Like many of you, clothing ads populate my facebook feed. Lacy, trendy, shiny, and oh-so-irresistible. I resisted buying from Shein in particular because I was sure that the clothes were similar in fit to something you order off Wish or Aliexpress.

But I’d had several people tell me that they order regularly from Shein and the sizing is true-to-size. I’m often asked for recommendations on where to buy lingerie, and Shein is very reasonably priced (read: cheap), so I figured I would order some and save you all the heartache of spending five dollars, only to have your haute couture hopes and dreams dashed to smithereens.

My Take: I ordered one size up, a 1X, to keep this in my client closet. I usually ask that clients bring their own wardrobe with them to sessions for a couple of reasons. One is that you come across more confidently on camera in something that you know looks good on you as opposed to something random, and the second is that I don’t have room for a large client closet, so I have to be really selective with the pieces that I do buy. This comes in two other colors besides black, but black is flattering on every skin tone, so I played it safe. This does have a considerable amount stretch to it but seems to fit more like a large.

Fit: More Like a Little White Lie than a Full-On Scam I love bodysuits and teddies because they flatter every shape and size, and while this one was no exception, the cups only give the illusion of underwire. However, the fit was very true-to-size. This is truly a budget piece, and would benefit from some built-in spandex and underwire cups for extra support.

Sexy Enough. I love scrappy, harness lingerie, but I have to admit that I was truly terrified to try it on; past experience with cheaply made lingerie has left lasting scars. Like the mesh bodysuit above, it lacks underwire so there’s no support. Ordered a size 1x, it appears to be true-to-size, as it was a bit big. It photographs ok, but wasn’t my favorite. I actually had to fix the “cups” in post-processing; the fit was a bit roomy on me at a size 1x, and the cups moved with me as I posed. 

Versatile and Pretty. This was the piece I was most excited about as sheer robes can often be worn as swimsuit coverups or dusters. Again, I ordered up one size, and would say this piece runs a tad small as it fits more like a large.

Sheer mesh pieces are also some of my favorite lingerie. It photographs well since it’s so sheer that the light goes through it but still offers enough coverage to help hide perceived flaws like belly rolls and cellulite.

Final Verdict: Well, you do get what you pay for.  Sometimes, it’s fun to buy inexpensive pieces to try on a new trend or style. These are not well-made pieces with the most flattering fit. They are cheaply constructed, and will get the job done if you are on a budget. The sizing is a bit inconsistent, but they do offer free returns.