Shein Premium Summer Lookbook

One thing I have not missed at all is photoshooting while it’s 35°C outside. New York both gets super hot and humid in summer and justing breathing is enough to make you sweat two litters of water. And even shooting this Shein Premium Summer Lookbook did not make it better.

While all five dresses are perfect for summer and to sustain this heat, it is the will to get outside and shoot that is hard to come by. But I made it in the end and not only can I write this Shein Premium Summer Lookbook, but I also have ten days worth of Instagram content.

And that is on important thing to highlight. While my content was mostly shot indoors during the pandemic, I am somehow glad to be back outside and use the gorgeous streets of New York as a backdrop. Not that I don’t like indoor content creation. I do and as a matter of fact, my previous Shein lookbook was completely done at home. 

However, as far as I am concerned, I feel that it can quickly become a bit repetitive since I do not have that many props to use… Nor am I able to always come up with new creative indoor shooting ideas. Plus, having to pose, coordinate, take the photo, test the lighting all at once… so much work! When I shoot outdoors, someone is here to help!

A Shein Premium Lookbook

But let’s get back to this Shein Premium summer lookbook. As the name mentions it, all five dresses features in this lookbook are part of the Shein Premium collection. The collection uses elevated features made from higher quality materials and construction.

This blog post is not sponsored. However, it is part of my on-going partnership with Shein, with which I have been working with for two years now. You can use my discount code “2tea15” for 15% off your Shein order. This code works on sales items.

A stroll in Time Square

Let’s start this Shein Premium lookbook with this super elegant, asymmetrical belted white dress. Of all the dresses I picked from the Premium collection, this one feels the most chic and appropriate in a business casual set up.

The dress is true to size, although maybe a bit too wide around the breast area. The belt has enough rings that you can really tighten it around your hips. Plus, I love the puffy single sleeve. Overall, it is a design that I really like, that does feel Premium for the style.

However, I must confess, this dress is super see through around the bosom area. I was wearing white underwear and still. Which then makes it more difficult to wear in an office set up. So I guess, it can be worn at the beach as a cover up or on holiday above your bikini!

I know the dress also comes in lilac and yellow so it is possible that it is not as see-through in those colors. Wearing nude underwear must just do the trick as well with the white version.

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Feeling chic in the Upper East Side

Shooting in empty Time Square (as seen above) is one amazing thing. Doing it in the Upper East Side is not as satisfying but still feels very good! Especially on Madison Avenue, where all the luxury shops are and where the pavement is always packed with tourist. I swear, it is sad but the best time to enjoy New York City is now, empty of tourists.

Anyways, the second dress in this Shein Premium summer outfit is this gorgeous orange belted dress. The color is obviously what immediately drew me to the dress. It is a very versatile pierce that is in the end, rather easy to style.

Sure, the color makes it so it is harder to go full out on the accessories. However, a few well-chosen pieces will do just great! Like those graphic wedges which I have since 2013 and this beaded tote bag!

The fabric is quite thick and does feel like it is higher quality. Therefore, this dress does 100% belong in the Shein Premium collection. However, I find it a bit of a miss that the belt does not have rings and does not really hold in place.

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s-esque style

One amazing thing about the Upper East Side is that buildings on Park Ave, Madison Ave and 5th Ave are super photogenic! They make the perfect photo backdrops and of course… they are also great if you want to do a Gossip Girl inspired photoshoot!

While I adore Gossip Girl and can’t wait for the reboot, it is Breakfast at Tiffany’s that brought me to that particular street and to Holly Golightly’s flat!  It is indeed located in the Upper Side, in E 71st St and Park Ave. I have shot at this location before too.

The third dress of this Shein Premium Lookbook is a bit different to what I usually wear. Not patter wise I mean, but shape and design wise. Due to my curve, I very rarely wear tight fit closed to the body dresses. My fear is that the dress will constantly lift as I walk and eventually show too much of me. Having to always put the dress back down is a bit annoying.

However, having gone for a size up, I am pleased to say that it fitted me super well and did not require me putting it down all the time. It was indeed a bit larger and not as close to the body as it was mean to but it worked for me just fine. In the end, I think it is a very cute dress!

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Book hunting at the Public Library

Would you believe it if I said that in my year and a half living in New York, I have never been to the Public Library? Well, that is the truth. I have walked past it a large number of time, but never stepped inside nor did I borrow any book. I did have plans to get a membership but COVID-19 closed the library down so…

Anyways… since New York City is still very much empty, landmarks are not crowded at all, which makes them the perfect photoshoot backdrop. I would have never gone for a shoot that if it had been super crowded believe me!

This dress also is from the Shein Premium collection and a bit different to what I am used to wear too. Although I really liked the top bit, I am quite ensure regarding the skirt. I felt like the split should have been on the side rather than at the front.

The fabric is very light and crease really easily. You can probably see on the photo. I do think that particular design is not very flattering on me, mostly due to my body shape but it did look amazing on the model (as it always does). It is however perfect for summer.

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Relaxing in Bryant Park

Last but not least in this Shein Premium summer lookbook is this wrap dress that you need to tie on the side. I do quite love the frill on the dress as well as the sleeves and the print. When it comes to the cleavage, know that it is wide and deep… and that it does not really allow for a bra.

The fabric was hear again thicker and felt higher quality to regular Shein pieces, therefore I get why it is part of the Premium collection. However, I must admit that the breast bit felt a bit loose and I was always a bit scared of not standing straight in case someone would have a peak at my boobs.

Plus, the think with wrap dress is that when a bit of wind comes around, both sides of the skirt tend to fly away and reveal a bit too much of what is underneath. This does not happen all the time but it is a risk you should be aware of.

Regardless of my personal standards of what a dress should be, I think this dress is very pretty and the print is gorgeous. There seems to be a conscious work on Shein’s part to produce higher quality pieces.

While I have most of the time been pleased with dresses I received from the brand, I can admit that sometimes, the quality is not always there. Whether the fabric is too thin, see-through or creases easily. But, the Shein premium collection makes a good effort at rectifying that.

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What do you think of those outfits? Have you ever shopped the Shein Premium collection? What did you think?

Thanks a lot for stopping by. Hope you liked this post!

See you soon,
Love,
Corinne.

*Gifted items.