Anyone who’s shopped on Temu or Shein knows the feeling: somehow, everything looks like it came from Temu or Shein.

How can someone wear clothing that cost $11.19 and look put together, fashionable, expensive, whatever adjective you want? Let me help you.

Stick to Simple

A telling point of an AI generated picture is that there is so much going on, you are unsure what to look at. So it goes with fast fashion too. A shirt with florals, stripes, and dots, a dress with no space for your eye to rest on, or something that your eye catches on just because it is entirely not cohesive, these are the things to leave out of your cart (unless, of course, you love it). There is a cheapness to something so busy, and paired with fast fashion quality, it probably won’t work well.

But a solid color skirt, a blouse with one or two details, a nicely placed print. If the piece you’re looking at is more simple, it will be much harder for someone to tell that it was bought off Temu.

Buy Real Fabrics

I was scared two years ago when I ordered a denim jacket direct from China. I figured it was money lost, as there was no way the fabric would really be denim. So I was happily surprised when an honest to goodness denim jacket showed up on my doorstep.

It didn’t stop there. You can buy linen clothes, satin skirts, denim, leather, and other fabrics off cheap sites. This may be the biggest hack there is in fast fashion.

Buying real fabrics, like looking for simpler items, makes what you are wearing seem higher end. Linen wrinkles naturally. Denim develops texture. Cotton hangs differently than polyester. People expect fabrics to act a certain way. When made from similar, but different, materials, the unobtrusive difference can be a little off-putting.

Don’t Aim for Knockoffs

Lastly, don’t aim for knockoffs. This applies to shopping just as much as it applies to life. Products from fast fashion sites with logos on them can clearly be spotted as a fake. Stay away from the dupes that are featured all over. Wearing something different is refreshing, speaks of individuality, and avoids buying a product that looks like a badly made replica.

One last tip: remember to measure yourself. Don’t assume that because you are generally a Medium, you will be in Asian sizes. I memorized just one measurement of mine, my shoulders, and can through that quickly check which size will fit me. These were learned through quite a few awful mistakes, so I hope they can help someone else avoid those moments.

And above all, remember to stay Tznius, Timeless, and Tasteful!