Surely it’s considered a major fashion faux pas – turning up
somewhere in the same outfit as someone else. If the current
crop of high street shops are anything to go by, however, you’d
be forgiven for thinking that clothing conformity is something
we’re all striving towards.
Let’s face it, for those of us looking for something a little
bit ‘different’, high street shopping can be a pretty dreary and
dispiriting experience. Just imagine that you’re blindfolded and
parachuted into a UK city’s shopping street – your blindfold is
removed – do you know where you are? The answer is that there
will probably be very few clues, as you will find exactly the
same shops wherever you go. The ‘usual suspects’ will be side by
side, churning out similar-styled garments and cashing in on the
latest ‘celebrity style’ craze with cheap copies of couture
pieces.
To those who crave individualism and want to dress with a bit of
flair and originality, this copycat culture is depressing. Kate
Moss only has to appear looking stunning dressed in her own
inimitable style – inimitable being the moot point here – and
suddenly we’re being bombarded by ‘where to get the latest look’
articles and fooled into spending our hard earned cash on faked
fashion which isn’t going to make us look a million dollars, and
won’t make us look like Kate in a million years. When it comes
to mock fashion the real mockery is the one we make of ourselves.
Don’t despair! The internet is a fantastic resource for anyone
seeking their own unique style. There are plenty of places to
shop online offering distinctive, desirable apparel and
accessories which will set you apart from the ‘clothing clones’
without breaking the bank. The benefits of buying online are
many; no more trooping round town elbowing others out of the
way, no queues, and no last minute buying because the shop’s
about to shut, only to get home and discover your panic purchase
looks terrible on or has traces of cosmetics on the collar.
Instead you can shop from the comfort of your home, browsing and
buying at your leisure.
Small businesses and solo fashion designers use the web to
showcase their products, and because their overheads are lower
(no huge retail premises to maintain and large staff to pay) you
have a real opportunity to purchase gorgeous garments and
attractive accessories which won’t cost the earth. There are
also sites selling quality second-hand and vintage fashion
pieces, allowing you to track down your own style statement for
a fraction of the price of buying new. If something is described
as ‘hand made’ don’t let memories of Auntie Dot’s amazing
asymmetrical unravelling knitwear cloud your judgment – handmade
usually means lovingly crafted with great attention to quality
and detail, and can definitely denote a one-off, original
clothing item which will be the envy of others and a fashion
favourite for years to come.
If you’re more concerned about the look you want than the
designer label you’re wearing, there are a few points to
consider when buying over the internet. Search for sites with
decent product photographs and detailed descriptions, not tiny
little ‘thumbnail’ images. After all, you wouldn’t buy a product
from a catalogue unless you had a good idea what it looked like.
Use careful keywords to narrow and speed your internet searches.
For example, if you’d prefer a product in a quality fibre,
include ‘wool’ or a more specific term such as ‘mohair’ as one
of your search words to find precisely what you want faster.
Vague, all-encompassing search terms will only drag the high
street to your desktop, and you’ll end up ploughing through
‘virtual’ polyester! Make sure sites offer secure checkouts that
encrypt your credit-card details; safe and trusted payment
methods include PayPal, WorldPay and NoChex, although there are
plenty of others.
Finally, enjoy the experience! The internet gives you a great
choice, and buying online from a smaller supplier often means
you’ll receive a much higher quality product and level of
service than you’d find in a vast anonymous ‘bricks and mortar’
store. Independent online retailers are keen to involve their
customers in a real relationship, and you’ll find yourself
returning regularly to your favourite fashion sites. Shopping to
suit yourself can be very rewarding, and not just financially.
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