Introduction
I have to confess that I have already committed some cringy fashion purchases over the internet. A dress which appeared sunset-orange on my monitor, but came out looking like a traffic cone. Jeans that they said were slim fit but fit like baggy parachute pants. That sleeve-less blouse that I could hardly raise my arms. These experiences however painful they were to both my wallet and ego taught me more about online shopping than any blog article ever would.
As a fashion lover, I am sure you have experienced that rush, when you scroll through collections at midnights, add items in your virtual cart, and visualize being in this perfect outfit. Online shopping of clothes is a difficult business. Having no capabilities to feel fabrics, make attempts to wear something or to see actual colors, we are literally shopping in the dark. Over the years, however, I have developed techniques which have tremendously made my success rate much higher- and I am offering it to you.
Know Your Measures (And I Mean Know Them)
This is not even a secret, and the vast majority of individuals are not even aware of what they currently measure. I thought that I was a good medium in all brands. Wrong. I may be small or large depending on the retailer which is humiliating and confusing.
Take a flexible measuring tape and take your measurements of bust, waist, hips, inseam, and shoulder width. Stock these numbers in the notes of your phone. Always review the size chart and not only the size label when shopping online. European medium and American medium are not the same and fast-fashion brands can be usually smaller than the classic retailers.
This was a lesson to me when I ordered what I believed to be my standard size in a brand based in the UK. The dress was such a tight one that I could not zip past my ribcage. The size chart would have instructed me to size up on two occasions. Lesson learned.
Read Reviews As If Your Wardrobe Depends on it.
The reviews left by customers are treasure troves of information though you must read them strategically. Be sure you are not merely checking the star rating, but peruse the written reviews and particularly the ones with photographs. With these real-life images, you get to see what the garment really looks like and not the professionally lit and styled one on the product page.
Take note of repeated remarks. When five other individuals tell you that a jacket fits small in the shoulders, trust them. When several people review it and claim it is a transparent cloth, there is a high likelihood that it is a transparent cloth. I also seek reviewers of my own type of body- they have an experience that I would most likely be having.
Once I disregarded reviews that a linen blend shirt was in fact largely polyester. I civilly purchased it because I believed that people were over dramatic. They weren't. It came in like a plastic bag and directly to the garbage donation section.
Know Before You Buy Return Policies.
This may be the most valuable tip in this list. Familiarize yourself with the return policy before you do the purchase. How many days do you have? Who pays return shipping? Are there restocking fees? There are a few boutique stores that do not also take credit cards, only store credit, and this is acceptable when you are already in love with the brand but is frustrating when nothing fits.
I have a simple spreadsheet of retailers of my choice and their return policies. Both Nordstrom and Zappos have the advantage of having large return windows and free shipping returns in both directions and are a safer choice when it comes to trying new styles. In the meantime, I am safer with smaller brands that impose return fees on me, I do not make purchases there unless I am quite certain about an item.
End of life sales products are tempting when discount is high, yet I have been deceived on numerous occasions. I do not buy items on final sale unless it is something I know I will definitely wear (or a simple tee).
Learn the Art of Fabric Analysis.
Fabric content will tell you nearly everything you want to know about how a garment will fall, feel and wear out. I never purchase without first checking the composition of fabrics.
Synthetic fibers do not breathe easily and are not as comfortable as their natural counterparts, such as cotton, linen, silk and wool. Nevertheless, they can also get easy to wrinkle and are in need of special care. Polyester and nylon are strong and not wrinkly but may be sweaty and inexpensive.
Blends could be the best of both worlds a cotton and polyester blend could provide you with a light, breathable top and a wrinkle-free polyester top to go. However, beware of high percentage of synthetic in products that say that they are made of silk or linen. Polyester is considered a silk blend with 95 percent polyester.
One time I ordered a really gorgeous sweater made of cashmere but at a too good a price. As it came, the label said 10 per cent cashmere, 90 per cent acrylic. After being worn once it was scratchy and pilled. I am now reading the content of fabric religiously.
Shopping Early in the Week is a Good Idea.
This is an insignificant tip that I learnt by a friend who works in e-commerce. A large number of brands replenish their stocks at the beginning of the week, Monday or Tuesday. As long as you are eying a popular item, then there are higher probabilities of getting your size in stock on these days.
Weekends, on the contrary, are characterized by a lot of inventory being picked over. Also, in case of failure and you have to do a return, ordering early in the week will have plenty of time in the window of returning.
Create Multiple Photos and Zoom.
I prefer to look through all the product images on the photo page and zoom in on the texture of fabrics, the quality of the seams, and the assembly of the product. What you can find--you see loose strings, or shabby machinery, or what seems to be skinnier fabric than stated in the advertisement.
I also consider the way the garment is designed. In some cases, the retailers can attach clips at the rear to make clothes appear tight, although it is not the case. When all pictures are made of the model in the same angle, it is a red flag.
Like Brands on Social Media to Get Honest Feedback.
Surprisingly, Instagram and Tik Tok have become the new source of genuine fashion reviews. Look up the brand name or individual object on these sites to watch the way that real individuals wear and rate pieces. Fashion influencers who are experts in their field can also offer a lot of information regarding quality, fit, and the value of the items.
It was by watching a TikTok creator that I learned about one of my favorite denim brands because they demonstrated how their jeans fit my body type. The presence of the jeans on other real people led me to an order, which came out to be the best.
You Should Trust Your Gut (And Your Screenshots Folder).
When something does not feel right, it is time to listen to your gut, e.g., the price of something is too good to be true, the site does not look good, or there is no review. I have a folder of screen shots of things that I may want to buy to get me to think about what I will buy; I do not follow impulse buying.
Shopping fashion online is a learning process that needs practice and patience and learning how to make mistakes. However, nothing is better than when you do it right- when that package comes and it works out- it fits and works. Happy shopping!
FAQs
What happened to be the ways of determining whether an online clothing store is legitimate?
Confirm the contact details, read the customer reviews on third-party websites, check if your payment method is secure (checking whether there is HTTPS), and search the company in social networks.
How can I identify my size when one is shopping at a foreign brand?
Always make sure that you do use the size chart of the particular brand and measure yourself. The general size conversions are not reliable and are widely different depending on the country of origin or brand.
Can I go up or down in case I am in the middle of sizes?
Test reviews to be instructed. In case the product is made (such as a blazer), scale up. In the case of flowing or stretchy products, the regular size is enough.
What is the time to take before calling customer service to enquire about an order delay?
Wait 2-3 business days after the estimated delivery date, contact us and provide your order number, and tracking information.
Are the costly online stores necessarily of high quality?
Not necessarily. The cost does not necessarily mean quality. Review read reviews and construction details in photos to determine the actual quality irrespective of the price point.
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