Dear Rissa,
I’ve been so busy that I haven’t found the time to update my wardrobe. The traffic doesn’t help, too. I’ve never tried online shopping, but I’m considering it now because of the convenience and the time it saves. I’m very wary to shop online. What sites do you trust?
Rhea
It took me a while also to bring myself to shop online. But I discovered the joys of shopping online after I gave birth. You’re right — it’s really convenient and allows you to escape traffic. You hear of so many horror stories from other people, which is why shopping online can be discouraging. Would you believe that the first sites I tried shopping online at were local? My trust level was increased when I found out that the faces behind these brands were friends of friends. I would also see other friends shopping there, and for us women, word of mouth plays a strong role in our purchase decision.
I first shopped at Seek the Uniq (seektheuniq.com), which offers one-of-a- kind fashion and home pieces. You’ll rarely bump into someone wearing the same piece because the quantities are limited.
For shoes, I love Renegade Folk (renegadefolk.com). Crafted by local artisans, these leather sandals are amazingly comfortable and stylish, they don’t even need breaking in. For the prettiest home and desk accessories and unique designer collections, I love The Gorgeous Mess (thegorgeousmess.com). Everything they showcase in their site is so pretty and covetable. For pieces that whisper easy elegance yet are so on trend, I love Harlan & Holden (harlanholden.com). This is the clothing site that really tempts me to buy everything! Each piece is so intelligently made — a beautiful marriage of comfort, timelessness, and trends. Lastly, Zalora is another site I frequent. They have everything you need. Apart from discovering amazing imported brands here (that you can’t find at the malls), I’ve ordered small gadgets and even the body products my kids need. Since they deliver fast, they’ve really made it so convenient!
Although I love online shopping, nothing can replace seeing, hearing, touching or tasting a product. I still enjoy shopping at the malls because I value the full experience of a brand. Especially for clothes or makeup, I still love being able to fit and feel everything I try. But I’m really happy online stores have given us so much convenience! Good luck with your online shopping and enjoy!
Rissa
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Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil.