Boohoo, an UK-based online retailer, reminds me in many ways of ASOS, another online giant.
Boohoo prices are attractive, the styles almost universally appealing, the trends on point, and the colors vibrant if slightly unimaginative. For me, many of these attractive features were offset by the fact that free return shipping wasn’t offered; it’s an important deterrent in my not ordering sooner. There are simply too many unknowns associated with online shopping to risk a potentially hefty international return shipping charge.
One day, in an ice-cream-binge-induced trance further exacerbated by an episode of Scandal playing in the background, I impulsively checked out with the Lorna Slit Front Peplum Dress ($40; 7 colors), a dress I had wishlisted months ago but hesitated to order on account of my unfamiliarity with the retailer.
The reviews were overwhelmingly positive and the style seemed irreproachable. I mean, can you really go wrong with a subdued peplum and structured cap sleeves? I debated briefly between the shorter Lorna and the longer Emily (also $40 and in 7 colors) and ultimately decided on the Lorna.
I have never been a true believer in size guides. I use them as a
general reference but almost never rely on them for their explicit purpose. In
this case, I was wrong to disregard the size chart as it was actually fairly
accurate.
I mistakenly ordered the dress in size UK4 when I should have ordered either an UK6 or UK8. Based on my one purchase, Boohoo fits similarly to ASOS so you might get away with ordering your ASOS size.
The dress in UK4 measures 14″ across the bust, 11″ across the waist, 14″ across the hips, and 35.5″ in total length. Ecru is an especially unforgiving color in that every bump is exaggerated and every flaw magnified.
Needless to say, the dress is less-than-flattering on me in this too-small size but the dress itself is cute enough. If you decide to order this dress, I would follow the size chart and choose a darker color. White is a beautiful color, just not in a body-hugging style with no lining.
Also, and I really feel this is important enough to mention, this dress (and I assume similar styles) does not have a zipper so getting in and out of it was a struggle. If zipper-less bothers you, contact CS and demand more information before you check out.
Also on my list to try are the Julia Box Pleat Sleeveless Skater Dress ($24; 6 colors. Additional colors can be found here), Katty Scuba Box Pleat Skater Skirt ($20; 4 colors), Tina 3/4 Sleeve Peplum Dress (on sale for $20), and Leanne Box Pleat Scuba Skater Skirt ($20, 4 colors).
Get 10% off everything with code 10USA and shipping is free on orders of $25+.
Have you tried Boohoo? If you have, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
