Shein Review 2021 ( Is It Worth The Money?) Straight & Shein Curve

This is a very honest Shein review haul. I spent $200 on Shein over a few orders so I could try on their clothes, test the quality and see if the other reviews about Shein are right. Is it worth it? Is Shein Legit? Or is this company a scam?

See, I LOVE a good deal. Especially after 2020 when I’m not sure what my style is anymore (anyone else feel low-key like a totally different person after that!?) I love Shein ads — everything always looks so cute…so one day I broke down. 

Watch my video haul!!

After months and months of seeing ads for Shein online shopping, I finally broke down and placed a huge order one morning before a trip I had planned. Shein shopping is low-key addictive since there is just such a huge inventory. I figured spending $100 to stock up on literally days worth of new outfits for a vacation was a great deal. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t, but more on that later in this post.)

Items I Bought From Shein

I got all of this women clothing for $100, so you do get a lot of things for your money! I have also placed other orders that are not listed here. I got free express shipping so everything came fast. That’s a bonus! 

• Yellow Dress 
• Strip Dress
• Floral Swimsuit
• Scallop bathing suit
• Bag
• Bird Earrings
• Red Earrings
• Tan Earrings
• Pink Earrings

Photos of me wearing some of these items!

 
Everything Fell Apart

I had first tried Shein clothes in 2015 and thought it was all a scam because nothing looked like it did on the site, the Shein shipping took forever and nothing fit (even after reading Shein reviews from other customers to try and get a good sizing fit!)But I had friends tell me they have gotten better and I should try it again. So I did and I was surprised and not surprised at the same time. 

At first I was pleased. My Shein dresses review was going to be A+, I loved my yellow dress and other peices. But then…

As you saw me talk about in my video, almost everything fell apart after 1-2 wears. I’m updating this post about a year after writing it and I don’t own a single item of clothing that I bought from Shein anymore because it all was trash that I ended up tossing. 

You CAN’T return items like swimsuits, bags and accessories to Shein. I learned that the hard way. 

They don’t won’t send you a return label so there are no free returns – you have to pay out of pocket for shipping. 

That purse? Fell apart by day 2. Buttons on dresses popped off or the seams simply ripped. Earrings literally fell apart while wearing them, which wasn’t surprising since my earrings were all barely held together with cheap hot glue when they arrived. All in all, I was really disappointed with my whole order and wondering how the heck does this company stay in business anyway? Talk about being incredibly unethical fashion. 

Shein Sizing Is Awful

Their sizing chart is all wrong and isn’t consistent item to item. 

Customer service was awful – super slow and poor communication. Plus, since I ordered a lot of swimsuits and earrings thing this order, I wasn’t able to return a lot of it. So, I ended up taking the $100 hit and not trying to fight too hard to return things.

Since writing this article Shein has been getting more and more negative buzz for culturally appropriating things (like selling Muslim prayer rugs as home decor.) This company also uses child labor and is super awful to the environment. My recommendation is to skip shopping at Shein. If you see your favorite influencer put out positive Shein reviews (she was probably paid to say that.) 

Shein Review 2019 Haul Transcript (For Hard Of Hearing Readers!)

Kara: Is Shein still crappy? Will it all fall apart on you in four seconds? Let’s find out with my honest review!

Kara: Hi, guys. Welcome back to my channel. It’s been a hot minute since I have a done a haul for you, and I just ordered a whole bunch of stuff from Shein, and I thought that was the perfect company to dive back into some hauls for you guys.

Kara: Real quick, before we get started, make sure to subscribe to my channel. You can also follow me on Instagram @thewhimsysoul, I’m going to pop it down here below.

Kara: Anyways, I’m here today to talk about Shein. So, I think we can all agree that we all know Shein has crappy products. Just overall, the company is one of those fast fashion Chinese companies where things are super cheap and not always made the best. My impression has always been that they’re really crappy, and I’m just going to stay away from them in geneal.

Kara: I had an experience shopping about three years ago where they actually sent me some product, and I couldn’t fit into any of it, you guys. I wear, back then I was like a size large, and I couldn’t even fit into the larges, they’re easily definitely a small in US sizes, and everything was so poorly made, and I was so disappointed in the process that I’ve been kind of boycotting them since.

Kara: Then a friend of mine ordered a bunch of stuff from Shein. She ordered a sweater that I never would have guessed was Shein. She also told me that they updated their Shein return policy, so now I can actually return things, because it used to be if you buy it, it’s yours forever, and you can’t return it. It’s always really disappointing, because it’s such a hit or miss on that store.

Kara: I thought I had to give it a try, so I can come back and report to you guys on is Shein worth it? Are they better now? I’m here to tell you.

Kara: Okay, so I have all my stuff over here. It all came in this bag. Where is Shein shipped from? Not sure, I think China. So I woke up randomly at 5:30 in the morning a couple weeks ago, and I saw that Shein was having this mega St. Patrick’s day sale, so I got a lot of stuff on super sale. I think in total I spent about $100. They had free shipping to the United States, and I got a lot of stuff. You can see it all over here.

Kara: So, I guess real quick, also before I start, usually when I do these hauls, I’m opening the box with you guys and trying things on for the first time with you, and just basing my thoughts on that, but I actual got Shein clothing and then I went to Palm Springs for a week, and I took all this stuff with me, and I was wearing it around. I’m really happy that I did, because it got me to really experience wearing Shein out in the real world, and I learned some things, and I realize it’s still not made that well. We’re going to get started, I’ll show you why.

Kara: My favorite thing that came in this order, I’m going to start off with that, is this gorgeous yellow dress. I’m going to put a photo of it right here for you. I wore this all the time I’m Palm Springs. I love this color, this color is my favorite color. It has pockets, it’s this gorgeous dress. It was $18 on sale, so I was like, “Got to have this.” What I love about this dress, we’ll start there. The color is great, the fit’s pretty great. I love that it has pockets, focusing on women’s needs,and it’s affordable. I got so many compliments on it.

Kara: What is bad though, is that the second time I wore it, the seam started falling apart here. So do you see this giant ass seam that I’m going to have to sew up now? So Shein still doesn’t sew their products very well. So, when I sit down, the buttons kid of pull apart here to the side, and pop up. Do you see what I mean right here? Got a little bit of flash there. I don’t have the biggest boobs, so it’s not a huge issue, but they do kind of pull apart, and I am worried when I wear this that it’s just going to pull apart.

Kara: Also, as you might be able to see, if I zoom in real quick, some of these buttons, they are fraying, and I’m personally not very convinced that these buttons are not going to stay on very long. That being said, and minus the hole in the side, I do really like this dress, and I’m hoping that I can figure out how to keep it together, because this is my new favorite dress.

Kara: Okay, so I also got a second shein dresses, which is this very long, sort of like candy stipe dress. It’s a maxi dress. I really like this dress as well. It actually still has the same problems that the other dress does, where the buttons up here on my chest area, when I sit they kind of stretch and pull apart, and the threads aren’t … It’s not sewn together very well. It’s starting to fray in some places, though this is made much better than the yellow dress, because I think the material is slightly nicer. This one also has pockets, which is great. The fit is great. I got a large, I think, and it fits just like a large should fit. It’s a lot of fun, and I think it makes a really great vacation dress, but still has the issues that I think the buttons are going to fall off pretty soon.

Kara: So, I also got a few swimsuits, and normally I don’t get swimsuits from places like this, because I’m a very curvy woman and I just don’t trust that some Chinese company is going to be able to make a swimsuit that can cover my butt. This is a bikini, and it is not the best material. It does, on this top, kind of … It doesn’t fully adhere to your body. That’s a weird way of saying that. It just doesn’t hug your curves like a normal swimsuit would. That being said, I got a large and I was able to fit into a large, and it was pretty affordable. I got this for our trip to Hawaii. I don’t own a bikini, so this should be fun to wear.

Kara: Okay, so I got a second swimsuit. I think I’m going to be keeping this first one. I won’t be keeping the second one, unfortunately. So, it is also a bikini, and it has this gorgeous little scallop pattern, and it looked really nice online. It’s a bit too small, I got a large in this as well. But, the main issue is, as you can see, I’m going to put this on for you real quick. The cup issue is really weird. It has these inserts and I just can’t straighten them out, and it looks like my boobs are all over the place, which is a little disappointing, because I thought that the shape and the design of this was super original, and I was really excited to wear this in Hawaii.

Kara: It’s not made well. You can tell that it’s probably knocked off of a design for someone else’s beautiful expensive swimsuit and they just didn’t construct it very well. The cups are all weird, the bottoms are also really tight, so it hugs me here, as you can see, you can’t see the scallops with I have it on me, and that’s kind of the whole point of the suit is that it has a scallop trim that’s super dainty and fun. I’m trying to think of, maybe a Mara Hoffman design. It kind of reminds me of a little knock off of that, but for $12 instead of $300.

Kara: This bag, I fell in love with this bag, you guys, and I was really surprised by it. Then also very disappointed. So, I got this again for Hawaii, ’cause I thought it’d be a really nice bag to carry around. It has this great open top here, so you can easily throw your stuff in it, take it out, it’s quite roomy. It also has this strap, so if I wanted to be hands free, look it, I’m magically hands free. I just thought it was really cute, and again, I think it was $15, so it’s very affordable. I started using it when I was in Palm Springs in Joshua Tree, and I was using it every single day, carrying my wallet and stuff, everything in it. Then, about half way through, which side is it? Ahh, it started falling apart. So right there.

Kara: Yeah, I don’t know. I was very disappointed in it. It happened very quickly and it’s on the bottom, so obviously, everything’s going to be falling out on it. Here, I don’t know if you can see this. This is kind of like the string that this entire bag is sewn together with. So again, I was super pleased, and then super disappointed by this Shein bag. 

Kara: Then finally, I got earrings, which I honestly had the same experience with the dresses and the bags, is that I was super excited about them, and then kind of really disappointed about them. So let me show them to you real quick. So Shein’s earrings are really affordable. So, I am someone … I think I got them. Yeah.

Kara: I am someone who I really love statement earrings, I think a good statement earring, like these which are from Shein, they just add fun to any outfit. The only problem is earrings can get crazy expensive, and I don’t know, I always lose them, or they’re just not my style in a year, and I just can’t justify spending more than $20 or $30 on a pair of earrings. I was really excited to see that Shein’s earrings are really affordable. I am talking like most pairs are under $2, at the most, $4, and you can get really fun earrings. Of course, on the flip side, because they’re so cheap and made in China, they’re not made that well. Reviews on Shein say the same thing. I have friends who says it was ok but it’s not. 

Kara: So first up are these earrings here, which it’s really just like a cotton puff ball on a little piece of wire that I paid $2 for. So it probably cost them like six cents to make this. That being said, I really like these, and I think these are actually the ones that are going to hold together the best over the years. Next up I got these really fun statement earrings, which are just like how fun are these? These are really great, but when I got them, I realized that, I’m going to see if I can get the camera to focus on it.

Kara: … Not felt, but it’s material that like a little bit harder than felt, like a step up. It’s just two layers of that, and then stuff loosely glued on it. Same with the back, this is just loosely glued on the back, so wouldn’t trust getting this wet at all, ’cause I think it would fall apart. I also had a huge issue with how they’re both facing the same way. So, it looks great with I put it on this ear, because it’s facing out. But, when I put it on this ear, it’s just hitting my cheek so it ends up this sits like this, and this one’s like this. It’s just like this whole awkward, awkward mess.

Kara: Someone didn’t take the time to realize that they should be opposite directions. I think though for these, I am going to cut this beak off, and glue it on the other side to kind of get that effect of mirroring birds. But, isn’t it kind of ridiculous, if you want to wear these, you have to heavily modify them in order to be able to wear them? So I got a few other pairs of earrings too. I personally have been very into these tortoise shell geometric shapes. So these ones are pretty good so far, but again, everything is just kind of glued together.

Kara: So, this is kind of glued on here, so I will have to be careful that they don’t fall. But these held up pretty decently during my trip. Again, this was like $3. The ones that didn’t hold up are these earrings. I thought these were gorgeous, and I accidentally dropped one taking it out of the bag, and the end immediately fell off. I do think I can super glue this back on, but again, you can just tell that these aren’t made very well, because things fall apart. I also got these earrings, which so far have been holding up. Then lastly, I got these which looked really big on the internet, and they’re actually really, really small, so I don’t think that I’m going to keep these. But, they’re fun, and again, they’re just a couple of dollars.

Kara: I am still very torn about Shein. So, I personally think that they have come a really long way since three years ago when I first tried them. They’re products are a little bit better made, and they definitely have larger sizes now. So a large is actually a large, it’s not a small and as a size 12 woman, I can actually buy clothes and fit into them, which is a really great thing. That being said, I think all their products are just like hit and misses. I think they’re kind of made just long enough to get you past that 30 day return date.

Kara: … Found the most disappointing though is how when you first get them and you try them on, it feels like it’s all made decently, you know, like a little better than you thought it was going to be, more on like a Forever 21 level, where it’s not perfect, but it’s fine for $12. But then as you start wearing them, they quickly fall apart. So I remember my yellow dress, that’s the second time I wore it, it started ripping and that bag took three of four days of using it, and then it started falling apart.

Kara: These earrings started falling apart after I started using them. So I think it’s more of just it’s a if it will fall apart, but when it will fall apart, and you have to know that’s coming, and be comfortable knowing that your clothes and your products aren’t going to last very long.

Kara: Would I buy from Shein again? I have been asking myself that question, and I go back and fourth. I think as the start of my vacation, I was like, “Hell, yeah. I’m going to get this again.” Every time we were going somewhere that the weather’s weird, or just want a new dress, or a new skirt, or a new bag or whatever for a trip or an event or something, sure. But then as I started wearing these pieces, and they started, one by one, falling apart on it, it was just the idea of buying from them again just felt really crappy. You’re just literally throwing your money away.

Kara: At the end of the day, I think you’re just better buying from sites like Forever 21, or H&M, or Target that are still similar price points, but they’re making their products a little bit better, enough where you can actually wear it more than twice without it falling apart. If you want to buy, look at the shein website reviews to see what other shein clothing reviews say about the item.

Kara: All right, so that is my big Shein haul for you. I tried dresses, swimsuits, earrings, bags and I hope this helped you figure out if you should buy from Shein. Yes, or no? I would love you hear your thoughts on it, if you think that they’re just as bad as they used to be, or if they’re better, do you shop from them? Have you ever wanted to? I’d love to hear your thoughts below, so drop a comment below. Let’s get this discussion going. Maybe I just got some bad luck on a few bad items, and I should try them again. I do like the price points, that’s the key right there. The price points are great.

Kara: Anyways, don’t forget to subscribe to my channel. Follow whimsysoul on Instagram. Have a good day, you guys.

Also, I didn’t realize this on the website but wanted to share as I though it was useful to know. You can’t return swimsuits and acessories, even bags. So I was stuck with the clothing that didn’t fit. This was frustrating because the sizing was wrong but I couldnt return it. Wanted to notify you on that policy! Is it Shein scam? Kinda feels like it.

will have to be careful that they don’t fall. But these held up pretty decently during my trip. Again, this was like $3. The ones that didn’t hold up are these earrings. I thought these were gorgeous, and I accidentally dropped one taking it out of the bag, and the end immediately fell off. I do think I can super glue this back on, but again, you can just tell that these aren’t made very well, because things fall apart. I also got these earrings, which so far have been holding up. Then lastly, I got these which looked really big on the internet, and they’re actually really, really small, so I don’t think that I’m going to keep these. But, they’re fun, and again, they’re just a couple of dollars.

Kara: I am still very torn about Shein. So, I personally think that they have come a really long way since three years ago when I first tried them. They’re products are a little bit better made, and they definitely have larger sizes now. So a large is actually a large, it’s not a small and as a size 12 woman, I can actually buy clothes and fit into them, which is a really great thing. That being said, I think all their products are just like hit and misses. I think they’re kind of made just long enough to get you past that 30 day return date.

Kara: … Found the most disappointing though is how when you first get them and you try them on, it feels like it’s all made decently, you know, like a little better than you thought it was going to be, more on like a Forever 21 level, where it’s not perfect, but it’s fine for $12. But then as you start wearing them, they quickly fall apart. So I remember my yellow dress, that’s the second time I wore it, it started ripping and that bag took three of four days of using it, and then it started falling apart.

Kara: These earrings started falling apart after I started using them. So I think it’s more of just it’s a if it will fall apart, but when it will fall apart, and you have to know that’s coming, and be comfortable knowing that your clothes and your products aren’t going to last very long.

Kara: Would I buy from Shein again? I have been asking myself that question, and I go back and fourth. I think as the start of my vacation, I was like, “Hell, yeah. I’m going to get this again.” Every time we were going somewhere that the weather’s weird, or just want a new dress, or a new skirt, or a new bag or whatever for a trip or an event or something, sure. But then as I started wearing these pieces, and they started, one by one, falling apart on it, it was just the idea of buying from them again just felt really crappy. You’re just literally throwing your money away.

Kara: At the end of the day, I think you’re just better buying from places like Forever 21, or H&M, or Target that are still similar price points, but they’re making their products a little bit better, enough where you can actually wear it more than twice without it falling apart.

Kara: All right, so that is my big Shein haul for you. I tried dresses, swimsuits, earrings, bags and I hope this helped you figure out if you should buy from Shein. Yes, or no? I would love you hear your thoughts on it, if you think that they’re just as bad as they used to be, or if they’re better, do you shop from them? Have you ever wanted to? I’d love to hear your thoughts below, so drop a comment below. Let’s get this discussion going. Maybe I just got some bad luck on a few bad items, and I should try them again. I do like the price points, that’s the key right there. The price points are great.

Also, I didn’t realize this on the website but wanted to share as I though it was useful to know. You can’t return swimsuits and accessories even bags. So I was stuck with the clothing that didn’t fit. This was frustrating because the sizing was wrong but I couldn’t return it. Wanted to notify you on that policy! Is it Shein scam? Kinda feels like it.

Kara: Anyways, don’t forget to subscribe to my channel. Follow whimsysoul on Instagram. Have a good day, you guys.