While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
OnceWas is an independent Australian womenswear brand, designed in Melbourne for women who appreciate beautiful fabrics, flattering fits and timeless style. We believe great fashion should make you feel as good as you look. Our collections are thoughtfully designed to celebrate women of all shapes, sizes and stages of life, with a focus on effortless elegance, versatility and individuality. What makes OnceWas different is our attention to detail. From our exclusive prints, developed in our Melbourne design studio, to our considered silhouettes, beautiful natural fabrics and intricate craftsmanship, every piece is created with quality, comfort and longevity in mind. We understand that fit is everything. With decades of experience in garment design and construction, we take particular care to create flattering styles that complement real women's bodies. Our inclusive size range from AU6 to AU20, along with our dedicated Under 5'4" petite collection, reflects our commitment to helping more women feel confident in what they wear. We don't believe in disposable fashion or chasing every trend. Instead, we create distinctive, versatile investment pieces that you'll love wearing season after season. OnceWas is about celebrating your individuality and feeling effortlessly confident in your own style.
Australia
4.2
15 reviews
No recent history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 2 weeks
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Had a fantastic experience in store. Jess was super helpful and patient. Very happy with my purchases.
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Hi Nikole,
Thank you for your lovely feedback and we look forward to welcoming you in store again soon.
We hope you love your new Spring looks for many seasons to come!
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Service
Love their outfits - got a perfect dress for a wedding
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thanks so much Di and we hope you love wearing your dress to the wedding and many more occasions to come!
Warm regards,
OnceWas customer service x
I LOVE Once Was clothing ! Finally an Australian brand that is beautifully designed, well made, comfortable that has all ages mind. Stylish, effortless and amazing fabrics. I never not get asked "where is your outfit from"....every time I wear. I have slowly replaced my entire wardrobe with Once Was as the capsules always tie back with previous designs. The personal service from Belinda and the team always make me feel special ! 💓💓💓
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thanks you so much for your kind words Nicole! You look amazing in everything you try on and we absolutely love seeing how you paid back your new season pieces with styles from our past collections. It's always such a treat when we get a chance to have you in our styling studio in person! We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Warm regards,
Belinda & the OW team x
I recently purchased a sale dress from OnceWas for $269. Before ordering, I carefully followed the sizing instructions provided on their website and took my measurements as recommended. Based on those measurements, I selected a larger size than I would normally wear.
When the dress arrived, it was significantly oversized and did not fit as expected. My initial enquiry regarding an exchange was unsuccessful, as I was advised that sale items were not eligible for return or exchange. I was also frustrated that there appeared to be limited options to escalate the matter beyond the online chatbot.
However, the OnceWas customer service team has since contacted me directly to discuss my concerns. They took the time to review the circumstances and, while the item was purchased on sale, they recognised that I had relied on the sizing guidance provided on their website when making my purchase decision.
As a gesture of goodwill, OnceWas has offered me a credit note, which I appreciate. While the original experience was disappointing, I would like to acknowledge the company's willingness to listen to customer feedback and work towards a fair resolution. To be fair also, there are in fact phone numbers that can be used to speak directly with customer service. Their follow-up and commitment to customer satisfaction have greatly improved my overall impression of the brand.
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Hi Miriam,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, and we are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your experience.
We understand how frustrating it is to receive a garment that does not fit as expected, particularly when you have taken the time to review sizing information before placing your order.
We invest significant effort into helping customers choose the right size, including providing body measurements, garment measurements, model sizing information, and a detailed guide on how to take measurements. However, we also appreciate that fit preferences and body proportions can vary from person to person, and unfortunately sizing guidance cannot guarantee the perfect fit for every customer.
We would also like to clarify that the dress purchased was a Final Sale item. As outlined on the product page, at checkout, and within our returns policy, Final Sale styles are not eligible for return, exchange, credit note, or refund unless deemed faulty.
That said, we never want a customer to feel unsupported. While our website chatbot provides after hours assistance and information about our policies, customers can also contact our Customer Care team directly via email or phone which is manned during business hours.
We are disappointed to hear that your experience has left you feeling this way, as exceeding customer expectations is one of our core values. While we understand that our Final Sale policy did not provide the outcome you were hoping for, we never want a customer to feel unsupported.
Our Customer Care team has already been in touch with you directly to better understand your concerns and review your experience. We appreciate the opportunity to have that conversation and thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, which helps us continually improve the experience we provide to our customers.
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Care Team
I placed an order online and within 30min it was dispatched to me, arriving the next day! Packing was great, coming in a white bag which I can reuse for travel! Great service and thank you for being so efficient! Very impressed!
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely review, Jess! We take great pride in aiming to dispatch orders as quickly as possible so you don't have to wait to long to enjoy your beautiful purchase.
We hope you enjoy your OnceWas pieces for many seasons to come.
Warm regards,
OnceWas customer service
Had a wonderful time on the most recent open day! The young shop girls did a great job at styling me and helping me find my size. I didn't even know about the petite range but it's a great idea for the short gals like myself!
Reply from oncewas.com.au
We are so happy to hear that our team could help you find the perfect size Roze, and hopefully our Under 5'4 range means no alterations are required for you to get the right fit. We look forward to styling you again soon!
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Service
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Natasha! We look forward to welcoming you again soon.
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Service
Exceptional customer service in store at their open day last Friday. Thank you for the styling advice and for helping find a perfect outfit. Walked away with an outfit I would have never tried on if I wasn’t encouraged to. Thank you
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review, Jessica! We hope you love your new outfit & look forward to styling you again soon.
Warm regards,
OnceWas customer service
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Georgie!
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Service
New to this brand & blown away at the level of care & friendliness of its staff. I called to ask about sizing as I was unsure of what size to get & was educated on the Petite range, which is perfect for me. Very impressed by the level of service & willingness to help. No questions I had were left unanswered. Thank you for providing such high quality service & product
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your lovely feedback, Kylie. We are so pleased we could assist with your sizing queries and introduce you to our range designed especially for customers under 5'4".
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Care Team
**Edit - this matter was favorably resolved in line with the response from Once Was. I have adjusted the star rating accordingly.**
I loved the pants I purchased, unfortunately the fabric is fragile, and split after a couple wears.
Trying the bigger size was offered by once was, and I agreed to try them. Unfortunately, the larger size was far too large, so I requested a refund.
I had received a gift with purchase (GWP) with these pants. A small silk scarf rrp ~$140!!!. The first line in the response to the refund request was the stipulation the GWP must be returned in unused unworn condition. Given the circumstances the GWP being unused or even still within my possession was unlikely. I felt an overall negative/smarmy tone in the email, and was also instructed to pay the return postage, despite the seller or retailer being responsible for paying return postage costs for a faulty returns. I got a strong impression OnceWas did not want to issue a refund and were being very bad sports about it. Based on the other reviews on this page, OnceWas establishing their way out of refunds is not uncommon.
After pointing out the postage issue and also the GWP issue, OnceWas responded chastising me for not treating their staff with courtesy and respect. Once Was initiated discourtesy and disrespecte in the first instance, and had the power to hold $299 i was entitled to. I was subsequently instructed to return the item at my expense and also the GWP in it's current condition. The GWP was used, so not in resalable condition. I returned it, but I do wonder why. Did they iron it and on-sell it? Throw it away? I feel the GWP was another little swipe at me for daring to return something. I feel if I had not stood my ground the GWP 'value' would have been deducted from my refund.
The refund communication was initially slow because onceWas had an incorrect returns email address listed on their website. I had become worried about the lack of reply and had to reach out via social media. I received no apology for this.
When purchasing I found the "can we help you" AI function useless. It took days to get a reply to my questions.
Needless to say, no matter how much I love a OnceWas item in the future, I will not spend money with them. Their unprofessional behavior in this instance will cost them long term.
At least I got most of my refund. I am annoyed they made me pay return postage though.
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We are truly sorry for the disappointment and distress this experience caused you.
We completely understand why you feel let down. When a customer loves a product but then encounters a fault, followed by a return process that feels difficult or unsupportive, it is understandably frustrating. We sincerely apologise that this was your experience with OnceWas.
We want to be clear that the way this situation was handled was not in line with our usual procedures or the standard of care we expect to provide. One of our core values at OnceWas is to exceed customer expectations, and we are just as disappointed to hear that this was not achieved on this occasion. We take full responsibility for this.
Your feedback has highlighted areas where our service fell short, including communication tone, clarity around the gift with purchase, return postage expectations, and response times. This has been escalated internally and will be used to further train and support our customer service team to ensure this does not happen again.
We are especially sorry that our communication left you feeling discouraged or disrespected. That is never our intention. Customers should always feel supported when raising a concern, and we regret that we did not meet that expectation here.
We also acknowledge the delays and inconvenience you experienced when trying to contact us, and we apologise for the added worry this caused.
While this experience is not representative of the care we strive to deliver, we appreciate you bringing it to our managent's attention. We will be reaching out to you directly via email to take responsibility for rectifying the situation properly and to see if we can begin to rebuild your trust.
Thank you again for your honesty and for giving us the opportunity to reflect and improve.
Warm regards,
OnceWas Management
The dress has a known design flaw and the company response was to go see a tailor to request they add buttons. The dress has a hook and eye closure system that is so outdated and doesn’t work. They pop open constantly. Not with the money. It was the Malika silk Cotton dress.
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Hi Leanne,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are genuinely sorry that this situation left you feeling disappointed, and we appreciate you raising it with us.
We understand how disheartening it is when an item does not perform as expected, and when the follow up communication adds to that frustration. While we very rarely receive reports of faulty items, we take every concern seriously. We would like to clarify that the issue you experienced was not a known fault with this style, and we are sorry that the information shared with you suggested otherwise. That was not correct and did not align with our usual faulty returns process.
We also acknowledge that the way this was communicated did not reflect the level of care we aim to provide. At OnceWas, exceeding customer expectations is important to us, and we are disappointed that we fell short here. We take responsibility for this and are using your feedback to support further training and review within our team.
Customers should always feel listened to and supported when reaching out with a concern. We regret that this was not how it felt for you, and that the experience caused unnecessary frustration.
While this is not representative of the experience we strive to offer, we are grateful you brought it to our management's attention. We will be in touch with you directly via email to take responsibility for resolving this properly and to see if we can begin to rebuild your trust.
Thank you again for your feedback and for giving us the opportunity to do better.
Warm regards,
OnceWas Management
As someone who’s petite, finding clothes that fit well and still feel sophisticated can be tricky — but OnceWas absolutely nails it. Every piece I’ve purchased has been beautifully tailored, flattering, and made from high-quality fabrics that drape perfectly.
I love that their collections are designed with real women in mind — stylish without being over the top, and comfortable enough to wear all day. The customer service has always been excellent, and my orders arrive quickly and beautifully packaged.
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Hi Olivia,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your lovely feedback!
We are so glad to hear that you have been happy with your purchases as well as our delivery and customer service.
We look forward to dressing you again soon.
Warm regards,
OnceWas Management
Be cautious when returning products, as issues can arise. I recently purchased two dresses that didn’t suit me and returned them for a refund. They were in their original packaging, with tags attached and in perfect condition. However, I was told a belt was missing from the return, even though I’m 100% certain it was included. As a result, my full refund was refused. This has left me feeling upset and unfairly accused. The Department of Fair Trade informed me that such situations are unfortunately common, but there’s little they can do. It was a disappointing experience overall. If you need to return items, I strongly recommend photographing everything before posting as proof, just in case something similar happens to you.
Reply from oncewas.com.au
Dear Amber,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We sincerely regret to hear that you’re disappointed with your recent return experience. Customer satisfaction is incredibly important to us, and we always strive to ensure our return process is fair and transparent for all customers.
To clarify, when your return was received at our head office, our quality control team found that the belt was missing from one of the dresses. We immediately reached out to you via email on November 14, 2024, to bring this to your attention and awaited your response while keeping the items intact in their original packaging. After a month without a reply, we followed up again on December 13, 2024. Upon hearing back from you, you advised us that you were sure the belt had been included in your return but that you would check again at home.
To ensure accuracy, we rechecked the return package on the same day while it was still in its original condition at our headquarters, but unfortunately, the belt was not located. On December 17, 2024, after further correspondence, you requested that we check our warehouse, but as we advised, all returns are processed at our head office, and our warehouse team had also completed a stocktake without locating any unaccounted-for belts.
We understand that this was a frustrating experience for you. However, as a missing item affects the value of the return, we were unable to issue a full refund for that dress. We did refund the full amount for the second item and covered the cost to return the first dress to you as per your request. Additionally, the Office of Fair Trading confirmed that we handled the return within our rights and in accordance with standard policies.
We appreciate your suggestion about photographing returns and always encourage customers to keep a record of their returns to ensure smooth processing. If you’d like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer care team at hello@oncewas.com.au.
We truly value your support of OnceWas and hope to provide you with a more positive experience in the future.
Warm regards,
OnceWas Customer Care Team
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.
