Is Fashion Nova Legit? Here’s Why I Am Not Impressed

Status: Review Complete

Let’s dive right in. Is fashionnova.com (the California-based clothing shop) a legit website? The short answer is yes, they are legitimate. I received my clothing order and successfully returned everything for a refund in the form of STORE CREDIT. Now the biggest question is, would I shop here again?

In this honest and detailed review, I will share my purchase and return experience, my thoughts on their clothing, brand information/research, and my final verdict/recommendation. Keep reading for more!

Table of Contents

About Fashion Nova

Is Fashion Nova fast fashion?

Yes, they are. They keep up with the trends by adding 1,000+ new arrivals to their catalog each week. Additionally, they do not state anything on their site regarding efforts in sustainability.

I can confirm, however, that my items arrived in recyclable packaging.

Check out this article, 13 Easy Ways To Know If A Brand Is Fast Fashion by Panaprium, for tell-tale signs of a fast fashion company.

Where is Fashion Nova located?

According to their marketing emails, they are located in the United States. Their business address is 2801 E 46th St., Vernon, CA 90058.

They also have 5 retail store locations in the following California cities (United States): Los Angeles, Montebello, Panorama City, Burbank, and Northridge.

Where does Fashion Nova ship from?

My order was shipped to me from a warehouse/distribution center in California (United States).

Where are Fashion Nova’s clothes made?

Three items in my order were made in China, and one was made in Mexico.

More Shop Details

fashion nova website circa 2014
Screenshot of fashionnova.com circa 2014 (the oldest version of the site I could find)

Business Details

  • According to their Terms of Service page, their legal business name is Fashion Nova, LLC.

Statements & Press Details

  • They were the #1 most-searched fashion brand on Google in 2018.
  • They have been mentioned/promoted by several celebrities including Cardi B and Kylie Jenner.

Policy & Program Details

  • They offer free shipping over $75 for U.S. customers.
  • They allow returns within 30 days of delivery for STORE CREDIT ONLY. You can purchase a prepaid label for $3.99 for a single item or $7.99 for multiple items.
  • The following items are not returnable (specific to online purchases): All items ending in $.48 and .98, bodysuits, swimwear, undergarments, beauty products, cosmetics, accessories, and “Party Wear” (such as Halloween costumes).

Product Details

  • They carry standard sizes and plus sizes from XS to 3X.

Domain Details

  • The website fashionnova.com was registered in March 2006.

Fashion Nova Review and Order Details

I ordered the below items on 1/31/2024 to my address in North Carolina (United States). I paid a total of $190.85 to Fashion Nova (info@fashionnova.com) via PayPal. The charge appears on my credit card statement as “PAYPAL *FASHIONNOVA”. View Order Confirmation

1) Vicky Mesh Maxi Dress

Brand Label: Fashion Nova

Color/Size/Cost: Black / M / $29.99 

Country: Made in China

Material: 

  • Self- 96% Polyester / 4% Spandex
  • Lining- 100% Polyester
fashion nova mesh maxi dress comparison

Expectation: It is exactly what I was expecting in terms of overall appearance.

Quality: In my opinion, the quality is okay. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.

Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits one size too big. View my Body Measurements for size reference.

Keep or Return: I would return this Fashion Nova dress.

Though I like the stretchy material (it feels very comfortable and smooth), the partially see-through look, and the more conservative style of the dress, it fits too big. If this were a size smaller, I would probably keep it as it is fairly inexpensive and would be great for most formal events.

2) Moto Mayhem Mid-Rise Stretch Skinny Jeans

Brand Label: Fashion Nova

Color/Size/Cost: Medium Wash / 9 / $39.99

Country: Made in China

Material: 75% Cotton / 20% Polyester / 3% Viscose / 2% Spandex

fashion nova moto mayhem jeans comparison

Expectation: They are what I was expecting, for the most part, in terms of overall appearance. It is a bit more gray-colored in person.

Quality: In my opinion, the quality of the material is okay, but it is constructed poorly. The back seam is crooked (which makes them unwearable for me). See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.

Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits well (the waist is slightly loose but I would not size down). View my Body Measurements for size reference.

Keep or Return: I would return these Fashion Nova jeans.

Though I like the interesting style and the stretchy material, I am not a fan of the murky-colored splotches (especially on the upper legs), all of the seams make them feel uncomfortable to wear (they feel sort of itchy), and the back seam is not straight. These are not wearable as is.

3) Off-The-Stage Hoodie Jumpsuit

Brand Label: Fashion Nova

Color/Size/Cost: Charcoal / M / $44.99

Country: Made in Mexico

Material: 

  • Self: 80% Polyester / 15% Rayon / 5% Spandex
  • Contrast: 64% Rayon / 32% Polyester / 4% Spandex
fashion nova off the stage jumpsuit comparison

Expectation: It is exactly what I was expecting in terms of overall appearance.

Quality: In my opinion, the quality is decent. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.

Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits well. View my Body Measurements for size reference. Please note that I am wearing 3.5 inch/8.9cm heels.

Keep or Return: I would return this Fashion Nova jumpsuit.

Though it fits beautifully and is super comfortable (I especially LOVE the loose style of the top), it looks weirder than I expected. The most notable thing is that the split legs and heels make me look like I have horse hooves for feet. I would have to wear these with boots since I am not a heels girl. Also, though the leggings feel super soft, they feel thin. I am too self-conscious to wear bottoms this ‘showing’ of everything. I would consider keeping this if the bottoms were twice as thick.

4) Vampy Vixen 2-Piece Costume Set 

Brand Label: California Costumes

Color/Size/Cost: Black+Red / M / $62.99

Country: Made in China

Material: 100% Polyester

fashion nova vampy vixen costume comparison

Expectation: It is exactly what I was expecting in terms of overall appearance.

Quality: In my opinion, the quality is bad but wearable. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.

Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits at least one size too big. However, the inside skirt (separate piece) would be too tight if I sized down, so this isn’t a good fit for my body shape. View my Body Measurements for size reference.

Keep or Return: I would return this Fashion Nova vampire costume.

Not only is the fit not right, but the quality is BAD. While I accept that most Halloween/party costumes are cheaply made, this one in particular is a massive rip-off considering the price! The neck area is VERY itchy making it unwearable, the corset feels like it is made of thick construction paper, the upper back of the corset is sewn poorly (it has permanent indentations/bumps), and the main material feels like a cheap stuffed animal. I unfortunately didn’t see that all costumes are final, so I am stuck with this. Worst $63 I ever spent.

Shipment Info

I received four items in one package at my address in North Carolina (United States). The package came from a warehouse/distribution center in the United States. I was provided tracking numbers through UPS.

Package Shipped From: 12588 Florence Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 (United States)

Shipping Timeline:

  • I placed my order on Wed, January 31st
  • My order shipped on Thurs, February 1st
  • I received my package on Fri, February 2nd

Total time of 2 days

Their shipping policy states up to 7 business days (including processing time) for standard U.S. shipping.

Return & Refund Info

I requested a partial return through their return portal (all items minus the costume since it is Final Sale) on February 4th. My request was approved instantaneously, and upon choosing the prepaid return label option, I was prompted with a $7.99 fee to be paid upfront. I paid, received the return label, and mailed the package on February 5th via USPS.

Provided Return Address: Parcel Return Service, D.C. 56901 (United States)

Return Instructions:

  1. Print your shipping label.
    Include the packing slip with the returned items, original receipt, and packaging.
  2. Attach the shipping label to the box with the label facing up.
  3. Provide your package to your USPS courier or drop it off at your nearest Post Office.

I received a refund in the expected amount of $123.30 in the form of store credit on February 7th. I received it two days after I mailed the package. – View Refund Receipt

Customer Service Experience

General Responsiveness

  • They don’t have an email readily available to contact. I tried to email info@fashionnova.com, but got a response saying the email wasn’t monitored and is unable to receive mail. You have click several buttons on their Help page to complete a form to reach them.

Return Details

  • Very straightforward return process through their portal. Although, I find it a bit annoying that I had to pay for the prepaid label beforehand and couldn’t use my PayPal account. I wish they just deducted the amount from my refund.
  • They offered me the following return options:
    • Pay $7.99 and bring the items to the post office (no need to pack or print a label, just show a QR code).
    • Pay $7.99 and receive a prepaid return label to package myself.

Is Fashion Nova Legit or a Scam?

Similar Sites & Analysis

Reverse Image Search:

Based on my findings, other small boutiques/online shops/marketplaces appear to sell some of the same items as Fashion Nova. In this case, I believe Fashion Nova is the source of their product images.

I highly recommend doing Reverse Image Searches when shopping online for price and quality checking purposes. You might be surprised at what you find!

Website/Company Search:

Lawsuits

Fashion Nova has been ordered to pay refunds to customers by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The California-based retailer is accused of blocking negative reviews on their site, misleading customers into believing their products are well-liked by most. Customers who bought items from Fashion Nova before November 21, 2019, were influenced by reviews, weren’t satisfied, and haven’t received a refund already (must meet all four criteria), were eligible to apply for a refund if submitted before August 15., 2023. Check out this Federal Trade Commission article for more information.

Scam Sites

BEWARE! The following site is posing as fashionnova.com, and is a SCAM:

  • fashionnovaofficial.us (this site is 100% identical to the real site)

There are likely more sites out there, so you should pay close attention.

Do I Recommend This Shop?

Based on my experience, they are a legitimate shop. I paid for my items, received them within the estimated time frame, successfully completed a return, and received a refund in the expected amount in the form of store credit.

With that being said, I personally would not shop here again.

Though my order arrived in 2 days which is crazy fast, and the return process is straightforward, this store is pretty underwhelming. The quality of most of their regular clothes seems okay at best (comparable to Forever 21), the costume I got is TERRIBLE quality, and the jeans are unwearable due to having a crooked seam, and they only accept returns for store credit (I rarely/never intentionally purchase from shops that offer store credit only).

Overall, I am not very impressed. I could see someone else being happy with this store though, since their prices are low and some of their items are decent. If you do shop here, I would stay VERY far away from the costumes (and possibly jeans).

To wrap up this post, regardless of my experience, be sure to read as many customer reviews as possible. If you found this post helpful in your search for Fashion Nova reviews, please consider sharing and commenting (via Reddit) below. Have a great day!

– Noelle

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Click the ‘View more on Reddit’ or ‘View comments’ button below to go to this review’s discussion page. I encourage you to write a comment or read others’ comments if available!