I buy a lot of my clothing online and thought I’d share some of my favourite sites and experiences.
Possibly the best online shop. Massive array of products and brands, their own brand is excellent quality, they deliver pretty quickly to Ireland and their returns procedure is simple. Standard delivery is free to most parts of the world. I’ve purchased from them in America and while the delivery took longer, it was simple to make a return there also. I love the site layout, photography and styling. ASOS have good sales and I’ve gotten genuine bargains. Among the stuff I’ve bought includes jeans, brogues, dresses, a handbag and a bikini. I’ve tried a lot of different products and so far been happy with everything!
To order you have to create an account with Asos. You have the option of saving a credit/debit card which is very dangerous/handy depending on how you look at it!
This site stocks vintage and independent labels. I haven’t bought from the site yet but it’s great for styling inspiration. Some of the boutiques can be expensive but I’ve seen some great unusual things on there also. Favourite brands include We are Hairy People and Florrie Jane’s Vintage. Plus it’s a great site for independent retailers to establish themselves.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I love browsing Etsy. Lately I’ve been shopping for accessories like this galaxy chain from Gina’s Tie Dye.
The chain was beautiful and I received it really quickly. Unfortunately the pendant fell off the second time I wore it! However I may have been just unlucky. Gina very kindly sent me a replacement necklace which I was thrilled with! This shop has loads of amazing stuff such as ying/yang tie-dye t-shirts and beautiful one-of-a-kind halter tops.
I’d been looking for lightweight lace bras like those from For Love and Lemons but cheaper! I struck gold when I found these beauties from Lovy House on Etsy. They are not like a traditional bra so don’t expect a lot of support from them but they are gorgeous!
I bought the black one pictured above. The only drawback is the lace is slightly itchy! They have a gorgeous selection of lace underwear. Delivery was quite quick considering this shop is based in Vietnam.
Etsy focuses on promoting handmade or customised items only and is a great promoter of independent fashion. I’ve also bought studs from them for my own customising. You can also give feedback when you receive a product and payments can be made easily through Paypal. The only annoying thing about Etsy is that if you are buying from different stores you have to make each purchase individually. As most shops are small businesses you will generally have to pay delivery charges. I haven’t had to return anything to this shop yet.
This is a huge online Chinese shop which ships all over the world. Their printed sweaters are my favourite items and they have great unique clothing. They are cheap and have lots of “flash deals” where certain items will be on promotion for 24 hours only. Delivery does take a while but that’s to be expected from China.
Romwe sizes can be quite small also so bear this in mind. I haven’t bothered returning anything that didn’t fit (only once this has happened) as the return would cost the same as the original purchase. I’ve bought a sweater, a skirt, rucksack and a dress from them. The dress was the only unsuitable item being a little too small but it was only €11 so I gave it to a charity shop.
Oasap is a store which I’ve only bought from once. I bought a pair of printed leggings which were very unusual and cool. The size was good but the colours were quite different in real life and also the fabric was less shiny and slightly transparent. Jury’s out for now! Delivery took some time.
I decided to try Stradivarius’ online shopping service which is quite new to Ireland. The process is quite simple, you order an item either to your home and pay for delivery or you can pick it up in store for free. I bought these cute blue espradilles.
You get an email when the item is sent and a text when delivered in store. Returns can be done in store also.I thought it took long enough for it to be delivered considering the stock is only coming from Spain.
Previously I devoted a whole post to this site as I went through an obsession with it! Nastygal have an emphasis on daring sexy outfits and bohemian clothing. I’ve bought one dress from them which was nice but the material wasn’t great quality. They are based in America so again shipping takes some time.
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN SHOPPING ONLINE!
How soon do you need this item? Many shops may take 2-3 weeks with standard shipping.
Will you be able to return it easily? Read the returns policy carefully, some shops may charge for returns or may not allow returns on sale.
How much will delivery cost? An item may appear very cheap until you add in the cost of shipping! Is it worth it when you have allowed for delivery charges? Some shops have a discount if you buy several items but you may have to spend a lot.
Will it look like this in real life? Remember the camera lies and the item may be a different colour/texture to how it appears online. If in doubt read the description to see what material it is and what care it requires before buying. Some stores will let you ask questions and others allow previous customers to leave feedback which is generally the best indicator.
What are the sizes like? Probably the most important factor to consider, check the sizing guide very carefully and read any comments/feedback regarding sizes. Some sites have vintage “free size” items which will pretty much fit a size 8-12 depending whether you want to wear it baggy/long/fitted etc. Others describe items as “runs small”, “runs large” or “true to size.”
When buying from independent retailers, check that the payment methods are secure and that sellers have good feedback. All the sites I’ve listed are reputable.
Happy shopping all! Hope you have enjoyed this post, thanks for visiting the blog as always. You can like my blog on Facebook here if you’d like to see more. I’ll be preparing my next post on the Sea Sessions festival in Donegal, stay tuned! 😉
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