Summer-Loving Shorts

The temperature is finally picking up in California after a moderate, marine-cooled June. Shorts weather is here.

I’m glad to see shorts this season looking mostly high-waisted, which is excellent for a flattering and comfortable fit. I look for breezy, easy-moving styles and fabrics that keep up just as well on a bike ride, trip to the store, or afternoon pulling weeds in the garden. While on the go, zip pockets take the stress out of phones slipping out into the “black crack of death” next to the drivers seat in the car. After getting tired of picking up my phone off the floor, I found two share-worthy zip-pocketed shorts that I keep coming back to this season.

The “Wanderweave Zip Pocket Short” by Lou & Grey (a sub brand of Ann Taylor Loft) has the perfect cut and an accessible price tag. I got my first pair on Thredup for $12, but I love them so much I went back and got a second pair. Happily, they are still available from the source. They list for $64.95 but I got them for under $40, on sale. No need to pay list price on this web site, they are almost always running a sale. Today, it’s 48% off, and 20% to 40% off is pretty common.

Features I am appreciating:

• Easy breezy styling
• Sturdy but light, drapey nylon-like fabric
• Zip pockets that keep phone and lip gloss secure
• Adjustable drawstring waist on top of a wide, comfy elasticized band
• Not too short or too long for ease of movement but comfortable coverage

After living in these for a week straight on a beach vacation, I love these so much I just bought a second pair along with the Wanderweave jogger pant (which costs only $10 more than the shorts at the moment, on sale). As a size 6-8 in pants, I’m going for the Medium and feeling right at home.

My second fave is the action-oriented “Multi Trails” short by Patagonia ($69):

The fit is boxy, not bulky, the fabric is light and ultra-stretchy, and there’s a built-in lining for going commando. I’d imagine these would feel great on a run (I only biked and walked in them on a recent beach vacation and couldn’t wait to put them on again). I didn’t test these in the water, but with the adjustable drawstring waist and light fabric I would expect these to do great on a river rafting trip or a hike that ends with a splash. Medium is also my go-to size for Patagonia bottoms.

Patagonia is known for its long-lasting fabrics and construction, ethical sourcing, sustainable fabrics, attention to detail in fit, and commitment to put their profits back into protecting our precious outdoors. (This is not just a marketing position – they recently converted the company’s structure to make this commitment for its duration.) They even take back most used Patagonia merchandise and trade it in with a little cash back to you (shop their “worn wear” here). So, I don’t mind paying a little extra for a pair of shorts I plan to live in all summer long. These go for $69 but look out for their end-of-season sale in August by joining their email list.

Have fun out there and don’t forget your sunblock – especially on the neck, which ages just as much as our facial skin does. (Post on that coming soon.)

If you wear just one thing, wear this…

You can trade in your clothes when they wear out, but the skin you’re in needs to last you for life. Enter sunscreen, the barrier between us and the damaging UV rays of the sun. But it’s a confusing category. There’s a huge variety of brands, ingredients, and prices, and looks can be deceiving. On top of that, sunscreen for your face is a whole category in itself.

My criteria for a stellar face sunscreen: it should be easy to put on, and leave no tint (no whiteness or fake looking tint). It should be reasonably priced, no more than a bottle of shampoo. It should have clean ingredients. It should also stay on without causing oily buildup and causing breakouts, which means shouldn’t have to wash with dish soap to be rid of the residue (something my teenager sometimes tries when he really wants a deep clean – don’t try this at home).

Luckily my teenage niece is a major skincare nerd and has spent countless hours educating herself on the science and ethics of ingredients. With careful selection, you don’t have to pay a fortune to get high quality protection. Here is her cheat sheet for selecting sunblock for your face:

• For breakout protection and premium texture, don’t use the same stuff on your face that you use on your body.
• Look for “full spectrum” (both UVA and UVB) protection.
• No matter how it’s labeled, it’s hard to get more than 30 SPF in benefit (30x more protection than your natural skin). So don’t pay a premium for “SPF 50” or above.
• Korean products are the bomb. Sun protection is a religion there, and they seem to have some amazing products with charming names. (Japan too.)
• Cruelty-free and vegan options are easier to find than ever.
• Avoid fragranced products – it only gets in the way. (This is the reason I can’t stand many Olay products.)

Here are our favorite facial sunblocks, recommended from personal experience. The low price allows me to leave a tube in my gym bag and travel bag. Stylevana is a great source for online purchasing.

SCINIC Enjoy Super Mild Sun Essence ($5.79 online – made in Korea) This one is unbeatable for price and quality.

PURITO – Daily Go-To Sunscreen ($12.79 online)

Jumiso Awe-Sun Airy-Fit ($14.29 online – made in Korea)

• Derma-e Scar Cream Sun Protectant ($20.95 online and at Whole Foods and Sprouts)

TOCOBO Cotton Soft Sun Stick ($17.00 online) The tiny stick is a great way to reapply drip-free, on the go.

Apply generously every morning, and don’t forget your neck and upper chest – this skin is as sensitive and damage-prone as your face.

Don’t forget the lips!

Did you know that skin cancer is surprisingly common on the lips? Luckily, there are many attractive options with SPF 15-30 on board. Reapply generously since it’s likely to wear off quickly – especially in the most intense sun, between 11am-2pm.

Again, no reason to break the bank. It wears off fast so it’s handy to have one in every pocket or purse. (Just don’t leave them in the car, they melt easily.)

My current Lip Sunscreen:

Sun Bum Original SPF 30 Sunscreen ($9.99/3 pack – online, in drugstores and in sporting good stores)

Sun Bum is based in Southern California, where beach going is a way of life. The tropical scent reminds me of carefree days at the beach (even if you’re just walking the dog) and it’s clear and easy smooth to apply. My only complaint is the slightly saccharin flavor when I put on too much.

Stay safe in the sun!

Repost: Thank you for calling the perimenopause hotline…

Brilliant piece on a needlessly hush-hush topic. We all know that entering puberty is a roller coaster of hormone-amplified emotions. Why would exiting it be any different?

(Republished from McSweeney’s, 2022.)

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/thank-you-for-calling-the-perimenopause-hotline-where-our-hold-times-are-completely-unpredictable

It’s Swim Time.

Tick tock. The days are getting longer and hotter, and my thoughts go to fun at the beach or pool. Only question: what bathing suit do I wear? And do I still fit into the ones from seasons and pant sizes of the past?

For a long time, my go-to brands have been Carve Designs, Title Nine and Athleta for their movement-friendly design, thoughtful fit, multi-season quality, and west coast styling with mix-and-match top and bottom options. However, with my hips and waistline are a little more well padded than they used to be, I find myself looking for alternatives to my bikini bottoms which now display my muffin top – but, I’m not ready to retire to boring one-pieces yet. No room for body shame here.

I was recently shopping the REI sale and was excited to discover a new brand that hits all the right notes: Nani Swimwear. I was instantly attracted to their updated take on the high waist, with of-the-moment design and fresh prints.

The first style is “High Tide“, a one-piece with a flattering v-shape high waist and stay-put top design. At the moment, retail price is $95 and the print on the right, below is on sale for $40 (final sale). There’s even a pocket, probably designed for the young ones that can’t bear to be without their phone for a single minute.

There’s also a coupon today for 20% off sitewide for the Fourth of July – not sure how common that is.

The other style I’m scoping out is the Colorblock Bottom with plenty of tummy coverage that looks anything but old-fashioned. And there are plenty of mix and match options for tops, ensuring that people like me with a size Small top and Medium bottom have no trouble finding a perfect fit. And can we give a shout out to full bum coverage? Who needs a wedgie when your hands are full of beach gear?

This is just one of many styles of bottoms with comfortable coverage and upbeat prints.

There are many styles of top to choose from – and the prints are versatile enough to coordinate but not feel matchy-matchy.

To complete the outfit, some prints also come in water-friendly shorts and a few other separates. Shorts come in several options including Paddle Shorts for water immersion and Hybrid for in and out of the water.

REI currently carries a few Nani swim and shorts styles, but I’m now so used to ordering online and returning, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to searching the store for specific items.

The fabric appears to be sustainably leaning, with recycled polyester content. And I always appreciate a brand that embraces female empowerment.

The only negative I can see so far is navigating their web site. It’s surprisingly difficult to see all the options that match a certain pattern when you stumble upon a piece you like – you have to search by the name of the print or navigate back to shop by collection. Their size picker doesn’t remember what you’re looking for, which means a lot of clicking, and it’s slow to load – but with swimwear this cute and reasonably priced, I’m willing to put up with it. Let’s hope they’re just getting started and will implement these basic features soon.

Life’s too short to let body consciousness stop you from getting wet – ditch the suits you don’t like and let the sunshine in! Happy Summer and happy shopping.

ThredUp: Shop on a Dime. Look like a Million Bucks.

Not sure about you, but my waistline has relaxed a bit after lockdown and the metabolic slowdown of middle age. (Perimenopause deserves its own post, for the changes it brings to womens’ bodies and minds, but that’s for another day.) Rather than fight the change, once again I’m looking for new clothes that meet me where I’m at. But who’s got money and time to spend at the mall or stalking online sales?

Enter ThredUp. It’s a resale site with like-new or barely used clothes that brings back the fun to getting dressed. They have a huge selection of barely used womens clothes that go for a fraction of their original cost. Upgrading with my wardrobe with this site is affordable and surprisingly addictive. The more I shop, the less reasons I see to go anywhere else.

Originally founded to fight “fashion waste“, ThredUp is a marketplace for every price range. Regular clothes go for a bargain, but I am also enjoying access to stuff I could not afford otherwise (for example: nicely tailored wool Escada pants for $90 with a retail price of $500+.)

On top of that, ThredUp runs regular sales, and one happens to be going on right now (early June, 2023) that’s giving 70% off already low prices. Tons of tops, shirts and dresses are available at $3-$10 – that’s often 90% off the original list price. And again, most of these items look barely used or like-new (sometimes even new with tags still on).

What I love about shopping here besides the crazy low prices: It allows me to play. As we get older we are often less likely to step out of our comfort zone, and this site made me rediscover the fun of trying things I normally wouldn’t. (Hello, $400 sequin jacket.)

They also offer a service to get rid of your better used stuff conveniently – simply order a free, seemingly indestructible cleanout bag, fill it, and drop it postage-prepaid at your local post office. Don’t expect much of a payout, but at least you’ll know it will be used sustainably, either resold or responsibly recycled.

My tips for shopping ThredUp: It can be overwhelming at first, so help the site learn your sizes and preferences quickly to make the most of your time.

1. Create an account so the site learns what you like. (I use a dedicated email address for my online shopping to keep my regular email decluttered.)
2. When possible, shop on a computer, not mobile phone. The bigger screen helps you find more good stuff faster. You’ll see the details of the clothes more easily (each photographed individually) and apply search filters more easily to find that just-right item. There’s a great mobile app good for stalking items you save while you wait for them to go on sale, but for serious shopping, I always use a big screen.
3. Store your favorite sizes as you search. There’s no point in browsing items that are not available in your size.
4. Be specific in your search terms (“cotton floral blouse” rather than “top”, for example) and use the filter on the left to refine the results. Filters include brand, fabric, price range, sleeve length, skirt length, % discounted, neckline, the list goes on …dream big, and let the magic happen),
5. Spend some time “favorite-ing” or pressing the heart on items you like, even if you don’t intend to buy them. This will help the site learn what you like and show you more like that. It will also inform you when those items drop in price, so you can keep an eye on them if you’re not ready to buy right away.
6. When you see something you like in a brand that’s new to you (and I guarantee you will), click that brand name to browse all their available items. It’s a great way to discover new designers. I find myself shopping by brand quite a bit on this site to get to the nicer, higher-quality stuff at incredibly affordable prices.
7. To snag bargains from higher-end brands: sort search results from high to low price. You’ll see some interesting choices rising to the top.
8. After you you save a search, buy something, or browse a certain category frequently, you’ll start to get notified when new similar items come in.
9. They offer a kids’ department, too, in case you need to add some useful items to get to your free shipping threshold. (As of now, they don’t offer men’s clothing, like some other resale sites.)

A few things to look out for:

1. Notice which items are “final sale” – they’re the most deeply discounted (hello, hot deal), but then again, you’re committed once you purchase. Usually they’re in great condition, but can have odd sizing (too small or too big) or other deal-breaker (tiny arm holes, itchy fabric, too-deep neckline, just name a few). So beware of buying expensive items on “final sale”. Still, it’s a fun way to try something fun when the price is right. I’ve found some unexpected delights this way and don’t feel bad retiring them after a season. If I can’t find a friend who wants them, I donate my duds to the local nonprofit resale shop and make some of my money back on the tax deduction.
2. Shipping is slow – it usually takes a week or more to arrive. (Express shipping is available for an extra fee.) Then again, imagine the logistics of locating an item among the many thousands of items sitting in their warehouses – I’m willing to wait if it keeps the costs down.
3. Returns have a short deadline. You have something like 1-2 weeks to start a return and another week or so to get it into the mail. If you get busy and you look away, this deadline could easily pass you by.

It might take a few visits to hit the jackpot, but it’s worth the effort. Unpacking the polka-dot box is always a fun surprise. Give yourself permission to play, and enjoy!

One more thing… https://www.thredup.com/r/ZDCVBF

^ Sale or no sale, this link gets you 40% off your first order and free shipping.

It’s been a while…so, time for new pants.

Wow. It’s been 10 years since I last published here. So what happened? In a word, Life.

• Divorce.
• Going back to work after 6 years at home.
• Raising two kids as a single working parent.
• Working my butt off, getting promoted.
• Supporting my brother through his battle with cancer.
• Dating. Online dating. Some relationships that didn’t last, one that did. (But all of them taught me something.)
• The pandemic and supporting my kids through remote learning while working full time.
• Raising teenagers, approaching the threshold to college.
• Helping out my aging mother who lives alone.

Through all of that, I never stopped thinking about this blog. I don’t have any more free time now than I did in the past 10 years, but something is calling me back, and the ideas keep coming. So here we go.

First “welcome back” topic – PANTS! (Of course.)

The pandemic meant for most of us WFH living in stretchy pants for the past two years. There’s a reason for that – comfort while sitting at a desk (no binding waist band or seat seams), easy on, easy wash and wear.

So the question is – now that life appears to be returning to a version of normal, what do I wear when I leave my house after 2 years of COVID lockdowns and remote work? I don’t want to leave the house in pajamas but I just can’t seem to part with the forgiving nature of the cozy material and stretchy waist band. Yep, those extra COVID pounds. Less activity and more baking-for-recreation will do that. When I put on the pants in my closet I haven’t worn since March 2020, I literally can’t zip half of them up.

Enter the jogger pant. With their origin in athleisure, they are now the everyday choice for many of us looking for a “dressier sweatpant”. They are even crossing over into work-appropriate styles (which I’m actively searching out now that my office is back to working in person).

Jogger pants are a dime a dozen, but they are not created equal. Here’s a tip for what I believe to be the best joggers out there (if anyone disagrees, please send other candidates my way): The Vuori Performance Jogger. Sure, they look like they every other jogger out there, but the difference is in the fit and feel. I first came across these while shopping the yoga section in my local Sports Basement. They were not cheap – $84 is definitely more than I usually pay for leisure pants. But I was instantly attracted to the soft but substantial material, and after trying them on, I was instantly sold.

The Vuori Performance Jogger is a dream come true. Everyone I know who puts them on loves them.

The fabric is a buttery, medium-weight knit that has a firm drape without clinging or itching. And the thermal properties are a marvel. Unlike a lot of other synthetics (especially cheaper ones), the fabric breathes beautifully, so no overheating or clammy spots after moderate activity like a walk or yard work. But yet, it’s warm when sitting at a desk all day or watching TV. I can’t count the number of days working from home on Zoom in these. The fit is also fantastic – a wide waist band hugs without binding, and can be easily adjusted with a thick, easy-tie drawstring. The ankle cuffs are form fitting and responsive, without binding. You can slide the cuff up your shins to cool off or achieve a sportier look.

I usually wear a size small but due to my full hips (now fuller post-pandemic) opted for a medium for a more drapey fit, and have been collecting this pant in different colors ever since. I have given them as gifts to my friends, who have become converts. They also come in a longer length for taller people or those who want to cover their ankles snugly while sitting. I own both lengths and find the difference pretty subtle.

Bargain hunting? I have not seen them on sale on the retailer web site, but Sports Basement does offer 10% off just about everything to store members (aka “Basementeers”). REI carries them last I checked, so anyone who got their dividend last week like I did could go that route. I have started to get impatient with the disposable nature of cheaper clothes – I have mostly stopped shopping at Old Navy and Target for that reason. So even though these pants may cost almost twice as much as cheaper knock offs on Amazon, they will last more than twice as long, and be 10x more loved and appreciated.

As for durability, these have really held up. You can see the detailed construction the minute you hold them in your hand. The “real world” evidence is that while fostering a boisterous puppy last summer, I lived in these and they were the only pants to withstand snagging when she got “nippy” on my pant legs. Other than a bit of pilling in between the thighs on some of the pairs, I would say they still look and feel like new despite constant use. Laundry is simple – just like my other pants, I don’t put them in the dryer, to avoid fading and shrinkage. I wash on delicate and hang dry in my clothes rack. They dry incredibly fast (which also means they are also easy to spot clean when needed). They last for several wears before they have to be washed, which is good for my tendency to procrastinate laundry day, as well as for drought-stricken California.

If there is a better pair of jogger pants out there, I’m all ears. And also please send me leads for work-appropriate versions of this style; I love the energy of being back in the office, but I really do miss my comfy pants.

All a woman needs to look great: some perspective.

Hedy Lamar was a celebrated Austrian-American actress whose career spanned 60 years and peaked during Hollywood’s “Golden Age” of the 1930’s and 1940’s. She appeared in more than 30 films during her lifetime, many of which were starring roles. She had some refreshingly outspoken views on feminine beauty:

“All a woman needs is a good bath, clean clothes, and for her to be combed. These things she can do herself. I very seldom go to the hairdresser, but when I do, I just marvel.”

– Hedy Lamarr, Hollywood screen siren of the 1930’s and 1940’s

Another quote attributed to Ms Lamar: “Any girl can be glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.”

Bravo. Makes me want to go see her in a movie .

(Incidentally, more quotations by Hedy can be found on her official web site.)

Here’s another beautiful photo of her:

Hedy Lamarr was born “Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler” in Vienna, Austria, in 1914. Between 1933 and 1965, she appeared in 29 films, and also married (and divorced) 6 times. She had three children, one of which was adopted. She died in Orlando, Florida, in 2000. Her ashes were returned to Austria, Vienna upon her death.

Body scanner + sales help at Bloomingdales = perfect fitting pants?

Could this be the pants-finding solution that all hard-to-fit booties are looking for? Bloomingdales has installed a body scanner that recommends the best fitting, and flattering, pants for your body dimensions. My immediate association from seeing the photos: Star Trek, everyone gets to see you with your clothes off. Of course that isn’t really the case (your avatar wears a bikini) but it will still take some courage to put myself under the microscope. However, in the interest of good journalism for this blog, I think I’ll gather up my courage and check it out, and report back…

From today’s San Jose Mercury News:

High-tech help in finding jeans that fit

By Troy Wolverton

twolverton@mercurynews.com

Posted:   08/16/2012 09:12:53 AM PDT

No it’s not airport security – it’s the Bodymetrics body scanning cabin, created to help find jeans that fit. It’s available for a test drive at Bloomingdales in the Stanford Shopping Center.

Habit Forming

Amazon.com recently launched a daily deal fashion site called Myhabit.com. I’m skeptical of daily deal sites, which feel gimmicky, so I am surprised to report that I had a great experience there.

Today is the first time I visited, after my curiosity got the better of me from seeing some cute stuff in their daily email. (You always have to click through to the site to see the prices.)  They had quite a few cute brands on sale  (on the dressier side, probably more for date night than everyday wear). The pricing was very accessible – many dresses under $100, tops in the $30-$50 range, high quality shoes under $100. Let the browsing begin.

For those who have never shopped at a “daily deals” site, here’s how it works – they feature  small lot of merchandise by a handful of brands which change every day or two. Selection is limited – there are usually no more than about 20-30 items per brand – so it’s easy to skim the page and grab something you like. The low prices (and free shipping) make snatching something up that much easier.  They increase the urgency by listing sold-out items on the bottom of the page, encouraging shoppers to buy whatever is left before it’s gone, too. Once the sale is over, the clothes are no longer available.

Even though I am a savvy marketing person by profession, and can see right through the false sense of urgency that is created, the whole experience worked for me. I ended up with a pair of suede Dr. Marten boots for $78. I’ve been wanting a pair of grey suede boots for quite a while, and I have owned Docs before and know they’re comfortable and last years and years. With free 4-day shipping & returns, this was really an easy sell. Here they are (though the link to the sale will stop working after tomorrow when the sale ends).

Suede Doc Marten boots for $78 – my first purchase from daily deal site MyHabit.com (and Amazon site). This could be seriously habit-forming.

The most amazing thing? From the opening the email to placing an order, the whole transaction took less than 10 minutes. I can really see why these daily deal sites are one of the fastest growing areas of online retail. The feeling that you need to act fast in order to get that “special deal” is irresistible! It’s funny how the thinking part of my brain can see right through it, but the feeling side of my brain loves to declare a “shopping victory”. With a broad selection of brands and something new every day, this site could indeed be very habit-forming.

There are a few things that set MyHabit.com apart from other daily deal sites I’ve come across:

1) They accept returns (within 21 days) on many – though not all – items. (The returns policy is listed clearly on each product page.) I’ve been burned by daily deal sites before, when I purchased a top for my daughter on Zulilly which ended up being way too small (the item was probably on sale due to bad sizing) only to find that it was not returnable. I ended up giving the stuff away to friends with kids…and also vowed never to shop Zulilly again.

2) Free four-day shipping. Zulilly’s stuff took me 2-3 weeks to get – and I think there’s a minimum purchase amount to get free shipping.

3) More stuff I like – the range of brands and styles is broader and somehow more compatible with my tastes. Maybe it’s because Amazon is a west-coast company with a sense of style more compatible to mine. Maybe because they’re the big gorilla in the space and have more clout with vendors. Whatever the reason, I’m pleasantly surprised.

4) A more complete range of sizes. Sometimes daily deal sites just have a limited range of sizes (like the sale rack at the department store at the end of the sale). There’s nothing worse than finding item after item you like only to find that it’s not available in your size. At least for the sales I looked at, many (though not all) of the sizes were still in stock.

5) Nice product pages – for clothing, the model will actually do a full 360 via video for you, so you can see the garment from all sides, and how it drapes. The length of all clothing is listed in inches, so it’s easier to get a sense of how long a dress or a top will be on you, rather than the leggy 5’9″ model.

Bottom line – Bravo! As long as the products themselves deliver as expected, I predict MyHabit.com will kill their daily-deals competitors. So if you’ve got some time to kill at the computer and are looking for a nice new item for going out to dinner (or going to work), check it out for yourself and let me and the other readers here know what you think!

Making the Most of Online Sales

Ever have the feeling you have 17,000 email messages in your inbox? I actually did – I signed up to receive “marketing communications” from all my favorite online stores, and then fell behind on reading all the messages. After more than a year of neglect, I finally sat down to clear out the backlog, and was amazed at the volume of email urging me to buy, buy, buy… message after message saying “hurry” or “last day” (only to announce another sale a few weeks later).

They just keep coming… over 20 marketing messages received by 10am.

Truth is,  you don’t need to be on a store’s email list to take advantage of the best sales of the year.  They always happen twice a year: after Christmas, and right now – in late July and August, when Fall and Winter clothes begin to arrive in stores. But email marketing offers you the advantage of early access and sometimes an additional discount.

I recently needed a dress to wear to a summer wedding in Sonoma, and I was hoping to land a deal.  So when Boden (one of my favorite online stores) announced their end-of-summer sale, I jumped on the site the same day. I loaded up my cart with 10 “maybe” items, then quickly narrowed down to the best five. I gulped at the total dollar amount and then ordered all five items, knowing I’d be sending half of it back – because in a real store, you take more stuff into the dressing room than you intend to buy. I even paid $15 for express shipping to find out quickly if I had “the right dress” for the occasion. The next day, a large box was on my doorstep!   (It’s my first time using overnight shipping, and I have to say, I could get used to this.)

As it turns out, of the two dresses I ordered, one was a winner. Even with the extra shipping charges, it ended up costing less than $160 – not bad considering I never even had to leave my house. No raking through cluttered clothing racks. I could try it on at home with my own shoes and accessories. As a footnote, less than a week after ordering it, my size is already sold out – so I’m glad I acted quickly.

A recent score from Boden’s online sale – just the dress to wear to a summer wedding.

The unexpected winner from the order was a funky 60’s print tunic – I had my doubts about the crazy retro print, but when I put it on, it felt so good that I decided to keep it. I live in tunic length tops, and the print offers a welcome pop of color.  The fit is great too – flattering neckline, not too tight around the hips, long enough to wear with leggings (or as a super-mini dress if you are feeling daring). $58 is more than I usually spend on tops, but I know it will get plenty of wear.

The stretchy cotton jersey material was so soft and comfy that I ended up keeping this one.

In a nutshell, here is how I make the most of online sales:

1) Use a separate email account for online shopping. Then, ignore the account unless you’re looking to buy something.

2) Be stingy with your time. Delete all marketing emails older than a week without reading them.

3) If you do intend to buy, respond to online sales early, because popular items can go out of stock in a few days.

4) Order more items than you intend to keep. (You may need to pay for return shipping, but perhaps ordering more means you get free shipping with your order.) Order two sizes of the same item if you have trouble finding your size in a real store.  Yes, you’ll have to float the cost of the additional items until your return is processed, but you’re more likely to end up with something that you’re excited about.

5) Look for coupon codes before you check out  – it only takes a minute and may save you shipping or 20% off with very little effort. My favorite site is Retailmenot.com

6)  Be picky when trying on your clothes at home. Using the best mirror in the house, force yourself to make quick decisions based on gut-level reaction. When in doubt, send it back.

7) Bang out the logistics. To make returns easy, keep your computer connected to a printer for creating return labels, and keep a roll of packing tape in your desk for sealing your package. Fill out the paperwork for the return as soon as you can (to avoid losing it). Find the most convenient place near home or work to drop off UPS packages (using UPS.com). If your package has prepaid postage, don’t stand in line at the post office – walk up to the front of the line, make eye contact with a clerk, and he/she will tell you where to leave it.

8) Log off and get back to real life.  It’s easy to get sucked into hunting for deals online – so I give myself a time limit. If nothing clicks in the first 1 or 2 minutes on a specific site, I ditch out, knowing there will always be a next time.

Do you have another tip to share? Leave it in the comments section below!