Online shopping

In Sex and the City Carrie Bradshaw once said, "shopping is my cardio".  As it is mine. But I've cheated. I've cheated already quite a few times and shopped online. But I've had to. If I could, I would definitely ALWAYS shop "live" if I lived in London or Paris or New York (though I've never been to NY). But now that I live in Jyväskylä where the amount of the potential shops limits to 10 and often the nice garment you'd like to buy has already walked right at you on the main walk of the city (a bit of exaggeration there maybe...) That's why I feel obliged to take a sneak peak at the online stores every now and then. Every day.

The risk of shopping online is obvious: the garment might not fit, suit or doesn't feel right on you. Unfortunately the clothes often look too promisingly good on the models. Real life is different. All the online stores allow their customers to "try it on at home and if it doesn't fit, return it for free", but after all the anxiety of waiting for your delivery (waiting is very exhausting, trust me), one is definitely not in the mood for returning the garment. So if it doesn't fit, keep it and make it fit. This is one reason why I don't look for clothes for my clients on the internet unless it is something specific that cannot be found in the local stores. I don't want any of them to ever feel the disappointment of buying the wrong size or feeling uncomfortable.

The next issue. The waiting. After waiting for eight days, with no money on my bank account because of the order I had made to asos.com, the post boy delivered a note to my post box about how the package could be picked up from the post office (he didn't even bother to ring the doorbell!). I ushered to the post office but when I got there, they said it could be picked up only after four. Well it did say it on the note but I was anyway about to cry. This shows that it would be so much more fun to spend your money as you get new things. Not spend your money, wait (for days) and then get new things. It doesn't give the same thrill. I hate waiting anyway.

But the opportunity online stores provide makes me place orders every now and then. It gives the opportunity to have something special that one will not bump into on the streets here (or you've got really bad luck). It also gives the chance to have something specific that you cannot get here in this city nor even in whole Finland. It gives a feeling of being safe. No one will probably look alike. So in the end, I kinda like online stores.

Some of the best online stores I use are:

- asos.com, when I want something quirky and fashionable, but not too expensive (you can find the less expensive designer pieces there)

- net-a-porter.com, when I feel I've got too much money and feel the urge to buy a new pair of Louboutins or Jimmy Choos. I love Marc Jacobs bags and I've bought a couple from there. But this site is strictly only for the ones who are either really rich or feel uncomfortable having suddenly a lot of money lying useless on their bank account. (high shipping costs!)

- nelly.com, a new acquaintance, but the products are shipped from closer and all together seems like an ok place. Though some of these products could be found here in Jyväskylä. 

- americanapparel.com, LOVE it !! Fun clothes. Don't buy your entire wardrobe from here though..

- feelunique.com, if you want some beauty products for half the price of the Finnish prices with no shipping costs. So seriously, anyone who washes their hair or uses make-up or does anything beauty related, check this out!

As last words, shopping will always be my cardio, style just needs aid from the internet.