I tried a $25 Amazon alternative to the viral $78 Skims dress — they look nearly identical, but there are a few key differences

Kim Kardashian's brand Skims has a Soft Lounge Long Slip Dress that went viral on TikTok. I tried the cheaper Amazon alternative to see how it compares.

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Whether you admired Skims from afar, or already have the whole collection in your wardrobe, you've no doubt seen the cult following grow around the shapewear brand on social media. 

The dress that catapulted the brand to mass popularity (if the brand's Kardashian owner wasn't enough), is the Soft Lounge Long Slip Dress, retailing at $78. "Skims dress" has been viral on TikTok for years, with the top liked video gaining over 3.2 million likes.

I've never been that big a fan of the Kardashians' brands. In truth, I generally tend to be skeptical towards celebrity-headed brands. But, with thousands of people on the waitlist and consistently sold-out drops, I wanted to know what I was missing out on.

Luckily, I managed to get my hands on the viral dress when a department store had a restock. But after I started to notice TikTok videos crop up where users had found similar styles for a fraction of the price, I knew I had to compare them. 

So, I tried the $24.99 Amazon one out and put it to the test against the real deal to see if the cheaper alternative lived up to its claims.

Trying on the SKIMS dress

When I pulled it out of its packaging, I was stunned. It looked absolutely tiny, and I thought that there was no way it would fit me. But, the super soft ribbed fabric is extremely stretchy, and it fits almost like a giant sock. Hugging my body, but not restricting it, the fabric felt like a naked dress.

I loved how it was easy to layer up to take it from casual to fancy. Something I was initially concerned about was whether it would be too fancy for everyday wear, but when paired with more casual pieces, it was easy to style accordingly. And although not see-through, it's worth wearing seamless underwear, because the dress is extremely figure hugging.

At 5'8", I quite often find dresses difficult to be long enough, but this skims the floor perfectly.

I didn't want to admit it, but I may just be a Skims convert after this.

Trying on the Amazon dress

The affordable alternative on Amazon cost just $24.99. There are over 5,000 reviews for the dress, with 73% at 5 stars. 

The dress arrived in much less luxurious packaging than the Skims dress, tightly packed in a plastic bag, and not carefully folded up in tissue paper. But then, I sort of expected that for the price that I paid.

On first glance, the dress was also very thin in size, and was pretty similar to the Skims dress, but didn't feel as high quality on first touch. The straight neckline and slight mermaid tail bottom were both practically identical. But the spaghetti straps weren't adjustable, as they were on the Skims dress. 

I was pretty excited to wear the dress, as I'd never found a dress that was as universally flattering as the Skims dress. And if it could be found for a fraction of the price — even better. I pulled the dress on, and instantly felt a similar hugging experience that I did with the Skims dress. But, it was clear that it wasn't quite as supportive as the original.

During the first wear, I noticed that the Amazon dress was more see-through, and didn't offer the same sort of comfort and security as the Skims one. Their silhouettes are indistinguishable, but the Amazon one felt slightly thinner and less stretchy. So, it's clear where the quality falls a little behind, which is to be expected with the price.

Comparing the dresses: Material, size options, and colors

AnotherChill Amazon: Size options range only from XXS to XL, but it comes in ten frequently stocked colorways. Made from 95% polyester and 5% Spandex.

The bottom line

Although both dresses are flattering, and very versatile when it comes to their wearability, the Skims viral dress is worth every penny when it comes to the quality between the two. For those looking to spend less, or get their hands on certain colors, the Amazon alternative is a relatively similar option, but it's worth remembering that it's not a like-for-like fit and feel.