Can you find clothes that actually fit?!

[Catsarelush]

I have ordered so many things online recently and had to send them all back as none of them have been right.

I have been looking for an everyday jacket or coat and they have all been too big/long arms/not sitting right. Some of the items have been quite pricey but the quality doesn’t match the price tag. I haven’t even liked anything enough to exchange for a different size.

I don’t think you can try things on in shops any more plus my city is about to go into a local lockdown so I’m not keen to do real life clothes shopping.

I’m thinking of making do this year now with the clothes I already have as I am spending so much time sending stuff back, it’s stupid, plus with the lack of socialising maybe there’s no point.

Does anyone else find the same? Or do you have a particular shop where you find things that do fit your size and shape?

I guess it depends on your shape. For me being short and curvy is very difficult in anything fitted like a dress, jacket or coat.

No, I agree. Online clothes shopping just does not work for me for this reason - I nearly always end up returning things, which is a faff, unless it’s a duplicate of something I’ve bought previously so I know it fits.

Not being able to try things on in shops has meant that I’ve pretty much stopped buying clothes for the moment. Saves money but not helpful when it’s something you need!

I think it is easier if you have a good idea of your fit in shops. I am a seasoned online shopper pre-Covid, and I know for me: :

Jeans - Levi’s or Whistles
Trousers - Cos
Knitwear - Other Stories for jumpers, Arket for cardigans
Blouses - Topshop
Dresses - Warehouse was my go-to, but also like Oliver Bonas, and Topshop
T-shirts - Joanie

I also know that ordering from Zara or H&M is a complete lottery, so I avoid. I have ASOS premiere delivery, so that is easy, and I also really rate Monki and know where I will sit in there (S for tops and dresses, 28 for jeans).

None of this is helpful if you don’t have a measure of sizes already though.

It doesn't help that the oversized look seems to be very fashionable at the moment, which really doesn't work if you're 5ft 3. Some websites helpfully state whether the fit is oversized, regular or slim fit (think Monki does this), but others you just have to kind of guess.

I agree H&M are totally unpredictable, and I avoid Zara just because I can't cope with their website.

I can only buy clothes online as I’m 6’ & shops stopped stocking their tall ranges in store years ago (apart from Topshop, who have a ‘tall’ section - which usually has about three items in it, hilariously including ‘tall crop tops’. How their buyers haven’t worked out that all regular size tops are crop tops to tall women I don’t know!)...

Anyway - perseverance is the key! You definitely get to know which items work from which shops. I haven’t been in a sweaty changing room in an overcrowded shop for years, I didn’t even realise that changing rooms hadn’t opened until the end of August when we were school uniform shopping!

Can you stick with brands you already know? I shop from toast, cos, lucy &yak, arket, brora, seasalt, boden, and I buy certain things from each, trousers, cardigans, shirt dresses so I know how they will be. I recently went off piste to buy a onesy and it took 4 purchases. I would never buy trousers from boden or shirt dresses from toast/cos. I do occasionally buy from other shops, trouva is good for a unique top, but I send half back because its unique.

I’ve found certain shops fit me better than others. Just from experience and trying on different things - I know not to bother with some stores as either they’re not good quality generally or they’re just not the cut/shape that suits me. So I think it’s just about finding what works for you - I have favourite brands I’ll always go to first.

I absolutely hate vanity sizing, especially when the shop doesn't bring in a smaller size. It's ridiculous enough to be trying on a four in jeans as a woman in my thirties when the six is a bit big, but worse when there isn't one. It restricts the shops I can buy from.

@Catsarelush, where are you shopping? As other people say, you have to know your shops / websites. I have been buying from several shops that started online only for a few years now and find them fairly consistent (e.g., Me&Em, Finery, The Fold, People Tree) and the measurements they give for their sizes are fairly accurate. I have avoided in lockdown shops or brands that I find inconsistent (e.g., Damsel in a Dress or Next).

I have ordered from Mint Velvet, Next, Ted Baker, Karen Millen, Baukjen, Monsoon, Debenhams, Boden. I sometimes shop with John Lewis as you can get lots of different brands. Same with Debenhams and Next.

I am small but not petite (5’ 4’’.)

I need a smaller cut I think as the only things that have fitted are a Karen Millen leather jacket (too dressy for me normally but the jacket was lovely and 40% off) and a pair of River Island trousers via Next. I would never go in River Island as it’s too young for me but the trousers were perfect.

Oasis used to work for me too but obviously they have gone.

I could try some of the other brands mentioned here as I have always gone for more high street main stream brands.

I focused on a handful brands whose style I love and which fit me well, and now I buy almost exclusively from them, both new and second hand. I’m petite with a short torso and narrow hips so I tend to avoid Scandi brands as they are cut for someone much taller, and British brands like those you mention tend to be shaped for more of a pear or hourglass figure plus vanity sizing makes everything too big for me. Brands aimed at the younger market tend to be cut smaller (maybe why River Island fitted you), otherwise I’ve had better luck with French, Spanish and Italian brands.
Measuring yourself and checking the size guide helps, though some brands are annoyingly inconsistent. I love it when they tell you the measurements for the specific item rather than in general.

I know what you mean Op, I will buy tops and cardigans online , but coats and trousers and skirts need to be tried on. I feel otherwise you end up compromising and keeping online purchases that sort of fit but aren't ideal.
Am lucky in that I don't need anything .
I do worry that the local department store will go under.

There are certain items I find SO hard to get the right.

Jeans. Ones that fit small waist and big arse. Since they discontinued Levi Curve I’m lost.

Coats. Long arms and big tits. Always awkwardly fitted and look like I’m squeezed into a kid’s coat.

Shoes. Ridiculously high arches. Anything without a tight strap or laces flies off my foot mid-step.

Bras. Every single bra annoys me! Every one. I’ve done the bra intervention thing which took me from 34DD to 32G. Marginally better but still all SO uncomfortable, every bloody style.

I need a personal tailor. I should have been born royal.

I'm with you, OP. I think it's being small (5'3) that makes it so much harder.

I'm going to rant a bit here because vanity sizing is really not helping at the minute with changing rooms being closed!! I've never enjoyed trying things on but it's always been absolutely essential for me - even if I've picked something up in store that looks like it might fit, I need to try on as often things don't work due to my shape!

Probably like everyone else buying online, I'm totally reliant on reviews for sizing but some retailers like Mint Velvet don't have any reviews on their website I'm not going to chance it as their stuff doesn't always fit quite right.

Sorry - not this post isn't remotely helpful OP but you're definitely not alone

Yeah after several returns I think I’m just going to make do with what I’ve got this winter!

Who would know if you are in RI trousers? Eon't discount it as it may still have some 'plains'. Their jeans are good.
Make do by all means.. i find like pps said you finally find somewhere that you get on with their fit and you then know what to expect.

The Rids are you me, I have the same problems as you plus wide feet.

Although it’s nowhere near enough, I find it useful when they say what size the model is wearing as you can extrapolate a lot from that.

Videos are most useful and I don’t know why more stores don’t do this. Being able to see how an item moves and hangs and often a better colour capture, is great and must reduce returns.

Some stores actually seem determined to hide the garment they are trying to sell, with the model in a weird position or say with a top all the images tucked in when you’d like to see exactly how long it is. They give barely no measurements. Sometimes I wonder whether it’s just easier to deal with the returns than to properly document and photograph stuff, which is terrible environmentally and also a real pain for customers.

I think online shopping is all about knowing your body really well and studying the model very carefully. For example I have very narrow wrists and ideally like bracelet or three quarter length sleeves, so any sign of sleeves looking too big or long, and I’m out. I also look at how a neckline is sitting.

I also hate all this oversized stuff, I seem to have morphed into an XS these last few years.

No, I find it really hard.

My strategy is to order lots of stuff from John Lewis via Click & Collect at my local waitrose. I buy anything that I might have taken into a changing room, try it on at home, then send 90% back. So I will buy 7/8 pairs of trousers or jeans and 3-4 pairs of boots in various sizes.

Failing learning to make my own clothes (which I would love to do but am dreadful at anything creative), I struggle to see the alternative?

I think it depends on the styles you like? Anything fitted or with a more complex cut (like a tea dress or a blazer) is harder because you can't really get away with it not fitting perfectly.

I mostly wear the same brands all the time and know my size in them, and also wear things that still look good in a range of sizes - a lot of cotton jersey, open cardigans, dresses that are more of a straight cut or somehow adjustable (pinafores with adjustable straps for example).

I also read this tip ages ago about looking at how the models are standing in the photos. For example are they all holding their hands at the waist of the garment to give it more shape or somehow leaning to one side instead of just standing up straight. So I look closely at all that, and then if possible try to read reviews other customers have left and what they're saying about it being true to size. I actually bought a cardigan this week where the reviews said it was too long - I absolutely love long cardigans so I knew I'd love it and I do.

Same as a pp, I’m 6ft and have needed to buy online for years as shops stopped having their tall concessions in shops. I sometimes do get tops from non-tall ranges, but it’s all such a struggle though. I order about 12 things from next tall, they come through in dribs and drabs, sometimes over 6 weeks, and all but one thing usually goes back.

As long as I order brim Next. Anywhere else I would need to try on. I haven't bought anything new in months to be fair.

Recently had to find a formal outfit that was stressful with not being able to try clothes on, I am often one of three sizes my HM dress is 4 sizes bigger than my Dp dress, go figure. Really put off shopping at the moment, too much hassle I went the other week to Debenhams I refuse to traipse back to the city to return misfits so I ended up trying on in the toilets and they had to qurantine anyway. Think unless I really need something now I'm not going to bother.

Yes I have considered that option re trying on in toilets, may end up doing that if i need something.