A self-admitted shopper with a writing problem, I’ve bought my fair share of sparkly dresses from Fashion Nova, lacy rompers from Free People and three-pack sets of sports bras from Amazon. So narrowing down a list of the eight best online clothing stores was as difficult a task as choosing a favorite star from the heavens or episode from the seven season of “Boy Meets World” — but someone had to do it.
To choose from the countless apparel stores on the web today, I considered several favors:
- Value: When it comes to clothing, value trumps affordability. As a savvy shopper, I want the $85 pair of jeans I’ll wear for two years — not the $25 pair I’ll wear once.
- Quality: With value in mind, I looked for clothing stores that offer cheap prices without skimping on design or materials. As a general rule, I try to steer clear of the siren song of the stores offering dirt-cheap clothes that won’t last more than a couple washes — no matter how cute they look on the model. The stores I included on this list have solid reputations for delivering on quality, plus glowing reviews from thousands of devoted online shoppers.
- Shipping: There’s nothing worse than ordering a slinky black dress or strappy high-heel sandals for the weekend and finding out it won’t be delivered for another two weeks. For this roundup, I prioritized cheap online clothing stores with fast shipping and free or low-cost delivery options.
- Special Considerations: Last but not least, I kept an eye out for stores that brought something special to the table, like sustainable manufacturing and shipping practices or inclusive sizing.
To help you pack your closet without emptying your bank account, I bring you my list of the eight best online clothing stores on the web today:
Online Clothing Stores With Fast Shipping
Lulus
Fair warning: I’ve never been able to visit Lulus without ordering a jumpsuit or three, so browse at your own risk. Opened way back in 1994 as a vintage shop in Northern California, Lulus has since moved completely online. The digital boutique has a dazzling array of formal dresses, trendy tops and bottoms and — my personal favorite — super adorable rompers and jumpsuits. The site also has its own line of magically affordable wedding dresses with prices starting at $200. I particularly appreciate the scads of shopper reviews on this site, many of which include pics that help you determine how the items will actually fit on diverse bodies.
Shipping: Free ground shipping (seven to eight business days) on orders over $50
ASOS
Of course, no roundup of online clothing stores would be complete without mention of ASOS. This UK-based store peddles a variety of designer dresses, shoes, activewear and more. One of the more inclusive stores on today’s market, ASOS proudly offers fashions designed specifically for plus, tall and petite sizes, as well as maternity wear, modest fashion and androgynous styles. ASOS prices are already quite reasonable, but you can find some truly amazing deals in their outlet: I’m talking items as low as $3 and as much as 92% off.
Shipping: Free standard shipping (three to six business days) on orders over $50
Nasty Gal
With a whole section dedicated to $7 and under styles, Nasty Gal is a serial shopper’s dream (or worst nightmare, depending on how you look at it). There’s no getting around it — Nasty Gal is fast fashion — but compared to less reliable brands, it tends to be more reliable in terms of quality. And in terms of sustainability, the brand is working toward the worthy goal of becoming 100% sustainably sourced by 2030. Nasty Girl offers a sweeping selection of dresses, tops and shoes, and boasts a solid selection of plus-size picks, in addition to maternity wear.
Shipping: $11.99 for standard shipping (eight to 10 business days)
ModCloth
Founded in 2002 as an indie brand, ModCloth strives to be an industry pioneer in terms of inclusive styles, anti-photoshopping advertising and women leadership. It does an admirable job of balancing fair prices with top-notch quality, and has an extensive sale section with picks for under $10. Plus, ModCloth celebrates a huge array of holidays — both common ones like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as lesser-known ones like Retro Day and Women’s Equality Day — with deals of up to 50% off.
Shipping: Free ground shipping (two to five business days) on orders over $125
Black-Owned Online Clothing Stores
Klassy Kloset Boutique
One of my favorite black-owned online clothing stores, Klassy Kloset Boutique is a Phoenix-based online boutique owned by a mother and her two daughters, who handpick the pieces themselves. The shop offers an impressive array of one-of-a-kind designer pieces — the vast majority of which are under $75. Predictably, I’m a big fan of their collection of rompers and jumpsuits, which includes a good mix of cute, elegant and flirty.
Shipping: $7 for standard shipping (three to five business days)
Courtney Noelle
Plus-size clothing store Courtney Noelle checks off a lot of important boxes: It’s apparel is inclusive, ethically produced, domestically made and designed in-house by owner/designer Courtney Noelle. The Black-owned designer brand has an array of truly eye-catching apparel, from ruffle-y skirts to sparkly leggings to dramatic gowns.
Shipping: Free standard shipping (seven to 10 business days) on orders over $99
Online Thrift Clothing Stores
Swap.com
A virtual consignment story, Swap.com connects thrifters to high-quality, low-price, one-of-a-kind secondhand finds. Every item is hand inspected for quality and sold at up to 90% off retail price. Think dresses for as low as $2, activewear for as low as $1.50 and a huge selection of menswear for as low as $1. Their impressive inventory includes hundreds of thousands of items from top designers like 7 For All Mankind, Calvin Klein, DKNY and Banana Republic.
Shipping: Free standard shipping (eight to 14 business days) on orders over $75
thredUP
One of the most beloved sustainable clothing stores online, thredUP is on a mission to abolish throwaway fashion and “modernize” thrifting. The online thrift clothing store “recirculates” 100,000+ unique items per day from over 35,000 brands — including Gucci, Burberry, Theory and Tory Burch. Expect finds for under $5 offered at up to 90% off retail price.
Shipping: $5.99 for standard shipping (three to eight business days)
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