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!

Waterproof Jackets from The North Face by fashioncrazed on Polyvore.com

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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….