Long Weekends, Train Rides & Online Shopping

Everybody loves long weekends. Having an extra day to catch up on things (or sleep in) is always appreciated. I used Friday as a travel day to head to my parents’ place – a small town of 12,000. Coming home is always bittersweet; I absolutely love spending time with my family and catching up with old friends, but other than that there’s not much to do (there’s not even a small coffee shop where I can chill with some wifi). After spending some time binge watching ’13 Reasons Why’ with my brother and sister (a must watch), I turned to my favourite hobby – (online) shopping.

“Your favourite hobby is spending the green? Go figure.”

– My 14 year-old smart-ass brother, reading over my shoulder as I type. 

I love shopping (can’t you tell?), but online shopping has an even more special place in my heart. Since moving to Toronto I’ve started visiting malls less and less, and opting for online shopping experiences. In Toronto all of the good stuff is ALWAYS sold out and finding deals is extremely competitive. I used to be very big on mall shopping when I didn’t live here [Toronto] but I think this was due to me living in areas where other people didn’t take fashion as seriously, so there was always quality items available. The trick to having a fully stocked killer wardrobe isn’t to buy inexpensive things, but to buy quality items at great value. Online shopping allows for that.

My Online Shopping Tips

When I shop, I shop smart. I love having a nice full wardrobe, but also love a nice full wallet. Online shopping really gives you the flexibility of both.  When you shop in a store you’re usually tempted to buy something if you “kind of ” like it. Most people don’t want to “wait on it” for the fear that the items will be gone tomorrow while others buy something they don’t really like just for the sake of shopping. We’ve all been guilty of buying something just because we made the trip to the mall and didn’t want to leave empty handed – it’s time to stop wasting your heard earned dollars.

I’m working on a (different) blog post at the moment discussing the tools and apps I use to shop smart- everything from discount apps to shopping cart tools. In the meantime, here are my 5 tips for shopping online to make sure every purchase is the right purchase.

1. Don’t Make Your Purchase Right Away

To make sure I don’t have any buyer’s remorse, I fill my cart up at night before going to bed, but make the purchase in the morning. This way I can take another look at my potential new pieces with a clear mind. If I still love it during the second look I pull the trigger.

2. Check Multiple Stores

If I’m purchasing something more generic, say a black bomber, I check multiple stores. Just because you’re checking one store and find a black bomber you like doesn’t mean it’s the best one out there at that price point. Check a few competitors and see if they have a similar item – you might find a better fit at a better price.

3. Make A Separate Email For Your Online Purchases

This is for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s a great place to keep track of your receipts in case you need to make a return. Secondly, you should sign up for the newsletter from any retailer you like shopping at. Most end up sending you emails with some sort of coupon, or at least send a reminder for their sales. No one likes getting daily spam emails which is why I really recommend making a second email just for shopping.

4. Read Reviews

I can’t stress this enough, but you should definitely read the reviews for the online retailers that do have a review section for their pieces. You can usually find it if you end up scrolling near the bottom of the clothing page (example: Urban Outfitters). Clothes don’t always fit the way they are supposed to and the online reviews are usually pretty accurate. Use it as a resource – see if people are commenting on the fit, on the quality and on the price.

5. Check The Sizing Chart

I find most people I speak to are against online shopping because they say they can’t try the clothing on to make sure it’s the right fit. I personally don’t find this a recurring problem, but it does happen. You have to keep a couple of things in mind. Where are the clothes coming from? Not all countries use the same sizing charts. If you’re ordering something from the UK, that medium won’t be the same medium in a US size. A sizing chart breaks down the store sizes based on the inches. The best investment you can make for your wardrobe is to hit up a tailor or seamstress and get your complete measurements. Use this information and cross reference with a sizing chart to make an educated decision when buying online clothes.

Hoping these tips will help some of you navigate the online world a little bit better. Remember if you have any questions you can always hit me up on instagram, the comment section below or send me an email! Now, back to enjoying the rest of my long weekend.