Site Savy

I have been an avid online shopper ever since I moved from my old town in northern New Jersey six years ago, mostly due to the fact that there is not one Bloomingdale's in the entire state of North Carolina (which in my opinion is totally unacceptable). Having lived in a town twenty minutes from NYC for most of my life, I developed a love for fashion and shopping at a young age.

Moving to what I thought was going to be Hickville, USA prompted me to explore the world of online shopping, which turned out to be a match made in shopaholic heaven. Being the seasoned shopper that I like to consider myself, I have a few favorite sites that I love visiting when I need a new gameday dress or some classic nude pumps.

I mean, need I say more?

If you find me on my computer, chances are I am probably perusing the Free People site drooling over their amazing chunky sweaters or a pair of Jeffrey Campbell's that just went on sale. The thing I love about Free People as a brand is the effortless beauty they are marketing not only through the design of their clothing, but also through the design of both their boutiques and websites.

The site is bright and well-organized, which instantly puts the shopper at ease, even when they see the price of that adorable dress they have been eyeing. There is something about the site's muted watercolor accents that work to create an atmosphere of both tranquility and trendiness, the perfect combination for the effortlessly fashionable twenty-something-year-old.

So kudos to you, Free People, for creating a webpage that embodies my two favorite things at the moment: Boho-chic and the "quick-view" option when viewing a garment's details. That little, hot-pink microscope button is seriously the best thing since Facebook invented the "Like" button.

While the department stores may be lacking in Wilmington, small stylish boutiques are in abundance in the beachy Port City. These quaint stores provide shoppers with a taste of New York fashion in a boutique-style venue, a shopping experience that I have learned to enjoy more than the trek through a crowded mall.

One of my favorite boutiques is Hallelu, an adorable little clothing shop located in Wrightsville Beach. Nestled perfectly between the Atlantic ocean and the intracoastal waterway, Hallelu is a locally owned boutique that attracts both beach-going locals and fashionistas from out of town.

The shop has seen a huge boom of success since its early days as a designer clothing consignment store. After being mentioned in Seventeen Magazine in 2010 and 2011, Hallelu seems to be growing a larger fan base daily.

To accomodate potential shoppers nation-wide, the popular boutique has created an equally popular website that brings trendy yet affordable styles to you. The "chic boutique" website provides viewers with an impressive lookbook in addition to gaurentees of international shipping for the jet setting shopper! All I have to say is, hallelujah for Hallelu.

While most online clothing stores are selling shoes and dresses, Rent the Runway makes its profit by renting its inventory to those girls with expensive taste but without the bank account to sustain it.