We’ve talked before about using a default shopping filter to make online shopping less overwhelming. In this post we’ll dive deeper into the different shopping filters you can use and how they make shopping for clothes easier.
That’s what we’re covering in this installment of Options Please!
Options Please!
Options Please! is a series to help give you the tools you need to implement your seamless signature personal style. It’s for everyone who has ever asked: is a capsule wardrobe my only option? Is there any way to make shopping easier? What do I do if “does this spark joy?” isn’t working for me?
That is what this series is here to answer! This series is to help show you some of the options that are out there. Use what works leave what doesn’t, but my hope is that it will help you see the possibilities.
We’ll cover what your options are for closet clean out filters, building your personalized closet system, care and maintenance of your favorite pieces of clothing, shopping systems, where you send clothes you’ve cleaned out, and so much more.
Today we’re diving deeper into shopping filters!
Previously in “How to make shopping for clothes easier…”
When we first covered default shopping filters here we focused on using a default shopping filter to combat the fact that online shopping is usually completely overwhelming.
Shopping filters are a way to focus your online shopping and not immediately jump into the infinite scroll. They give you a way to decrease the initial overwhelm, which increases the likelihood of a successful shopping experience.
In that post I tossed out some examples and options. In this post we’re going a little deeper into some of those shopping filters, what each filter is particularly good for, and how to make shopping for clothes easier by using each of them.
Consider using the following filters to make shopping for clothes easier:
Know that these are not all your options. But they are a good selection for getting started and to display the plethora of opportunities you have.
Sales
Start your shopping by heading straight to the sale section (whether online or in store). This is particularly good if you’re shopping at the very end of a season, or if you’re looking to change the math of affordability. I also like it as a way to get an overall sense of the stores’ style in one section.
This filter makes shopping easier simply by narrowing your focus to just the sales section.
What’s new
Start your shopping by heading straight to the “what’s new” or “just in” section. This is particularly good if you shop for clothing regularly so have probably seen everything except for what is just in. Or if one of your style qualities is trendy and you’re looking to stay very on trend.
This filter makes shopping easier by keeping your focus on what’s new, so you don’t have to sort through options you’ve already seen on a previous browse, or that don’t fit your style quality. It can also just help you feel less overwhelmed – and that can be good enough.
Featured
Particularly online, many stores have a featured filter, which often overlaps with “what’s new” but isn’t exactly the same. This is a great filter to use if you just want to quickly and easily narrow down your options. Filtering by “featured” makes shopping for clothes easier in a very similar way to filtering by “what’s new.”
X, Y, or Z color
This filter is particularly good if you have a specific wardrobe color pallet. Filtering by color is generally easier online than in store, and is a wonderful way to stick to a particular clothing color pallet. This makes shopping for clothes easier because you don’t get distracted by clothing outside your intentionally chosen color pallet.
It can also be helpful if you’re looking to broaden the color selection in your closet – filter by colors you’re looking to wear more of.
A specific size or size range
Filtering by size or size range can help you focus on clothes that have a higher chance of fitting you.
If you go with this filter, start by looking at the store’s sizing chart so you know what size you’re most likely to be in this store’s sizing convention.
Unfortunately, sizing is not consistent between stores or brands, so you can’t rely on filtering by the same size for every store.
A specific item
If you’re looking for a particular item of clothing such as blouses, or button ups, or jeans, etc, use this filter.
Depending on the store, when you’re shopping online you can sometimes even specify elements like sleeve length or neckline or hem length, etc.
Similar to filtering by specific colors, this helps you not get distracted by items you aren’t looking for.
(There’s a big different between serendipitous or strategic spontaneous shopping and most of our impulse purchases. Bring focus and attention to the clothes you’re bringing into your closet and you will change your style.)
A specific cut or silhouette
This is great if you know what cuts or silhouettes tend to work best on you – such as only A-line dresses or skirts, or only close fitting blouses with minimal ease, etc.
It can be harder to specify this in searches so you might have to mentally filter out clothing that doesn’t fit what your style is. But this filter can still be worth implementing because of how quickly you can rule out a ton of options that don’t work for you.
In addition to not getting distracted by clothes you aren’t looking for, this filter also helps you avoid falling in love with a piece of clothing you love on the model but you know won’t work as well on you.
Certain fibers
Filtering by fiber is especially good if you have skin sensitivities. Whether by online filtering, or feeling your potential purchase, or checking the clothing tag, or checking the fiber content in the product description, filtering in or out specific fibers can save you a ton of heartache and discomfort.
Once you start paying attention to the fibers in your clothing, you may find you have very specific fiber preferences, and can use it as a shopping filter.
Filtering by specific fibers can increase the quality of the clothes in your closet depending on the fibers you choose (more about that in this ebook), but also helps you avoid falling in love with clothes that will cause you to break out in hives. (Win-win.)
In stock items only
This filter is particularly useful if you’re shopping on a tight deadline or don’t want to have to wait for items to come back into stock.
Also consider this as a secondary filter (more on those below) if the stores you frequent don’t restock specific pieces. You can use this as a secondary filter so you only see what’s in stock within your primary filter.
For example: only looking through clothes that fit your color pallet AND are in stock, or clothes that are your size AND in stock, or only clothes in specific fibers AND in stock, etc. Using this as a secondary filter off the bat can save a lot of heartbreak.
A price range
Similar to filtering by sales first, a price range can be a really nice way to ensure you meet your style and financial goals.
Similar to filtering by sales this filter makes shopping easier simply by narrowing your focus to just the items within your preferred price range.
Two final notes
Two final notes about using shopping filters (both of which incidentally overlap with using a closet clean out filter – because letting go of clothes is the simply other side of the coin from bringing clothes in).
- Consider layering multiple filters. Unfortunately there can be a lot of choices and sometimes heartbreak when it comes to shopping for clothes. A secondary filter can save you from a lot of that. Think about using multiple filters like building your perfect shopping Venn Diagram. Some examples of complementary filters are: your desired colors AND in stock, or your size AND your price range, or your fiber requirements AND your silhouette preference.
- Consider if you’ve tended to skew towards buying too many clothes or too few clothes in the past. Is that working for you? If so great, keep going. If not, try the opposite.
There we have a deeper dive into more shopping filter options! I hope this helps simplify your shopping, increase your successful shopping trips, and figure out how to make shopping for clothes easier for you!