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lynnie


Chanel

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online boutiques or real boutiques?
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I was just thinking about this when I was in NYC a few days ago.  I realized that while I own many nice things, I rarely go into a boutique, find a cute $200 shirt, and then buy it.  I am actually fearful of real boutiques because they are so small and the people in there watch you, the people can be snooty, they jack up their prices, their return policies are often bad, and sometimes I walk into one and instantly know they have nothing I like, but feel obligated to browse for a few minutes so I don't look rude!  It's terrible.  Now I love online shopping because I can pick a shirt (say..lace shirt), find a few options, post them here, have people give me opinions and post other options.  I can also find a brand or item, and find stores with coupon codes or special sales.  I love comparison shopping and using luckybreaks codes.  I like to look into my closet, see I need something, and instantly look browse my options.  The only bad thing is I can't try things on and sometimes shipping is high.  But now I'm incapable at shopping at small boutiques- I always think, I could find this Ella Moss shirt for so much cheaper.  How does everyone else feel? 

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kenzie


Chanel

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I like both.  I love that online I can find boutiques from all over the country, so the selection is huge. But at the same time, there are some great boutiques right in my town that I love to shop in.  The owner of one particular boutique is really friendly and always remembers me when I come in.

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bex


Chanel

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i like both too.  for most of the same reasons that nylabelle posted. 


i really like being able to walk into a boutique and the owner remember me and show me things she thinks i would like.  and i don't mind paying a little extra since i get special one-on-one attention. 


but i also like being able to purchase over the net and use the coupon codes that you dont ever get at a real boutique.



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Meow


Coach

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I really prefer online shopping, except I hate that I have to pay shipping if I need to return the item.  I really don't mind paying them shipping for them to  send it to me because I understand they need to cover their costs, but me paying to send it back really does bother me.  Anyway, I like the convenience of online shopping.  I also really like to go in stores like Gap, Express, etc but the whole boutique thing bothers me.  There are two in the town where I work and one has very nice people that own it and don't follow you around.  However, I still feel self-conscious.  However, the other one is very snooty.  They have this "How dare you come in here?" attitude.  They have been in business about 25 years and have their "regulars".  If you are not a part of that crowd then, well, "how dare you go in there?"  I have a co-worker that is one of their regulars and she would go in there with me to help me get "established" if I wanted her to, but I don't really want to shop somewhere that doesn't think I am good enough on my own. 

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honey


Gucci

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i'm always going to prefer b & m to online. even with snooty salespeople i need to be able to touch and feel things, esp. if i'm going to spend a lot of money. also i've found that in most cases boutiques tend to get things b/f a lot of online stores, but that could just be my experience.

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rocky


Coach

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Even though the boutique SA's can be snooty at times, I have learned to thicken my skin and bear it. I have ordered stuff online way too many times and have had to return it because of fit/quality etc.. I definitely prefer b&m.


Sometimes though, (like with jeans) I try them on at the b&m and if I know they fit, I look for them online for cheaper with coupon codes.


But there is definitely more selection online than in the boutiques near me. So sometimes I just have to risk it by ordering online.



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shopgirl82


Chanel

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i have a ton of boutiques near me and i love the great customer service i get, the owners remembering me, etc.... the only problem is that i usually end up spending $40-$80 more (at least) at b&m than online.  it's a double edged-sword. 


nylabelle, have you ever been to Skirt in bryn mawr?  i don't think it's that far from you.  i loved that boutique and the ladies there were super nice to me (i spent enough there though).  there are a couple other in the mainline area that are great too.



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esquiress


Marc Jacobs

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i love real boutiques, the ambiance of the store really makes the experience more fun for me.


i like online shopping as well but never really shop @ online "boutiques", unless one of you all recommend something from one--so thanks!



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CarrieS


Marc Jacobs

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I'm going to say boutiques, because like Honey said, I need to be able to touch and feel things.  I'm also super, super, super picky about how things fit on me, so I need to be able to try on before I purchase.


That's my ideal answer, but since I live where shopping isn't that great, the lack of unique items forces me to buy online if I want something different.



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luckylily


Gucci

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I much prefer real boutiques.  In addition to trying things on, I like to feel the fabric and see how the seams are constructed.  I also like that the employees in boutiques usually have good ideas for outfits that I might not have thought of.


I like browsing online, but rarely buy.



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Lilykind


Hermes

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Real life.


I'm not afraid of most salesgirls anymore with their attitudes. The way I see it, they just won't get my business and geez doesn't it suck when you lose a sale because you're a snot? (OK that's mean, but you don't need a SAs undying attention to be an important and worthy individual)


I don't look like a model, so IMO there's no way I can expect a model in a picture to depict how a piece of clothing will look on me. I'm short and I don't trust online measurements. For me, half an inch can make the difference between a cute knee length skirt or my calves looking like tree trunk disasters. I'm also very touchy-feely as well so I like to know what I'm buying and how it works on me before I buy it.


Also, I live in Los Angeles...shoot me for living in a great shopping town.



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