We all know it’s that time of year again. Those preppy red cups are back at Starbucks with your favourite holiday drinks, and of course, after months of isolation, armies of Canada Goose jackets are on the loose once again. Winter is indeed approaching. The chilly wind calls for hot chocolate, long showers, and lazy Saturday nights. But most importantly, a new season is knocking on your door, and it’s telling you to revamp your closet!
As Queen’s students, we all know that living in a concrete jungle like the city of Kingston is not easy. The closest mall is only 5000000 hours away and the two stores on Princess St. offer surprisingly limited variety. Maybe it’s time to consider other options. This is where online shopping comes in.
With a fully functioning parcel delivery service and free Internet access on campus, online shopping is beginning to look more and more appealing. After all, who wants to walk downtown in -100 degree weather? Not me. That’s for sure.
So to get you started, here are the top four sites that I recommend for us Canadian shoppers!
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ASOS
“ASOS.com is a global online fashion and beauty retailer and offers over 50,000 branded and own label product lines across women swear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewelry and beauty. ASOS has websites targeting the UK, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Russia, Italy and Australia and also ships to over 190 other countries from its central distribution centre in the UK.”
ASOS offers access to clothing with unique detailing and refreshing prints. The euro-style designs can be a nice change from our regular North American apparel. Prices are fair and mid-range, although occasional you may be lucky enough to seek out some amazing deals in the large sale section of the website. After all, every penny counts when you’re a student in great debt.
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eLUXE
eLUXE is a contemporary online boutique offering some more high end fashion choices. Designers and brands include Rebecca Minkoff, James Perse, Missoni, Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenberg, Red Valentino and my personal favourite, Rebecca Taylor. The website is easy to navigate and the sales section is fairly well organized with personalized options. With free shipping on all orders over $100 and free returns, eLUXE is definitely not a bad choice for buyers who are leaning towards high-fashion.
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HAUTELOOK
HauteLook is an online destination offering both private, limited-time sale events and an ongoing catalog of the top fashion and lifestyle brands at prices up to 75% off. These brands include BCBG MAXAZRIA, Seven for all Mankind, Juicy Couture, Joe Fresh, GUESS, and many others. Hautelook offers a variety of items including clothing, shoes, makeup, jewelry, and even vacation packages. It is essentially the most “well-rounded” website as it includes brands from every price point, guaranteed to please all perspective shoppers.
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Forever 21
“Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers clothing and accessories for young women, men, and teen girls.”
I can see myself sitting in my chair for five hours on a Monday night scrolling through these pages of crop tops, sweaters, and legging for unbelievably cheap prices. Often times, the online store has additional sales ON TOP of the sales items. When I can buy a little black dress for under $15 dollars, it makes me wonder why I would ever spend a fortune at Wilfred or Holt Renfrew buying the same type of dresses. Although the quality of clothing from Forever 21 is definitely questionable, how can one turn down a $10 blouse?
Now that’s what I call shopping.