Buying clothes for women – how to get it right

What starts as a thoughtful and even romantic gesture can quickly take a turn to the unfortunate if you don’t know how to shop for women’s clothing. Read on to find out the pitfalls to avoid and how to master the art of buying for the fairer sex.

Check online first

If you’re planning to hit the shops, spend a little time online first, looking at which stores are best rated for certain age groups and styles. As an example, these WHISTLES reviews make it clear that it is geared towards a more classic and elegant ensemble, while other outlets might be more athleisure or formalwear orientated. Don’t waste time traipsing through shops that your intended recipient would never go in.

Be size vigilant

This can be difficult, as most women will have a range of sizes in their wardrobe, due to size discrepancies between shops or a fluctuating figure. The key is going to be to find clothing you know they wear regularly, peek at the sizing label and then use that to shop in the same location. Don’t forget to consider extra fit elements as well, such as petite, tall, plus size and regular ranges. If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is!

Buy for her, not you

A truly thoughtful gift of clothing will be something you know the wearer will love and would pick out for themselves. Gone are the days when it was considered funny or acceptable to buy what YOU want to see someone in, so step away from the impractical lingerie department. You should want your recipient to feel comfortable, attractive and even empowered in what you give them – choosing something that is totally not their style will only lead to self-consciousness.

Phone a friend

If you need to call in reinforcements, a close female friend is always a solid ally when buying women’s clothing. You can ask if there is anything that has been particularly lusted over, which shops are her favourite and get a second opinion on your choices. You could even double-up and get some accessories as well while you have another set of eyes with you.

Don’t ignore the shoes

If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with a pair of gorgeous shoes. If you know the intended wearer’s size, you can easily snag some striking footwear and not worry too much about them fitting. Take a cursory glance at some existing pairs of shoes that get a lot of wear, just in case they are wide fit and from there, you can decide on height, style and colour. This might be another option that benefits from a friend’s input.

Add some accessories

Let’s imagine that the woman you are buying for is a jeans fanatic. You want to buy a special pair from a boutique shop that she has been eyeing up for a while, but a pair of jeans on their own doesn’t feel like much of a treat. That’s when accessories can ramp up your offering! Add a designer belt as well, or even some cashmere socks, to pull together more of a full look and revel in her surprise when she opens everything up.

Buying clothes for women is a more complicated affair than you might first imagine, but once you’ve got the sizing issue sorted and have some clear ideas about preferred styles and labels, you won’t go too far wrong. When in doubt, just remember that you are shopping for her, not you!