This recent article in UK Guardian reports that fashion e-tail is a big growth area in the United Kingdom, with 97% of British web users shopping online. Apparently 36% of these shoppers are buying clothes. This is an increase of 40% in the past two years.

I only started shopping online regularly about 18 months ago. Clothing, footwear and accessories are extremely tangible and the thought of purchasing a product without inspecting it or trying it on was beyond my comprehension. In the end it was the frustration of not getting a particular size, colour or style in brick and mortar stores that won me over.

I started doing the Zappos thing and was pleasantly surprised at how painless it was. Their product reviews are accurate and the shipping is free. I gained online shopping confidence and started ordering a variety of product categories from Esprit, Nordstrom, Tulle, Spiegel, Macy’s and Bare Necessities. So far so good.

I’m still discerning about what I order on-line. It isn’t always possible, but I prefer to order a clothing item via the internet after I’ve seen it in the flesh. I also like to order from sites that allow in-store returns. I buy a small proportion of my clothes online – probably less than 5%. But for underwear and shoes the online percentage is closer to 50%.

Tell us about your online shopping habits. How much of your wardrobe is purchased through e-tail? Do you return a sizable portion of what you purchase through the internet? Which items do you prefer to buy online and which do your prefer to purchase in store?

I’m always on the hunt for comfortable shoes that look fab and I recently scored another pair. They’re dressy Anne Klein snip-toe ballet flats with an ultra soft flexible sole that cushions the foot beautifully. Shoes with decorative buckles on their vamps often cut into your skin as you walk because the buckles spill over the edge of the shoe. But these buckles don’t because they’re positioned away from the edge. They’re also cut low enough so that none of the bones on my feet chaff against the sides of the shoe. My hopes are high that this ped will make the “8-hour” mark.

I ordered these shoes because the Zappos reviews were very encouraging. I can’t tell whether they offer enough arch support because I don’t seem to have a problem with the arches of my feet; but they’re soft and a lot more substantial than many of the flats around. You might need to go up half size if your feet are a little wider because the toe box is snug. Roll on Spring, I can’t wait to break in my new skimmers.

These flats are available in patent and leather in a variety of colours.

Apart from animal hide, all fabrics fall into one of two categories: knits or wovens. It’s not the fiber content that distinguishes them, it’s the manufacturing process. Yarns like cotton, viscose, rayon, wool, polyester, velvet or silk can either be knitted or woven.

• Knitted fabrics are produced on huge knitting machines that “knit” different yarns together. These machines use exactly the same hand knitting method to make fabric. They knit a row of plain and a row of pearl at the speed of light to create a “stocking stitch” effect. You’ll see the familiar stocking stitch pattern on knitted items if you look closely. All knitted fabrics stretch. T-shirt fabric, sweatshirt fabric, knitwear (fabric that sweaters and cardigans are made from), jersey, mesh, toweling, felt and La Coste fabric are examples of typical knitted fabrics.
• Woven fabrics are produced on huge looms that “weave” different yarns together by interlacing threads both horizontally and vertically. Woven fabrics do not stretch unless Lycra, elastic or spandex fibers are woven into the fabric at the same time. This is how button down shirts and jeans get their stretch. Linen, denim, cotton twill, satin, chiffon, corduroy, tweed and canvas are examples of typical woven fabrics.

It’s important to distinguish between knits and wovens because each fabric type has a set of good and bad properties. See if you can distinguish between what’s knitted or woven in your wardrobe.

Blokes, its time to move on from pleated khaki’s or chinos. This is a dated look. So much so that Banana Republic has eliminated pleated styles completely. Most department stores continue to stock pleated chinos because they sell to gents who are none the wiser.

Opt for flat front chinos instead. They’re a lot more flattering and will work for every age and body type.

• Dress them up smart casually with a tucked button down shirt + undergarment T + dressy shoes + matching belt
• Dress them down casually with an un-tucked T or polo shirt + fashion sneakers.

Flat front chinos are classic and preppy. I wouldn’t call them funky, trendy or sleek, but they’re a pretty decent smart casual look that’s often appropriate in a conservative work setting if dressy jeans are not permitted.

Pleated chinos are passé.

Flat front chinos are current and flattering.