Category Archives: Online Shopping

Aug 04 0 comments
Casual, Fashion, High Street Fashion, Online Shopping

Cyclist Chic!

Last week saw the launch of Transport for London’s Barclays Cycle Hire scheme which allows members free use of the bikes for all journeys that take less than 30 minutes. It is, in principle, a great idea to get more people travelling in an eco-friendly way, fewer people clogging up public transport and perhaps one could argue, to get people fitter however, with most bike journeys lasting less than 20 minutes and considering we’ll all be cycling through the London smog, I’m not sure how valid an argument this is. Certainly, it does offer users a lot more freedom than public transport ever could and if the bike belongs to Barclays you won’t need to worry about its maintenance. You will, however, have to pay an annual fee of £45 for the privilege and considering you can pick up a second hand (notably, most likely stolen) bike from Brick Lane market for less than this, I wonder if this new scheme will appeal to all demographics of society. Also worth noting is the fact this scheme unleashes approximately 6,000 inexperienced cyclists onto the London roads, as a cyclist myself I have observed them moving tentatively through the lanes of London traffic; they are borderline dangerous and definitely slow things down.

At Help with Style however, we are less concerned with the success of the scheme or the cost to its users, what is far more interesting is Cyclist Chic! Obviously it goes without saying that safety is important. The roads are dangerous so the first essential accessory is a helmet and the second some high visibility bands round the ankles and arms and on any backpacks, especially at night. Aside from that, my only other rule would be to steer clear of Lycra!

One can have an incredibly romantic view of cycling. I imagine floaty summer dresses billowing in the wind, a couple riding side by side in the summer sun, baguette in the front basket, smiles on faces… After today’s rain though, I am less optimistic that anyone, regardless of the baguette and floaty dress, will be riding in the sun at all this summer. This can mean only one thing: rain coats! This needn’t heed the Cyclist Chic however; there is an array of coloured waterproof jackets out there to put shame to a rubix cube. Webtogs sell a wide variety at really reasonable prices, all of which will go perfectly with the bright colours in your summer wardrobe on the days the weather lets you down. The North Face also does a really cute black women’s jacket, tapered in at the waist for a very flattering shape. Perhaps not quite evening wear but as waterproof jackets go, definitely chic!


Jun 17 0 comments
Clothes For Occasions, Fashion, Online Shopping

Gorgeous shapewear

None of us have the perfect figure, and we all have some ‘problem areas’ that we want to do something about. Sometimes this can be solved by simply choosing clothing that flatters or disguises the problem. There may be times, however, when a little more help is called for. This is where shapewear comes in. Shapewear has moved on considerably from the days of hideous girdles, and is now available in much more comfortable and flattering fabrics. It’s certainly a lot less effort than spending hours in the gym!

One of the major areas that women worry about is the tummy. It’s perfectly natural for women to have a rounded tummy – in fact, a flat tum is completely natural, so no need to feel a freak if you’ve got a bit of a belly! But if it makes you self-conscious, there is a wide variety of shapewear on the market to keep that midriff looking good. The famous Spanx brand’s Magic Knickers are ideal if you want a smooth shape – they’ll sort out that tum and keep the thighs and bottom under control as well!

spanx

But what if you don’t want underwear that covers part of the legs? What if you prefer something a little smaller, or it’s only your tummy that needs holding in? Well, now you can even buy a control thong. Unlike a regular thong, this covers the tummy area to keep it nicely flattened, but you still get the benefits of a normal thong. There is no dreaded VPL and the fabric is lightweight.

Another benefit of shapewear is that it can deal with the dreaded muffin top. This is hard to get rid of, so shapewear is the ideal solution. Anything designed to control the tummy will make that muffin top disappear as if by magic. Just make sure that your top is long enough to cover the shapewear. And finally, if you’re going on holiday, don’t worry, you can still enjoy the beach. Just buy yourself a swimsuit with tummy control!

May 26 0 comments
Online Shopping, Supermarket Fashion

High street v web

This is a question that I have often thought about, but I can’t decide which I think is best. I love clothes and can regularly be found visiting the shops of my local high street and trawling through the internet for that must-have purchase.

The internet is fantastic for finding things that are unusual, things that no one else has. Rather than just having the small selection of shops in your local city you can suddenly browse fashion items all over the world. If you like to have a unique distinct style this can be great. We all know that if you just go to your local Topshop the chances are you’ll bump into someone wearing the same item as you very quickly.

The problem with the internet is that obviously can’t try things on. Clothes do have a tendency to look great on the screen but not on you! Sending things back can also be a major hassle but then for that special item I think it’s worth the risk.

Apr 22 0 comments
Online Shopping, Shopping

Fashion shopping virtual or real

It’s great to see so many shops have their wares online. It’s great to see size 8 models on websites looking oh so fabby in a lovely dress. Even better when they offer next day delivery. Yeah, that’s great – but does the item have a chance of looking so great when you arrive home to find it waiting there for you? Sometimes, eh, no.

I love web shopping, I do it quite a lot. I don’t have to put on any clothes to go out in the pouring rain to try on some new pieces.

That said however, I’ve had my share of disappointments. It looks great on the screen, even when I zoomed in to see the actual material and thread count. When it arrived – oh boy! Did I make a mistake?

I also love real shopping. Your feet get sore, you get fed up trying on clothes. You get fed up with people pushing past you in the isles and grabbing the last size 14 you needed in that purple satin bustier….However, you do get to try the item on in the shop, you do get to see the price ticket marked down as there is a very small (almost inconspicuous) little stain on one side. You get to grab the sense of real bargains that you couldn’t get online.

Apr 18 0 comments
Fashion, Online Shopping

Online retail rigmarole

It’s so easy to sit down at the computer and browse the online fashion sites, much easier than trawling the shops, that’s for sure. It’s all there at your fingertips, every size, and every colour, zoom in, zoom out, then pop it in the basket. It’s all so convenient; it’s even delivered to your door.

Herein lies the problem. It arrives, you excitedly open the package and immediately try it on. It doesn’t fit right, hang right or look right, the colour isn’t you and if you were in a shop you would have immediately rejected it on so many levels. Then you have got to get it sent back when you can find the time and wait two weeks until your money comes back.

If its lotions and potions or jewellery then online works for me but clothes and shoes I prefer the old fashioned method.

Apr 17 0 comments
Online Shopping, Shopping

Buy clothes online or in the shop?

The facility of the €˜one-click’ online purchase and the childish excitement of receiving a package in the post, along with the impression that the money you spend is not real are the undeniable attractions of online shopping.

When it comes to the purchase of clothes, however, is there not something lacking in this procedure? For clothes shopping can be a wonderful source of pleasure; a day out, with coffee breaks included of course, where you can toy with the idea of totally reinventing yourself as you eye the perfectly dressed mannequins slouching elegantly in shop windows.

What is more, as you try the clothes for fit and preen yourself in the changing room mirrors, convinced that this new outfit is the one that will attract your prince charming from the other side of the bar; you can turn to your accompanying friend for affirmation, or failing that to the patient sales assistant.

Apr 11 0 comments
Online Shopping, Petite Fashion

Shopping on line pros and cons

There are pros and cons to shopping both online and in store and I think women benefit from having access to both.

online shopping is 24/7 meaning you can beat the hustle and bustle of the first day of sales, stay in bed to shop, shop whilst your on holiday or unwell and it also means you can go into as many ‘virtual shops’ as you like, without having to walk potential miles amidst other stressed shoppers/angry and bored husbands/screaming children.

Shopping online also means women can buy their ‘true’ size, not the size they tell their friends and the shop assistants they are, which means they’re buying clothes that fit them better which is always good. Shopping online gives women a huge amount of freedom and is very quick and easy. It also means that you have to convenience of someone delivering it to your door or to your work.

My favorite thing about shopping online is the fact you are in control of your spending. Shops are set out in a way that makes you want to spend more then you have with the added temptation of store cards. Shopping online means you can plan outfits, consider what you actually need and browse lots of websites until your happy.
Of course the downsides are the postage charges and the unfortunate instances where the garment is ‘not right’ or doesn’t fit. I think for special occasions, women benefit more shop reality shopping as opposed to virtual, meaning the important outfit can be tried and tested against skin tone etc. women who buy important outfits like wedding dresses (!) need to be given a stern talking to!

Online shopping means you can pick up the odd bargain, take your time and even shop naked of it takes your fancy! However there are definite pluses to reality shopping too, being able to try thing on, seeing what else is available and of course the thrill of shopping itself which, it has to be said, is always more enjoyable when your in a shop, as opposed to in your bed/on the bus late at night and shopping. The actuality of shopping makes us feel happy and I think for sure than ‘going shopping’ on a spree is one of the most enjoyable experiences for a woman.

Apr 04 0 comments
High Street Fashion, Online Shopping

Why I prefer the high street

While buying clothes online can be a huge timesaver, for me the drawbacks outweigh the advantages.

I like to try things on. Increasingly clothes sizing seems to be a hit and miss affair, with sizes differing wildly even in the same shop. I recently tried two pairs of trousers in a well known high street retailer, one pair mid priced and another in their more basic range. The mid price ones fitted beautifully, the basic ones wouldn’t even go over my bum!

Even if an item fits, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be flattering. In the full length mirrors in the changing room that’s usually glaringly obvious; squinting at yourself in the bathroom mirror doesn’t always reveal the garment in its entirety. Unless you have a Trinny and Susannah style mirror at home, you just can’t see the back view. Then you are in the minefield of asking other’s opinion. You could ask your partner ‘Yes darling, it looks lovely, what’s for tea?’, or your children ‘Get out of the way Mum, I can’t see the screen properly.’

Finally, there is the enormous pleasure to be gained from just browsing through the rails, stopping for a coffee, freeing yourself for a couple of hours. Get yourself a little ‘Me Time’ and go for a good old shop.’

Mar 30 0 comments
Online Shopping

Big girl, you are beautiful except in Topshop changing room

More and more people these days are buying clothes online, that’s for sure. For women, the best part of this is that you can escape the changing room horror: everyone around you looks like a supermodel (through your tinted specs of self-loathing anyway) and you want to hide as you meekly ask the assistant for the next size up.

Trying things on is over-rated. If you buy online, you can always return things for a refund anyway, so you are not losing out there. Personally, I have given up trying things on at the shops anyway: at least if you try on at home, you can be honest to yourself about whether it fits you or not!

Online shopping really comes into it’s own for things like bras and knickers: much, much easier to click a box and find if your size is in stock in that particular bra that you like, rather than rifling through the racks at your department store, all the stock falling on the floor, as you search in vain for the right combination of numbers and letter to fit you just right. Do this online, and you find it (or not ) in just a click. Brilliant!

The other factor in this is price: eBay and the like allow us to buy all our favourite brands at much lower prices, so what’s not to like about shopping online? Well okay, there are those sellers who say things like ‘as new’ or ‘brand new without tags’ and when it arrives, your lovely garment is in fact 7 years old with the knees worn away and coming apart at the crotch. Oh well, you win some, you lose some….