[review] Stitch Fix, March 2018 #2

I am a glutton for punishment, obviously, because after I was less than pleased with my last StitchFix, I decided to schedule another one for the following week to try and get a better selection. Welp.

When my box shipped, I immediately peeked (I always peek!) and looked to see what was coming. I was SO disappointed in this box. I didn't add a note to my stylist which is rare, but I didn't get the usual email notification to do that before my box shipped – maybe because of the short window between boxes?

(Note: I rarely get two StitchFix boxes in one month. That's a pretty big expense for me! But I was still looking for some new spring pieces and wasn't satisfied with my first box in March.)

If you've never heard of Stitch Fix, it is a subscription styling service. You pay a $20 styling fee and your stylist sends you 5 pieces customized to your tastes and needs. There is an extensive style profile for you to fill out and you can send your stylist a note with more details or requests! The items range in price depending on your preferences – I set mine at "the cheaper, the better."

The $20 styling fee is put towards any items from your box you decide to keep, and you also get a 25% discount if you keep everything in the box!

Interested? Sign up here!

Disclaimer: The links in this post may be affiliate links, so I may make some money if you click or make a purchase.

Toms - Classic Alpargata Solid Canvas Slip-On Flats

Price: $48

Verdict: Returned

I actually love Toms, so I would've considered keeping these, but the minute I saw them on my Fix, I knew they wouldn't fit. I could've exchanged them for a larger size (that's a really useful StitchFix feature!) but wasn't in love with the color, so I went ahead and sent them back.

Articles of Society - Silverlake Chomp Hem Skinny Jean

Price: $64

Verdict: Kept

Hazel Colette Button Down Top

Price: $58

Verdict: Returned

Oh gosh, this was just not me at all. I don't know how to describe my issues with it, really, but I put it on and was like, "Nope." The pattern mixing was so bizarre, and there was a little peplum-like flap in the back that didn't make sense to me. I also am holding firm on not spending money on tank tops, considering I will always wear a cardigan or jacket over them, or just not wear them at all. I just like sleeves. 

Vince Camuto Tannery Button Down Top

Price: $88

Verdict: Returned

Ah, the Vince Camuto shirt rears its expensive head again.

I just got a Vince Camuto button-down in my last Fix and was thoroughly disappointed by it, so I was surprised to see another expensive button-down in the Fix I got to make myself feel better after my disappointing Fix. Very confusing. 

This one was looser and ... well... uglier than the last one. Bye, bye.

Lemon Tart Jessy Frayed Trim Denim Jacket

Price: $88

Verdict: Returned

I am not cool enough for denim jackets, I've decided. I just don't love how casual they look. So, this one went back too. An $88 denim jacket isn't really my kinda jam, anyway, even though I loved that this was a great army green. 

•••

Another disappointing StitchFix. I hope my April box is better or I will have to take a break for a while. 

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[review] Stitch Fix, March 2018

Time for a Stitch Fix review! I have been super lapse on my StitchFix reviews lately, but this is one of my favorite services that I subscribe to and I can't recommend it enough 99.9% of the time. I just spent $49 on Stitch Fix Style Pass, which is a full year of unlimited fixes for no fees – and I got the $49 back in credit on items in this fix.

If you've never heard of Stitch Fix, it is a subscription styling service. You pay a $20 styling fee and your stylist sends you 5 pieces customized to your tastes and needs. There is an extensive style profile for you to fill out and you can send your stylist a note with more details or requests! The items range in price depending on your preferences – I set mine at "the cheaper, the better."

The $20 styling fee is put towards any items from your box you decide to keep, and you also get a 25% discount if you keep everything in the box! 

Interested? Sign up here!

Disclaimer: The links in this post may be affiliate links, so I may make some money if you click or make a purchase.

good hYOUman Brooke printed ruched detail leggings in cobalt

Price: $69

Verdict: Kept

I personally requested another pair of these leggings of my StitchFix stylist. I was bummed that I got the blue and not another pair of black, but these are the softest and most flattering leggings I have ever worn. They don't ride up ever and look great with a blouse or just a T-shirt. 

RD Style Chara boucle open cardigan in off-white

Price: $74

Verdict: Kept

My first thought: "This is the most granny-looking cardigan I have ever seen."

And then I realized, "Hey, I am a granny."

This sweater is not soft, but it is cozy and thick, yet it still breathes. I wore it to work on a chilly day and didn't need a coat. It's pricy for a cardigan but I'm happy to get a lot of wear out of it.

Tommy Hilfiger Mellva zip-up knit hoodie in light grey

Price: $68

Verdict: Returned

I almost didn't even put this on. I knew there was no point. Where did I go wrong with my stylist to think she should send me a $68 athletic hoodie? Bizarre. I didn't even consider this for a second.

Vince Camuto Loise button down top in olive

Price: $98

Verdict: Returned

$98 for a button down? Y'all. I know Stitch Fix items tend to be pricier than what I might buy for myself usually but... I'm not crazy.

The sleeves were a little too loose, too, and I have a similar shirt in my closet. This shirt was incredibly soft and one of my favorite colors, but not worth it!

Market & Spruce Meg knit dress in white and grey

Price: $58

Verdict: Returned

I am kind of regretting returning this because this was a cute dress, and I can't blame my stylist for thinking it would be a total hit. It fit nicely and hit me at a great length, and I love stripes and the color grey. But I am trying to resist buying things that I wouldn't wear on their own, and I am really weird about tank tops these days – I almost always wear something over them, even in the heat of the summer. I don't like to get sunburned!

•••

So, that was my March 2018 Stitch Fix. (I time traveled back to 2017 when I originally typed this post, and left it like that until right before publishing. Sigh. It takes me a while to get used to a new year!)

I think I am a little bit addicted to Stitch Fix right now, so I am hoping the one I just scheduled for next week will be better!

Do you get Stitch Fix or another clothing subscription service, or have you tried one? How do you like it? If not, what's holding you back?

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at-home teeth whitening: does it really work for people with sensitive teeth?

I have always been super self-conscious about my smile – specifically, my teeth. In college, it felt like everyone was constantly taking pictures – selfies to show off a new outfit or a good hair day, pictures with their best friend or a group of people at a tailgate to show they went to the game... I avoided the camera 95 percent of the time and still do. Oh, there are pictures out there of me, but even Patrick and I barely have any photos together that weren't unavoidable photos taken by parents.

And the reason for that is my smile. I love to smile and laugh and I am probably always smiling or laughing, although I have a RBF like you wouldn't believe. I never hesitate to smile – but I hate pictures, especially too close up, because you can clearly see that my smile is yellower than all the others in the picture. It's hard not to notice, honestly.

Years of drinking coffee and sweet tea – I am a southerner, after all – have done serious damage to my smile and stained many of my teeth. My experience with whitening products was never very impressive – I had no time for Colgate WhiteStrips and no money for professional teeth whitening, so I settled with never being very happy with my smile or photos of me.

When Smile Brilliant reached out to partner, I was thrilled!

Disclaimer: I received this product from Smile Brilliant in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review. I would never review or recommend a product unless I truly loved it. 

THE IMPRESSION PROCESS

Smile Brilliant is an at-home whitening kit that is totally personalized to your smile. I made molds of my teeth using their impression kit and sent them back, and about a week after sending my impressions in, I had a personalized whitening kit to get started on whitening my teeth. The impression kit is easy to use and comes with super simple instructions, and the impressions they made with my kit are a perfect fit for my teeth! (So, I guess that means I did the kit right!)

My tip for you as far as the impression process goes: Read the instructions from beginning to end before you start. I hate doing this, and I am bad at it! But this time I decided I wouldn't screw anything up by not following directions, and I am glad I read through. They also sent an extra set for impressions, almost as if predicting that I wouldn't read the instructions from beginning to end. Smart.

THE WHITENING PROCESS

You can whiten for about 45 minutes to 3 hours each day, which is pretty amazing. A lot of people might think, "I don't have time for that." But once I had my impressions in, you could hardly tell I was doing anything as time intensive as whitening my teeth. One day, I did it in the middle of my workday and was editing stories while I whitened! But most days it was easiest just to do it before bed.

The trays fit so well that I rarely noticed they were there. But – TMI coming your way! – I drooled a lot during the process, so I usually whitened before bed, when I had nowhere to go, no one to see and no chance that I would need to spontaneously hop on a Google Hangout while drooling out of the corner of my mouth.

You also shouldn't eat or drink for a while after whitening, and you should wait up to 24 hours before drinking things like coffee or red wine that might stain your teeth. That's another reason to do it before bed, especially if, like me, you are always putting something in your mouth! This was very difficult for me and, let's be honest, I couldn't and didn't go a full 24 hours after whitening before drinking coffee again.

FOR SENSITIVE TEETH

I never used the whitening gel for a full three hours, because unfortunately during this period, I was experiencing extreme teeth sensitivity from a few dental procedures and grinding my teeth. I usually whitened between 45 minutes and an hour each day. If you are also experiencing extreme sensitivity or have extremely sensitive teeth, I recommend what the amazing rep at Smile Brilliant recommended to me:

• Prep your teeth with the desensitizing gel for 2-3 nights before your first whitening sessions.
• This gel should be left on for about 15-30 minutes.
• On the 3rd night, you will use the whitening gel for 30-45 minutes (start with shorter sessions to ensure you are comfortable).
• After your whitening session, you will use the desensitizing gel afterward.

My teeth haven't felt more sensitive as a result of the whitening gel, and I credit that to the desensitizing gel, for sure. I am grateful for the extra tips from Ashley at Smile Brilliant to make sure I could get the most out of my whitening kit without any extra pain!
MY RESULTS

I could notice results right away but after four sessions, I noticed that a prominent stain on one of my I-teeth had faded and my smiles in selfies were brighter. By the end of the process, I feel much more comfortable smiling and taking photos. I think to get rid of my yellowing on most of my teeth altogether, I would need to do an entire round of whitening again, maybe even a third time – but I was thrilled with this much progress! But the best part about that is – I can just purchase more whitening gel to whiten as I need to, since my trays are already made for me. This is a totally customizable process.

To show you what I was working with before... even photo editing and filters weren't making a dent in my teeth, and the photo below is actually a good day for my smile.



SO thrilled that my selfie-taking increased by about 200 percent

ABOUT SMILE BRILLIANT

A whitening kit from Smile Brilliant costs between $139 and $179, depending on if you do or do not get desensitizing gel (and I would recommend it), which you can compare to $600 to $850 at the dentist.

I got 3-4 uses out of each syringe, and depending on which size kit you purchase, you will get between 9 and 27 applications out of the syringes. If you have a very yellow smile, I recommend the kit with 6 or 9 syringes, because I definitely could've used a few more applications to get more of my stains to fade!

GIVEAWAY

I've partnered with Smile Brilliant to give away a whitening kit to one lucky reader! Giveaway information to come. Want to enter? Follow this link and enter your email! The giveaway will be open for one week and is open to USA, UK, Australian and Canadian residents.

Tooth Whitening Gel

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[review] Stitch Fix, October 2017

This is my fifth Stitch Fix since October 2016 (I took a very long hiatus). I got an email last week offering to waive the $25 Stitch Fix fee and decided I would give Stitch Fix another shot, even though the last Fix I received before I decided (angrily!) to give it up was absolutely awful and not at all what I was looking for.

If you've never tried Stitch Fix, it is a subscription service that selects clothing for you based on your social media profiles and style profile. You get to try on the pieces and decide what you'll keep and return, and you'll be charged a $25 styling fee plus the cost of the items you keep. If you keep everything, you get a 25 percent discount.

Interested in signing up? Click here.

This time, I made sure to be very specific in my style profile (I took the quiz over just in case) and in my message to my stylist, and I dedicated a good hour to pinning things that were totally me. 

Disclaimer: I may use affiliate links in this post.

41 Hawthorn Aisla Split Neck Tie Sleeve Pullover, $64

I will do a lot of things and pay a lot of money for a good sweater. I would say out of everything in my closet, the one thing I will pay full price for usually is a good sweater – I won't even pay full price for a pair of boots, my favorite vice.  So I joyously tried on this soft and comfortable charcoal grey sweater with adorable sleeve detail – I love the bell sleeve AND the bow! Neither detail is too overdone – I like to be low key trendy when I'm being trendy – so I can keep wearing this sweater long after the statement and ruffle sleeves are out. I'm already worried about washing instructions for this one but I know I will wear it again and again and again.

Verdict: Kept

41 Hawthorn Jahana Cargo Vest, $68

I love this vest and I've been wanting to add a cargo vest to my closet for a while. This one is great quality and has a nice hood and two nicely sized pockets, so I'm happy. This is definitely something my stylist noticed I was eyeing when she checked out my Pinterest profile, so I'm glad I spent some time pinning things. I'm surprised I didn't receive more dark wash denim and black-and-white striped t-shirts because that seems to be all that I pinned besides a utility vest.

Verdict: Kept

Articles of Society Tiana Skinny Jean, $64

I am just so unsure about these jeans. As far as the fit goes, they're perfect, and they're about the same length as my current favorite jeans (I've never found a pair of jeans that wasn't too long or too short on me, but this is as close to perfect as I can get) with a little bit of extra fabric at my ankle. I would love a pair of jeans that didn't need cuffing, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards for me. My issue with these skinny jeans is that they're black, and Theo is furry, and I always end up covered in lint. I have lint brushes, but I hate walking around looking like a furball exploded on my clothes. For that reason, I rarely, rarely, rarely wear black pants that aren't leggings. 

Verdict: Kept

REV Niki Double Ruffle Sleeve Knit Sweatshirt, $58

This is a mighty expensive sweatshirt. I fell in love with the dusty rose color and the fun sleeves when I saw this on my Stitch Fix profile (before I received my box, I definitely peeked). When I tried it on, I was a little bummed – I expected it to be soft and it is not that soft, but it's a fun and comfy sweatshirt that I know I will wear a lot this fall and winter.

Verdict: Kept

41 Hawthorn Selmin Woven Back Knit Top, $58

This is the one piece that I was the most meh about it in my entire box, but when I put it on, I was pretty pleased with it! The back is super cute – I love stripes and kelly green! – and it's soft and tunic-length, so even though $58 is a little crazy for what is basically a t-shirt, it's worth it with the 25 percent discount on the box.

Verdict: Kept

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The total value of my Stitch Fix was $312. Remember – if you keep everything in the box, you'll save 25 percent. (Often times, if I'm on the fence with one or two items, I go ahead and buy everything because the price ends up being the same.) Your $25 styling fee is also put towards the total of your box. 

In this case, I would save $78 by buying all five pieces and would only save $64 if I sent the black jeans back, so I am buying everything in my Fix this time.

Have you tried Stitch Fix or another styling service? What were your experiences?

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[review] my latest haul from shein

This was my third purchase from Shein, and this time, I was looking for some tops and sweaters that I could wear through the fall and winter! I fell in love with a few of the sweaters I was seeing on Shein's website and decided it was time to place another order. My second order, I didn't write a review – a lot of the products weren't quite what I was hoping for so I returned most of them and had some money to spend this time around.

Shipping was super fast. I placed my order on October 13 and it was here by Thursday, so it only took six days. I'm always impressed, because some people say they've waited weeks before.

For sizing purposes: I usually wear a size 4 or a small in most tops, shirts and dresses. I am 5'7", also, and have had some length issues with dresses

I recommend reading my first post if you're curious about ordering from Shein before you do, but here are my basic tips:

1) You should have a dressmaker's tap measurer or be very familiar with your measurements.
2) Use PayPal in case anything is wrong with your order, because PayPal has better protections for customers than anyone around.
3) Always look for a coupon.
4) If it doesn't have reviews or pictures available, be wary.
5) Pay the extra fee for guaranteed returns. It's like $2 or something.

[Is Shein legit? My review of this too-good-to-be-true fast fashion site]

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

Polka Dot Dip Hem Blouse

My size: Medium

Price: $13

Verdict: Kept

I am very glad I checked the sizing on this blouse and ordered up from my usual small to a medium, because I doubt the small would've even fit over my head. The medium was the perfect fit, but I definitely couldn't have gone any smaller. I didn't expect the fabric to be so stiff on this one, but I actually love the way the sleeves and the ruffles hang on me, and I love the fun polka-dotted print in black and white. This is worth it for me!

Navy Plaid Fringe Shawl Scarf

My size: N/A

Price: $14

Verdict: Kept

This might be the most worth it piece in my entire order. I am a scarf girl – I have so many scarves that I can wear a different one every day for an entire month without repeating – and was thrilled to find this adorable navy, burgundy and grey printed plaid scarf on Shein. I was doubly thrilled when it arrived and I found it to be super soft, not at all scratchy. 

Keyhole Tie Neck Bell Cuff Tiered Velvet Dress

My size: S

Price: $25

Verdict: Undecided

I don't know what to do with this one. It's hanging funny on me in the picture because it's super staticky, but I can't decide if a lack of static would make it better or... worse. The bell sleeves are kind of cute, but this might just be too dark for me to rock out and about. I was hoping it would be great for a winter wedding dress rehearsal but I think, at best, it would make for a nice Elvira costume. 

Dual Flap Pocket Ruffle Hem Jacket

My size: S

Price: $26

Verdict: Returned

I was really excited about this jacket but when I put it on... meh. I didn't cuff the sleeves like they're done in the picture, so maybe that would've changed my opinion, but the fit was too boxy for me and the size of the sleeves was off-putting. I probably could've gone with an XS and been happier with the fit but I don't like sizing down with Shein, most of the time, even when I know my measurements line up. This one had potential but I'm sending it back.

Roll Cuff Ruffle Trim Slub T-shirt

My size: S

Price: $11

Verdict: Kept

I already have this same shirt in grey, and I love it. I wear it all the time. My work uniform is almost always jeans or black leggings and a T-shirt, since I work from home and like to be comfortable at my desk and on the couch, and the ruffles on these T-shirts elevate them from simple shirts to super cute tops. I love wearing them to travel in, too, because when I show up at my work destination, I don't look like I traveled in a T-shirt and leggings even though, well, I did.

Bell Sleeve Cutout Back Babydoll Blouse

My size: S

Price: $16

Verdict: Kept

Looking at the photo on the site, I don't know why I was so surprised that the fabric was what it was, but I was expecting a Piko-like feel, instead of this polyester blend. But me not paying attention is not Shein's fault, and I like a good polyester blend almost as much as I like T-shirt material. The back surprised me because it is way open, which again, I should've noticed, but I also don't mind it. It's fun! This is a great blouse that just needs some de-staticking and it'll be good to go. 

Crossover Back Marled Knit T-shirt

My size: S

Price: $9

Verdict: Kept

(Thanks for crashing the frame, Theo.) This might be one of the best purchases I've made in October – this and the scarf above. I absolutely love the feel of this shirt and it was the first piece from the box that I wore out and about. The back is way higher than it shows in the picture (the fabric crosses over right at my bra strap in mid-back instead of closer to the lower back as shown) so if you're uncomfortable showing that much skin, be wary. But again, I don't care. I love it and it's super comfortable. The fabric is A+. And it's under $10? Amazing.

•••

Have you tried Shein or another similar fast fashion site? What was your experience? 

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[review] how Hello Fresh made my kitchen a way happier place

Disclaimer: I paid, with my own money, for this week-long subscription of Hello Fresh. I only review products that I think my readers would really enjoy and want to learn more about. This post may include affiliate links or codes. 

I got a coupon in my last Graze box (which is a snack box service Pat and I are still subscribed to, for some reason) for 50 percent off an order from Hello Fresh, and I decided we should go ahead and check it out, since I have been trying to find new recipes and struggling to find things that were affordable, easy and tasty to both picky eaters in this house. It took me a few weeks to actually have three days in a week where I could cook dinner – I didn't want to let anything go to waste! – but we scheduled our box for delivery on Monday, October 9.

We tried Blue Apron in the past, and my parents have experience with Plated, which they loved. We hated Blue Apron. Sorry to them, but the food was too fancy for us and too difficult for my beginner-level skills.

The meal selections

Pat does not like pork or red meat, except for the occasional burger and maybe pulled pork or sausage, every once in a while. He also doesn't care for seafood. And I don't like a lot of vegetables – I'm working on it, I swear – or burgers. So, for a meal service to work for us, there needs to be at least three chicken recipes to choose from, because that's all we'll choose. 

Hello Fresh, for the most part, delivers on that! Most of their recipes are chicken-based, although not all – there is steak, ground beef or pork available on most menus, if you are less picky than us, but this is one of the main reasons we didn't subscribe to Blue Apron after one trial run. 

For our first box, we got jerk chicken thighs with a mango bell pepper salad and sweet potato wedges,  chicken sausage pizzas with broiled zucchini and fresh oregano and chicken parm salad with baby spinach and a creamy lemon dressing. 

The packaging

Hello Fresh had MUCH less packaging than Blue Apron, and most of the packaging (not all, but most!) was brown paper and could be recycled. Woo! I am not as observant of the waste that we create as I should be but I do hate to see an absurd amount of plastic and shrink wrap for one single meal. Other than the spices, cheeses and other dairy products and meat, everything was free willy in the box. 

The box arrived around 3 p.m. on Monday and everything that needed to be was nice and cold. I do not think I would've felt comfortable leaving it in the box for much longer, because some things at the top were feeling room temperature, but the ice packs still had a lot left in them.

The price

Hello Fresh ain't cheap. We had a coupon and still spent $30 on the three meals, and without a coupon it's $59.94 for a two-person box of three meals on the Classic Plan. I go to the grocery store and spend $50 to $75 on food for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week for us – which is still a lot, and honestly, we could do a better job budgeting at the grocery store, so it just doesn't make practical sense to subscribe to Hello Fresh as anything more than a treat every so often. 

The ingredient quality

My produce had some bumps and bruises, and the zucchini I received for my chicken sausage pizza looked a little worse for wear. But everything else was in great shape and good quality, too. They even use Daisy sour cream – which is, needless to say, my preferred brand. Everything held up great in the fridge and even the pizza worked out, even though we had to wait until the Monday after receiving the box to cook it. Shhhh.

The process

Hello Fresh was so easy. The hardest thing I experienced the entire time was cutting the mango – I bitched about not having any instructions for cutting a mango, but I actually overlooked the very handy and present instructions that were right on the recipe card. Whoops – and it was very easy to stay on pace and get everything done on time. My main issue with Blue Apron was because it expected me to work at the pace of a person who has intermediate cooking skills, my side dishes were always done before my entree, or vice versa.

Also – I burnt every single meal I made with Blue Apron. Yep. I don't even know how, but I did. It was horrible. Both times we ended up at Chick-fil-a.

The end result

Our meals were delicious! The flavors were excellent and nothing was too salty – another issue I had with my Blue Apron meals. Everything was WAY too salty by the end.

Pat really loved the chicken parm salad and I loved the mango and bell pepper salad with the jerk chicken thighs. We were both full and there was plenty to go around. Nothing kept very good for leftovers – the greens wilted and got kind of icky on the second day, so I ended up tossing everything we had left the next day. 

The conclusion

I really enjoyed Hello Fresh and it was totally worth it at $30 for one box. The ingredients were great and the meals were absolutely delicious, and I really appreciated the versatile meal selection. Unfortunately, the $60 price tag for three meals is not going to work for our budget, except maybe for a treat every now and then. 

•••

Have you ever tried Hello Fresh or another meal service? What did you think?

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[is shein legit?] my review of this too-good-to-be-true fast fashion site

You've all seen the advertisements – cute sundresses, on-trend blouses, off-the-shoulder tank tops, all for incredibly low prices. And we've also seen the horror story articles about the silly people who order from a store oversees only to receive an item that looks nothing like what was advertised. When I saw the Shein ads, I wasn't fooled – of course it was a scam.

Somewhere along the way, I decided to poke around and see if anyone had ordered from Shein and written about their experiences. And I found a few fashion bloggers that successfully placed $150+ orders with Shein, received their orders quickly and loved what they got. So, I started to think, "OK, this could be worth a shot."

I filled my cart with 8 items that I absolutely loved and took a chance.

•••

The basics:

• I placed my order on June 25 and it arrived on June 30. Fast! If your order is more than $100, you get free express shipping. I also paid $2.99 for insurance and free returns just in case.

• Shein accepts major credit cards and also PayPal. Not sure how much you know about PayPal but they are great about guaranteeing purchases and I knew if I paid with PayPal, I would be safe if my order turned out to be a total nightmare.

• Have a tape measurer on you or be familiar with your actual measurements – not the sizes you normally wear. I sized up in some clothes and sized down in others, although for the most part, I stuck with my usual size. There are some pieces where you won't be so lucky, especially if you are busty or have large hips.

•••

What I ordered:

This bell-sleeved palm frond print dress.

 

I ordered this because I saw it on a fashion Instablogger I follow and thought it was too cute. I wasn't sure if it was me but figured it would be fun for one of the wedding events I have in the next few months and maybe even for work. I also think the palm frond trend is so worth following.

It fit perfectly and was the perfect length. The fabric came very wrinkled but I think if I steam it once, it should be OK. I love the color and the bell sleeves. This was the most expensive piece I purchased at $24.

This gingham shell top.

 

I ordered this one because I loved the ruffled hem and the black-and-white gingham. Gingham is high up on my list of most-loved patterns, but I am always hesitant to purchase because it's a summer print. But this top was only $9 so I added it to my cart. And I loved it! I've worn it once already with white pants and my nude heels, and I think it is going to be so cute all summer and even into fall if I throw on a cardigan. The worst thing about this shirt was a few stray threads on the hem.

This black cold shoulder tank top.

 

I ordered this because I wanted to try the cold shoulder trend without shelling out a lot of money. Out of all of the clothes, this one probably feels the cheapest – the material is very thin – but I don't feel like it's a waste of my money. It cost $12 and isn't see-through, just thin. I love the sleeves and the straps are easily adjusted to be longer or shorter. It's a little shorter in front than I prefer but nothing crazy.

This halter floral maxi dress.

 

This dress is exactly like the photo, except a little less shiny. (And I think that's a good thing.) It's a little longer on me than most maxi dresses and skirts are, but if I wear heels, I'll be fine. This dress feels like a really high quality piece for only $23. The zipper is real and doesn't get stuck easily and the fabric is really, really nice. I love how it moves and feel like a total princess! This might be one of the dresses I pull out for a wedding coming up.

This bell-sleeved chiffon blouse.

 

I honestly only bought this top because I figured I could use a black blouse, and it was $10. It's such a cute and flattering blouse! It is super wrinkly but I love the bell sleeves and the exposed zipper in the back, which isn't stiff at all and didn't get caught on the fabric. Again, this chiffon fabric is pretty thin, similar to the cold shoulder top, but it doesn't feel cheap and isn't see-through.

This porcelain-print crop top and shorts set.

 

I think everyone has seen this two-piece set on Facebook and has wanted to buy it. I had a girl walk up to me in the grocery store while I was wearing it and compliment me on it, saying she's had it in her shopping cart for a week but wasn't sure if it was legit and now that she's seen it on me, she has to buy it. This two-piece set was $18, and considering I can wear the shorts and the shirt separate from each other, I am so here for it. The fabric is a little slicker than I thought – more like a wetsuit or a bathing suit – but it's soft and hangs well. I love the pockets and the shorts are not see-through!

This flouncy tiered blouse.

 

I was so excited about this blouse that I didn't take a full outfit picture, just threw it on and ran out the door. I absolutely loved this $14 find and am buying it in the other two colors, too. The fabric is lightweight and it breathes – feels like linen – without being see-through. The shape of the top is so cute and I just loved how it flowed. I can't wait to wear this all summer long and then to pair it with denim and boots in the fall! 

This striped t-shirt with gingham ruffle sleeves.

 

Oh my gosh, this shirt. It was $13 so I added it to my cart for the sleeves – I'm a sucker for ruffle sleeves – but when it arrived, I fell in love with all of it! The gingham and stripes are so fun together (I love pattern mixing!) and it feels a little dressier than your average t-shirt without losing the comfort. This was great.

My advice:

• Read the measurements and measure yourself. Don't order your usual size just because you think it'll work! You may regret it. I sized up in a couple pieces because I knew my sizing.

• If it doesn't have reviews or pictures, I would be more hesitant before purchasing. Read the reviews! You can see when you're scrolling through if an item has reviews – it's a little star icon underneath the picture – so you don't get all hung up on the perfect dress just to find out no one has reviewed it yet. Since I had such a great experience, I am more likely to risk it on items that don't have reviews.

• Look for a sale or a coupon code. I got 25% off my order because I ordered over $100. Right now, they're offering $5 to $30 off an order.

• If you can order a lot at once, do it. You'll get a bigger discount and qualify for the free express shipping, which will be far more worth it than waiting two to three weeks for your order to arrive.

• Order the pieces that you know you'll love for the season but might not reach for again once the trend has died down, or pieces that you want to take a chance on to see if they're for you – like the cold shoulder top. I wouldn't use Shein to buy classic wardrobe staples – I've washed two items already and they held up great, but I don't know if their clothes can withstand too much wear before falling apart.

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Have you ordered from Shein before? What was your experience? I can't wait to shop again! 

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