If your wedding is coming up shortly then you may be tempted to buy your bridesmaid dresses online to save yourself hundreds on the prices you pay in the shops. You can get a bridal dress for as little as £50 online compared to the hundreds if not thousands you will fork out if you go in to a wedding shop.

When buying online it is vital that you read all of the small print along with as many reviews as you can. Only then will you be able to get a true idea of what the company is like and the quality of the dresses. Many of these dresses are shipped from places such as China, so you will need to allow for shipping time and find out what the returns policy is should the dress arrive damaged or not does not fit you.

If you are going to buy a second hand one from Ebay or Gumtree for example, then make sure that you go and see it in person first to check it fits but also to check that there is no damage or marks on it.

Many women wear footwear that is not comfortable because they think it looks good or because they want to appear taller than they are. Many shoe designers say that when they make shoes they try to make them comfortable but that is not at the forefront of their mind and that they aim to make stylish and fashionable shoes that people want to wear.

So are we doing any damage to our feet by wearing these types of shoes? Doctors and foot specialists say that by wearing ill fitting shoes time and time again, we are risking causing serious damage and long lasting damage to our feet. This could cause it problems when we are older which may not be able to be corrected easily.

Some people have been wearing high heel shoes for so long that they actually can find it uncomfortable to wear flat shoes. Ideally if you do want to wear high shoes or shoes that do not fit your feet well then try and limit the amount of time you wear them for. If you can take flat shoes with you too, you may be able to switch in to them when you are walking home or when you are sat at your desk.

There is often big debates about children’s fashions. Many adults think that children should not worry about fashions and should wear what they want to where as some parents like to ensure that their child is dressed to fit in with the latest trends.

Some fashions for adults may not be appropriate for children and each parent has to decide for themselves what they allow their child to wear.

If you find that your child is becoming a little obsessed with fashions and with labels then you may want to start to teach them about the value of money. Some parents offer their child one pair of trainers for example, but say if the child wants a more expensive pair then they need to save up their own money to put towards it. This will make the child really think if they want the item or not and if they want to spend their money that they may have been saving for a while on a pair of trainers.

Surely the most important thing is that your child feels comfortable and happy in what they wear rather than trying to make sure they are wearing the latest fashions?

Over time many of us get invited to a fancy dress party. Sometimes the theme of the party is quite vague and could allow for a whole range of outfits to be suitable, but often the party host will specify a particular decade or film etc. that they want people to dress up as.

If you are needing to find an outfit for a 70’s part for example, then before you fork out on an expensive fancy dress get up why not look at the other options available to you. Firstly look through your wardrobe and see if you have anything that would be suitable, or that you could adapt to fit the year. If you are still struggling then the charity shops are a great way to find that perfect outfit at a bargain price. You may have to spend a little bit of time hunting but you may be lucky enough to pick up an outfit that was designed and made in the 70’s – the genuine article!

If you do have to hit the high street shops then try and get something that you may wear again, often if you can split your outfit in to a top and skirt you may wear both of them again even if not together.

How clothes are sized has often puzzled people for many years. As a women you are usually offered clothing in sizes such as 12’s, 14’s, 16’s etc or small, medium or large. These are just a few examples of the way in which dresses are sized and even this can be confusing. Dress sizes are usually based on hip, waist and bust measurements but where as you can be a twelve in one shop you may be a 14 in another, making it very difficult to ever buy clothes without trying them on. This can sometimes be caused by clothing manufactured to American sizes for example, and then converted in to UK sizing – causing a difference. Even in some shops a small in one item can relate to different sizes to a small in another item of clothing. Sometimes shops will say a small is the equivalent to an 8 -10 and other times it’s a 10-12 or even a 6-8.

Unfortunately there is no getting round this and therefore a trip to the fitting rooms is often requires. When going to the fitting rooms, take the item in a size large or smaller as well, if you are unsure of how it will fit. This will not only save you time but can actually mean you end up getting an item that is better fitted to you. You should never worry about having to go up or down a dress size when shopping from place to place as this is often the norm for many women.