Fashion and shopping are either loved or hated throughout the world, depending on the individual. Thanks to today's ever-growing technology and the internet, consumers now have a broader range of options when it comes to finding the latest trends, especially those who would rather due without than tackle crowded stores and malls. Purchasing clothes online can be tricky business, especially when it comes to knowing how well things will fit. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can keep in mind to avoid the battle of ill-fitted clothes in the future.
One thing to take into consideration is knowing your measurements. While it's easy to go strictly by dress size, pant size, large, medium or small, often times clothing sizes will vary on how they will fit. Since you're not able to try clothes on as easy as you would in the stores, it's important to make sure that you know your actual measurements are to ensure the proper fit.
You can generally obtain your correct measurements by asking a friend or relative to help you out, using measuring tape, or have a professional tailor or seamstress help you. There are also inexpensive measuring tapes that are designed specifically to measure body size, and many of them are made so that it's easy to do even on your own and to do so as accurately as possible. Common areas that you may want to measure their shoulders, bust, waist, hips, inseam, from neckline to hem or waist, and sleeve length. You can find numerous tutorials on how to do this properly online, as well as for knowing how to size vintage-type clothing or international sizing, if need be.
Many clothing sites will have measurements to go by, or at least a sizing chart that will be relatively accurate for a particular brand or type of clothing. It's also important to make sure that you are also aware of the proper color and styling that will complement both you and your figure. With shapes and styles, try to get an understanding for your body shape and research what types of styles that work well with it and which ones don't. For example, if you tend to be broad-shouldered or have a large bust size, it's often good to avoid high-collared shirt, but rather go for v-necks or low-scooped necklines.
Knowing what colors go well with your skin tone is also key, though keep in mind that pictures online may vary from how colors actually look in reality. Colors are broken up into 4 different categories that are based on the season: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Winters, for example, are usually rich, jewel tones such as sapphire, ruby red, emerald and often suit are those who have cool or blue undertones to their appearance. Summers are also bright in color, but a lighter version of cool-type hues, while spring and autumn have more yellow in it, being anything from warm pastels to burnt, fall-like colors and browns.
To determine your season, one quick step would be to stand in front of a mirror that has natural lighting such as sunlight, versus harsh florescent. You can hold either paper or fabric that is in off-white or ivory up to your face, followed by a pure-white piece. Look to see whether ivory or pure-white complements your features the best. The wrong color will make you appear sallow or washed out, while the other will make your complexion and your eyes appear brighter. You can also try to wear an ivory shirt or pure-white shirt at a time on their own or holding the piece of paper so that you don't have confusion of color messing up your test.
If you do well with off-white or ivory, then you are either a warm-toned spring or an autumn and yellow-hued colors will flatter you best. If you did well with white, then you are either a cool-toned summer or winter, and would do well with jewel tones and bright colors with red and blues in them. You can check online to determine which palettes fit which season and check to see which of the two similar tonal season match you best.
As you are shopping for clothing, no matter which website you go with, try to make sure that you read fashion and shopping reviews that have been left by customers as much as possible. This is a wonderful way to see how others have viewed the product and it also helps you stay informed with how well sizes or colors actually matched up when compared to the online photo or description versus in person.
By Andrea Dilea
One thing to take into consideration is knowing your measurements. While it's easy to go strictly by dress size, pant size, large, medium or small, often times clothing sizes will vary on how they will fit. Since you're not able to try clothes on as easy as you would in the stores, it's important to make sure that you know your actual measurements are to ensure the proper fit.
You can generally obtain your correct measurements by asking a friend or relative to help you out, using measuring tape, or have a professional tailor or seamstress help you. There are also inexpensive measuring tapes that are designed specifically to measure body size, and many of them are made so that it's easy to do even on your own and to do so as accurately as possible. Common areas that you may want to measure their shoulders, bust, waist, hips, inseam, from neckline to hem or waist, and sleeve length. You can find numerous tutorials on how to do this properly online, as well as for knowing how to size vintage-type clothing or international sizing, if need be.
Many clothing sites will have measurements to go by, or at least a sizing chart that will be relatively accurate for a particular brand or type of clothing. It's also important to make sure that you are also aware of the proper color and styling that will complement both you and your figure. With shapes and styles, try to get an understanding for your body shape and research what types of styles that work well with it and which ones don't. For example, if you tend to be broad-shouldered or have a large bust size, it's often good to avoid high-collared shirt, but rather go for v-necks or low-scooped necklines.
Knowing what colors go well with your skin tone is also key, though keep in mind that pictures online may vary from how colors actually look in reality. Colors are broken up into 4 different categories that are based on the season: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Winters, for example, are usually rich, jewel tones such as sapphire, ruby red, emerald and often suit are those who have cool or blue undertones to their appearance. Summers are also bright in color, but a lighter version of cool-type hues, while spring and autumn have more yellow in it, being anything from warm pastels to burnt, fall-like colors and browns.
To determine your season, one quick step would be to stand in front of a mirror that has natural lighting such as sunlight, versus harsh florescent. You can hold either paper or fabric that is in off-white or ivory up to your face, followed by a pure-white piece. Look to see whether ivory or pure-white complements your features the best. The wrong color will make you appear sallow or washed out, while the other will make your complexion and your eyes appear brighter. You can also try to wear an ivory shirt or pure-white shirt at a time on their own or holding the piece of paper so that you don't have confusion of color messing up your test.
If you do well with off-white or ivory, then you are either a warm-toned spring or an autumn and yellow-hued colors will flatter you best. If you did well with white, then you are either a cool-toned summer or winter, and would do well with jewel tones and bright colors with red and blues in them. You can check online to determine which palettes fit which season and check to see which of the two similar tonal season match you best.
As you are shopping for clothing, no matter which website you go with, try to make sure that you read fashion and shopping reviews that have been left by customers as much as possible. This is a wonderful way to see how others have viewed the product and it also helps you stay informed with how well sizes or colors actually matched up when compared to the online photo or description versus in person.
By Andrea Dilea
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