Kim Kardashian's Skims Responds to $148 Advent Calendar Backlash

Kim Kardashian's brand Skims is trying to make things right with unhappy holiday shoppers.

The shapewear and loungewear label has responded to growing backlash over its $148 advent calendar, which customers say was filled with items that weren't worth the price.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, a Skims spokesperson told TODAY the company is "aware of the feedback" and has offered everyone who bought the calendar a refund or store credit.

What Skims said

In its statement to TODAY, the brand admitted that "for some, the calendar didn't meet expectations."

"We have personally contacted every customer who purchased the calendar and offered them a choice of a full refund or a SKIMS credit to put towards other products," the statement reads.

The company added that customer happiness is its top priority. "We want every customer to be truly happy with what they receive from SKIMS," the statement continues. "Their feedback matters to us and will directly shape how we approach future releases."

Kardashian, who co-founded the brand, had not personally commented on the backlash as of Monday, Nov. 9. The statement came through the brand and her representatives.

What was inside the calendar?

The product was sold as an "accessories advent calendar" with 12 days of surprises.

Instead of the clothing, shapewear or loungewear that Skims is known for, the boxes held small accessories. According to the contents listed on the Skims site, the items included:

• Keychains, including a bear, a comb and a logo keychain
• Hair elastics and satin scrunchies
• Hair clips and bobby pins
• Headbands
• A Skims "squishy" stress toy
• A faux-fur compact mirror keychain

The calendar sold for $148 in the U.S. and £158 in the U.K. By Nov. 9, it was no longer available to buy on the Skims website. Some outlets reported it as sold out with a waitlist, while others said the listing had been pulled, and Skims has not said which.

Shoppers sound off online

Once customers started opening their calendars, the reaction spread fast.

Unboxing videos on TikTok showed buyers growing more frustrated with each door they opened. TODAY reported that one TikTok unboxing had more than 47 million views by Nov. 7, and E! News later put it at nearly 65 million.

Beauty creator Kayla Ryan, who has 1.6 million followers, also went through the calendar day by day. She joked that she hoped the last surprise would be "a $150 gift card for all my money back," and she called it "the worst Advent calendar to ever exist," according to The Daily Beast.

On Threads, other users piled on. "Skims really got people paying $150 for stuff you'd throw in the junk drawer," one person wrote alongside a photo of hair ties and other accessories.

Another user said they felt "offended" after watching an unboxing video. "$148 for THAT?!" they wrote, adding that they didn't think the box was worth $20.

Not everyone was surprised

Some shoppers pointed out that the calendar was clearly labeled as an accessories set, and that the contents were listed on the Skims website.

Still, many felt that a $148 price tag set high expectations. For a brand best known for its bodysuits, bras and loungewear, fans had hoped for at least a few wardrobe pieces inside.

That gap between what people expected and what they received seems to be at the heart of the complaints.

Part of the Skims Holiday Shop

The advent calendar was part of the Skims Holiday Shop, which opened on Oct. 29.

The holiday collection includes limited-edition sleep sets, lounge styles, slippers, blankets, kids' pajamas and even a pet sweater. The campaign was shot by photographer Nadia Lee Cohen and features Kardashian alongside her sisters Kourtney and Khloé Kardashian and Kendall and Kylie Jenner, posing for vintage-inspired holiday portraits.

In a statement to Maxim, Kardashian said the holidays have "always been such a special time for our family" and that bringing her sisters together for the campaign "was so much fun."

Skims' Instagram post announcing the Holiday Shop.

Read more: Khloé Kardashian Says There Will Never Be Another Dolly Parton

Advent calendars and high expectations

Skims is not the first big brand to face criticism over a pricey holiday calendar.

In December 2021, Chanel's $825 beauty advent calendar drew backlash after a TikTok unboxing showed items such as stickers and magnets. Chanel said it was sorry the calendar "may have disappointed some people." A year later, Dior's $3,500 calendar was called underwhelming after beauty creator Jackie Aina's unboxing videos went viral.

Advent calendars are also a growing business. In the U.K., Circana data reported by Cosmetics Business showed prestige beauty advent calendar sales topping £13.9 million in a single week of late August 2025, more than double the same week a year earlier.

When the math doesn't add up, unboxing videos can quickly turn a holiday product into a viral talking point. That is exactly what happened here, with social media users sharing their reactions in real time as each day's surprise was revealed.

A quick response from the brand

What stands out about the Skims situation is how quickly the company acted.

Rather than staying silent, the brand reached out directly to buyers and offered both a full refund and a store credit option. Reports on the email sent to customers say shoppers can either return the calendar for a refund or keep it and take store credit for the full amount.

Skims also said the feedback would shape future products, a sign that the company is taking the criticism seriously. For many customers, the choice of a full refund may help cool things down. Others may choose to use the credit on Skims' core products instead.

Skims' rise to the top

Kardashian launched Skims in 2019 with co-founder Jens Grede. The brand started with shapewear and has since grown into loungewear, sleepwear, swimwear, men's clothing and more.

In 2025, Skims teamed up with Nike on NikeSkims, an activewear line that launched in September 2025. Kardashian is the brand's co-founder and chief creative officer and is often the face of its campaigns.

The company was valued at about $5 billion after a funding round in November 2025. That success is part of why this calendar drew so much attention. When a brand is that popular, shoppers expect a lot.

The Skims calendar at a glance

• Product: Skims accessories advent calendar, 12 days of gifts
• Price: $148 in the U.S., £158 in the U.K.
• Contents: Keychains, hair elastics, scrunchies, clips, bobby pins, headbands, a squishy and a compact mirror
• The complaint: Shoppers said the small accessories were not worth the price
• Skims' response: A full refund or Skims store credit for every buyer
• Status: No longer available on the Skims website

Tips for holiday calendar shoppers

The Skims story is a good reminder for anyone planning to buy an advent calendar this season.

Before buying, check the full list of contents and compare it with the price. Many brands share exactly what is inside, and a quick look can save you from a disappointing unboxing later.

It also helps to think about whether you would actually use the items. A calendar full of small accessories may be fun to open, but it may not feel like a good deal if you were hoping for bigger products.

Finally, check the brand's return or refund policy. In this case, Skims chose to offer refunds after the backlash, but not every company does that for holiday sets.

Kim stays busy

Meanwhile, Kardashian has plenty going on outside of Skims.

Season 2 of her legal drama All's Fair premiered on Hulu on Nov. 4. In late October, she stopped in Mexico City for the show's press tour in a Schiaparelli couture gown and shared photos from the stop on Instagram.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, she attended the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles in a burgundy sequin Gucci gown. Back in October, she made headlines when she dressed up as her daughter North West, 13, with bright blue hair and fake piercings.

What happens next?

For now, Skims' advent calendar is no longer available on the brand's website, and buyers have been offered their money back.

The brand has promised that customer feedback will guide its future releases, so shoppers may see changes to next year's holiday products.

Whether the calendar returns in a new form remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: fans are paying close attention to what they get for their money, especially during the holiday season.