page.
The shirt was $4 at the time of purchase, which is less than a cup of coffee most places in New York City.
I was eager to see what the skirt would feel like in person. The online photos made the garment look effortlessly stylish, and the flat-lay format of the photo made it hard to tell how thick the skirt actually was.
One of the first things I noticed were loose threads at the top and bottom of the skirt. I also knew the skirt would be way too short on me, which is the frustrating part of sizes limited to small, medium, large, and extra large — and a downside of online shopping, as I wasn’t able to try it on beforehand.
The top didn’t feel very soft or warm to me.
The skirt was a size too small, despite the website’s sizing recommendations, but the fabric and buttons weren’t helping, either. Some spots between the plastic-y buttons were gaping.
Although the skirt was featured in a category of “fall fashion,” it wouldn’t provide any warmth during the colder months — unless maybe you live in Florida, where fall weather is 65 degrees.
SheIn ordering experience: I found it fairly easy to find a variety of sizes on the site, but wished the items had numbered sizing. There was an overwhelming number of clothes to choose from, and many garments seemed similar or identical to each other.
Shipping: Package arrived in 12 days with flat-rate shipping for $3.99.
Clothing quality: I was disappointed at how thin the skirt was and that it was way too short, but then again, it was $8. The fabric of the top was thin, but the garment appeared nearly identical in color and style to the photo online.
The price at the time of purchase was $7.95, with a previous price of $22.95 crossed out. This was something I saw on other websites, too — it suggests the shopper is getting a major steal.
Romwe was founded in 2010, and according to its “About” page, aims to “provide high-value, trendy pieces at incredible prices.”
The fabric felt thin to me.
In my opinion, the dress in person was less flouncy and flowy than it appeared to be in the photo. The fabric was thin yet bulky, and the tiers weighed down the garment. I could not imagine dancing in this at an event, let alone wearing it out of the house.
Romwe ordering experience: Initially, I selected a few different items but did not purchase them right away. When I checked my shopping cart the next day, the items were sold out. This happened a few times.
Shipping: My order arrived in 12 days with flat-rate shipping, which was $2.99.
Clothing quality: I was not thrilled with the flimsy fabric of this particular gown, despite its glowing reviews. However, for just less that $8, I got what I paid for.
I bought the wide-leg trousers in a size 6 for $8, and the matching top for $10, also in a size 6.
The online shop Boohoo was founded in 2006, and its “About” page says the brand releases more than 100 new clothing items every day.
In the online photo, I thought I saw some sort of fastening mechanism on the blouse. But as I took the garment out of the package in the office bathroom stall, I realized the only way to wear the shirt was to tie it.
The “tie” pieces of fabric were too small to fit across my whole chest, despite the website recommending a size 6 based on my measurements. It meant that I ended up embracing its dressing gown-esque style, opposed to the wrap silhouette of the model.
For starters, there were a couple of sizing issues: The pants were way too long, but perhaps with heels — if I were going for the model’s exact look — they may have fit better.
Wearing this outfit, I felt I looked similar enough to the original photo — but noticeably less glamorous.
For me, this turquoise ensemble was a reminder that not everything you see online is a true picture of reality.
When I placed the order, I knew this look would be a wild card. And while it’s not something I’d wear (in public) again, I started to understand why some people may use these clothing sites as a way to test out a more daring outfit. The websites I ordered from offered generous return policies, and even if a shopper opts to keep the item and wear it once, it wasn’t a huge financial investment.
Boohoo ordering experience: I thought the website was easy to navigate, and I didn’t struggle finding a wide range of sizes in most items. The shop had clothes that fit into the fast-fashion price range, as well as other garments that were more mid-priced.
Shipping: The package arrived in seven days with standard shipping, which was $8.99.
Clothing quality: I was pleasantly surprised at the softness of the fabric. I also give the outfit credit for being the exact same color shown online.
AliExpress is notorious for its wide range of especially inexpensive clothes, including wedding dresses for around $50. I thought its website was overwhelming to navigate, with misspelled words and tons of pop-ups. The pictures made it hard to decipher between an advertisement and an actual product listing. However, it appears to be a well-known name in the online fast fashion world.
I had some frustrations with my shipping and tracking experience. After going 10 days without getting any tracking updates on my order, I filed a dispute through an online form on the AliExpress website. However, I never got an update about the shipment. Then, six days after I filed the online dispute, the package arrived.
I wouldn’t necessarily pair this blazer with an uber-professional ensemble as, in my opinion, it didn’t feel very structured or polished. To me, it felt more like a duster or thin jacket than a durable blazer. It didn’t have a button, and when I took it out of the package, I noticed loose threads near the lapel. However, with some TLC from a steamer or iron, this could be a nice addition to a casual outfit.
AliExpress ordering experience: I was disappointed in the lack of tracking updates and failure of the site to respond to my dispute. I was not sure if the package would arrive due to the lack of responsiveness.
Shipping: The package arrived almost three weeks after I ordered it. Shipping was $8.73, and when I placed the order, the website said the package would arrive in five to 10 days.
Clothing quality: The blazer appeared less structured than in the picture online. There were loose threads on the garment when I took it out of the package. The fabric felt thin but soft, in my opinion.
This experiment showed me that online shopping at inexpensive online shops can make for some surprises. The phrase “buyer beware” certainly applies when browsing these sites, where product photos may not be the most realistic view of an outfit.
I was, however, pleasantly surprised with some of the items. For example, the PrettyLittleThing denim dress had a nice, thick fabric, and the SheIn blouse looked identical to its online photo.
However, I can’t say how these clothes wash, or how they wear over time.
I also do not blame the brands for the fact that some of the pieces didn’t fit me perfectly, as online shopping in general can make for size selection conundrums.
The experiment as a whole made me see why people order from these types of websites.
While some online-only stores may not be the most efficient places to build a wardrobe from the ground-up, for a one-off, trendy piece, it’s clearly an alluring option for some shoppers.
I think people scrolling through online fast-fashion brands have to be OK with taking a risk — from being deceived by an item that appears differently in person, to dealing with sometimes-unreliable and delayed shipping.
But with a slew of other shopping options — like rental services and resale shopping — I think people should consider them all before getting sucked into a social media ad.
For one thing, I’d trade the hassle of waiting for a delivery and returning packages for the dressing-room line any day.
This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).
This article was updated to include the author’s thoughts about the AliExpress blazer, which arrived after the story was initially published.
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