There’s no doubt about it. People love to shop online, and a lot of them are finding new ways to buy stylish clothes.
According to a 2017 Statistic Brain Survey about consumer online shopping behavior, 58.1% of participants said that they were planning on purchasing clothing online over the next 6 months.
There are a ton of places to shop online, but finding the right size can be difficult.
Luckily, we’re here to help.
If you’re sick of returning orders to find the right size, read on to learn how to pick right the first time around.
Finding The Right Size Online
You don’t need to physically try on clothes to make sure that they’re the right size for you. There’s plenty you can do on your own to ensure that you have clothing that fits.
If you’re ready to embrace online shopping, make sure you follow these tips to find the perfect size. After you’re done reading this, you’ll be able to buy a ball gown or a suit online.
Have The Right Tools
Do you want to have as accurate of a measurement as possible? Don’t use the regular measuring tape you have, switch to something you can work with.
You can easily find measuring tape that isn’t rigid and can bend and flex with ease. Most seamstresses use tape that’s like ribbon and can easily confirm with anything you have.
If you don’t have flexible tape, don’t worry. Simply use a piece of yarn or string to measure yourself around, the cut it when you get to the right length. When you measure that yarn or string against measuring tape, you’ll have your true size.
Measure Accurately
It can be difficult for women to know their true size because of the underwear they wear. Even a slightly padded bra could throw off your measurements.
If you want to get your measurements right, wear the plainest underwear you can find. Bras shouldn’t have underwire or padding, and underwear shouldn’t also double as shapewear.
These kinds of undergarments may make you seem leaner or bigger than you actually are. That’s why it’s important to take measurements with undergarments that are as plain as possible.
Check The Size Charts
Numbers are exact measurements and can be hard to get wrong. However, sizes like small, medium, large, and extra large leave a lot of room for interpretation.
These sizes are nothing more than names, and nearly every retailer you find is going to have a different definition of what a medium actually is.
The easiest way to find the right size and avoid problems is to take time to look at size charts. Most size charts have in-depth information that accurately follows measurements.
Go To The Professionals
Have you measured yourself countless times and still can’t find the right size when you shop online?
Instead of looking for another retailer, it may be time to get measurements from someone else.
If you’re not confident in your own measuring abilities or want to ensure that you’re getting the best fit possible, consult a tailor.
Tailors aren’t just available for custom work. They can help measure you and give you advice on what cuts would work best for you. They can also help make clothes appear more flattering.
Research Materials
When you want to find the right size you’re probably focused more on size numbers and labels. But if you want to find clothes that really fit you, paying attention to the materials tag would be much more helpful.
When it comes to comfort, the feel of material can be just as important as size.
If your main focus is style, you may be willing to go with a material that’s a bit sheerer and slightly less comfortable than others. If you want to feel comfortable you may be better off looking for cotton or polyester blends.
Are you not sure what fabrics you like the most? There’s an easy way to find out!
Go through your current wardrobe and think about what pieces of clothing you feel the most comfortable in. Take a look at their tags and see what materials each piece is made out of.
See It In Motion
There’s a lot of clothing that looks good in pictures or on mannequins but looks terrible when it’s in motion.
True to see if you can view any videos of models walking and moving in the clothing you’re thinking of buying. Fashion shows are a great way to see clothing in motion, but they aren’t the only way.
A lot of clothing sites are starting to utilize video in their stores. Shop around and see if you can find retailers that are already utilizing video.
Go For Niches
Are you looking for clothing for a very specific occasion? Looking for things at a specialty or niche retailer can ensure that you find the right size and clothing that fits.
Are you shopping for a black-tie wedding? Instead of sorting through clothes at regular clothing retailers, look for someone that specializes in formal wear.
Do you need a bathing suit for a beach party? Find someone like Hogan’s Beach Shop that knows how to properly fit someone in a bathing suit.
Niche retailers understand what their customers are looking for. It won’t be hard to find whatever you need there.
Read Reviews
Advice and tips from other people can be very helpful when you want to find the right size.
A lot of popular clothing retailers have reviews listed at the bottom of nearly every item listed on their website.Many of them allow people to list the size they wore along with their review.
If you want to find clothes that fit, be sure to pay attention to them.
See if people that wore your size thought the clothing was too tight. Also, pay attention to other “fitting” issues like the bunching up of fabric.
Your Turn
Do you have tips for finding the right size that can make it easy for people to find clothes online? Be sure to tell our readers about it in the comments section.
Do you want to learn more about more about fashion and style? Be sure to check out our blog- we cover everything from the latest clothing trends to finding the right hair stylist.