Rules to stick by while shopping Online
Ah! What a time to be alive! Just a few clicks here, a few taps there, and poof! There you have Santa at your doorstep, with goodies in his hands.
The difference? Instead of offering him milk and cookies, you pay your Santa and shut the door on his face… :/
So how do you exactly get this ‘Santa’ to get you the things from your wishlist and avoid making rookie mistakes while hunting online?
Fret not lovelies, this guideline might be the answer to your prayers! Remember the basic rules before buying clothes online!
Get yourself in front of a mirror
The first and foremost step is to get off your butt and take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Get comfortable, relax and really look at yourself and find out what your body shape is. There are broadly 5 shapes: Oval, Triangle, Hourglass, Inverted triangle and Rectangle. Now there are loads of other names by which you can identify shapes but let’s stick to these for now. Everyone is built differently and knowing your shape plays a huge part in choosing and buying the right kind of clothes that would suit YOU, because that’s who it is supposed to be about and no one else.
Research, Research, Research
Once you’re aware of your body shape, go online and find out what looks good on your type of shape.
When you’re an avid, compulsive online shopper like me (no, I’m not proud of it) you need to know your go-to sites; ones that have the kind of clothes you like and that suit you, have quality stuff and are within your budget (we have to be smart here you see). So research during your free time. Tell yourself that it’s completely okay if you don’t buy something right away, there is no rush! Try not to buy out of impulse because when you do find the right site and the right clothes, the wait would totally be worth it.
Know what you’re looking for
Once you find your site and have done your homework, get online but with a purpose.
It’s useless to idly sit around on your device, just scrolling through mindlessly, without a clue as to what you actually want to buy! Ask yourself how many times do you go through this scenario?
Let me tell you, there is NO point in this! You will end up wasting your time, going through one site and another, having achieved absolutely nothing (maybe dark circles from the extended screen time? No thanks!) So have a clear idea about what you want to buy. Sales come and go and there will be plenty of times when you can buy something for a good bargain. But you need to learn to be a smart shopper.
Understand that the picture on the sites are a MIRAGE!
Yes, the girls on the sites wearing the clothes look amazing! And you would practically buy the clothes off their backs if you could. But you see, you’re buying these clothes for yourself and these girls are after all, ahem, “models”. So gather your focus back to yourself. There’s nothing to feel bad about. You’re better off wearing something that looks good on YOU and not these models.
Let me also tell you that there are many instances when the clothes look better because of a great lighting or the angle, but do NOT be fooled by these beautiful mirages. Be smart by going through all the pictures they provide, zoom in if you need to. Don’t let these sites fool you into buying unnecessary, unflattering things. Stick to what you know, what you like and what looks good on you.
Embrace the option ‘try and buy’
Sites like Myntra give you the option to try before you pay for your purchase. and for those who don’t, there’s no harm in trying and returning your items (given there’s an option to return), just like you would in the real world.
Stop telling yourself that returning the items is a hassle! Because it’s not! These guys come to your doorstep for the return pick up! What more can you ask for?
So buy only if you’re truly happy with the fit and the look of the item. There’s no point in thinking you might wear it SOME day..
Lastly, don’t forget to just have fun with what you buy and wear those clothes with the confidence of a queen!