7 Pro Tips How to Shop Online for Clothes and Measure Garments

7 Pro Tips How to Shop Online for Clothes and Measure Garments

Online shopping is a convenient way to buy clothes and is becoming more common nowadays.
However, not knowing how the clothes look in person and how they will fit you may lead to returning them, and you may waste your time or money on clothes that you do not like.

In this article, I bring you pro tips for your best online shopping experience for clothing: from choosing the right fit and size to knowing if you will like the style you receive and the fabric type to avoid excessive buying for things you don’t need, thus saving us both time and money!

1. Making Use of EU Sizes

Garment Sizes

First and foremost, forget about the sizes you think you are if you are usually size 10, you might still be a size 8 or 12 on the website you are looking at for your new clothing.

Instead of trusting your intuition, check the size table and look for that EU size because it is the most reliable sizing system across countries internationally with the same meaning. It is good to take your measurements objectively, which EU size you are.

Check your perfect size on our store

2. Looking at the Model

Female Fashion Model in Suit

You need to see the picture of the person wearing the garment you are looking at.

Otherwise, you are more likely to buy something inappropriate for your body size and shape that does not fit you.

Looking at the model and seeing how tall s/he is and which size they are wearing will help to make the perfect choice.

For example, if the model is as tall as you and they are wearing size S: then you probably need size S and so on.

If you’re shorter and the garment will fill longer, think about it wisely; the size, height, and body type matter so much.

3. Considering Garment Length

A man taking garment measurement for the perfect size and length.

Of course, this might seem tricky, especially if you have more curves than normal models, which is very common. It is better to take your measurement for reference, for example:

  • For the T-Shirt: 

T-shirt Measurements

Measure the back from the highest point from where the neck meets the shoulder, and go straight down to the hem.

Then you do the same on yourself, placing the tape measure where the neck meets the shoulder and straight go down X centimeters you measured on the T-Shirt and deciding if it is long enough for your taste.

  • For the Dress:

Start at the same point as you do on the T-shirt and go down longer for your preferred length.

  • For a Shirt: 

You need to do the same as the T-shirt, but it is important to consider the burst, then measure your front side from the highest point to the helm.

  •  For the Sleeves:
start measuring where the arm meets the shoulder, and usually, it is where the shoulder seam is; and if you have a T-shirt, you can just that point.

Then bend your arm and measure the length you want with the arm bent. It is important to bend your arm when you measure a sleeve length where you want it to end.

Because if you measure with the arm straight, it will probably give you a shorter number, and when you cross your arms or raise your hands, typically, it shrinks, and you will feel like the sleeves are too short.

  • For a Skirt:
You can measure the back in the center, and if you see a seam with a zipper, follow the seam, and you will get the total length.
  • For Trousers:

How to Take Trouser Measurements.

You need to know the waist measurement all around, including; the hip measurement that is classic same as the skirt, and then you need to know the inseam length.

Then follow the inside seam, going from the crotch to the hem between the legs.

4. Checking the Fabrics 

You might find out that actually in between two sizes in the table based on your measurements. For example, spandex is a good thing to look for in fiber content.

You only need 1-5% of spandex in the garment in the fabric to make it a lot more flexible and stretchable to have more space when you move.

If you find spandex in the fabric, you can buy the garment of the smaller size if you are in between two.

Alternatively, you can buy something of a knitted fabric because knits stretch more to give you the comfort you need. You are better off going for a smaller size. 

But if you are looking for fabric that is woven, not knitted, and contains no spandex, it will be super stiff, and it is not going to move when you move. In this case, better go for the bigger size of the two if you are in between the two.

Learn more about fabrics and their uses, click here.

5. Checking the Dimensions

Different Clothing Dimensions

It is important to check the dimensions before you purchase, especially when shopping for accessories like; a purse and bracelet. 

If you can’t find them, ask customer service before any purchase. It is not easy to tell how big they are, compared to how they look on the website.

6. Read the Return and Exchange Policy

Usually, there is a dedicated section at the bottom of each commercial website with all the information about the Terms and Conditions, Return and Refund Policy, Terms of Use, etc.

A woman checking her phone after shopping

Some brands will ship to more countries than they accept returns from, or the returns will not be free for all countries. If that is the case, the brands must clearly state it in their policy section. It is thus worth it to quickly look at these policies to understand how a certain brand operates.

Read about our Refund Policy here.

7. Check Website Security

Yes, online shopping is convenient, easy, and time-saving, but using an insecure website is taking such a big risk.

For this case, if the website you are looking to shop from starts with HTTPS.//, the S means security, which means that the data is encrypted and safer, if not perfectly safe.

Of course, it never is, but it is much better if the website has an “S” after the “HTTP.” If the website doesn’t have that, at least for the checkout and payment section of the shopping experience, then your contact data and payment details are probably not safe.

Website SSL Security

I would strongly recommend anyone not to buy on a website that doesn’t have the ‘S’ in the URL. Because if the data leaks, it is your problem afterward. Better stay away from such websites! They do not have the basics right; you don’t know what else could go wrong.

The bottom line is that when you shop for clothes online, it is better to take a bit more time before hitting purchase, even though it is so easy – just a few clicks to check that you have these points down, to make sure you have the right garments, size, length, and you don’t have to deal with a return policy, at all.

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I hope you find these tips useful and will make you feel better equipped the next time you try shopping for clothing online.

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1 comment

Nice Piece!

Ignatious Kwatampora

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