Fashion & Life style

Fashion & Lifestyle brings together clothing, footwear, bags, accessories and the everyday items that sit somewhere between necessity and preference. Metromart already carries bicycles, electronics and home goods alongside the weekly shop, so this is the part of the catalogue for the things people buy deliberately rather than by routine.

Buying clothes online, honestly

The obstacle with clothing online is never the browsing. It's the fit.

Sizing is not standardized in any meaningful way. A medium from one manufacturer can be a small from another, and imported garments frequently run smaller or larger than local equivalents depending on the market they were cut for. That variability is why people who buy everything else online still hesitate over a shirt.

The way around it is measurements rather than sizes. Take a garment you already own and like the fit of, lay it flat, and measure it — chest across the widest point, shoulder seam to seam, length from the base of the collar, and sleeve from shoulder seam to cuff. Compare those numbers against the size chart on a product page rather than trusting the letter on the label.

Five minutes doing that once gives you a set of figures that works for every future purchase.

What fabric suits this climate

More important here than in most markets, and the thing people most often get wrong when buying by photograph.

Cotton:

Is the default for good reason. It breathes, absorbs moisture and washes easily, which matters through eight or nine months of heat. The trade-off is creasing and slower drying.

Linen:

Breathes better than anything else and is the most comfortable option in peak heat. It creases enthusiastically, which is either part of the character or a problem depending on where you're wearing it.

Synthetics: 

Polyester and blends — hold their shape, resist creasing and dry quickly, which is genuinely useful through monsoon. In direct heat they trap moisture against the skin, so they suit a rainy afternoon better than a dry one.

Blends:

Are the practical compromise most people end up with: enough cotton to breathe, enough synthetic to survive washing and keep a shape.

Colour matters too:

Dark fabrics absorb noticeably more heat in direct sun. Through April and May, lighter colours make a real difference on a commute.

Monsoon considerations

Anything bought between June and September is going to get wet, so a few things are worth thinking about.

Quick-drying fabrics:

Earn their place in a way they don't the rest of the year. A cotton shirt caught in rain stays damp for hours; a blend dries on the way.

Footwear is where most people suffer:

Leather takes lasting damage from repeated soaking, and shoes that don't dry between wears develop problems quickly. A second pair that can be rotated matters more than an expensive single pair.

Bags need considering too:

Anything carrying a phone or documents through monsoon is better with a water-resistant outer or an internal dry pocket.

Looking after clothes in humidity

This is where clothing in Bangladesh actually deteriorates — not through wear, but in storage.

Never put anything away damp:

Not slightly damp, not nearly dry. Mildew develops within a day in a closed almirah, and the musty smell that follows is very difficult to remove once it's in the fabric.

Let the wardrobe breathe:

Packing clothes tightly stops air moving between them, which is exactly what mildew needs. Leaving a little space between hanging items does more than any product.

Use a moisture absorber:

In the wardrobe during monsoon — silica gel packs or a commercial dehumidifier sachet. Naphthalene balls deter insects but don't address damp, and they leave their own smell in fabric.

Air things periodically:

Clothes worn rarely benefit from a few hours out of the cupboard every month or two through the wet season. Anything stored a full season should come out and air before being worn.

Washing and colour

Wash dark and bright colours inside out: 

In cool water. Heat and agitation are what lift dye, and most fading happens in the machine rather than in sunlight.

Dry in shade rather than direct sun:

Strong sun fades colour quickly, particularly on dark cotton. Shade takes longer and the garment lasts considerably longer.

Separate new colours for the first few washes: 

Deep reds, indigos and blacks release dye initially, and that's when most accidents happen.

Accessories and the rest

Bags, watches, belts and sunglasses are bought less often and kept longer, so they're worth spending slightly more on than the per-use maths suggests.

For bags in particular, check the stitching at the strap joints rather than the material — that's where failure happens, and it's visible in a product photograph if you look for it.

Ordering and delivery

Set your delivery location before shopping, since coverage and timing vary by area. Check the size chart on each product page rather than ordering by your usual size, and check the returns policy before buying anything where fit is uncertain.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

How do I choose the right size when buying online? 

Go by measurements rather than the size label. Take a garment you already own and like, lay it flat, and measure the chest across the widest point, shoulder seam to seam, length from the collar, and sleeve from shoulder to cuff. Compare those against the product's size chart.

Do sizes run the same across brands? 

No, and this is the main reason online clothing gets returned. A medium from one manufacturer can be a small from another, and imported garments are often cut for a different market. The size chart on each product page is the only reliable guide.

What if I'm between two sizes? 

It depends on the garment. For shirts and structured items, size up — you can take something in, but you can't add fabric. For knitwear and anything with stretch, the smaller size usually sits better.

How do I measure myself rather than a garment? 

Chest around the fullest part with arms down, waist at the natural narrowest point, and hips at the widest. Keep the tape level and don't pull it tight. Measuring an existing garment is generally more reliable, since it tells you how a size actually fits rather than what your body measures.

Do you stock children's sizes? 

Check the individual product listings, since ranges vary. For children, ordering a size up is usually the sensible default given how quickly they grow out of things.

What if it doesn't fit when it arrives? 

Check the returns policy before ordering anything where fit is uncertain, since conditions differ between product types. Contact support on WhatsApp (01805552413) if you need to confirm before buying.

Which fabric is best for Bangladesh's heat? 

Cotton for everyday wear — it breathes, absorbs moisture and washes easily. Linen for peak heat, since it breathes better than anything else, though it creases readily. Blends are the practical compromise for most people.

Are synthetic fabrics a bad choice here? 

Not universally. Polyester and blends trap moisture in direct heat, which makes them uncomfortable in April. But they dry quickly and hold their shape, which makes them genuinely useful through monsoon.

Does colour make a difference in the heat? 

Yes. Dark fabrics absorb noticeably more heat in direct sun, so lighter colours make a real difference on a commute through the hottest months.

What should I look for in monsoon? 

Quick-drying fabrics, footwear you can rotate so nothing is worn while still damp, and bags with a water-resistant outer or a dry pocket for a phone.

Why does leather footwear suffer in the rainy season? 

Repeated soaking and drying breaks down the leather and the adhesives, and shoes that don't dry fully between wears develop problems quickly. Rotating two pairs does more for both than buying one expensive pair.