Although a lot of brick and mortar retailers are closing down, online shops are doing better than ever. In 2018, the e-commerce fashion industry was worth a staggering $481 billion. In fact, one in five fashion purchases is now made online. If you’re getting ready to shop for designer dresses online, you’re definitely not alone. However, getting the right size and fit for a dress can be tricky if you can’t try it on. Use these tips when buying dresses online.

  1. Get Accurate and Recent Body Measurements

To know how to find dresses that fit, you also have to know your measurements. This isn’t a time to guess at your waist size or use measurements from a few years ago. Use a flexible measuring tape and start with recent, accurate measurements of your waist, hips and bust in order to find dresses that truly fit well.

  1. Don’t Ignore Sizing Charts

Once you have accurate measurements, you can compare your sizes to sizing charts. Most brands supply you with a sizing chart on each product page. If you don’t see one, search the website until it pops up. If you’re buying a dress, focus on waist, hips and bust measurements for the right size and fit.

  1. Check the Labels on Clothing You Already Have and Love

When you’re buying clothes online, you might be shopping at brands you already love. If you already have a designer dress from one brand that fits well, look at the label. Use that size when you’re ready to make your next purchase from the same brand.

  1. Take Notes

When you shop for designer dresses online, take notes. If you buy a dress from one brand that fits perfectly without alterations, write it down in a journal or just on your phone. Keep an ongoing list, because your size may vary depending on the brand. You might wear a size four in one brand, a size six in another and a size medium in another.

  1. Size Up and Tailor to Fit

One of the top tips for buying dresses online is to size up when you’re not sure about the size. If you buy a size too small, there is not much you can do to remedy the situation. If you buy something a little too big, however, you can take the piece to a tailor. A few small and inexpensive alterations will ensure that your purchase fits you perfectly.

  1. Look For Online Reviews

Still struggling to determine the right size for an online clothing purchase? When in doubt, look for online reviews. A quick Google search might tell you whether an item runs small, large or what additional fit information you will need to know.

  1. Shop Where Returns Are Accepted

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to ensure that an item fits exactly the way you want it to. Even with sizing charts and careful measurements, there are always styles and silhouettes that just don’t fit your body. When this happens, you want to have the flexibility of a return. That’s why you always want to shop with an online retailer that offers returns. Even if it takes a few weeks to get your money back, that is preferable to losing out altogether.

  1. Consider Materials When Adding a Dress to Your Cart

If you want to know how to shop online for dresses, start with knowing your materials. Certain dresses might fit perfectly when they arrive, but that fit can change with a few washes. If you’re spending your hard-earned money on a designer dress, make sure it will look great for several wears without a problem. Materials like cotton and silk can shrink slightly in the wash or the dryer, so keep that in mind when choosing sizes.

  1. Use Sizing Apps for Additional Help

With the rise of online shopping comes a number of apps designed to make the process a little easier. Apps like Threadbase or SizeCharter are just two examples of apps that can help you determine your size in a wide range of popular brands. If you know your measurements, or you know what size you are in at least one major brand, you can figure out the rest with ease.

  1. Learn the Lingo

Shop like a pro and make sure you know the common sizing lingo terms. Misses and petite, for example, can indicate a different fit. A junior size might be different than a ladies size. Look for these keywords when you’re making your purchases online.

Buying dresses online can be a great way to save time and pick out the perfect clothing for any event. To make sure the dresses you select fit you perfectly, use these tips throughout the buying process.

Prom dresses are very delicate, elegant and expensive as well. Once you buy dresses like these, you have to to do everything to take care of those. These dresses can be heavy as well as light depending on your choice. If you really want to keep your dress in the best possible condition, there are a number of tips as well as the trick that you can follow. With just a little bit of care, you can ensure that your prom gowns can be kept intact even it is before the prom or after the prom.

Here is how you should take care of your prom dresses:

Before the prom:

It is very important to prevent your dress from getting any type of damage or any creases to your gown. The best retailers are going to provide you with the garment bags so that you can keep your prom dresses carefully. If you are not provided with those bags, you can purchase various types of garment bags form the market or from the online to keep your dress safe, neat and tidy. The first step is to hang your dress inside the garment bag. The trick is to hang it somewhere high enough so that the bottom of it not touching the ground. You can hang it in a place which is closed; it can be a wardrobe. The things that you must make sure of is that the place that you choose for your elegant prom dresses 2019 is free from all the bad smells, for example, cooking.

It is understandable that you are tempted to try on the dress number of times to see how it fits or how does it look on you. But what you need to do is resist. The more you are tempted to try your dresses, the more you take it on and off, there is a risk that the beading is going to get loose and fall. The other reason is the for the longer period it is outside your garment bag, there is a chance that your dress will be damaged or get dirty. It is suggested to wear your dress with the shoes on and get a complete look once or twice but do not wear your prom dress too many times, because then it won’t feel as special as it would have on the prom night.

When you are getting ready:

It is very important that you put your prom gown after you have applied your makeup and style your hair so that your dress is not damaged. Be careful with the body lotions as they can move from your skin to your dress, making your dress look dirty. If you are wearing any perfume, then be cautious as many crystals on your dress can get discolored. The perfume must be applied before you even wear your dress, so it is not affected by any means. You must spray the perfume and then walk through it.

Try to put your prom dress at the last possible moment so that you have enough time to take the photos. There are some types of prom dresses that are going to get extra help. Make sure that you and your friends have washed their hands properly before touching the prom dresses.

During the Prom night: 

Always keep that your prom dress is a very delicate dress. Sometimes, there is a trend of arriving at your prom night with an entry. Make sure that your arrival does not damage your dress in any way. If anything spills on your dress, do not panic and try to remove the excess of it, and do not rub it madly as it is going to make it look worse. There is a much better chance of removing the stains off your prom dresses from the dry cleaners. And do not be worried about your stain as the thing must take care about it not ruining your mood and the evening.

Fashion can be daunting, in part because there are so many options to choose from. When you head out to shop for dresses, you’ll see all kinds of pieces: button-up shirt dresses, long and light summer dresses, gorgeous ball gowns, and smaller dresses for the club-going set. So which one should you add to your closet next?

Let’s narrow things down a bit, shall we? Here are just a few options for you to consider. These great dresses are versatile essentials that add depth and flexibility to your wardrobe. And don’t worry about trying to figure out when you’ll wear these: we’ll lay that out for you, too.

The white lace dress

White lace is a beautiful material, but some people are intimidated by whether they can pull off. Don’t fret, because you can wear lace at any age. Pulling it off is just a matter of getting the right piece. Head to a boutique (in person or online) and pick out a really stylish, grown-up take on the white lace dress. You’ll gain a go-to dress that really enhances your wardrobe.

So when is it time to bust out your white lace dress? The bright white color and lightweight lace make spring and summer the best time to make use of your white lace dress. You could dress up a bit for an outdoor cookout (and remember that you can use accessories to dress down the lace a bit), or you could wear it for a night at the concert hall. Just leave it behind when you head to a wedding — other than that, make it your go-to all summer long!

The colorful knit dress

It’s a bit less iconic than some of the other dresses on our list, but the knit dress can make a real difference in your wardrobe. And opting for a colorful pattern brings attention to the dress’ uniqueness while also pairing comfortable colors with cozy materials.

So when should you wear it? A knit dress is going to be fairly warm, so you should save this fashion move for the winter months. Its cozy look is pretty laid-back, so consider this a casual dress. A knit dress can be your go-to for winter morning coffee runs and casual weekend dinners at cozy bars and woodsy restaurants.

The little black dress

You didn’t need us to tell you this, did you? The little black dress has been a fashion staple for decades, and it doesn’t look to be going out of style anytime soon. Sure, little details may change, but you’ll always need some sort of little black dress to grab when you want to look great and feel comfortable on a date, at a casual cocktail party, or while out on the town for the night.

In fact, why not get more than one little black dress? You’ll have so many uses for this one that you might need to spread the work around between a few different dresses.

The simple shift dress

A shift dress is a straightforward piece that you can use in all sorts of ways. We recommend picking one in a solid color, especially a neutral or dark color. Why? Because then you’ll have the perfect base for some fashionable layering. Building on your dress with shawls, accessories, sweaters, and coats, you can create all sorts of different looks on the foundation of the same basic piece.

And that means that you can wear your shift dress almost anywhere. Casual coats and other comfortable layering items are great for giving you a low-key look that feels beautiful without feeling over-the-top, while fancier layering choices can help you dress up a shift dress and make it suitable for more formal occasions.