Guide to shopping Shein

I am an avid online shopper,

I like putting together outfits,

I love trying out new trends,

But I don’t have all the money in the world.

I have found myself becoming sucked into a world of style and the endless void of online retailers - only growing bigger and bigger. In a fashion saturated market, prices are rising and with my minimum wage job and college bills I can't keep up. So I found Shein. Shein has become a great alternative because like Romwe and Fashion Nova, it is an outlet-type shop that has a variety of affordable clothes and accessories. Now many of these sites can be shady or a hit or miss and I'm going to help you make sure every order is the perfect order (because no one has time to return and send back items #lazy).

SIDE NOTE: all of the items are linked so just click the picture and you can find exactly what I got!!

It all starts with looking for something in mind. Wandering the massive website for one item would take days and days to find and ain't nobody got time for that! I start by gaining inspiration from Pinterest. On there I look for model pieces or outfits I want to emulate, and trust me it makes the search so much easier. For instance, Emma Chamberlin and Ellie Thumann have a brown fluffy jacket they wear constantly and I needed it. So off I went scouring the pages of jackets till I found one that fit and had good reviews. After waiting a week or two it came in and let me tell you I was so excited. It wasn't exactly the same, but nonetheless it achieved the same look I was going for. But, this does lead me into my next point...

ALWAYS check the reviews, and I mean always. Reviews are what makes the site reliable. Helping you see what you are buying, these pictures uploaded by real people aren't as deceiving as the original product photos. Seeing a shirt physically on someone and not floating in the middle of a white screen makes a whole lot of a difference. I have fallen short of this rule before. After buying a cute shirt and recieving it a few weeks later was disappointed to figure out that a large fit like a child's medium. And I was so bummed. I could of went through the painful option of getting a bag and returning it, but will most likely just give it to a friend or find someway to make it work.

This sweater top traveled to NYC and was so perfect in the mild weather

I got these floral shorts and also ended up bringing the to NYC with me

Bags are something I had always seen being sold online but never got, until now. Scrolling through endless crossbody bags and totes and clutches I came across the most beautiful bag I had ever seen - on an outlet-type website. Using my steps of researching outfits, checking the reviews, and making sure it was something I really would wear, I made the $14 purchase to get this bag. And I was ecstatic. Once it came in I was so excited I made an outfit the next day and wore it out to lunch. This just shows that these shops do have good items!! If you take the time to search and do your research I am sure you will have her additions to your closet that everyone will ask you about

knock off Chanel bag who?! balling on a college budget

Finally, make sure you will use what you buy. Just because tube tops and cargo pants are a trend doesn't mean you should buy that snakeskin top for $4. Yes, everything is super cheap so why not, but in the end you will regret making stupid purchases and not waiting for the right piece to come along. Shopping is an art form that I love and just like buying clothes in person, you have to already 'preplan' the outfits you can make. Debate the usage of the item or accessory and figure out if it is something worth waiting weeks for to be disappointed or surprised.

Shopping online is a big commitment, but I promise it can so be worth it! If you put in effort you will get out greatness aka a super cute outfit. And to make these outfits you don't have to only shop on Shein but branch out to Romwe and Fashion Nova, etc and see what you can find! You never know where that holy grail outfit piece will come along.

xo Christy

#Shein #EmmaChamberlin #fashion #shopping #lifestyle #clothes