10 reasons to shop new season fashion in real life

Yes, having pizza delivered to the door when you’re pyjama-clad and binging on the latest MAFS drama (seriously, what is it with Bryce?) is enormously convenient, but a large-with-the-lot is never the wrong ‘fit’, and we don’t need to rub an anchovy between our fingers to appreciate its finer qualities. The pandemic may have forced us into shopping online for everything from donuts to dumbbells, but now that society and life has (literally) been unmasked, it’s time to rediscover the joy of retail therapy in real life.

Here are our 10 top reasons to visit Caneland Central and shop for new season fashion:

No returns.

Unless you’ve been blessed with the same height, shape and freakish natural beauty as the model donning that fitted leather skirt you love online, chances are if you shop online you’ll be making a return-to-sender drop at the local Post Office soon after it arrives.

Get it now.

After hours of searching, you finally found the perfect jacket. In the perfect size. In the perfect colour. The texture of the fabric is sublime. And it looks fabulous on you, especially with those jeans you’re wearing. You take it up to the counter to pay only to be told it’s out of stock. Oh wait. That only happens online.

New shape? No worries.

Working from your kitchen table may have given you more free time, but it also gave you a kitchen, and snacks – lots of snacks. There’s no judgement in going up a size over the past year, it’s just the perfect excuse to upgrade the wardrobe (and renew your gym membership). PS, oversized jackets and pants happen to be a big trend this year!

Real-life perks

Ever taken a break from online shopping with a soy chai latte or a quick mani? We didn’t think so. Shopping in real life creates opportunities for little moments of essential joy that no amount of clicks ever can.

Shopping really is therapy.

“I’ve been staring at my computer all day, every day this week. Can’t wait to stay home this weekend and go shopping on my computer” – said nobody ever. Real experiences with real people and real places are essential for mind, body and soul. There’s a reason a day out at your favourite shopping centre is called retail therapy.

Always the perfect fit.

There are very few people on earth with a Phd in ‘Understanding Sizing Guides’. Are you a 36 Long? Or a 44 in Europe? And is ‘Medium’ in this brand the same as ‘Medium’ in that brand? Will it make you look, well, bigger than ‘Medium’? Will it?? There’s a very simple solution: try it on in-store. No mathematical conversions or guesswork required. Plus, most stores will happily organise to give your new season staples a tailored nip and tuck so they’ll fit like a glove.

There are some things you simply can’t do online.

No website in the world can let you catch up with Sam and Jo, grab some sushi, shop for shoes, drop off dry cleaning and pick up ingredients (and a bottle of red) for tonight’s dinner.

There’s nothing ‘convenient’ about waiting days for your shopping to arrive.

If it ever arrives. Or arrives unbroken. Or to the right address. Or delivered and taken away again because nobody was home, but you were home, you were just in the bathroom. Want it now? Shop it now at your local shopping centre.

Real-time professional advice.

Sometimes we need the immediate opinion of an impartial judge to help us make “appropriate” choices. Yes, your <insert name of relevant body part here> does look big in that. No, that’s absolutely not too much money to spend on something you’ll wear all the time. Yes, you’ll totally look better than Karen this Saturday night. Whether it’s the advice of a close friend or a savvy store assistant, real life shopping is the ultimate in making real-time, impulse-free choices that are right for you.

Pixels aren’t perfect.

Ever wondered why paint companies still spend zillions each year producing those little colour sample cards?It’s because there are far more than 50 shades of grey, and computer screens simply cannot match the nuanced individuality of the real thing. Ditto for the fabrics, dyes and materials used in fashion, beauty and homewares. The only way to truly know what you’re getting is to see and feel it for real.