Spring Ahead!

In spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and MY fancy inevitably turns to thoughts of shopping. I do 90% of my shopping online, and I think I have it pretty well figured out. Even though spring doesn’t officially start until March 20th, and I started my own spring shopping at some desperate point in February, I’ll share my tips now, in honor of Daylight Savings. In my opinion, it’s the unofficial official start of spring.

Measure twice, buy once. Most stores offer a size chart. Use it. I keep a cloth measuring tape in my desk drawer to double check my own measurements (which fluctuate) as well as the garment measurements. If a jacket is 34” long, or a boot shaft is 12” high, I want to see where the piece will fall on me. I also compare the heel height to shoes I already have, so I have a good idea of what’s comfortable vs. what’s bearable. If you’re in between sizes, order both at the same time so you can compare. It’s faster and cheaper than buying one, sending it back, waiting for the next one to show up, then wondering if the first one looked better after all.

Check the “details.” Sometimes this is on a separate tab. This section provides boring-but-valuable information about the item without the marketing talk like “We’re obsessed.” This is where you can find fabric type and care, garment measurements, whether or not it has a zipper, a lining, etc. If you can’t imagine how a particular fabric will feel, check the labels on some of the clothes that are already in your closet. You might find something made of similar material.

Zoom. This will give you a better idea of the fabric quality, weave, and weight. It will help you avoid buying things like see-through sweaters. Or, if you like see-through sweaters, it can help you find them.

Read reviews! This is where you’ll find the most honest information about the product without being swayed by romantic descriptions about how this is “the perfect” something and a “must have.” You can find out if the item runs big or small, feels cheap, has a funny smell, causes breakouts, or is itchy. If the site where you’re shopping doesn’t have reviews, or if there isn’t much info, turn to google. There are tons of people out there (ahem) just writing stuff. Don’t forget to pay it forward and leave your own review after you’ve tried the product for yourself.

Read body language. Is the model standing in a weird way, or pulling at the garment? Does she always have her hands in her pockets? This could be a clue that the piece has an unflattering shape. If it doesn’t photograph well, it probably doesn’t look that good in person either. And if the model can’t make it look good, what hope do the rest of us have?

Do extra research. Search for the same product on other sites. You might find a better price, and you’ll also be able to see the item on different models and from different angles. A google image search could even turn up personal photos so you can see what the item looks like on a real person. (Again, the bloggers.)

Search for coupons. If you’re checking out and see a box to enter a promo code, that’s a good reminder to do a quick google search for a coupon. I usually get mine from retailmenot.com, which lets you search by retailer or jcrewaficionada, which keeps a list of current codes for jcrew and madewell. You can also sign up for mailing lists to get sales notifications and coupon codes sent right to you. I keep a separate gmail account just for promotional mail so it doesn’t clutter up my real inbox and I can ignore the messages if I don’t want to be tempted to shop. Many companies will send you a 10% off coupon just for signing up, and you can unsubscribe easily.

Cover your butt. Check out the shipping cost and the return policy. It might be worth it to buy from a store with a higher cost if they include free shipping, and better yet, free returns. Don’t forget to search for free shipping codes. The return deadline is super important. Some stores may only give you 14 days, others will give you 90. Some have no time limit at all. No one wants to spend money on something they are not going to use, so make sure you can return it. And if you don’t like it, make sure you DO return it.

Remember real life. It’s easy to get caught up in the fantasy retailers create. Are you really going to rock metallic blue eyeshadow? Maybe you would be better off just going with a smudge of blue eyeliner. Where will you wear those over-the-knee boots? (Anywhere. If they look really good, you will wear them anywhere.) Do you have a life that can accommodate 5” heels? Do you really like those pants or do you just wish your legs looked like the model’s? Visualize what the item will look like on your own body/face, and in your life. Think about what you’ll wear with it, and where you’ll wear it. I’m all for reaching for the stars when it comes to personal style, but I’m totally against wasting money on something you won’t use. But, by all means, try stuff! You’ll never really know until you try. Sometimes you have to try a few times before you find something that works. Hopefully, these tips will help you make informed choices, and if not, well… that’s why those good return policies are important.