Tips for Shopping Online
This entire outfit brought to you by online shopping. (Mine. Not his.)
Over the last decade — especially since the pandemic — online shopping has become a staple in most American homes. But the thing I hear over and over is that it's difficult to shop for clothes online. Before I became I mom, my job was to style people online: People I'd never met. And I was really good at it. Since it's no fun to drag a kindergartener to a boutique, I shop for myself almost exclusively online, and I successfully shop online for my mom who is 4'11" and a 0 Petite. Yes, that’s a real size that exists. So here are some tips to help you know which size will work best for you.
Know Your Favorite Brands
It's helpful to know how certain brands fit. For instance, I know Old Navy typically runs pretty big, so I always size down. Some of Madewell's denim starts off fitting true to size but stretches over the course of the day, so I size down. Athleta and prAna are two of my go-to brands for athletic wear and they always run true to size for me. A lot of brands that typically cater to a younger demographic like H&M tend to run small, so it's usually good to go up a size. If you're not sure, you can usually gain a lot of insight from the reviews. I do this a lot if I'm ordering something from Rent the Runway. Not only do they have stylist notes in the profile of nearly every piece, but the reviews often contain pictures so you can actually see how it fits on all different body types.
Know Your Inseam
Another good thing to know is your inseam. I'm 5'4", which is a fairly average height. But I know that sometimes a petite will work better than a regular in some pants because of the length of the inseam. As I mentioned, my mother is 4'11". That means even some petite pants are still going to swallow her. So I look for an inseam around 25" for her, and it fits great. If you're taller, you may run into the same problem. Some brands may have a tall size, but it might not be long enough if you have longer legs. Knowing what your inseam is will really help take the guesswork out of it and save you the trouble of returning.
It's also important to note that different cuts of jeans require different inseams. Even though my inseam in skinny jeans is 27", I'll definitely be looking at a much longer inseam for bootcut, flare, or wide leg. I typically wear heels with those cuts too so I don't look like the jeans are wearing me. That means I take the height of the heel into consideration as well when thinking about what inseam to look for.
Know Your Fabrics
If you have curves in various areas that need more give, make sure you pay attention to the fabric. For instance, if you have a larger bust, you probably don't want to get a fitted blouse made of polyester or satin. There's no give in the fabric, so you'll end up having gaps between your buttons (uhh...my friend told me). If you have a curvy derriere and you pick pants made of a rigid material that aren't specifically cut for curves, you'll likely end up with a gap between you and the waistband. Not only will it be uncomfortable, but you'll have to worry about giving a free show when you kneel or bend over.
Know What Styles Work Best On You
No matter your body type, some styles will be more flattering than others. Sometimes the algorithm will serve up an ad for a fantastic outfit in my feed, but I already know it just won’t work on me. Since I have a larger bust and a shorter torso, as much as I love empire waist, it makes people ask me if I’m expecting. My ankles are a little thick, which means that kick flares or capris that cut off near the ankle are not flattering on my legs — especially in flats. Things like that are good to keep in mind when you’re buying something without trying it on. Fortunately, there are some styles that are pretty universally flattering like wrap dresses or fit and flare dresses, so they are pretty safe bets.
What other challenges do you run into with online shopping? Let me know in the comments!