Online Clothes shopping made easy.

There was a time when buying that one outfit meant battling the traffic to reach the store, facing long queues at trial rooms, waiting in gigantic lines at the cash counter and more importantly, finding time in one’s busy schedule to accommodate all this.

Then came the miracle called ‘online shopping‘ and our wardrobe was just a few clicks away, delivered to our doorsteps. There was no stress of traffic, no waiting in lines, no leaving the house, no changing out of our pyjamas 🙂 And now with so many secure ways of payment, cash on delivery and really heightened security for payment, online shopping is what we all prefer; not to miss the amazing deals and low prices.

But we all know that it’s not all happy and sweet.

Online shopping comes with its own set of issues- like those shirts arriving a size too small or the skinny jeans being way too skinny or the blue shirt being not the right kind of blue…

Well, we all have gone through that and it’s not a good feeling. Right?

I am a big fan of online shopping and I can proudly say that 90% of my clothes have been bought online. Initially, I had my own share of struggles with sizes and fits and colours and so on, but very soon I came up with a few rules. Now, I hardly ever face any issue.

Get a notepad, follow these rules and you will not be disappointed.

1. Note down your measurements: Before you order anything online, make note of your body measurements- neck, shoulders, sleeves, chest, waist, thighs…etc…. Use a measuring tape . If you are not able to do it yourself, ask a friend/sibling to help or go to the neighbourhood tailor. Get every measurement possible, make a note of it and keep updating it a few months as our size tends to change.

2. Compare your measurements with the size chart: Once you have your measurements ready, compare them to the measurements of the brand that you want to order. The size chart and details are always there in the product description or details, or at times there is a separate section for it. This will help you decide which size you need to order. If the site you are ordering from carries multiple brands, you will need to do some extra work. Keep an account of all the brands and sizes and your work will be lot easier in future.

3. Brand Vs size details: Every brand has different size measurements. A medium of one brand can be small of other and large of another. Please make a note of what size fits you in what brand. I know it’s not possible to make a note of sizes of all brands but the ones that you frequently buy, can be easily done.

4. Know your material: Very often we wear something and take it off because we don’t like the fabric. Not just that, our lifestyle and the climate we live in also decides the fabric we should wear. Best way to decide this is to go to our closet and pick out some of our favourite outfits, look at the tag and see the fabric used. Keep the weather in mind and make a note of fabrics you like and fabrics you don’t. While ordering anything online, go to the product details section and look at the fabric used. Don’t order anything, if it’s not made out of right fabric. No matter how beautiful it might be, you will never wear it if you are not comfortable in it and you will just clutter your wardrobe.

5. Know your styles and cuts: Fashion industry has a million words to describe fits and styles. Let me give you a few examples: a slim fit shirt will be narrower and tighter around arms, chest and waist than a regular fitted shirt. Trousers and jeans can be boot cut, relaxed, athletic, slim, regular or skinny. Decide what you like. What kind of shirts you like, how your pants or jeans should fit, how should your t-shirt fit and what cut should your dresses have. Once you know this, make a note and use it while ordering. A piece of advice; Not a bad idea to experiment with new styles and cuts. You might like it.

6. Return policy: Always read about the products return policy while ordering it online. The main points to note are-

– How many days for return?

– Is it ok to try on the garment?

– Will you get a refund or equivalent value coupon?

– Who pays for the return shipping and if it’s you then what’s the cost?

If these details are not given, there is always a question answer or query section on the site and you must ask on that, or call customer care or mail them.

7. Colour: Always remember, the colour that shows on your screen is very likely to be a bit different from the colour of the garment delivered. Be a little flexible, unless your blue outfit is delivered as red. In that case, please send it back.

8. Find an alteration tailor: Find a tailor who is nearby as a few small alterations can be easily done and you will not have to keep returning and re-ordering the clothes to get the right fit and size (which you might never find). At times a tuck here and a nip there is all that’s required to make an outfit perfect.

9. Product description: Always read the product description. It gives you really valuable information about the item, like the fabric, fit, accessories used, type of button or fly, etc.… you will also find how to care for your clothes, like machine wash/hand wash/dry-clean, etc. If its dry clean only, make sure your outfit is worth it!

10. Customer reviews: This according to me is the most important piece of information. It gives you the real picture where the garment is considered. Read as many as you can and try reading reviews mainly on size, fit, fabric and stitching. This will really tell you whether the outfit is worth buying or not, if the outfit is same as the size chart, the stitching is good or not, if it’s the same as the picture on the site and so may other details.

11. Review your cart: This is also a very important step. At times, while shopping online, we get carried away and instead of 3 items, we add 10. Always review the cart. Think twice about what you really need and what you will actually wear. If not sure, let it stay in the cart for a-few days (after all that’s the charm of online shopping) and if after a few days you still want it, go ahead and buy it.

Follow these tips and tricks and your online shopping experience will be even more delightful. After-all, don’t we all want our clothes to be perfect and what better than getting the perfect ones the first time.

Hope this article was helpful.