9 Stores Like Shein for the Cost-Conscious Fashionistas

Once you’ve been spoiled by Shein’s inexpensive yet super stylish merchandise, you won’t want to go back to buying less-than-trendy clothing and accessories that cost five to ten times more. And you’ll never have a reason to, even if you’ve already bought the entirety of Shein’s collection by now, since there are plenty of other stores like Shein that sell trendy and affordable pieces. Whether it’s head-turning dresses, smart and elegant bottoms, or hip graphic tees that cost less than $20, they’ve got it all.

1. For LGBTQ+-Friendly Shopping: ASOS

Based out of the UK, ASOS mostly targets millennials and young adults. Their selection is so big that you won’t be able to browse all the merchandise in one sitting. You’re going to have to do your shopping on your day off, or risk losing sleep. They carry 850 brands, including Mango, Levi’s, Topshop, AllSaints, and DKNY. They’re like the Amazon of fashion stores.

But just because they carry more expensive brands doesn’t mean they don’t have anything for those who penny-pinch. Many of the items at ASOS cost as little as Shein’s. Shipping only takes up to seven days, and is free for orders over $50.

What makes ASOS unique, though, is that it partners with GLAAD, an organization that works toward LGBTQ+ rights. Moreover, they don’t digitally alter the appearance of their models, so you can feel as good about shopping there as you’ll look.

2. For Marvel Fans: Zaful

Zaful’s website design may look a bit different from Shein’s, but the merchandise follows the same fashion trends, making it look almost identical to Shein’s offerings. Zaful is a bit more expensive, but not by much. Tops start at $4.99, and the most expensive dress costs over $40.

Perhaps due to the higher cost, Zaful’s merchandise tends to be a bit better in quality. Moreover, the swimwear collection is particularly impressive. And if you’re a Marvel fan, well, you’re in luck, since Zaful also has a section for Marvel merchandise.

Unlike with Shein and Romwe, you’re going to have to spend a little extra–over $39 to be precise–to get free standard shipping, which takes up to 10 business days.

3. For Faster Browsing: Boohoo

Boohoo is another UK-based store that sells low-cost, fashionable clothing and accessories. They have a younger customer base–like early teens to early 30s–so a lot of the items are cute and playful, even the ones for men. The merchandise isn’t as cheap as Shein’s, but the quality is a little better, and some days they have a huge sale going on. They don’t offer free shipping right now, but standard shipping costs $9.99 and takes eight days.

What we really like about Boohoo, though is that like PrettyLittleThing, you can browse items by size, whether petite, tall, plus-size, or even maternity. On top of that, they have additional sections not found on other sites, like their Suits & Tailoring section, their Oversized section, and their Co-Ord Sets section. It makes finding things less of a chore, which improves the shopping experience.

4. Most Similar to Shein: Romwe

Romwe is the closest thing to Shein in terms of web design, style, quality, and price–and that’s because they’re both owned by the same company. In fact, you’ll find many of Shein’s items on Romwe’s website.

Just like Shein, Romwe has tons of cute tops, dresses, and accessories at super low prices. You can get a stylish top for as low as $3, and the dresses cost less than $30. Couple that with first-time order deals and coupons and you’ll be able to upgrade your entire wardrobe at the price of a party dress at Macy’s.

Not only that, but you’ll only need to spend at least $9 to get free flat rate shipping (14 business days). Spend at least $19 and standard shipping (six to eight business days) is free. There’s also express shipping on orders $159+. You might want to lower your expectations, however, since Romwe gets a lot of complaints involving shipping and delivery.

5. For American-Made Clothes: Nastygal

If you’re looking for trendy and affordable stores like Shein but would prefer to shop American, especially since so many businesses have gone bankrupt or out of business since the pandemic started, then Nastygal is your best bet. Based in Los Angeles, Nastygal offers clothing in plus and petite sizes, and like Boohoo, has cool sections like Suits + Tailoring and Co-Ord Sets. The selection isn’t as fashion-forward, but the items look chic and elegant.

Nastygal is relatively cheap compared to other fashion stores in the US, and they have many items that cost as low as Shein’s. They do, however, also sell more expensive stuff, like this embellished jacket that retails for $117 yet now costs $58.50 as of this writing since everything is 50% off.

On the bright side, the quality tends to be better, so you’ll have peace of mind knowing that what you buy won’t fall apart after the first wear. And by the way, standard shipping costs $9.99 and takes nine days.

6. For Plus-Size Shoppers: RoseGal

Finally, a store like Shein that offers a huge selection of plus-size options on top of their regular-size merchandise. It’s not easy finding cute clothing when you’re plus-size, but at RoseGal, the clothes are so stylish you’ll want to buy all of them, whether it’s tops, bottoms, dresses, intimates, outerwear, activewear, or swimwear.

RoseGal isn’t as up-to-date as Shein when it comes to the latest trends, but a lot of the merchandise looks bold, eye-catching, and avant-garde, with some of them giving off Hot Topic vibes. Make sure to check out the intimates–they look so pretty and seductive at the same time.

RoseGal is a bit more expensive than Shein, with prices starting at over $12 for tops. Shipping takes up to 14 days, and is free for orders over $59.

7. For Shopping by Figure: PrettyLittleThing

A UK-based women’s clothing store with offices worldwide, PrettyLittleThing is another extremely popular store that specializes in inexpensive yet trendy offerings. While items start at $3, some of the dresses can get a bit pricey, with the most expensive ones costing over $100.

More costly dresses aside, PrettyLittleThing offers a much better shopping experience since you can shop by figure, whether you’re tall, petite, or curvy. You no longer have to waste your time sifting through items that aren’t your size.

Just know that while the items are cute and stylish, they can also be a hit or miss, so you should try to manage your expectations. Plus, returns aren’t free, so you really need to make sure you’re ordering the right item.

As for shipping, it costs $7.99 for standard shipping, which takes up to eight days.

8. For Nude-Lovers: Missguided

Joining UK-based affordable clothing stores is Missguided, an online store that’s aimed at women under 35. The selection looks a bit more basic at first glance, but there’s definitely a wide variety of bold, fun-to-wear, trendy options.

The prices listed are higher than Shein’s, but with all the discounts they offer, which they do pretty often, the final prices can get pretty low. And if you spend over $60, the standard nine-day shipping is free.

You can shop by size as well, which is cool, but what caught our eye was their Skin Tones section, which is a selection of universally-flattering nude-colored merchandise like dresses, coats, and purses. If you’re big into nude-colored fashion, know that once you see the selection, you will undoubtedly fall in love.

9. For Fastest Shipping: Amazon

Amazon may not exclusively be a fashion store, but it certainly does have a lot to offer in the clothing and accessories departments. The selection isn’t as stylish but they’re definitely still cute, and most importantly, they’re often cheap and come with Prime Delivery.

Another thing you may not know about Amazon is that they actually carry a lot of the items from stores like Shein, Zaful, and several other online fashion stores. As long as they’re covered by Prime shipping, you should get your order in two days (or a bit longer, depending on your location).

However, convenience often has a price, and in this case, it’s that many of the items cost $4 to over $10 more than what you’ll see on the stores’ websites. But hey, at least you won’t have to pay for shipping.

Shop Wisely

You must be roaring to start filling up your shopping cart by now, but before you do that, make sure to do a lot of research so you don’t end up getting anything that’s the wrong size. Sizing at these stores is pretty tricky and unreliable after all. And remember to manage your expectations. Cheap clothing usually isn’t meant to last. Bear these two things in mind, and you’re sure to have a more pleasant shopping experience.