Buying Clothes Online Easier & Enjoyable

Buying clothes online can be a scary thought for many people. There are usually a number of concerns in their head that can put them off the idea. Fill the shopping cart and then never check out, sound familiar? 

The concerns are endless. For example, what if the item comes and it’s not the right size? What if it’s the right size but it doesn’t fit? What if the store sends something damaged? What if it looks different to the image shown? What if it looks terrible on me? So many questions, so few answers usually. 

Personally I have learned the value of measuring and reviews and On-line shopping has become a treat. 

All the questions and concerns  are all valid concerns. After all, buying online is completely different from buying in-store since you never get to touch the fabric and try it on. That’s why brand loyalty is so important when buying from an online store because people want to have predictability and reliability.

However, these things shouldn’t put you off from buying your clothes online or trying different stores. So here are a couple of tips to help you make buying clothes online easier and more enjoyable. Today I am sharing a bunch of purchases I have made to show it is possible to trust in the tips. 

Measure yourself and always look at size charts

Start by measuring yourself and getting your sizes. When you buy clothes online, always look for a size chart that shows everything in actual measurements instead of arbitrary numbers and letters.

This will help you get the perfect fit for your clothes, or it can help you buy something oversized if you want it to be a little looser. Do this for everything from shoes to dresses because it’ll make a massive difference in how comfortable you feel in those clothes you buy.

I tend to size up but now that I read the size charts I am starting to trust and order more fitted pieces.

Read reviews of the stores and brands that you plan to purchase from

Before you buy anything from a store, make sure you look at reviews for the brand and also reviews on the items itself. Many online stores these days have review pages on the item itself, so you should take a look and see if there are any complaints such as the size being too small or the fabric being thin.

True to size, or fits small can b helpful guidelines. Some sites even have people include their height and weight to help you judge. 

Don’t always believe the images that you see

Don’t fall for the images you see on websites especially if it’s a relatively unknown brand. They could be using random stock images or they could be using photography tricks to make the fabric look higher quality than it really is.

When buying clothing items like dresses online, make sure you look at brands that are reputable and have a track record of providing quality items. If you’re unsure, consider looking at reviews to get more information.

My cat dress, which I love looked totally different on line.  I was expecting a full taffeta skirt.  Oops not quite what I was expecting but it still works with a crinoline. 

Look at the returns policy for each store

If you think it’s likely that you’re going to return something to the store in the future, make sure you look at the returns policy. Different stores have different policies and conditions. Some are more lenient while some are extremely strict and won’t help you in most cases.

Amazon, Old Navy and H&M have fantastic return policies , most even include the return label for you.  

Make heavy use of filtered search results

Lastly, make sure you use the filter options to make finding clothes easier. Even websites like Amazon that don’t specialize in clothes have a variety of filter options for sizes, brands and even colours.

I tend to use size and colour as my main filters to start. 

Trust your instinct and in this time of limited access, try it out.  Start small and look for something not perfectly fitted, a tunic dress or cardigan.  Each small purchase will help build your confidence.