Hey, guys! This is the special post I was talking about! :D A site I've shopped at before is holding a contest, and this is my entry. It's part review and part shopping guide. There's a giveaway attached, so please take a look!
Way back in March, a friend of mine IMed me this link. "Look at this site!" she said. "Let's buy something!"
I clicked, and whooooooa. The prices! The variety! Immediately, I was entranced.
Wholesale-Dress.net is a wholesale clothing dealership based in Hangzhou, China, but the cool thing? They sell individual pieces as well at rock bottom prices. The styles they feature are constantly changing and are either self-designed or based on Japanese and Korean fashion magazines.
Basically, if you've ever been to Asia and seen tiny clothing stalls at night markets or whatever, this is probably one of the places they get their stock.
That said, the quality is a little hit or miss. For stuff that's so cheap, though, I think this should be expected. It's clothing, after all, and nicer fabrics are much more expensive. However, if you like trendy things and are a fan of fast fashion, Wholesale is an excellent alternative to teen-oriented stores like Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe.
The thing I really love about Wholesale is that they offer a table of information of the products, including concrete measurements. If you know your bust, waist, hip, and shoulder measurements, picking items out should be a breeze. If you don't like manmade fabrics? That's all labeled, too. There's also a handy comment feature through which you can ask the staff about the product, such as how much stretch the fabric has, and also read reviews from fellow shoppers. If you need more info, Wholesale operates several chat options in addition to an email service. Replies are very quick, but sometimes, the English can be a little garbled, hahaha. But they do their best, and it's really nice that they provide the service!
Another thing I like is that Wholesale offers clear pictures of the items. However, even though the models are all photographed in the actual clothing, it's difficult to judge the size from just the fashion shots. Just because something hangs off of the tiny model doesn't mean it'll look quite the same on you, LOL... [learned this the hard way]
Also, as a general caveat, Wholesale sizes are geared towards Asian standards. What this means is that the items with separate sizes tend towards the smaller end. If you wear an M in America, you might end up being an L or even XL on Wholesale. This is another reason why it's really important to know your measurements (in cm)! Especially since you're ordering online from somewhere far away, you want to be as safe as possible. From personal experience, I'd say that the most important numbers to keep in mind are shoulder, bust, and waist. A lot of the items are made from chiffon, which doesn't hold up very well if they're not wide enough across the shoulder, and I'm sure you all know what it feels like to wear something that's too tight across the bust or waist. Try to leave about two centimeters of room for yourself, just in case.
The killer for shopping on the site is, of course, the expensive shipping. There are no shipping discounts for spending a lot. However, once in awhile, the site does offer free shipping codes to specific countries, so keep an eye out for those. If you don't want to wait or if you think something's going to go out of stock fast (and believe me, it happens; there's a shirt I've been wanting that sells out in a day), I suggest taking a careful look at the shipping chart posted on the site. You'll notice that shipping is calculated by weight; therefore, the best way to maximize your money is to buy enough to come in right at or just under the next highest 500 g or 1000 g mark. Usually, this means that you can get a good number of items in. If you divvy up the shipping, the prices are still pretty cheap, with $5-6 items usually averaging around $8 total.
Since we discovered Wholesale, my friend and I have made three separate purchases. The cheapest shipping options for Americans are UPS and Fedex, and on that end, everything went pretty well. However, we've encountered issues while waiting for the company itself to gather stock and send the packages out. Just because all of your items are in stock, don't expect it to ship out immediately. So, you know, if you're going to go on vacation soon or move or something, don't try to jam an order in, because it could easily take much longer than you expect.
But if you're not going anywhere, and you want to try something for cheap, Wholesale is definitely worth checking out! :)
And now for the giveaway~
A
Flounce Collar Lace Dress! Click on pictures to enlarge.
This is free size, meaning that it's one-size fits all. Of course, this doesn't necessarily work out... XD I'd say that the dress is equivalent to an American S/M or 2/4/6, possibly an 8. Except that it's kind of short, so it might make a better shirt instead. :)
RULES:
1. This giveaway will end on September 12th, 2010.
2. Open only to readers from the U.S. and Canada.
3. In order to enter, leave your email and a comment below! Only one comment will be valid.
For an additional entry, make a post about this giveaway, and leave me the link!
4. The winner will be chosen randomly. I will email you about it, so it's very important that you leave me contact info! If I don't hear back within 2 days, a new winner will be chosen.
You don't need to follow me or anything, but of course you are welcome to do so! :)
Good luck, everyone, and thanks for participating!
