The good, the bad, & the ugly {online shopping review}

It's that time of the year again- boredom between classes and procrastination in the lib turns into online shopping and Instagram boutique stalking. I get asked about cheap sketchy clothing sites a lot & wanted to give alternate options for trendy items at cheap prices that won't rob you of your credit card number or dignity.

Say no to:

1. Romwe 
2. Choies
3. RoseGal
4. DressLily
5. Zaful
6. Sammy Dress
7. Tide Buy

If you need further reason look at this buzzfeed article or just google the name of the site for reviews.. it's not worth saving money when you get something that isn't even close to what you ordered.

Legit alternatives:

1. Tautmun Love this trendy site! They don't restock often though so buy something fast when you like it. 
2. Make me chic Wait for sale days to get the best deals, free shipping over $29. Offer a lot of great trendy shoes (same brands that boutiques carry) for a lot a lot less. 
3. Boohoo Wait for the 40% off days, they happen frequently!
4. Lucy in the sky Pro = cheap cheap & frequently features popular boutique items Con = ALL sizes go fast so get it fast if you love something!!
5. Necessary clothing 20% student discount through unidays 
6. Sophie and trey Free shipping
7. 2020Ave 10% student discount through unidays, cheap 2 day shipping!
8. Jacoy threads Offers boutique items 20% or more lower than boutique prices, items go fast so follow them on social media and request notifications for when they post. I linked to their Facebook above, but they are also on Instagram. They send you an invoice via email so having paypal is a plus.
9. Shoptiques Dor L'dor is my favorite boutique featured on this site, but they feature boutiques from all over the nation on one site. The best part is you can shop at different boutiques and only pay shipping once for orders under $100, over $100 and it's free!!
10. Lookbook Store Sizing here can be strange so watch out! These items come from the same wholesaler as items found at popular Australian boutiques. Probably the sketchiest site I shop at and I don't too frequently- returns are also difficult so proceed at your own risk. :)

Some of my favorite boutiques:

1. Hazel & Olive Love love their fast free shipping & competitive pricing. Very good about restocking and carrying a lot of smaller sizes. Moderately price and great quality. They also have awesome flash sales if you follow them on social media!
2. Effin shop Simplistic bohemian styles, 15% off for students. Things go out of stock quickly (are y'all sensing a theme yet??). Planning on ordering a lot of fall basics from here!
3. Vici This site rarely restocks so grab items when they come in. They're a little pricier than most, but it's refreshing to see new items that aren't sold at the same boutique over and over and over. They rarely have sales, but their item of the day section is gold! Obsessed is an understatement.
4. Piper & Scoot This is a more conservative clothing boutique, but their items are unusual and interesting. I love looking here for items that I know other people won't have mainstream. Plus the instagram account is super personal & fun to see posts from & the owner's daughter (Piper) will become your baby goals. 
5. Matilda Muse Downside = this boutique is only on instagram and they have been "working" on their website for what seems like eternity. Upside = you can still order by screenshot + text combo (which is scarily easier than going online and typing CC info in) and you will want every single thing they post.. guaranteed. Very free people/anthro-esque!
6. Bohme I'm new to bohme, but so far I'm hooked. I love the trendy styles that are mixed in with classic pieces. I know they're trying to make their own unique aesthetic with having all the clothes and hangers and not models, but I think that it downplays the clothes and almost doesn't give them justice. I like seeing what it looks like on a human.. but the styles are really awesome. 
7. Roolee Very similar and almost identical to Bohme.. but I love 'em! Minus the hanger thing.
8. Stevie Hender I recently followed this boutique & love the simplistic pieces you can mix in match to build your wardrobe. The owner, Stevie, is a well known blogger and showcases new ideas for outfits as well.
9. Hallelu I have only ordered a few times from this boutique, but I really love seeing the unique pieces they carry! Their local jewelry lines are also really refreshing. 
10. Oxford Trunk Great pieces at competitive price points! Love the variation of styles they carry, however their selection is pretty limited overall.
11. Spool 72 This site features a ton of viral looks you see on Pinterest. My dress pictured below is from here that I wore in Greece. Overall, their items look extremely pretty on the site, but sometimes the photos make them look better than reality. That being said I definitely love to shop here! Small sizes go fast. Sales here will rarely happen on regular priced items. BUT you can catch off season clothing in the sale section for really reasonable prices. 
12. Shop hearts Somewhat same story here as Spool no 72. I have to say that I personally have never ordered from here because I always end up adding $500 worth of clothes to my cart, getting overwhelmed, and closing the tab. I do love their clothes here though! Their pricing tends to be a little high. They aren't the greatest at updating their social media with new arrivals so you really have to stalk them if you want to know when they have new items. They carry super cute swimwear in summer! Looking for sales? You won't find them here.
13. Shop Mesh  This site is great for fancier dresses! I love that they have similar items to Australian boutiques, but are located in the USA. They never have sales though, so don't hold your breath.
14. Foi Clothing  Overpriced is their middle name, but their items are always 10/10. 
15. Dottie Couture This boutique is very 50/50. I either love or hate the items they have. They tend to carry some strange basic tees in polka dot and floral patterns as well as completely random sweatshirt dresses etc.. but they are worth following for those few items that come along that are unique and cute. Plus new arrivals are 10% off!
16. Heart Swoon I think this boutique overprices way too often, and I personally unfollowed them because of it. But if you're willing to dish out a few extra dollars you can find some really cute pieces. 
17. Princess Polly Don't judge this store by its name- this is one of my favorite Australian boutiques! I love their unique items and styles. 

In other news, I don't particularly like this store, but SohoGirl currently has the moto pants every boutique is overpricing and freaking out over for less than $30 with the sale they're currently running. Find them here.

I recently found that sale sections at Hollister and Abercrombie have been stocked with great staples as well. Since rebranding, these stores really do have cute clothing at affordable prices. 

A great hack for finding something when it is sold out on boutiques/overpriced is to located the item number or brand name in the description and search it on google, amazon, and ebay. Chances are there is either a store that sells it cheaper or a wholesaler has it listed on amazon or ebay. You'll save a couple dollars and also have a strange sense of shopping satisfaction. 

Hope y'all find at least one new fave store from this list!! Happy shopping.

XO,

Dev

Feat. my fave dress ever from Spool 72! It's available here in all sizes & under $50.