Look for Less #1: Jacquemus shorts vs Shein dupe
If you're a fashionista into all things fashion, you may be aware of fashion/lifestyle blogger Monroe Steele. If you follow Monroe then you've seen her in a very unique and stylish pair of bright pink shorts from designer Jacquemus. The shorts are on the short-short side, but the structure of them is so interesting I figured I would try them if a more affordable dupe came out in the fashion market and it offered more coverage.
No dupe made itself known as far as I could see for quite some time until about a month ago when, lo and behold, one appeared on the Shein website for just $14 (now on clearance for $7; link below)!
Five-six weeks ago, when I put the shorts in my online shopping cart, I was a few pounds lighter after a health issue (not Covid-19). Somewhere between March and mid-May, I went from a size 6 to a size 0/2 and my weight gain journey back was slow. When I found the shorts on Shein I was probably up in size to about a 3 and figured a size XS on Shein (based on the site's measurements for the item) would work perfectly. By the time I got the shipment (5 days later) and laundered all the clothing (5 more days), I had gained enough weight to be somewhere between size 4 and 5. I could almost get into some of my size 6 items. So, the short shorts were quite a challenge, when I was finally able to try them on.
First, they came in this gorgeous magenta color and had nearly all the details of the Jacquemus original, except for the super-structured tailoring. The cuffs, front pleats/darts and angled hem on the legs, were present.
They have no back pocket and the fabric is much more fluid that of the original, which maintains its angled shape regardless of how you move in them.
Needless to say, with my new weight gain, I barely squeezed into the shorts. My disappearing butt was making a comeback and where the shorts may have seemed more modest when I was a size 0/2, they were a bit on the risque' side with my cheeks peeking out. Shifting the shorts down a bit wasn't a viable option since there's no stretch in the material and lowering the waist squished my waistline to the point where I swear my kidneys were popping out over the top of them. The shorts hang best when high-waisted, which gives the best angled look, so lowering them on the waist distorts the minimal structure that is present in the dupe. In any case, I felt like I was wearing lingerie shorts.
I could probably get away with reordering a size up, which should fit a little lower on my waist and offer an inch more coverage on my backside, while still appearing high-waisted and maintaining those interesting angled lines. All in all, the shorts have potential if you order the right size or generally aren't concerned about your cheeks hanging out. I think they make a great/fancy cover-up over bikini bottoms for an outing to the beach or the pool. Perfect for a vacay somewhere warm and tropical!
Final thoughts: You get what you pay for when it comes to fabric and tailoring on the original. The Jacquemus shorts are extremely well-made and if they fit into your overall style, they may be worth paying a little extra. $495 extra? "Iono bout all dat". HOWEVER, if you just want to dabble in the style and experiment, with no intention of long-term wear or investment, the Shein option comes out the clear winner for $7.
Although not perfect, the dupe is close enough to be interesting and a conversation starter. What do you think?
