Buying clothes for a special event, hiding the price tickets and returning them to the store the next day has for years been the method of economical shoppers. Today people are doing it just for social media.
A survey conducted by the credit card company Barclaycard revealed that nearly one in ten UK shoppers admits to buying clothing only to post photos on social media for likes. After the "outfit (装束) of the day" makes it online, they return it to the store. According to Barclaycard, the "try before you buy" policy of online retailers (零售商) where people pay for clothing they order online after they try it on at home could be contributing to this rising trend.
But the rise of social media has meant that everyone, not just superstars, expects to build and maintain a personal brand. Since we're documenting our lives and posting them online for public judgment, getting caught in the same outfits more than once should be avoided. And the cost of all those outfits of the day adds up, which makes returning a popular way.
There are brands that tailor clothes specifically for social media shoppers, like Fashion Nova. "These are clothes made for social media: meant to be worn once, photographed and abandoned," Allison P. Davis wrote in her report about the brand. Another favorite of the social media age is Rent the Runway, which lets customers rent designer clothing for a fee.
Some, however, are moving in the opposite direction. Groups promoting "work uniforms" have increased greatly in recent years, aiming to free women from "the annoyance of clothing decisions". The concept of the "capsule wardrobe" (胶囊衣柜), which calls for purchasing a small number of high-quality pieces instead of lots of trendy throwaway clothes, is also making a comeback.
C 
Britons follow the fashion stars closely.
D. Some Britons over-order and return clothes.
