Shopping is hard. Really hard. And somehow, as women, we're all expected not only to know how to do it, but to enjoy it.
When you order clothes online, what are your expectations? Do you generally expect that the clothes you order will fit? If so, you might need to change this expectation or you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment.
Unfortunately, manufacturers make clothes in the most generic proportions possible. They’re hoping to hit as many people as possible with one cut of a garment, when human bodies are infinitely varied. It’s unreasonable to expect that something that was made for a one-size-fits-none fictional body would fit your unique body.
A more realistic expectation is that when you order things online, maybe half of them will actually look like they looked in the picture. Half of *those* will fit your body. Half of those will fit your body and you will like the way they feel on your body. Half of those will fit, and feel good, and align with your aesthetic style. When I tell clients that a good success rate for an online shopping order is to expect 10% of items to work out, they look at me like I’m crazy.
Here’s a picture of about half (only half!) of the jeans I ordered and tried on last fall searching for jeggings I liked. Guess how many of them worked for me?
Zero.
I have the knowledge of where to look and what to buy. I’m a straight sized (the sizes most stores carry, generally 0-12) person with thin privilege. And still, nothing worked for me. I ended up sticking with some thrifted jeggings from a fast fashion brand that were better than any of the other options I tried. If you have any other special sizing needs, it's going to be even harder for you. Add another layer of difficulty if you're in the middle of a style or body transition.
I don’t say this to make anyone lose hope at finding what they need. I say it so that you know that you are not alone, that shopping for clothes is hard, that they are not made to fit our unique bodies. I say it so that you can take the fact that something doesn’t work with a grain of salt and keep on moving without it taking you and your mood down with it.
What do you find frustrating about online shopping?
P.S. I recorded a 90-minute online workshop with all my tips and an accompanying workbook called The Stress Free Shopping Workshop - you can purchase it here.
Looking for one-on-one help? In my new program, I'll help you set those expectations and teach you how to shop mindfully. I'm currently booking clients for April. I have 3 more spots available. This is how it works. If you're interested, book a call below.