One of my greatest pastimes on the Internet is looking at clothes that I do not intend to buy. On one of these occasions of trying-on with my eyes, I came upon ModCloth.com, offering indie clothing and vintage clothes. ModCloth has since become my number one stop on the Web and even a place where I look and dream of buying. I want all their dresses. This gem of a Web site offers clothing and accessories for any young lady who wants to be unique but not be too out there.
My first click on site is the “New Arrivals” tab. ModCloth updates every day with colorful new styles to feast on. Apparel ranges from adorable dresses to retro intimates. The site even offers special vintage clothing with limited numbers so the buyer can be the only one who has it. In addition, ModCloth offers dresses in plus sizes.
Each item is cleverly named with a quirky description to go along with it. The description even offers advice on what to pair with the item. Who wouldn't enjoy a dress named “Strangers on a Train,” a bag named “Wishing Well,” or top called “Princess Buttercup Blouse?”
In the accessories section, ModCloth includes funky tights, cosmetics, jewelry, and even umbrellas. The apartment section offers décor and books, selections for every literary collection including: Spotter's Guide to the Male Species and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. There is a hefty selection of perfectly named shoes such as “Red Hots Heels” and “See Ya Later Boots.”
ModCloth currently only offers apparel to women but that shouldn't stop men from purchasing lovely gifts for their special ladies. The prices at ModCloth are mid-range and reasonable. In other words, they won't take a whole paycheck like Anthropologie.
Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger founded ModCloth the summer after Susan's senior year of high school. Susan was a girl obsessed with vintage clothing who started to build up quite a collection. Her then boyfriend, now husband, Eric helped her set up the Web site. Susan and Eric continued working through college on the site, selling clothes from her dorm room.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Brittany Linstrom
This is an amazing shopping website! I've only been on it a few minutes, but my to buy list is so long!
2 - plaidpollyanna
I like them awhile ago.... But there customer service has gotten very bad.
3 - Buyer beware :(
Not only is their customer service poor, their quality is awful. I've ordered several dresses from their site because the designs are adorable, but only one was actually wearable. The measurements are frequently incorrect, if the description tells you the dress is made of a specific fabric it's always just a cheaper substitute, and three dresses arrived with significant damage/ structural fail- unraveled hems, button missing, strap sewn on crookedly. One even came with a large stain. The dresses are often completely seethrough, even the black ones. Cheap fabric, which is ridiculous seeing as almost all their dresses cost more than $50.
They advertise fast shipping to Canada, which is also a lie... One order sat in their warehouse for nearly a month, and both were seriously delayed at the border for a long time (first was two weeks, second a whole month!). This meant that I was unable to return the items that were in unwearable condition because they don't allow returns shipped more than a month after the ship date.
I've heard some things elsewhere that make me more concerned, though. One designer alleged that Modcloth stole her design for their "Southern Gothic" dress... Which suddenly disappeared from the site shortly after. Also they have one dress that they claim is their exclusive design, and I've seen it on two other sites (for significantly cheaper, of course). When I contacted customer support in case it was a mistake or something they were very rude and were like "it's not our fault that everyone wants to copy us because we're so cool and indie!"... Um, wat. Just admit it isn't exclusive.
4 - sierraseven
It's great that the reviewer likes to look at clothing that she does not intend to buy - because when it comes to vintage clothing, NOT buying the items is your only choice. Today there are over 500 vintage items on the site - and every last one is marked "sold". I wrote to the company to ask why they do not remove sold items from their site. They replied that they want the potential customer to get an idea of the type of vintage items they stock. Fine, but over 500 sold items left on the site for well over a month? They also said they have some kind of email alert list you can get on, so that when they have a vintage item available you can get to the site before it's sold. Not my idea of customer friendly.
5 - Charlotte
I've made a number of purchases at ModCloth, but recently decided to stop shopping there because of my bad experiences. Most of the clothes I purchased looked higher quality online in the photos on the site. When I received the actual items, they were more often than not transparent, flimsy, poorly manufactured, or had strange design-flaws. Even after carefully checking measurements, I've received dresses I couldn't zip up. I've also ordered clothes that said they were "fully lined" that were see-through, and shirts with embellishments that were sewn on off-center. Worst of all, I've been sent the wrong items in my shipments from them, which is a huge pain to deal with.
Their "Live Support" is unavailable more often that it functions, even in the middle of the work-day. When the Live Support is unavailable, it takes a full three minutes of waiting before you receive a message telling you the service is down...a huge waste of time! I've also sent ModCloth emails about order problems, and I didn't receive a response back aside from an automated "we received your email" message.
You can often find the same items for cheaper elsewhere, but it can be a challenge to locate them because of ModCloth's "cutesy" item names. While ModCloth has a great presentation, and unique selection of items, as others have mentioned buyers should beware when shopping there! The quality is seriously lacking.
6 - Another Negative
I recently ordered a "Out of Print" shirt I had been eyeing there. It was the last shirt they had. It was the last one so I gave in and ordered it. After waiting for MORE THAN A MONTH my package came...with an order for a woman who lives on the other side of the country. So I sent an email. 2 days later I received an email that told me to send back the dress I received. What did they do for me? Explain that they no longer had the item I had ordered in stock (I wonder where it ended up). They said they refunded my money...but I have yet to receive it.
7 - Kellar
I made purchases also from Modcloth. Very excited when the items arrived, they didn't fit well at all. Two of the items I did like (I spent just over $700) and 4 items I returned (I live in Canada and had to pay to return these items). I get an email from Modcloth advising me that my refund had been processed and they only refunded me for two items! I told them to investigate and that they owed me more money for two items costing almost $250. Finally, they came back and told me that they would refund me for one, but not the other because they couldn't "find" it. I am still in a battle with them. I have the weight of the shipment so I am waiting for a response from them. This has been an ongoing issue that I am eager to resolve. I'm not going down without a fight. I want my money back!!!
8 - Caro
Weird, I'm in Canada and I've always had a good experience at Modcloth, all my packages arrive within the week (fast shipping indeed in my opinon!). I've never ordered clothing though, only jewellry and accessories (the clothes are to expensive for the quality that it is, I am a seamstress and I can tell from most of the pics when something is see through and/or not worth the price they list). Also, all the times I've contacted customer service, they get back within an hour or two so I don't know what happened with you guys! The only problem I have is that they ship with UPS! I hate UPS! Awful service when it comes to delivering to apartment buildings. It's a whole waiting game too with UPS. You have to hope the package arrives on a day you're not at work or I hope my boyfriend will wake up in time to receive it (he always sleeps in, so aggravating). And then you get paranoid that they arrived way earlier than they said they would (it happened to me once, I complained and got them to come back the same day). I'm only going to order from Modcloth one more time if they restock one of their pocketwatches. If not, then Modcloth is not worth it.
9 - Constance Wang
I also found the same issues, though I had no issues with shipping (but I live in California). The material is cheap and not even close to worth the price they charge. The workmanship is also shoddy, unfinished threads, cheap elastic instead of actual hooks or cloth fasteners. The material is more often than not plastic (heavily acrylic based, dry clean only) and typically unlined. Talk about a bait and switch!
10 - carrottop
Their customer service is the WORST.
They made me pay for shipping again when UPS messed up the first time. Now they are trying to not give me a full refund for my return bc the time limit has passed... bc they messed up the first time.
And yes, the workmanship is really shitty. I had a pair of shorts one day that broke and they were like, we're out of that, sorry. *shrug*
11 - swilson
When I first stumbled across Modcloth I was seriously swooning. I loved the concept, and the prices weren't unreasonable. So I ordered a couple of things and was by no means impressed with the quality. Bear in mind I wasn't expecting Chanel quality craftsmanship (or even Nordstroms for that matter), but it was pretty bad.
Then a few months later I spotted a dress I just *had* to have. I live in Florida and the shipping was slow, but it wasn't the end of the world. The dresses arrive and they are even lower quality than my first order from them. To make matters worse, the way they were shipped was as if someone balled up the dresses, threw them in a shipping bag, and stuck a label on. I don't expect it to flawless when it shows up, but the dress was barely recognizable because it was one giant crease. The dress wasn't even CLOSE to the measurements listed (several inches off), and the dress was so short I could barely bend over without exposing myself.
Needless to say, I returned the item and got a store credit. I tried again a few months later and once again, TERRIBLE quality. The dresses at Target are better quality. I returned it.
So basically, I have a store credit with them (b/c I waited too long to return the first item), and after 3 attempts, nothing I have ordered has been wearable. Complete garbage.
Also, the customer service is one of the worst I've had to deal with. I've called the customer service number and after 15 or so attempt, no one has answered. As in--NEVER.
As soon as I get my "money's worth" out of these people, I'm so done! They are making a fortune off their concept and good designs b/c the quality of their product is embarrassing. Overpriced to say the least.
12 - Jane
ModCloth is disgusting. I bet that dress cost 100 dollars to make, tops. They mark their items up 200-300% (or even more at times) over wholesale. They also hate anyone who isnt tiny and white. They removed all the minorities and plus size girls from their modstylists and replaced them with former website models. Who is that going to help? Also, they only carry god awful hideous plus size clothing. I'm not even plus sized and this offends me. On top of that, I asked why they don't promote their sales more and they told me that they do not want to promote their site as a sale website, and that they cater to a specific type of customer, basically meaning that they are classist and don't want the poor shopping on their site. I hope they go out of business soon because they are terrible terrible people.
13 - anna
Attn Jane: you do not work at modcloth. you do not know what their mark-up percentage is. they have models of all different ethnicities. stop crying. you are so negative.
Attn buyer beware: everything you said is fictional. they do not steal designs, as they do not product their own clothing lines. they are a buy and sell. and i find it hard to believe that their customer service would respond in that manner, seeing as your accusations hold zero weight.
14 - Carmen
DANGGG you girls are mad-at-modcloth!!! Well, since people loveeee to be negative, I will turn this debby-downer thread around and be positive! ModCloth offers cute things, at reasonable prices - obvi not 200 to 300% above wholesale (take it easy there, Jane!). I think their quality is reflected in the price, better quality (like their awesome shoes!) with more $$ and OK quality with less.
Also, anna made a good point - ModCloth is NOT a design house, they simply buy and sell garments, soooo they aren't the ones "stealing" designs or manufacturing the garments.
I really enjoy shopping with ModCloth. They have a great assortment of items and I am east coast girl so my shipping is always quick! Oh, and I love their customer service - they are ALWAYS so helpful, fast, and friendly. And one last thing, reviewer Jane said that "They also hate anyone who isnt tiny and white" ...WELLLLLL I am curvy and latina and they've never threatened to harm me or anything so I'm pretty sure they aren't racist or prejudice, ya nut!
15 - Heather
I love ModCloth! I have ordered from them several times over a couple of years and some of my favorite pieces are from their website! Because you can't see before you buy I haven't always ended up keeping everything but customer service has always been very helpful to me. In fact, they have even given me a gift certificates and discount codes when a mistake was made on my order. I live in Canada as well, I while I wish the shipping was cheaper it has always been prompt.
16 - Vanessa
I love browsing ModCloth on a daily basis and swoon over the IMAGE of the item. Most of their items I find to be highly overpriced (i.e, $70 for a short sleeved shirt!) but sometimes I just go for it because it looks so pretty. Usually when the item comes I sort of go "meh" because the fabric isn't what it seems, the sizing is off or it just wasn't what it appeared to be. But I never return anything because I'm in Canada and it's a big pain in the butt. I just purchased an umbrella from them, a $29 umbrella, the thing busted after 1 block! A gust of wind hit it and a few of the metal pieces snapped, can you believe it? I should've gone to the dollar store, it would have been more bang for my buck. However, I must say that I like their customer service, I find them to be generally quite pleasant and helpful. I'll buy a few more items, if it consistently seems like poor purchases I'll just stop. I actually find lulus.com to have some similar clothes with better prices.
17 - Caitlin
I've ordered three separate times from Modcloth, and I have only been disappointed once. FedEx lost the package (And once we contacted them, the driver had suspiciously 'quit' during the investigation of just where said package had wound up.), and after much struggling on the phone with them for a good two weeks, they relayed us back to Modcloth and told us the liability was theirs. I contacted them via e-mail, and after going back and forth with them for a bit, they offered to either give us a full refund or send us a new order entirely. We took the new order, and everything arrived as it should.
Their staff was very polite and professional, and after they spoke to FedEx (The whole process took about a week after the Modcloth rep said she'd contact them.) the package arrived within 3 days of our new shipping confirmation.
Some of the items are definitely overpriced, but you can find wonderful bargains in their sale section and their jewelry is adorable. I own multiple peices from them and have been satisfied with each one.
(PS- I am curvy and white, and my girlfriend is curvy and Hispanic. Never heard any complaints from Modcloth about that.)
18 - Leah
I am so disappointed in modcloth. Ladies, please trust me on this. I truly feel that they try to charge the most that they can for the lowest quality clothing. Most of their items are thin, see-through, and very cheaply made. They also don't email you when something comes back in stock, even though you ask them to. If you order something from modcloth, be prepared to return it.
19 - Bored
i am tiny and white, doesn't mean they've treated me any better.
20 - cat
Every review i have read online speaks of the poor quality and bad sizing....there are cheaper better made dresses out there!
21 - g
DO NOT BUY FROM MODCLOTH
22 - mfam
My wife has bought a few things from ModCloth as well, and I think only kept a pair of shoes. All of the dresses she ordered were made of extremely thin, cheap-feeling fabric. At least the returns were fairly simple. But it's disappointing when she finds something cute, orders it, and it looks worse than home-made. Oh well, she just gets something somewhere else.
23 - emily
I tried to order a coat, the money was taken out of my bank account, then the transaction was cancelled. the item was listed as in stock, 2left!, that is why i bought it. when i talked to customer service, they told me they no longer had the coat. They listed inventory they didn't have and cancelled my order when they realized they could not fulfill it. Now I don't have the money I spent on the coat and have to wait 5 days for it to be returned to my bank account. they caused this situation and did nothing to help. i will never shop there again. buyers beware. they may not have what they say in stock, but will take your money before they know for sure.
24 - fatmaggot
Careful what you buy. Most of the products they sell that do not have a designer mentioned are very cheap things that are made in China. They tend to be flimsy and high-priced. THEY CENSOR NEGATIVE REVIEWS OF PRODUCTS. They claim to be democratic, but are actually a dictatorship. I left a negative review about the All The Buzz Satchel because it is cheap and not worth the price and they omitted my review but only posted the positive reviews they received. Very deceptive.
25 - Kate
I think many of the reviews here do not understand how indie designing works and why ModCloth is 'expensive'. The average American consumer is used to buying clothes from big chains or big brands. These brands buy their fabric in extreme cheap bulk, THOUSANDS of yards, and then have their clothes stitched together by overseas sweatshops, in which they pay pennies per garment. An independent designer buys their fabric in small quantities at full price, and then stitches the garment together themselves. Even if they outsource to a seamstress, that is hours of American wage. I am an independent designer (though I have not sold anything through ModCloth) and even the most simple dresses I charge $100-$200 for. I spend about $50 on materials and 5 hours of labor for something extremely simple. Doesn't this seem like a fair price to you? If you buy the $100-$200 dresses on ModCloth they will be beautifully sewn. Buying the $50 dresses gets you what you pay for - bottom of the barrel fabric and an hour or less of labor. "The dresses at Target are better than Modcloth!" said one review - yes, a $50 dress at Target will be MUCH better than a $50 dress on ModCloth, because mass produced clothing is much cheaper to make than handcrafted clothing. The money works differently for indie designers. I help that my comments help explain their prices and sometimes lacking quality. :)