The more I get into blogging and following other women's blogs, I am realizing that the majority of bloggers enjoy online shopping. I can definitely understand this, since online shopping is convenient and there are a ton of independent designers online who make quality clothing. Of course we would rather support one of them than a large manufacturer.
Still, I haven't quite jumped on that bandwagon yet. I think part of it is because I enjoy shopping *way* too much. I love the feel of fabric in my hands and looking at pieces in person. I like to see the true colors in different light and look at the details of the piece, such as the stitching or buttons (did I miss my calling to be a designer??). Especially when it comes to vintage shopping, I absolutely do not trust a computer screen. I need to see that piece myself, hold it, see how it is constructed, and feel the fabric in my own hands. It's actually kind of funny to watch me walk around a store because I just reach out and touch things, even if I don't even bother to take it off the rack.
There are a couple of online stores that I frequent, however. Modcloth is one of them (duh). But then again, who doesn't love Modcloth? Even that, though, I only visit maybe twice a month. The mall, on the other hand, sees my face at least once a week. I also enjoy perusing through the Ruche website every now and then. They have some really cute styles. When I'm looking for something specific that I can't seem to find in a store, I turn to Etsy. I have never ordered from Etsy, but I do enjoy looking through and the seeing the amazing things that people can make. Being on that site inspires me to sew and design more. For those of you who don't know, yes I sew, and I enjoy making clothes. I even designed my prom dress in high school. One of my biggest concerns with online shopping is the fit of the garment. I'm sure everyone has gone through this, but I would hate to buy something and then get it and not have it fit because I couldn't try it on. That's another thing. I love trying on clothes. It's like one big session of dress-up!
Lately I have found myself really striving to get away from stores like Forever 21 and H&M with the mass produced clothing and poor construction. I don't even go into Forever 21 stores anymore. I would rather save my money and buy a more expensive, better quality piece where I know someone worked on it personally. Living in a decently big city like Cleveland, there are an abundance of vintage shops and independently owned boutiques. Unlucky for me, I live on the other side of town, so I only get over to those shops every now and then, but it's a great treat when I do. Otherwise, when I'm at the mall, I try to stick to the smaller stores with less inventory, like Francesca's. Or I will go where I know the quality is better, like Anthropologie (though I never buy anything there; one piece and I'd be broke). I still shop at department stores like Macy's and Dillard's because I have a choice of brands and can look at each piece individually to see what is worth my money.
I do think that the time will come when I do more shopping online, but I don't think I will ever stop shopping in stores. I just love it too much. What are your favorite online shops? Any advice for someone wary about quality and size control?
