So contrary to popular belief I actually abhor shopping. I spent a short stint of my life working for the man as a personal shopper and realized that I love everything about shopping besides the act of shopping itself. I'm a big fan of buying things and finding good deals, but will you see me perusing the racks for shit? Absolutely not. I'm in and I'm out. But for most people who don't really know what they're looking for, it's easy to spend way too much time in a store with very little to show for it. I find that it seems people go into shopping situations with no idea what they need to be looking for. This is not only a recipe for either a.) spending way too money on items that you definitely don't need or b.) not getting anything at all. Both are unacceptable.
But there is a better way. That way: online shopping.
I find that I get a weird amount of anxiety when it comes to purchasing things in stores. I always feel pressure to buy something, even when no one who works there actually acknowledges my existence. Perhaps it's just my overly anxiety ridden personality that facilitates this, but I can't help but think that others have the same problem.
Furthermore, I on principal rarely purchase any garments full price. I am a patient man when it comes clothes so I'll almost always wait for it to go on sale. Usually this means frequent visits to check up on stuff which just tends to get weird after a while. I used to have monthly visits with a coat I found at Neiman Marcus until it was cheap enough for me to justify buying.
Now when that sale actually comes, a problem arises. I cannot control myself when it comes to in store sales. If I see a sign that has anything 50% or higher marked off, I'll 9/10 times be buying several things. I justify it because its essentially a buy 1 get 2 free deal and I'm a sucker for a good deal. But enough about that. We're here to talk about online shopping.
So first, with online shopping there are some things you should look out for.
Purchasing suits online is not for novices.
Be super cautious when buying pants
Some things require being tried on. Suits are one thing that DEFINITELY need to be tried on. Only because most men have no idea what size suit they should be wearing therefore people almost always buy the wrong size. While I think getting items tailored are a very important aspect of a proper wardrobe (I will talk about this later), for some who are too lazy or cheap to do so you need to actually put it on to see how it fits. Most places I shop tend to fit me off the rack but this is not the case with most. Also pants, mainly jeans are almost never cut to their advertised size. So if you're adamant about doing so proceed with caution.
So I've included a few places to get started looking at. These places are a weekly visit.
As previously asserted this place is one of my favorite shops. Not only is it great quality clothing, their garmets, shoes and accessories really cater to just about every kind of style. The online shop recently opened up in the US within the past year or so and they have some pretty ridiculous sales. You have to constantly monitor it because they're always changing things in and out. Furthermore, the website can be endlessly frustrating because some items which are sold out in the US are still in the queue of items because they're still available in the UK. This has led to SEVERAL hopes dashed on my part. But none the less it's always worth checking out.
This is one of my absolute favorite websites. Asos is another British fashion retailer, only its soley offered online. They have their own (super reasonably priced) line but they also carry some higher end lines as well (everything from Alexander McQueen to Marc Jacobs), many of which go on sale pretty regularly. In fact I just purchased a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs drop crotch pants for 75% off the retail price. Will I wear them? Who knows. Again, I'm a sucker for a deal. The selection is immense, the quality is great for the price and it's super easy to navigate. Great place to buy basics, like tees, socks, etc. There's also a super cool portion of the website called the Marketplace where users can sell used, vintage and handmade goods. Definitely worth checking out.
Most people have no idea that Forever21 has a menswear section. If I tell someone that I got something from here they almost always look at me like I'm crazy. While Forever21 and 21Men isn't synonymous for high quality, when it comes to be fashionable, they're pretty on target. While I usually only purchase summer clothes from here (tanks, v-necks etc.), their hats, bags, shoes, sunglasses and accessories always impress year around. I think for a college guy or a broke ass in general, low on funds who wants not look like a bro or a bum, this is your best place to start. First, because it's super cheap and secondly because it's really chic. Of course in a very manly way.
Zara (online store JUST opened in the US two months ago! Nothing on sale yet.)
So that's where I'd start gents. My course on navigating the trappings of Ebay is for another post as that's a whole different beast. Next we'll be discussing necessary items for a fall wardrobe. So go forth and find some good online deals and as Donna says Treat. Yo. Self.
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