I’ve Shopped at SHEIN for Over 10 Years — What I Buy, What I Skip & What I’ve Learned

One of my casual SHEIN outfits on a beautiful day by the lake. After more than 10 years of shopping there, SHEIN is still part of my everyday wardrobe.

I’ve Shopped at SHEIN for Over 10 Years

This is my SHEIN review after 10 years of shopping on the site — what I've learned, what I still buy, and what I now skip.

I first discovered SHEIN sometime around 2015.

At the time, I was living on a fairly careful budget. As a pastor’s wife, I had learned to be practical about spending, and when it came to clothes, I often shopped at secondhand stores or places like Walmart.

But I have always loved fashion.

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I studied fashion design in college, so beautiful colors, interesting details, and clothes with a little personality have always caught my eye.

After moving to America, however, shopping for clothes wasn't always easy. The clothes I really liked could be expensive, while the more affordable stores didn't always have the styles I was looking for.

Then one day, an unfamiliar shopping site appeared on my computer.

It was SHEIN.

I clicked on it out of curiosity.

And I remember thinking:

What is this?

There were so many clothes!

The prices were surprisingly low, but what fascinated me even more was the selection. I was seeing colors, prints, silhouettes, and styles that I simply wasn't finding in the stores where I normally shopped.

I spent quite a while looking through the site.

And eventually, I decided to take a chance and place my first order. Browse SHEIN

My First SHEIN Order Felt Like an Experiment

This was around 2015, so ordering very inexpensive clothing from an unfamiliar online site felt a little adventurous.

I wasn't quite sure what would show up.

But about two weeks later, my order arrived.

Then I tried returning something.

That worked too.

That gave me enough confidence to order again.

I also discovered SHEIN's review and points system. Writing reviews could earn points toward future purchases, and adding photos could earn additional rewards.

I became a pretty active reviewer myself — partly because the points were useful, but also because other customers' reviews were helping me so much.

If someone else's real-life photo helped me decide whether to buy something, I wanted my photos and comments to help the next person too.

There were also coupons and frequent shipping promotions. Sometimes there would be free shipping even for a small order, and other times we would combine orders to reach the free-shipping minimum.

In those early years, I sometimes collected orders from people I worked with and we placed one larger order together.

Looking back, that makes me smile. 😊

Yes, a lot of my closet really is SHEIN. 😊 Some pieces I've owned for years — and I still wear them.

Some of My Old SHEIN Clothes Are Still in My Closet

More than 10 years have passed since that first order.

And something that may surprise people is that some of the SHEIN clothes I bought years ago are still in my closet — and I still wear them.

Of course, not everything was a winner.

Especially in the beginning, I made plenty of mistakes and returned much more than I do today.

Some inexpensive pieces eventually became things I no longer wore, and sometimes I simply passed them along to someone else.

But gradually, something changed.

I learned how to shop for me.

I learned my measurements.

I learned which necklines work best for my body.

I learned which lengths I prefer.

I learned which fabrics I like.

I learned to pay attention to customer reviews and real customer photos.

And I learned that no matter how beautiful something looks on a model, if the measurements or reviews tell me otherwise, I should probably listen.

There were definitely times when I thought:

But it's so pretty. Maybe it will work for me. 😄

Usually, the reviews were right.

I Don’t Just Know My Size — I Know My Shape

This has probably been one of the biggest changes in the way I shop.

I have a fuller bust, so fit is especially important for me.

Over the years, I've learned that I usually feel better in V-necks, wrap styles, defined waists, and A-line silhouettes. I also tend to prefer lighter fabrics rather than very thick ones.

So today, I don't simply search for:

“a pretty dress.”

I search for:

“a pretty dress that works for me.”

That's a big difference.

SHEIN's detailed garment measurements have been especially useful for me. I don't rely only on S, M, L, or XL.

I check the actual measurements.

If the bust measurement doesn't work for me, I pass — even if I love the dress.

Length matters too.

I'm on the taller side, so sometimes an item is simply too short for me. For someone shorter, the same dress could be much longer than expected.

That's why I've learned that knowing your own measurements is one of the most important parts of successful online shopping.

Even an inch can make a difference.

I'll share much more about how I choose sizes, read reviews, use my Wishlist, and avoid returns in the next post in this series.

SHEIN Isn’t Just for Young Women

SHEIN Isn’t Just for Young Women

One thing I especially want to mention is that SHEIN isn't only for teenagers or women in their 20s.

I'm in my 60s, and I've been shopping there for more than 10 years.

I don't try to dress like I'm 25. But I also don't believe reaching a certain age means I suddenly have to stop enjoying fashion.

I still love beautiful colors, feminine silhouettes, interesting details, and clothes with a little personality.

The advantage of having such an enormous selection is that I don't have to shop by age. I can shop by style — and by occasion.

Some days I want something casual and comfortable for traveling. Other days I want a simple black dress for lunch.

And sometimes I need something much dressier.

Yes, I Even Wore SHEIN to a Wedding

One of the dresses in these photos is a long black-and-white SHEIN dress that I wore as a guest to a wedding.

I wanted something elegant and feminine that felt appropriate for the occasion, but I didn't want to spend a lot on a dress I might only wear occasionally.

I found this one on SHEIN.

And that's a good example of why I still enjoy shopping there in my 60s. Among all the trendy pieces, I can also find clothes for very different moments in my life — casual days, travel, lunch with friends, church, and even a wedding.

I simply scroll past the styles that aren't for me and look for the ones that are.

Style doesn't come with an expiration date.

And neither does enjoying clothes. 😊

One of my simple black SHEIN dresses — easy to wear for lunch or dress up a little when I feel like it.

Yes, this is SHEIN too. I wore this long black-and-white dress as a wedding guest — proof that my SHEIN closet isn't limited to casual clothes.

SHEIN Has Changed a Lot Since I First Found It

The SHEIN I browse today feels very different from the site I discovered around 2015.

The selection seems to have grown enormously.

I now see different labels and collections within SHEIN, each with its own personality. Over time, I've learned which styles I tend to like, and that makes browsing much easier.

There are also far more categories now — men's clothing, plus-size fashion, shoes, accessories, home and garden products, travel items, stationery, gift wrapping, pet products, and even furniture.

Sometimes I wonder what they'll sell next. 😂

And that huge selection is probably one of the main reasons I still browse SHEIN today.

My latest SHEIN surprise: five men's shirts from one recent order. I was genuinely impressed with the colors, styles, quality, and prices.

My Latest Surprise: SHEIN Men’s Clothing

After shopping at SHEIN for myself for more than 10 years, I recently decided to try their men's clothing.

I ordered five shirts.

And surprisingly, I liked all five.

The colors looked good in person, the styles were modern without being overly trendy, and I was impressed with the quality for the prices.

Now I find myself checking the men's section too. 😄

Like this style? → Shop the SHEIN men’s knit polo I purchased

And I Buy Much More Than Clothes

Over the years, my SHEIN purchases have expanded far beyond my own wardrobe.

I've bought shoes, sunglasses, jewelry and accessories.

I've bought a four-piece luggage set that has traveled with me many times and is still going strong.

I've bought home and garden items, including a garden arch and solar lights that people walking by have actually complimented.

And I especially enjoy browsing stationery and gift-wrapping supplies.

Having grown up in Korea, I was used to seeing lots of cute and beautiful stationery. When I first came to America, I remember being surprised by how limited — and sometimes expensive — pretty stationery and wrapping supplies could be.

Today, I keep things like flower wrapping paper at home so I can make a simple bouquet look special when I give flowers as a gift.

SHEIN has become one of the places I check for those little things that are inexpensive, useful, and just a little more interesting than what I might find locally.

Over the years, my SHEIN shopping has gone far beyond clothing. These are some of the affordable accessories I've collected.

What I Usually Skip

This wouldn't be an honest SHEIN review if I told you I loved everything.

I don't.

Handbags are one example.

I've bought casual bags that were perfectly fine for everyday use, but when I wanted a handbag to look polished and well-made, my experience was more mixed.

Some didn't look or feel quite as nice as I expected from the photos.

So these days, regular handbags are one category I rarely buy from SHEIN.

And there are plenty of other items I skip too.

If the measurements aren't right, I skip it.

If an item looks gorgeous but has disappointing customer ratings, I usually skip it.

And if something looks inexpensive on SHEIN, I don't automatically assume it's the best deal.

Sometimes I check Amazon and discover that a similar — or what appears to be the same — item is actually less expensive there.

SHEIN is not always the cheapest.

For me, its biggest advantage is something else:

Choice.

After 10+ Years, Why Do I Still Shop at SHEIN?

The low prices originally brought me to SHEIN.

But after more than 10 years, price isn't the main reason I've stayed.

It's the enormous selection — and the fact that I've learned how to navigate it.

Today, I know my measurements.

I know the silhouettes that work for my body.

I know how important length can be.

I know which search terms bring me closer to the styles I like.

I know to look at the number of reviews, ratings, and especially real customer photos.

I know when to put something in my Wishlist and think about it.

And I've also learned that sometimes, if I truly love something and everything checks out, waiting too long can mean coming back to find:

Out of Stock. 😄

But perhaps the biggest lesson I've learned is this:

Something isn't a bargain just because it's cheap.

If it doesn't fit, I don't wear it, or I don't really love it, I haven't saved any money.

The best bargain is something I actually use and enjoy.

And after more than 10 years of shopping at SHEIN, I've gotten much better at finding those things.

Next in My SHEIN Series

How I Shop Smarter at SHEIN After 10+ Years — And Rarely Return Anything

In my next post, I'll share the practical system I've developed over the years — how I measure myself, check bust and length, read reviews, use customer photos, search by style, save items to my Wishlist, compare prices, and decide when to wait and when to buy.