I made my first online purchase ever from Topshop. It was a sheer black blouse with gold buttons and some kind of funky ring. I’ve never worn either of them, the blouse turned out having a split on the back that I didn’t like and the ring was a lot chunkier in a real life. Successful online shopping takes some practice (yes, really!) and today I’m taking you through my top tips that will make you a happy shopper.
Get the right fit
1. If you’re new at online shopping and unsure about sizing, I’d recommend to measure yourself. A store like Asos helps you to determine your size by bust, hip and waist measurements. I’m 84, 66, 95 (bust, waist, hip). I’m usually fine with a size 8, but I pay attention to what the fabric and fit seems like. If the material is somewhat stretchy, I’d go for an 8. If it’s a body con dress with a back-zip, I’d opt for a 10. Always read the product description carefully to make up your mind.
2. Google the name of the particular garment you want to buy and you might find bloggers (or sometimes even celebs!) wearing it. This doesn’t only give you some styling ideas, it also gives a better impression what the fit is like.
3. Some garments are easily misrepresented through a picture. It’s disappointing if the colour or fit isn’t as you expected it. I’d highly recommend to always watch the catwalk video if available. Sometimes that totally pulls me off buying it and sometimes it gives me that last push that convinces me to buy it.
4. I personally avoid fabrics that wrinkle easily. To me there’s just no point purchasing a blouse that wrinkles in a matter of minutes after you ironed it. That’s why for blouses, dresses and skirts I always check what they’re made from. Go for a blend of fabrics rather than garments that are made from 100% cotton, silk or linen.
Get the best deals
5. Sign up for the newsletter of your favourite stores, as they often send out a discount code for their ‘VIP’s’ exclusively. Asos, Topshop and Shopbop are my personal favourites. Getting 15% off on your order or have early access to sale items can save you some $$!
6. If you’re looking to purchase something very particular, e.g. a dress to wear for a special occasion, it can be helpful to pin your options onto a Pinterest board. This way you have them all in one place and comparing is easier. A few of my Pinterest boards are as following: occasion wear, wardrobe basics, wishlist. I often pin things that I don’t necessarily want to buy right now, but I just want to keep them in one place so it’s easy to make up my mind at a later stage.
7. Even if you haven’t received any discount codes from your favourite online stores, it’s surprising what you can achieve with a little research. Google for example ‘discount code asos’ and you might find one that works! It has worked for me many times.
8. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing the item you purchased just weeks ago on sale for 50% off. Major Sales usually start in mid-July, so post pone shopping until then. Yes, that’s right, NOW is the best time to shop! Other tricks to keep in mind is that major online retailers will always throw out some sort of special (note: discount code) when a public holiday is approaching.
9. It’s tempting to shop things in Sale that you wouldn’t normally buy, just because it’s cheap. If you’re guilty of doing this, write down a list of items that you really need. I personally like using Sale season to stock up on basics. Jeans, basic t-shirts, easy to throw own dresses. Not very exciting stuff, but they’re the glue that keeps outfits together.
Since we’re talking SALE, I’ve put together some of my favourite Sale items from Asos, Shopbop and Net-a-porter!
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Image source: trendenser.se
