Online shopping can save a lot of time & money and I know how precious time is to a working woman. Having been an auditor for a few years myself, I know what it is to work 80 hour weeks. Between working, eating & sleeping, there is not much time left to even hit the gym, let alone hit the shopping mall for that jacket you desperately need. Imagine also having a child or 2, life can get hectic pretty fast. I see my friends constantly struggling with time, yet they are reluctant to shop online. Their excuse usually revolves around not knowing if something will fit them. Truth be told, I don’t blame them, if you never gave it a try or got informed about how to pick a size, it can be tricky. I also like to try things on in a dressing room in front of a mirror to make sure it fits just right. However, after trying countless garments, I have a pretty good idea of what cuts look good on me. I also began to understand how the material composition of clothes made them fit. Is there stretch in material or is it stiff? I have thus became an avid online shopper. All you really need is a laptop, a credit card, a measuring tape & an understanding of the types of fabrics out there. Every website has a size chart & most websites show details about the type of fabric. They also either show the measurements of the model wearing the garment, or the measurements per type of garment. Here are two examples of a size charts you can find. This one is from Shopbop:
According to this size chart, this coat is made out of 94% wool & 6% nylon, the model is wearing size XS & her measurements are: height 5’9 (or 176 cm), bust/chest 31′ (or 80 cm), waist 23′ (or 58 cm) & hips 35′ (90 cm). Now, all you need is to take out your measuring tape, get your measurements right & compare them to the model. Measure your bust, waist & hips. Try to be as precise as you possibly can. Below is a diagram of how to properly measure yourself. For more precise details, click HERE.
If you have a coat made out of wool already in your closet, take a look at its composition & size and compare it to the coat above. Remember that wool is warm & nylon is stretchy. From what it looks like, this coat is mostly made out of wool, except for the sweater-like sleeves that probably have more nylon in them. I usually like to place myself in the middle of the spectrum. Since this coat comes in 5 sizes from XXS to L, this usually means the coat is made on the larger side. It’s not common to find XXS. Since the model is wearing XS & based on her measurements, I would probably buy this coat in a small. Now, start with the size chart & using the measurements you took & similar items in your closet you can easily find your size. The same logic applies to all garments – tops & bottoms. Remember to use your measurements the correct way. For tops, use your bust/chest measurements & for pants & skirts use your waist & hips measurements. Also consider your personal style when selecting a size – do you prefer your clothes to be tight or loose? If doubting between two sizes, ask yourself that question & you’ll be sure to find the right fit for you!
Here is another example of what you can find. Zara does not give details about the model measurements, but instead shows you the exact measurements of their sizes in terms of bust, waist & hips for each type of garment. This information should be used in conjunction with fabric composition of the garment. There is a reason that sometimes you will buy a small, sometimes a medium and sometimes a large may not fit at all – it’s all about the fabrics the garments are made out off. Here is what Zara’s size chart looks like (click on the image below for a better view):
I will be honestly with you, I get my online purchases right 90% of the time. Yes, it’s true, there is that 10% that seems to escape me sometimes. Why? There are several reasons – sometimes the cut is just not flattering, but other times I just make a bad call. I’m off by a couple of cm & I still take a shot, thinking it will fit & it doesn’t – it happens! What do you do? Well, you can do 3 things: 1) Return it – make sure to check the return policy! A lot of stores offer in store returns, others accept returns via mail only, but the cost is paid by the buyer. 2) If you cannot return the item or if you don’t want to pay the return fee, you can try selling it! Ebay is an easy option. 3) Keep it & use it in a different way. For example, if a top is too small, maybe you can use it as a layering piece. If it’s too big, maybe you can use it to create an oversized look. You can also bring it to a tailor and see if it can be refitted. At the end of the day, it’s only with trial and error that you will decide whether online shopping makes your life easier and your wallet lighter or not.
To help you further, I came up with a brief list of typical fabrics & their characteristics:
–Cotton: absorbent, durable & comfortable. It’s used in 100% cotton, denim, flannel, etc.
–Wool: Warm, resistant & versatile. It’s used in wool blends, tweed, flannel, jersey, etc.
–Linen: Resistant & wrinkles easily. It’s used for summer clothing, suits, pants, etc.
–Silk: Shiny, resistant & absorbent. It’s used in delicate clothing.
–Rayon: Light, absorbent & versatile. Commonly used in conjunction with other fabrics.
–Acrylic: Light, soft & warm. It’s used for flannel, fleece & jersey.
–Polyester: Resistant, elastic & durable. Commonly used in conjunction with other fabrics.
–Nylon: Resistant, durable, elastic.
–Spandex: Very elastic, deteriorates easily. Commonly used in denim.
–Modal/Viscose (types of rayon): Resistant & elastic. Used in flannel, faux fur, pants, etc.
For more details or other fabrics, click HERE
Here is a list of tools you can use to quickly find what you are looking for online:
-Google browser
-E-tailer websites – if you know which store you want to shop
-Fashion finders such as Shopstyle/Polyvore/The Hunt, etc
-Pinterest
-Blogs, etc.
Be sure to type in the right key words to describe what you are looking for.
Finally, here it a quick list of some online stores I like to shop at: Shopbop, Asos, Nordstrom, Forever 21, Zara, Mango, Ebay, Sheinside, Simons, just to name a few.
I truly hope you found this helpful & that you gain more faith in online shopping! Happy Friday!!
Kisses,
WCX