Online shopping is great for things I can’t always find in person. ssense and DSM and Mr Porter are usually where I find myself going. In terms of buying vintage, eBay and Poshmark are great as long as you know your dimensions. I’ve sort of stopped using Grailed entirely as of lately, everything is priced so wrong.
Nothing can replace shopping in person though. Some shops have an insane presence that you can only experience by being there. DSM is an experience. Both Wythe and Drakes NY locations transport you to a western world & sartorial haven. I really love the expertise of the staff at 3Sixteen and SelfEdge and Blue Blue in Green when it comes to denim; they’re gods of their industry. And then it’s just fun to talk shop with the Noah staff. You don’t get that experience online. It’s wonderful to be so close to all these shops.
Both work together, I think. But if you aren’t in a location where you can visit these places, then you sort of have to default to online.