Have you ever bought a cute piece of clothing on Amazon, and it showed up looking significantly different from the online photos? I've been there a few more times than I'd like to admit. After all, I'm a shopping editor, so I've spent my fair share of time browsing and buying online. Today, I'm breaking down exactly how you can avoid that very common mistake in the future — and how to spot red flags before you add something to your cart.
🎥 Watch the full video below
In this video, I compare two dresses that I bought on Amazon: A strapless maxi dress and a mock-neck style. For starters, both had:
Decent reviews
Similar price ranges
Totally different vibes when they arrived
Only one of the Amazon dresses actually looked nice (and was something I'd wear) in real life — and the difference came down to a few details that most people tend to skip over.
Here’s are the biggest takeaways I had from my recent shopping spree — and what you should always look into before you click "Buy Now." Trust me — it'll save you time and money in the long run.
“One dress was 99% polyester. The other? 55% linen. Big difference.”
Synthetic fabrics, like polyester, nylon and acrylic, typically look cheap in person and don’t drape or photograph very well. Opt for natural fabrics, like cotton, linen and silk, for a higher-quality look and feel.
✅ Pro tip: It's definitely worth the extra minute it takes to scroll down to the “fabric type” section in the product details and look into the construction details.
This linen dress was my clear favorite of the two styles I tried. The material looked and felt high-quality, and it fit true to size.
I really wanted to like this dress, but it looked and felt super cheap in person. I found the style to run very big, and that it showed every underwear line and imperfection.
“Lighter colors in reviews showed that one dress was see-through and wrinkly.”
While you always want to check out written reviews of the product you're eyeing, it's especially important to check out the pictures that other shoppers have shared. These personal snaps often expose what edited brand photos won’t. These photos might help you figure out if the product's fabric is sheer or wrinkles frequently and how it actually fits on a variety of (real, not model) bodies.
✅ Pro tip: Look to see if all the reviewers had to accessorize the item in question. For example, I realized a lot of reviewers had added a belt to the mock-neck dress — that means that the fit is probably going to be off.
“If it looks like the same dress copy-pasted into 30 colors… it probably was.”
When shopping online, it's crucial to be wary of styles that come in dozens of colors and patterns. In a lot of cases, that means that one product photo was edited over and over to show the different shades, instead of being carefully curated designs.
“The first dress was marked ‘Frequently returned item’... and I still bought it.”
Retailers like Amazon now add a helpful warning to the popular items that usually get sent back. If you spot it, it's not a mistake — it's a sign that the item probably won't meet your expectations. A good rule of thumb is, if you see it, skip it. I will next time!
Even with all these tips, shopping online isn’t foolproof. My bottom-line advice? Trying something on for yourself in person is always going to be the best test. But before you click "purchase," double-check the return policy, so you can send back your item hassle-free if you need to.
Natural fabrics
Clear review photos
Balanced sizing feedback
Returnable
100% synthetic fabric
No photos or low-res images
Multiple buyers mention needing a belt (or some other "fix")
“Frequently returned” warning
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