Turns out the Internet is useful for a lot more than toppling corrupt governments and/or looking at pictures of partially (or fully) nude celebrities. Particularly when it comes to matters concerning your wardrobe.

Thanks to advances in technology and logistics (think drones), these days you can go from “I have nothing to wear” to “check out my new sneakers” in a matter of hours given a few clicks and finger swipes in the right direction.

However, access doesn’t always correlate with quality; the vagaries of fit and cunning clothes photography make those over-generous store mirrors seem benign.

Yes, buying clothes online may come with its potential pitfalls, but provided you bear these pointers in mind, you’ll be spared a life of filling out returns forms and long post office queues.

What Not To Buy

Certain things lend themselves to being bought online. Once you know your size (and we’d hope you do by now), staples like socks and underwear don’t pose the same issues of fit that, say, a £3,000 wool-cashmere blend overcoat does. Nor do you necessarily need to handle the goods before buying.

Tailoring, though, is trickier. After all, buying a suit is all about fit. A cheaper suit that hugs your shoulders and chest will always look better than an expensive one that pools around your ankles or has sleeves that finish halfway up your forearm.

(Related: Ways To Make A Budget Suit Look Expensive)

Yes, certain things can be adjusted, but if you steer wrong in the shoulders or thighs then no Milanese needle wizard is going to be able to help you. When an inch makes all the difference, even the most comprehensive online size guide just won’t cut it.

There are really only two occasions on which you should buy tailoring online:

1. When you’re replacing a piece (from the same brand) you already own and know fits well.
2. When you’ve already tried something on in store and have scouted out a better digital deal or got hold of an online discount code.

Otherwise, even if you find that perfect double-breasted blazer you’ve been lusting after since seeing it at Pitti, save yourself some serious hassle and click elsewhere.