With social distancing the new norm, it means online shopping has temporarily become the only way to find a new dress or a comfortable pair of leggings. Fortunately, the options are endless, as many brands have prioritized their online presences and policies amid the pandemic.
Whether you are looking for an outfit for a virtual Zoom date, are searching for a vintage or pre-owned designer piece, or want to add some comfier work-from-home outfits to your closet, these are the online sites to visit.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Ready-to-wear
Tobi is an online fashion retailer based in Los Angeles that sells women’s clothing. The site ships to more than 100 countries and offers everything from party looks to athleisure.
Although it is based in the UK, Asos is one of the biggest online retailers. Founded in 2000, the site offers a range of designers and selections. It is also one of the industry’s leading names when it comes to finding inclusive clothing.
Nasty Gal was founded in 2006 by Sophia Amoruso and was later named the “Fastest Growing Retailer” by INC magazine. Based in Los Angeles, the site started as a eBay store selling vintage clothing items and has grown into a huge online retailer.
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Everlane sells a wide range of basics and essentials.
ModCloth launched in 2002 and offers vintage and boho clothing exclusively from independent designers. The site is perfect if you are looking for retro dresses.
RELATED: Check out 30 of our favorite summer dresses, including some ModCloth and Revolve options.
Revolve was founded in 2003 as an e-commerce site and offers a variety of fashionable brands targeted towards millennial women.
PacSun is an American retailer that sells clothing inspired by a California lifestyle. The store sells a selection of men and women’s clothing as well as swimwear.
Zappos originally started as a site selling shoes but has now expanded into clothing as well. It was purchased by Amazon in 2009.
This store, which has a focus on millennials, sells a range of clothes inspired by comfort and style. The brand also makes it a point to consider the planet with its dedication to eco-friendly materials.
Urban Outfitters is an American retailer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The store sells clothing and accessories for men and women, with a focus on bohemian vibes. The brand also sells homegoods such as bedding and furniture.
The fast-fashion retailer was founded in 1984 and has since become a popular inexpensive source of trendy clothing.
Lulu’s is a California-based online site that sells affordable clothing. The site has recently begun focusing on bridal wear, with a large collection of bridal and bridesmaid dresses.
Francesca’s is a boutique store selling clothing, handbags and accessories. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas and features a lot of floral prints.
The department store’s online site has a mix of everything – including both designer and more-affordable fashion.
Lane Bryant has long been a go-to for plus size customers who want cute, stylish clothes rather than the insultingly dowdy options often offered to women who wear a size US 14 or above. Their looks are colorful, trendy, and modestly priced, and there are always stylists onhand (yes, even online) to help you find your best look.
Old Navy is great for affordable basics – for men, women, and children. The store was founded in San Francisco and is now owned by Gap.
RELATED: Check out our favorite basic tee shirts, including a few from Old Navy and its sister store Gap.
Fashion Nova is a fast-fashion retailer founded in 2006. The site offers casual clothing for women, as well as outfits for nights out. The brand also recently starting selling mens clothing.
Target offers a huge range of clothing options at affordable prices. The eighth-largest department store retailer in the US also sells home goods, toiletries, tech gadgets, shoes and more.
Free People is perfect if you are looking for clothing with a boho vibe. The store sells clothing, as well as shoes, accessories, lingerie and swimwear.
Madewell was founded in 2006 as a sister brand to J Crew. The store primarly sells jeans, but also sells t-shirts, accessories and shoes as well.
Macy’s is another department store that offers a wide range of items online. The store also offers more affordable brands than other department stores, with the same huge selection.
American Eagle is an American retailer that sells clothing and accessories for men and women. The brand also has a plus-size range, as well as a lingerie range.
Aritzia was founded in Vancouver in 1984 but has since become popular across the US as well. The store sells a range of high-end basics, as well as business casual and everyday clothes.
Reformation is the perfect site if you are looking for fun prints, or simple-yet-trendy dresses. Since it was founded in 2008, the store has remained true to its roots by only offering eco-friendly clothes.
Saved by the Dress is a Miami-based boutique that sells a range of formal and casual dresses. The store usually ships orders on the same day, so it is perfect if you need an outfit last-minute – and it has new arrivals daily.
Gap was founded in 1969 and has since grown into a global retailer. The store offers affordable basics and casual clothes for women, men and children.
Bloomingdales is an American department store founded in 1861. The online version of the store has everything from homegoods to men and women’s fashion. The store also sells luxury brands such as Burberry and Gucci.
Anthropologie is perfect if you are looking for boho-inspired clothing. The American retailer sells women’s clothing, in addition to accessories and some home goods.
TJ Maxx is an American department store chain that sells discounted clothing and home goods.
Bershka is a clothing store from the same company that owns Zara. The brand sells inexpensive clothes for men and women, as well as shoes and accessories.
Express is an American fashion retailer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The company offers casual options for both men and women, including a wide selection of denim, as well as business casual clothes, lingerie and undergarments.
It’s all about bright, exciting colors and patterns when it comes to Farm Rio garments. The dresses and jumpsuits stand out with tropical prints and florals in wildly wearable shapes, and each piece looks as rich as it does joyous.
Lingerie
Taryn Winters is a luxury lingerie brand based in New York City. The site sells a collection of bras, underwear, bodysuits and bespoke nightwear designed by Winters, a graduate of FIT.
Journelle is a designer lingerie company founded in 2007. The site sells lingerie from other designers, as well as its own Journelle collection.
Yandy is an online fashion retailer that sells swimwear, lingerie, and Halloween costumes. It was founded in 2007 and offers a range of reasonably priced undergarments.
Aerie is a lingerie brand owned by American Eagle Outfitters. It offers a wide selection and targets a demographic of women aged 15 to 25. The site also uses a variety of models to show the lingerie.
Hips & Curves opened in 2000 and sells plus-size lingerie. The site has a large selection of affordable bras, underwear and lingerie.
ThirdLove is an American company that makes bras, loungewear, and nightwear. The brand offers half-cup sizing in bras for the perfect fit.
Adore Me is an online retailer selling bras, lingerie and underwear. To see the selections, which range in sizes from petite to plus, you are first required to fill out a style quiz.
Bare Necessities is an online company dedicated to swimwear, lingerie, and loungewear. According to the company, it is the second-largest online retailer for lingerie.
True & Co, an online lingerie startup launched in San Francisco, California, also starts with a quiz to determine style preferences. The brand sells its own line as well as items from other designers.
Between The Sheets is a luxury lingerie brand based in New York that sells robes, underwear and bras, The brand only sells sustainably produced items.
Brook There was founded in Portland, Maine, and sells basic lingerie including bralettes, underwear, and camisoles. The store also offers shoppers the choice of silk lingerie or organic lingerie made from cotton.
This Miami-based company is inspired by French lingerie. The site sells a range of bras, underwear, and bridal lingerie, and offers plus-size sizing.
Fleur du Mal was started by designer Jennifer Zuccarini, who wanted to create a lingerie brand meant to be worn everyday. The items, which include lace bras and silk sleepwear, are sold online as well as in the brand’s Soho store.
Snag is your one-stop shop for size inclusive tights, socks, skirts, swimwear, lounge wear, and so much more. They release adorable collections all the time, like this recent one featuring Care Bear-print hosiery, and their sizing goes from 2 to 34 in dozens of designs.
Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty is another way she stays on our minds and in our wallets with the beautiful, lacy, strappy, sexy creations she helps dream up for this lingerie line. VIP members have access to sales like “2 for $29” on bras regularly, and the seasonal updates include a delicious variety of styles, cuts, fabrics, and aesthetics cut to flatter a wide swath of body types.
Luxury
The luxury department store is also online – meaning you can shop the 5th Avenue styles from your own home. Founded in 1899, Bergdorf’s is a staple when it comes to luxury clothing.
Stylebop was established in 2004 and has since become one of the largest online retailers for designer fashion. The site sells clothing, accessories and shoes from more than 200 international designer brands.
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Neiman Marcus is also a luxury department store with an online presence. The store sells items from designers such as Tory Burch, Burberry, and Christian Louboutin.
Owned by Amazon, Shopbop has offered designer fashion for both men and women since it opened in 1999. It is one of the largest online shopping sites.
The queen of punk’s eponymous line is still going strong on the couture and RTW fronts, especially with the resurgence of interest in pieces like her iconic pearly choker gracing the necks of influencers, celebrities, TikTokers and everyone in between for the past few seasons. The site is easy to browse and filter based on your budget and desired pieces, and the editorial shoots and video clips will provide you plenty of fashion inspo for building the most innovative and interesting closet possible.
McQueen was a legend and true visionary in the world of fashion, and his legacy lives on through the exciting collections still released via his eponymous atelier. Whether you’re searching for ready-to-wear items, menswear, accessories, shoes, or gifts, there’s something for everyone on the design house’s chic and edgy site.
Moschino is the best luxury place to find zany, off-the-wall purchases like the pearl-encrusted leather jacket bag below. The fashion house is legendary for blending high-end and pure camp, so click through to browse if you like to have a lot of fun with your fashion.
Small biker bag with pearls
(Moschino)Sportswear
Carbon38 was founded in 2011 and caters to women looking for stylish workout clothes. The site mainly offers high-fashion apparel such as leggings, workout tops and sports bras, and sells items from various designers all in one place.
Girlfriend Collective is an activewear brand that makes sustainable clothing out of recycled plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets.
Bandier is a site selling luxury athletic-wear. It offers a range of brands such as Nike, Spiritual Gangster, and Alo.
Lululemon has become one of the leading sportswear brands and it is understandable why. With countless legging and yoga pant options to choose from, the athletic-wear brand is basic yet fashionable.
Evolve is a speciality retailer for eco-friendly fashionable workout clothing and sells items from more than 50 brands.
Beloforte is an eco-concious brand that creates activewear for women. The range includes leggings, sports bras, and tops.
Outdoor Voices was founded in 2013 and designs and sells athletic clothing for men and women. Some of the pieces are made from recycled plastic bottles.
Fabletics is an online subscription retailer owned by Kate Hudson that sells athletic wear and footwear. To shop, you have to first take a quiz that tailors products to your needs.
Koral sells trendy women’s activewear including jackets, leggings, sweatshirts and sports bras.
Wear It To Heart is an online retailer founded in 2011 in Los Angeles. The brand creates women’s athleisure, with a focus on leggings and sports bras.
Alphalete was founded on social media and has since grown into a popular athletic wear brand. The brand creates clothing for men and women.
Athleta is Gap’s fitness and lifestyle brand. The brand features a range of leggings, workout tops and sports bras, as well as swimwear, jackets, and shoes. The store is also more reasonably priced than other workout brands.
Alo Yoga is a yoga-wear designer based in Los Angeles, California. The brand offers high-end yoga and workout wear including leggings, sweats and sports bras.
Beyond Yoga is a luxury lifestyle workout brand. The brand sells leggings, sports bras, and tops and also has a maternity selection.
Marika is an athletic-wear brand that sells basics, including sports bras and leggings. The prices are slightly more affordable than other athleisure brands.
RELATED: Check out some of our favorite activewear pieces for women.
Discount designer
Headquartered in Redwood City, California and founded in 2011, Poshmark is the perfect place for finding fashion deals. Whether you are looking for new or used clothing, Poshmark has hundreds of options – it just requires a little digging.
Saks Off Fith is the sister company of Saks Fifth Avenue, and offers designer clothing and accessories at a discount.
The Outnet is an online fashion outlet offering more than 350 luxury designer brands at a discount.
HauteLook is a members-only site that offers flash sales for discount designer clothing and accessories. The site is part of the Nordstrom family and discounts are anywhere from 50 to 70 per cent.
Bluefly is an online retailer founded in 1998 that offers deals on designer clothing. It is headquartered in New York City.
Nordstrom Rack, owned by Nordstrom, offers discounted designer clothing for men, women and children.
The RealReal is a luxury online consignment store that sells pre-owned designer clothing and accessories. You must create an account or sign in through Facebook to shop.
Launched in 2007, Gilt is an online shopping destination headquartered in New York City. In addition to designer clothes and accessories, the site also offers deals for home goods and beauty products.
ThredUP is an online retailer for secondhand clothing. According to the company, it is the world’s largest online thrift store, and has sections for designer and maternity clothing.
Mercari operates similarly to Poshmark in that you can both buy and sell your wares via the website or app, but for those just looking, it’s easy to type in any designer and browse through thousands of options available for up to 70% off retail price.
eBay is an incredible resource for secondhand clothing, with everything from expensive, vault-worthy designer pieces from years (and even decades) past to more recent vintage sold at affordable prices. It’s easy to type in specific vintage brands or styles and find a bevy of options, just make sure to break out the tape measure to make sure you’re getting accurate sizing info–a good rule to follow for any online vintage hunting.
Footwear
Steve Madden has been a staple footwear brand since its inception in 1990. The brand has a variety of inexpensive heels, boots, and flats, as well as men’s options.
DSW is an American retailer of designer and discounted men and women’s shoes. The company also sells fashion accessories.
Unique Vintage was hard to categorize since they’re killing it in basically all categories, but we’ll put them under “shoes” for now since the funky platforms and adorable peek-a-boo heels inspired by styles of yesteryear always catch our eye.
Shoedazzle has a staggering array of choices in footwear at rock-bottom prices that are activated by signing up for a VIP membership that lets you have access to the best new styles each and every month. You also have the option to skip months or simply check out as a guest, so there’s no committment needed.
Outerwear
If you’re looking for a perfect new leather jacket, trench coat, or any other variety of stylish outerwear piece (for women or men), The Jacket Maker has you covered. The company carries dozens of ready-to-wear styles from biker jackets to quilted pieces for added warmth, and new styles are added regularly. The big draw here, though, is that you can have a custmom design created to fit your every whim and measurement, and you’ll work directly with a designer to make your dreams happen should you choose that route–check out their bespoke process walk-through for more information.
They may not have “coat factory” in the name anymore, but Burlington still delivers when it comes to jackets for the whole family in addition to a whole site chock full of amazing discounts.
Marigold Shadows isn’t for the faint of heart, and that’s exactly what makes them great. Their avant garde designs are something you could imagine spotting on a futuristic runway or strutting into a Berlin club, and their coats have the perfect sense of tongue-in-cheek, high-end fashion to make your friends think you spent thousands on an up-and-coming designer’s best piece instead of the $100 to $300 a coat from MG will actually cost you. Check out our favorite, the Dinah Cruella Patchwork Coat.