👟 Fashion & Accessories

How to shop for fashion and accessories online

Measure and use the brand's own chart. Take bust, waist, hip, height and inseam for clothing; foot length and width, measured in the evening, for shoes; wrist size for watches. Brands sourcing from Asia often run one or two sizes small. Our Women's Fashion page covers garment versus body measurements, and Footwear explains width, toe box and work-boot ratings.

Return windows vary enormously. Boderry Watch Co. allows only 8 days after delivery, with protective film intact. Lamoda gives 14 days and deducts outgoing shipping and label costs from UK refunds. Galartsy refuses wrong-size returns. Litlookz requires photos and shipping within 5 days of receiving a label. At the generous end, IGIGI gives free US return labels within 45 days and Boogzel 40 days. Read the policy before you order, not after.

Print-on-demand and made-to-order items. Custom tees, personalized polos, hand-stamped jewelry and made-to-order dresses are usually final or credit-only. IGIGI quotes 30 to 45 days for every made-to-order piece, so order formalwear six to eight weeks ahead. Proofread personalization carefully.

Watches: size and specs. Check lug-to-lug length and lug width, not just case diameter. Sapphire crystal and titanium cases are worthwhile upgrades. Seiko NH35 and NH36 movements are robust and easy to service. Our Watches & Watch Parts guide covers modding compatibility.

Eyewear and jewelry. For online glasses, bring a current prescription with pupillary distance and your frame measurements. For jewelry, confirm metal (sterling, solid gold, gold-filled or plated).

Sale-price skepticism. When most of a catalog is permanently discounted, treat the sale price as the real price. Many stores make sale items final.

Shipping origins. Fast-fashion and print-on-demand stores often ship from China, taking one to three weeks or more to the US. Some UK and Australian brands ship internationally at extra cost, and duties may apply.

Budget tiers. Graphic tees and fast-fashion tops run $5 to $40. Shoes and boots range from $20 for barefoot styles to $170 for leather boots. Microbrand watches cost $150 to $500, and made-to-order gowns run into the hundreds.

Which brand fits which buyer

• Teens and college students dressing around a named aesthetic: Boogzel Apparel.
• Tradespeople needing safety-toe boots: Rock Rooster Footwear.
• First-time barefoot shoe buyers and parents of growing kids: Hobibear.
• Seiko modders: Watch-Modz.
• First automatic watch buyers wanting titanium and sapphire: Boderry Watch Co., deciding within 8 days.
• Plus size women needing a formal dress cut to size and height: IGIGI.
• Alternative fashion fans wanting vegan platforms: Lamoda.