Hi there! Today’s post is something a little different than usual, but that’s what I’m going for these days. Last week on Snapchat, I threw out the idea of reviewing some of my most recent online orders. In my styled posts, y’all get to see what I end up keeping. There are so many items out there that catch my attention that don’t make the cut for me, personally, but they might work for you! So, I thought it would be fun to showcase all the items that I’ve purchased from three of my favorite online retailers so you can kind of get the behind-the-scenes on the products that I’ve tried out and ended up either KEEPING or RETURNING.
At the end of each short review, I indicate what I ended up doing with the item. Does that mean you shouldn’t give it a chance? No! Just take what I say into consideration because, often times, the size just doesn’t work for me and it’s not worth it [in my opinion] to have the item altered.
But ALL of the items are Alyson Haley approved so, I hope you find something you like! Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know how you like this post and that will help me know whether or not I should keep putting them together. I’m thinking maybe once or twice a month! Excited to hear your feedback and I hope you’ve had a great week so far!
Bell Sleeve Crop Top: I bought an XS. Fit great. Loved the bell sleeves. Really wanted to keep it, but couldn’t get over how high the crop top comes. I don’t have high waisted enough pants or a skirt to wear with it. I can’t do the bare midriff thing. It’s just not a style I find to be attractive or one that suits me. Returned.
Red Off-The-Shoulder Top: Bought an XS. Loved the color and style. Too big. Returned.
Printed Romper: Bought an XS. Loved the print and style of the romper. Really wanted to keep it but, too big. Didn’t want to have it altered. Returned.
White Coverup Dress with Ruffle Detail: Bought an XS. Love the ruffle detail. Perfect coverup for the pool. Keeping.
Stripe Dress: I love a great basic dress. Bought an XS. Didn’t quite find it attractive on me. A little too big. Also wasn’t a huge fan of the material. Returned.
Floral Off-The-Shoulder Top: Bought an XS. Fits great. True to size. Wore it in this Instagram photo. Keeping. [Clearly.]
Palm Tree Tank: Bought an XS. Fits big. Love it anyway. Great with distressed denim shorts. Keeping.
Bright Colored Bikini Top: Bought an XS. Loved the fit. Didn’t love the print. Returned.
Green Bustier Dress: Bought a 0. Obsessed with the print and fit. True to size. Will be wearing in an upcoming blog post. Keeping.
White & Blue Romper: Bought an XS, was still a bit big in the waist. Had it sized down because I loved the style overall. Will be wearing in an upcoming blog post. Keeping.
Hot Pink Bikini Top: Bought an XS. There’s no support in the top. No push up. But it’s unlike any top I have an I don’t mind what it lacks. Keeping.
Hot Pink Bikini Bottom: Bought an XS. Fits true to size. Color is just as bright in person as in product photo. Love them. Keeping.
Floral Wrap Around Bikini Top: Obsessed with how flattering this top is, as well as the print. It’s an interesting mix of colors, which I also like. I bought an XS. Fits true to size. Keeping.
Floral Bikini Bottoms: Bought an XS. Fit true to size. I don’t always buy the bottoms to tops but, I think it would be hard to find a pair of bottoms that compliment that top, so Keeping.
Black Bikini Top: I have so many black bikini bottoms and I’ve been looking for a great top to match. Found it! Bought an XS. It fits true to size. It doesn’t have any push up to the top at all, but the way it brings your cleavage together makes it quite flattering, at least for someone like me who doesn’t usually get to experience what that is like, ha! Keeping.
Pajama Set: I’ve been in the market for some new pajama’s and I’ve been crushing on pajama sets since Christmas. I love the coral and lavender combination here. I bought a Small and was surprised to find that it fits like an XS. The material is super soft, as well. I really like it. Keeping.
Long Sleeve Sleep Shirt: Where has this been all my life? It’s everything I love in something to wear to bed. It fits true to size and is quite flattering. I just realized that I’m actually wearing it right now, ha! I wish it came in more colors. Keeping.
Gray Sleep Pants: These are so soft! They run a little big but, being that they have a drawstring, I can get away with keeping these. Keeping.
Seamless Push Up Bra: So, this is the time of year where these are absolutely NECESSARY. I don’t like the gel bra’s, similar to this, so when I saw these I had to snag one. I haven’t worn this one yet but I’ve owned one by this brand before and highly recommend. Keeping.
Trench Coat: First of all, how gorgeous is the color of this trench coat? I could not be more in love with that, as well as the overall look and style. I bought an XS and, unfortunately, it was too big for me in the shoulders and body. The XS fits more like a Small. Buy it if you need one! It’s SO cute, and I think the price point is reasonable for a good trench coat. The quality is amazing. I wish there was an XXS option. Returning.
Floral Maxi Dress: I am so obsessed with the print of this dress. I ordered a 0 and it was entirely too big on me. It was way too long and the top, even after adjusting the tie, was still too large in the bust. The material is to-die-for and it is a gorgeous dress so, buy it if you love it but size down. Returning.
Lace Babydoll Dress: I bought an XS and it is definitely big but that’s the style of a babydoll dress. It is such a pretty dress and I have an event that it would be perfect for in the next few weeks, so Keeping.
[1] If the price point is too high, here is a dress that is a very similar style for under $40!
[2] Here is a photo of me wearing this dress for anyone who may be curious:
Lavender Pink Off-The-Shoulder Dress: I think this is the cutest Spring dress, but this is the item I’m the most torn about. It’s lined, so not sheer at all. It fits great. It’s true to size. [I bought a size 0] It hits right above the knee BUT … I don’t believe I will wear it enough to make the price worth it, however, I have a conference I’m going to in April and am considering keeping it for some meetings. I don’t know. Torn, but probably Returning.
Tassel Earrings: I think these are so cute and they match the dress you’ll read about next perfectly. Keeping.
Embroidered Dress in Coral [also comes in white]: I love this dress. The embroidery detail and bell sleeves are adorable. I love the material. It fits true to size. I bought an XS. The price point is great. It’s lined so you don’t have to worry about wearing a slip. Keeping.
Can you tell this order was, overall, a good one? 😉
Tassel Pendant Necklace: Great quality. Love how the colors aren’t what you would typically see paired together, leaving lots of great mixing and matching opportunities with solid tops. Keeping.
Orange Off-The-Shoulder Top: Beautiful silhouette and construction. Great quality. Material is thick. Not sheer at all. Ordered a ‘2 US [fits like a 0]’, but it was too big. Decided not to have it altered. I have one too many orange tops. Returning.
Mirrored Aviators with Black Rim: I appreciate the differences of these aviators compared to the original ones I have. The frames are a bit bigger than the other aviators that I have, and I really like the black frame. Keeping.
Stripe Camisole: Camisoles are having a moment in my closet these days. I can’t wait to wear this tank with this tassel pendant necklace. Y’all may be seeing that combo on IG soon! I ordered a ‘2 US [fits like 0]’ and it fits great. True to size. [So weird, considering the off-the-shoulder top is from the same brand and it was too big] Keeping.
Distressed Denim Shorts: I ordered a Small. They fit in the waist [maybe a teeny bit big] but are a little bigger in the leg than I prefer. I also think they look cuter in the product photo than they do in person, which is unfortunate because they are such a great price. Returning.
Off-The-Shoulder Romper [can also purchase here]: I looove this romper. I purchased an XS. It fits great but is still a bit loose in a flattering way. I don’t really have anything like it, and would totally wear it to dinner after a long day at the beach. Keeping.
Pink Crossbody: AMAZING quality. Beautiful color for Spring and Summer. Lots of room without being overwhelming size wise. Keeping.
Utility Jacket: Do I really need another one of these? Well …. I am going on a trip coming up and it’s going to be a bit chillier there than it is here, so I always like to have items that are available for you to purchase in case you are in the market for it. I ordered an XXS and, unfortunately, after trying it on multiple times, I just don’t think it fits as good as I initially thought. It’s too big overall, even with a sweater underneath. Returning.
Hot Pink Trench: I was so excited about this trench. What a fun color! I bought an XS Petite and, unfortunately, it was still a little too big for me overall. It’s on sale, though, if you think it would work better for you! Just know … size down. Returning.
And, that’s it! I hope y’all enjoyed this! Let me know your thoughts and, oh! Don’t forget to follow along on my updates by following S&T on BLOGLOVIN! xo.
I LOVE this post! It’d be great to see more of them in the future, but the format was a bit awkward to navigate – I kept having to scroll back up and down, and clicking left and right. It’d be easier if you used a collage, I think, or put each “row” right above where you talk about it. Can’t wait to see more of these! Buying some of those items right now!
Hey Laura! Thank you so much for the constructive feedback! Being the first one, I went back and forth about how to format it. Style boards take 5-8 hours so I opted for Shop The Post widgets. I altered it a little bit based on your feedback. Let me know if that’s a little more helpful! 🙂
Thanks for the reviews.
LOVE this post!!! So helpful!
I LOVED this post and I would read many more like it! So fun to get to shop vicariously through you 🙂
LOVE this post! While I truly love all of your posts (outfit, personal, etc.), I do also love that you are branching out and trying new things. It really keeps me engaged and coming back every day! Thank you for all that you do!
Loved this post so much! Question about the fit of the lace baby doll dress (Kendall & Kylie dress), is the length above the knee? It’s hard to tell what the length will be by looking at the model (I am 5’4″ not 5’9″) & thinking about ordering for an event this weekend. Thank you!
Hi Shonda! I have added a photo of me wearing the dress in this post so be sure to check back and refer to that. And, also for reference, I’m 5’3 🙂
Yes! Please do this again! I have seen and wondered about a number of those items online! Now I have a better idea of whether they are worth trying. It’s always so disapppointing when you order an item, excited to see how it fits, and when you get it, have to send it back. When you’re on a more limited budget it can feel like all you ever do is return items rather than keep them! Anyway, love this idea and would love to see more 🙂
I check in here occasionally but if you start doing reviews, I will be an everyday visitor. A few things that would make the reviews better are photos of the clothes on you and info on whether the item is sheer or not. I love the coral embroidered dress from shopbop but I can’t tell whether I need a slip and I refuse to buy it if I need a slip. I live in the South and that makes it too hot. I Love this post!!! Thank you so much!!!!
Yes, I definitely want to include more pictures of me in the items next time. I just don’t want these posts to be too long, so I need to figure out a concise way to do that. For that embroidered dress, it’s lined so it’s not see through at all. No slip needed. I hope that helps! xo.
Thank you so very much! Ordering this dress now. I would love to see more posts like this – so very helpful!!
I love this post! I can’t wait to see more like them.
This was fun! As a fellow blogger, it’s interesting to see what caught your eye and what didn’t make the cut.
Pretty much echoing what everyone else said, but I loved this post! It’s something different and not something you see too often with bloggers so please continue doing these! It’s fun to see what bloggers order and what works/doesn’t work. As someone else said, I’d suggest including more pictures of how the items looked on you (whether they worked or not) – even if it makes the post longer, I wouldn’t mind more pictures! And I thought the format of this was actually very well done and logical. There really wasn’t that much scrolling back and forth involved with this.
Hey Regina!
I fixed the issue with having to scroll back and forth after an initial comment was made because I wanted to make it easy, so good to know that change was helpful! 🙂
I will certainly do my best to include more pictures next time. Quality might not be up to par but I will do my best! You will certainly see the things I’ve kept on Instagram and the blog coming up! Thanks for stopping by today and for your feedback! xo.
This post is so helpful!!
xx Kathryn
http://www.chicandshimmer.com
Holy shit this is hte most amazing post. Excuse my french!! Seriously you should do more of these!! How amazing to get a real review right from you!! YES!!! Score!!! Love this and now i want to go shopping. lol thanks a lot! 😉 xo
@stylemelauren
http://www.stylemelauren.com
Hah, okay good! Glad you like it! xo.
I don’t know why the thumbnails are not showing up for me, but I love this post!!
Hi Gretchen! I emailed someone about that earlier and hope to have the issue fixed soon! Check back later 🙂
I loved seeing what you bought, kept, returned, and why. Would definitely love to see more of these posts! ????
Love this post!! Please keep doing these! It would be awesome if you could include more specifics about the item (sheer, length) and in what way they didn’t fit (too short, your height, etc.) Thank you for taking the time to do this kind of post, and I’m looking forward to seeing more in the future. <3
Hey Brittany, I’ve included a few more details about each product for you so be sure to look over the ones you were curious about again. Also, I would indicate if something was too long or short if it was worth mentioning (i.e. the long floral maxi – I mentioned it was way too long). Normally, if something doesn’t fit me, it’s because it’s too big all around because I’m pretty petite. Just for future reference. For length of each dress is indicated on each retailers websites, as well 😉 Looking forward to sharing more of these posts with y’all! Thanks so much for stopping by today! xo.
Loved this style of post and hope to see more in the future! It’s nice to hear why it did and didn’t work for you and adjust to my body type. Any info is helpful in that respect if that makes sense! Also – so sad I can’t attend yours, Ashley, and Katey’s event in April! 🙁 ((NC resident over here)) But if that one goes well I hope there are more in the future ((maybe on a weekend!)) because I would love to attend!
-Morgan
How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
This is a fun idea for a post series! I’m glad to know that I’m not the only person who returns a large amount of my online purchases. I’ve figured out though that I seem to buy more quality items when I shop online because it’s so easy to return that way. I find that if I buy items in the store I usually buy something I don’t end up wearing much just because I’ve been shopping all day and I feel more pressured somehow to buy something! And once I do buy something from the store the odds of me returning it are minuscule. Great post!
theritzyglitzy.com
Absolutely loved this post and the format! Super easy to read through and be able to click on the products. Thanks for putting this together, can’t wait to see more posts like this!
I loved this post, and I hope you continue doing them! I thought it was interesting to see what you liked/didn’t like about the products. When I purchase items online, I tend to try to force myself to like them, or tell myself something fits better than it really does!
I loved this post as well! It was helpful as I definitely struggle with shopping. I always wonder how bloggers shop – where, what, and how they make final decisions! I only wish I had your kind of disposable income! 🙂
Really loved this post! Great to see all the things you ordered even if you returned them!
xo,
Shelby Jewel
http://www.thememphisjewel.com
FAVORITE POST EVER!!! I am the queen of returning and reading every review before I buy. This post really spoke to me 🙂 I follow several bloggers so I’ll see a few items repeated and I love reading why you kept certain things and not others. I live in a small town out in the country so I’m an online shopping junkie, this was the best read by far 🙂
Nice post!! 🙂
https://youtu.be/zKjA4-Lk-FY
http://www.jenniferkaya.com
Love the insight. Great post!
This is such a fun post! I am always hesitant about online shopping because I hate having to return things, but this lets me have a little peak into each item in a better way than just reading reviews! Love the pink Kate Spade cross body bag, it’s definitely on my wish list this spring!
Rachel | http://www.seashellsandsparkles.com
This was an awesome post! Very entertaining and informative
LOVED! This post. Xoxo.
Absolutely loved this post. Such great insight on the products and what worked and didn’t work. As mentioned in some of the other comments, I would have loved to have seen more pictures on the items.
This post is awesome. I love how you talk about each garment in such detail – how it fits, what the material is like, if its sheer or not….it’s like you’re shopping for us! I would love to see more posts like it. Well done!! I love how you can see how much effort and energy you put into your blog.
I really like this type of post!