Okay, so hear us out – we know that fast fashion churns out articles of clothing faster than we can hit “add to cart.” In a perfect world we’d all be able to partake in sustainably produced clothing and products. We’d only shop if we receive confirmation that the garment workers are making a livable wage and our environment is not being sh*t on just so we can take fire selfies and hashtag the crap out of our pictures in hopes of being noticed by the trendiest shops & collaboratives. But it’s not a perfect world, and we aren’t perfect. It’s also not always feasible to purchase items at higher costs if you’re trying to both live your life to the fullest & save your pennies. While we won’t stop shopping for items that catch our fancy, we’ll remain mindful and fastidious by choosing items we aren’t going to trash the following year. Instead of preaching “shop til you drop” we’ll remind you to “choose with care.”
Now that we’ve got that out of the way – let’s get into the haul we painstakingly picked out (seriously, you can get a migrane scrolling through some of these sites, they’re practically endless). Jennifer shopped at Pretty Little Thing & Jasmine shopped at Shein. They’re both very similar online stores that offer everything from oversized hoodies to lil a** string bikinis. Both shops are outrageously budget friendly. There’s always a sale coming up (which tempts you to buy in bulk – again, watch yoself) & there’s almost definitely something for everyone.
Pretty Little Thing
PLT is a fan fav. They’re body positive (and inclusive of diversity across the board), have tons of celeb endorsement (if that matters to you) & they have on site shops in LA, Miami and London. Their prices are very similar to Shein (maybe a little more for some items). They usually don’t offer free shipping but because of the pandemic they are, to both the US and Canada. If you’re in Canada – they cover the duty charges – sooo, more incentive to shop with them riiiight?
Shein
Shein calls themselves a B2C e-commerce platform. They do business ev-ery-where (just like PLT) and you’ll be able to find all kinds of clothing no matter your weight, height, gender or whatever. Their target market seems to be “young women & teens” but we feel that you should be able to wear whatever makes you feel good, no questions asked. Shein offers free shipping over $10CDN – there ain’t no way you’re not going to hit $10 although anything is possible – so that’s a plus. They’re also offering a 75 day return policy so you have some peace of mind if you really hate something and want to return it.
We tried to sum up each shop with as little detail as possible because it’s allll about the haul right? Check our their websites for more.
Pretty Little Thing Haul
JENNIFER
5″6
This is probably my 3rd time ordering from PLT. The first time was to get some pieces for my trip to Cabo – I needed bathing suits, cover ups and some cute dresses. Everything showed up looking just as shown on the site – no disappointment here aside from the swimwear. The bathing suits are very touch and go and I found some (especially the bikinis) to be slippery and I could barely keep em on – aint’ no Janet at the Superbowl happening on my watch. I did order one suit that was amazing – really good quality and shape – definitely pay attention to the reviews. It takes a bit of research but c’mon money is money – you don’t want to throw it down the toilet.
I’ve found pieces like hoodies, sweatshirts and t shirts to be the best quality. They feel nice and certainly don’t look cheap. I used to spend up to $90 on a graphic tee at Urban Outfitters – which, since we’re all about the honesty – I still will if I can’t find anything else like it buuut I was really happy to find that the tees here are just as good in quality as UO.
When it comes to dresses, bodysuits, skirts and the like – the fabrics are just different. It really depends on what the item is, what kind of fabric is used, and what the reviews tried to tell ya. I’ve worn dresses from there that I listed for sale after the first wear (quality, & b/c my boobs didn’t fit right or there was too much risk of flashing random passerby). I’ve also purchased dresses that I’ll wear over and over. Again, I can’t stress this enough – READ THE REVIEWS. A lot of women will provide their weight and height (may the Lord shine down on them) and that is a blessing to you. Accept it.
I live for an oversized tee. Most of my friends are well aware that I prefer to go pantless so I always need to make sure the tee will cover the unmentionables. This isn’t oversized enough (I got L) for that look so I’ll need to throw on something underneath but it’s soft (although it doesn’t have that vintage feel that some tees do) and I like the print. I like to wear tees out because I want to be comfortable so I’ll dress them up with heels or a skirt. This tee is perfect for that.
I’m seeing these “places” sweatshirts & hoodies a lot & I now regret not actually purchasing them from the National Park gift shop (they need your $ too!) They’re popular these days – another style thieved from our Dads (their closets are a gold mine if you don’t want to spend your hard earned dollars). I love Washington State – it’s my second home. Been to Lake Chelan a couple times so I thought it was appropriate. No imposter syndrome here. Love the material – it’s so soft and thick. The screen print is great. Absolutely zero complaints – I can wear it pantless too. Hallelujah. I got size L – it’s oversized although they don’t mention it & I got L because I like ’em to be like a boyfriend hoodie.
Bruh. $18 for a dress. Are you kidding me? Highway robbery. Anyways, I was scared of how this one might fit because I’ve been blessed (so they say) with a bigger chest. It’s always hard for me to get a good fit with a dress because they either end up being too big or too small in the chest area. I played it safe and got size 8 (M). I always tend to get bigger sizes in tops and dresses because of said chest (I’d rather downplay than highlight) – gotta say – this fit perfectly. Like it was made for me. It’s soft, stretchy (which is good when you’re ordering online) and has that lil flow to it which is super cutesy. I like a square neckline because I like to minimize the chest area and it covers really well.
SheIn Haul
JASMINE
5’7
I’ve been hearing so much about Shein that I wanted to get a couple pieces to try out and see what all the hype is about. I was very hesitant as I don’t like to waste my money on poor quality products that fall apart very quickly. I’m also not one to buy to buy too many trend of the moment items because I like to get longevity out of the majority of my purchases. In this world of fast fashion it’s becoming increasingly difficult to not just buy, buy ,buy. I limited myself to 3 items that I would get lots of use out of as there was a space for them in my closet. Reading reviews is key ladies! I was able to figure out which items did not seem to match up to my quality standards based on that. I am pleasantly surprised and pleased to say that I loved every single thing I got and it was $50 for my entire purchase! Bonus!
I love this t-shirt! It’s soft, not too sheer, perfectly oversized and true to size. I even ordered another in black because I have so many ways that I can style this tee and wear it through all seasons. This is oversized so I would recommend going with your normal size. I got size S.
This is just ridiculously priced at $14! I was expecting to be disappointed but as soon as I touched this I was shocked by how thick the material was. It’s been in the wash a few times now and hasn’t pilled or faded – mind blown. It is quite oversized so if you like the real oversized look, then stick to your normal size, but if you want it a bit more fitted go a size down.
One word for this dress – OBSESSED. Being 5”7 often results in a struggle to cover certain areas such as my derriere. A mini dress that’s actually long enough to cover the essentials without going into the Grandma zone?! Here for this! It’s not sheer, so cute and I’m already imagining countless ways to wear it and what winery I can pop this little guy on at. I may wear the sweatshirt and tee more often but this is my favorite simply because it checks all the boxes. Flattering, cute, lightweight, the list goes on! I’ve bought dresses that cost a lot more than this and don’t look half as good on me. It is true to size for me so I would recommend sticking with your normal size!
You can hit us up if you have any questions or need some more detail – we’d love to help a fellow shopper get just what they’re lookin for.
Jennifer & Jasmine 