Purchasing clothes online from my favourite fashion boutique is probably my number one hobby (seriously!). However, that being said, it can be highly frustrating buying clothes online because you can’t try them on. To help you avoid issues such as this, here are our top tips:
Measurements: Although it may seem odd to some, clothing sizes vary from brand to brand as there is no universal size guide that all manufacturers and brands refer to when designing and making clothes. Therefore, it is imperative that you know your exact measurements when purchasing clothes from an online clothes boutique, as you don’t have the luxury of trying clothes on to see if they do actually fit well. If you don’t know your measurements, then get your tape measure out (or buy one if you don’t currently own one) and take all of the appropriate measurements. Compare your measurements with the size guide on the respective boutique sites to decipher which size is best for you.
Reviews: When buying anything online it is vital that you read reviews. What other customers say is extremely important as it will typically give an overview as to the fit and quality of a garment, pair of footwear or accessory. Although size guides will help you to determine the right size for you, in some cases items may not be a ‘true to size’ fit; therefore browsing reviews for comments regarding the fitting is essential. The same can be said for quality. Do customers think that the time has been constructed from quality materials? Has the piece of clothing lasted or has fallen to pieces in a matter of weeks? Find out if you can.
Catwalk: Although photos will typically give a good impression of a garment, you can never be 100% sure until you see it in the flesh. For this reason, many clothing stores and online boutiques have started uploading ‘catwalk’ videos on their site to give you an even closer and more detailed look at items you may be interested in purchasing. Although it is not as good as having the real thing in your hands, it is a step up from a photo gallery - and every little helps, right?
Returns: Never buy clothing without checking the company’s returns policy first. Although many do have the same, very flexible policies in place, some may differ, and the last thing you want to be is stuck with a piece of clothing that doesn’t fit/you don’t want and aren’t able to get a refund for your purchase. When looking through policies, find out the following: How long you have to return the item; whether returns are free or not; whether or not you can exchange the product(s) and whether there is some form of restocking fee.
Find a tailor: We all know the dreaded feeling of buying clothes from an online boutique and then finding they don’t fit when you receive them. However, you don’t always have to reach for the return bag and send them back straight away - particularly if you really like the item. Why not find a local tailor to amend the item for you? Granted, it will cost a bit extra, and not everyone can afford this, but if you’re a big fan of the product you’ve bought, then it’ll be well worth the investment in the long run. This is much easier to do if the garment you’ve purchased is too big; items that are too small are a lot harder to mane because the tailor would have to find exactly the same materials and patterns, which - as you can probably guess - would be a very arduous task indeed.
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Thanks for reading!