Whether you’re going to a holiday dinner or a backyard wedding, Lulus has the perfect outfit. The variety and quality of their pieces are what sets Lulus apart. Check out their “Dresses Under $50” section (available in extended sizes XXS - 3X) for budget-friendly options. Standard shipping takes about 4 to 7 business days, but there are several options for expedited shipping. Some customers have issues with customer service and returns, but overall, most are happy with their experience, highlighting the importance of quality versus price, “I bought a bridal dress from them for $43 (originally $86). I was really expecting it to be low quality, after all, it’s a wedding dress under $100. It was high quality, the fabric is thick and strong, the dress fits well. I wouldn’t say it’s as high of a quality as a $2000 dress, but I would easily pay $250 for it.”

Calling all trendsetters and “cozy season” sweater lovers, look no further than Tobi. Shop during one of their many flash sales and get 50-60% off new, seasonal items. That’s right – you can easily score a $100+ sweater for $50. Need another reason to try Tobi? All new customers receive 50% off their first order. While customers rave about Tobi’s clothes, a common complaint with customer service is that the company only offers refunds on returns via store credit – no cashback. Despite long shipping times, the benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks at Tobi, as customers point out, “Shipping took way too long. On the website, it said 3-5 days and the tracking would take a few days to update at a time... disappointed in the shipping and tracking. Overall the dress is beautiful but shipping took about 2 weeks.”

Hundreds of trendy styles, dresses for any occasion, and everyday essentials make Fashion Nova a one-stop shop for many customers. The site now features a kids section and a full menswear line, including big and tall sizes. Find Wander Beauty, Pretty Vulgar, Sigma Beauty, and other affordable brands in their Beauty Shop. Buyers should know that customers do have trouble with returns and refunds sometimes. Fashion Nova can usually be described as hit or miss, but when you do find something you love at a great price, you can’t beat it. A repeat customers explained, “When I first started using Fashion Nova, I was in love. Basically, I never needed to return anything. Their online return portal does not recognize the order numbers and I have to send an email for assistance and was told that I would need to do a manual return. Last item I received was not of great quality and looked very cheap. Use of Fashion Nova is a “hit” or “miss” in my opinion especially for someone curvy such as myself.”

ASOS, the British online fashion retailer, has over 3,700 environmentally conscious clothing, accessory, and home items. A customer favorite for street style, their versatile items are great for going out or staying in. ASOS carries a full menswear line, along with curve, plus, petite, tall, and maternity shops. While thousands of customers have had positive experiences with ASOS, a considerable complaint is shipping time (which should only take between 3 to 6 days) and customs costs. They do have fulfillment centers in the US, but customers still might experience delays. As this customers explains, “I placed both second and third order at the same time, except I chose different shipping options for both orders (standard vs expedited). Expedited order arrived ahead of schedule with great tracking info (stellar experience). The standard shipping order still has not arrived and has completely useless tracking info...” Canadian customers do seem to have more problems with shipping than US customers.

Find cozy pajamas and cute holiday dresses at Chic Me. A newer name in the market, this site has hundreds of women’s clothes, accessories, handbags, and shoes. Despite having quality and customer service issues in the past, Chic Me has stepped up its game recently – nearly 90% of our reviewers have had a positive experience there in the past year. You can now read customer reviews for every item on their site to help determine quality and sizing. Most complaints are about returns and shipping, so check out their FAQ before ordering. Standard shipping time is 12 to 25 days, but paying for express cuts shipping time in half. Our reviewers say that delivery is slow, and customer service isn’t always reliable if you have a problem, “but if you're not in a rush for your items, I would recommend using them. Quality is better than expected. True to size.”

Spanish retailer Zara has a little bit of everything — women’s, men’s, Kids, shoes, and handbags. Find affordable basics, faux leather statement pieces, and blazers for any occasion. Zara also has an adorable Kids line, sizes newborn to 14 years. Most customers say that for the price, the quality is fair, but shipping can vary from the estimated 2 to 4 business days. “As for delivery times, it varies. The most recent order I made in early May, took over a month to be delivered. HOWEVER, considering the world-wide pandemic, I hope ZARA employees and warehouse workers were able to stay safe and at home if they could... The unique dresses are amazing... can't wait to wear them out someplace, someday.”

Find comfy loungewear, date night dresses, and everything in between at PrettyLittleThing. The site has flash sales, a ski shop, and clothing lines with fashion influencers like Jordyn Woods. Shop extensive tall, petite, and plus sizes, too. Standard shipping takes up to 8 business days but express delivery is available for an extra fee ($3 more), which some reviewers recommend to avoid delays. Like most low-cost clothing sites, reviews can be mixed. Overall, customers believe the benefits outweigh the risks, “You can find all kinds of good pieces on this site. They often have reasonably good sales, however, you’ll always have to pay for shipping which I hate doing. My main issue is that they have NO REVIEWS ON SITE. So you have to judge the model body type which let’s be honest doesn’t match most of us. Go over the size guide of course but if they allowed reviews of products I would probably order more often. So that’s a disappointing feature. It’s coming from the U.K. so of course, shipping is not fast.”

Shein, some love it, some could do without it, but everyone takes notice of their amazingly low prices. They carry the latest fashion trends for men, women, and kids, with extended sizing, along with popular makeup and skincare brands. One of Shein’s best additions – a line just for your furry friends so that your pet can be on-trend, too. Customers say that fast shipping is hit or miss with Shein. Standard shipping takes about 14 days, 7 days for express. Shein is controversial for its clothing quality, too. Some items arrive seemingly perfect, while others fall short. Returns can also be tricky, with one reviewer saying, “I bought several items, quality is decent for the price but their return policy states that accessories such as belts are not eligible for returns so buyer beware.”

Nasty Gal has been a long time favorite for affordable online shopping. From their‘80s inspired clothing line with Emrata to their vegan leather boots and accessories, we understand why it’s so popular. Like other low-cost fashion stores, customers do have complaints, so our best advice would be to look up size guides and reviews before ordering – and if you have an event coming up, selecting express shipping for a few dollars extra or purchasing weeks in advance. “I bought one dress. It took 5 weeks to receive it although there was the Covid crisis and Easter celebrations so I didn’t mind. I ordered the only size left, 40 EU, although I normally wear 44-46 EU, but I read that items from Nasty Gal are usually much larger than normal. I was lucky because this dress fits me perfectly. I recommend choosing a smaller size than what you normally wear.”

Another UK-based retailer, Missguided has fun seasonal styles, on-trend outerwear, and matching activewear sets. Missguided is a great place to shop if you have trouble finding your size at low-cost retailers – they have hundreds of styles in tall, petite, curve, and maternity sizes. Reviews are mixed, but the most common complaint from customers is that the shipping took way too long or that they were charged extra fees. Customers report having better luck using express or super express ($12 and $13) instead of standard shipping. Canadian customers have been disappointed by expensive customs charges, so look into that if you’re shopping internationally. Customers do think that the benefits usually outweigh the extra charges. “I got my package in one week and everything is so comfortable and good quality (I ordered loungewear). I had to pay $30 duties which was about 50% of my order but they warned me ahead of time that I may have to pay duties so I was expecting it.”