Scheana Shay’s New SHEIN Collab Is A Fashion Flip-Off To Her Haters

One unspoken but duly catalogued measure of success in Hollywood is one’s wardrobe. The more designer pieces you own or are photographed wearing, the brighter your flame. After 11 seasons of Vanderpump Rules, however, Scheana Shay still likes to keep her closet’s contents affordable. “When it comes to fashion, I do not like to spend a lot of money,” the Bravo star tells Bustle over Zoom. “I am not someone you’re ever going to see wearing the designer stuff. I’m not on Real Housewives.”

It’s a philosophy she’s stood firmly by throughout the show’s 11-year run, despite being mocked for her love for fast-fashion labels such as SHEIN. The haters even gave her a moniker: Sheina. “Whether it’s as a joke or to mock me, people online have called me [that],” she recalls. So she did the funniest thing she could: On Aug. 4, she partnered with the fast-fashion e-tailer for a 110-piece curated collection and starred in a campaign alongside her husband, Brock Davies, and their daughter, Summer Moon. “I was like, ‘You know what? Why not embrace it?’ Now it’s something fun and empowering,” she says.

As a “longtime” fan of the brand, she says she’s worn countless pieces on VPR — and is now wearing her collection to promote her buzzy new memoir, My Good Side, brimming with headline-making revelations about the show and her marriage. “I’m taking the narrative back this year,” she says of her recent projects. And she’s doing that literally and sartorially.

Below, Shay chats about her collection, Brock’s one fashion pet peeve she’s low-key trying to fix, and swapping SHEIN recos with her VPR costar Lala Kent.

Congratulations on your SHEIN collection! What piece is the most you?

This maroon dress with a ruffle on it. The second I put it on, I was like, “I could wear this for a sexy date night or a red carpet.”

What piece is the most out of your comfort zone?

There are pieces in the collection I didn’t think I was going to like on my body type, like this white long sweater dress with a high neck. Anything that’s armpit-exposing I’ve always been very self-conscious about. I work that part of my body out, but [I’m conscious of] that fold under my arms, so I usually steer clear of outfits that have that cut. But when I put it on, I was obsessed with the way it fit me. So the collection is actually changing what I normally wear. It’s my little exposure therapy with fashion.

The looks in the campaign are pretty spicy. What’s your favorite naked trend right now?

I normally steer away from anything too sheer, but these looks are so flattering that if you just do a pasty or something under, it’s perfect. One of my favorite pieces is this taupe gown that has a corset. It’s sheer on the bottom, but it has a built-in bodysuit, so I felt extremely confident wearing it. As long as you have the right undergarments, you can absolutely pull it off.

Is there a trend you’d never try?

I would say never say never.

On date night, what spicy outfit would you recommend?

When you accessorize something and put on a good pair of heels, it can dress up any outfit. Literally a casual outfit during the day that you wear on errands, when you add some accessories, a little lip gloss, and some heels, it absolutely elevates the style. And right now, kitten heels are super in, so you don’t have to be in a 6-inch stiletto.

You and Brock rocked coordinated looks in the campaign. Do you typically like matching with Brock?

I do. The thing is, we don’t match on purpose. Often, I’ll be in one room getting dressed, and he’s getting dressed, and then we come out and we’re like, “Oh my God, how?” I don’t know what it is telepathically with us, but I love a cute, coordinated moment, especially if we’re going to an event.

My daughter loves to match with us. There was a part of the photo shoot, she’s like, “Well, if I’m going to be in a black dress, will you be in a black dress?” It’s so fun to get dressed up as a girl mom with your daughter. She loves these coordinated moments, and I have so much fun doing it with her. I hope she always wants to match her mom.

What’s the one piece of fashion advice you want to give your daughter?

To do what feels like her. I don’t want her to question herself. If she wants to wear something that doesn’t match, then she should wear it. I don’t want to raise her the way I was, where everything needed to be perfect and match, and the hair needed to be slicked, and the bow needed to be in. If she feels good in something, then that makes me feel good.

Do you help dress Brock at all?

I really do try because he’s not the most matchy person. I swear this guy will put on a gym shirt and shorts and two different patterns, and I’m just like, “Honey, you can't go out of the house like that.” Or he’ll wear tiger stripes on top and leopard on the bottom, and I’m like, “When you’re just doing you, that’s fine.” But when we go out to an event or somewhere where there will be photos, I absolutely suggest what he should wear. Usually, he listens.

How do you think your style and Brock’s have evolved since the show?

I don’t know that his has necessarily, but I coordinate looks much better now. Before it was all about the statement necklaces. Now, I like looks that are elevated but affordable, especially for our interviews.

What’s your most memorable VPR look? Best and worst.

Best is my second wedding. That dress was stunning, designed by me and made by my friend Pol' Atteu, and was just so beautiful. I have so many least favorite looks, I wouldn’t know where to start. Some of the Pride looks were a little out there, but the first couple of seasons of interview looks with the statement necklaces were just... I just have to remind myself that it was the time.

You mentioned you've been a longtime fan of the brand. Did you ever wear SHEIN on VPR?

I’m sure I have. I mean, the number of pieces I have in my closet. I know that Lala has [SHEIN] in her closet. She was over [at my place] the other day, and she had the cutest leopard wrap around her bathing suit, and I was like, “Wait, that is so cute. Where is it from?” SHEIN.

Did you already show her your collection?

My mom did. We were at a birthday for Janet [Caperna’s] mom, and we had just gotten the photos, and my mom showed her and her mom, and they just were like, “These are to die for.”

What about Ariana Madix? Have you spoken to her about the collection?

I have not spoken to her recently.

Do you think there’s something in this collection you could see her wearing?

She looks good in everything. And obviously, most people have been following along Ariana’s style on Love Island and just serving look after look. She and Lala both have the most amazing bodies that they could pull off any look from this collection.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.