ASOS.com (short for As Seen On Screen) started as an online fashion clothing store, providing up-to-the-minute hot fashion items that had been "seen" on celebrities and famous figures in the media spotlight. It has now expanded to be one of the very best and comprehensive clothing shops available online. There is no stopping ASOS from growing and growing, and now they offer several departments to suit all types of customers. You are just as likely to find smart, affordable work wear or casual jeans, as you are to spot a beautiful pair of designer shoes or premium leather jackets.

The design of asos.com is very easy to navigate and the sections are set out so you can find exactly what you want with a minimal amount of clicking. Here are some of my favourite things about the site itself:
-The photos. Each piece has several photographs showing the item from different angles, in any alternative colourways, and there is a fantastic zoom tool that allows you to see close-up detail.
-The search tool. If you are looking for a particular item and don't want to waste your time browsing the massive amount of items that asos.com has to offer, you will be best off using their search functions. There is a simple text box where you can enter keywords, but my favourite bit is when you browse by section. For example, if I wanted a pair of shoes, I would go to the shoes section, and then a column appears in the left hand side of the screen allowing you to define your options, including size, colour, price range, brand, celebrity, materials, and heel height. Fab for getting straight to exactly what you want.
-The choice! There are so many options and they are well-organised into sub-sections allowing you an easy shopping experience.
-Your account. It's easy to create an account with asos.com and here you can store your address and payment details to make the ordering process easier. You can view all your previous purchases and arrange returns here if necessary.
-Free delivery and returns! You can now get free supersaver delivery on all UK orders, free standard delivery on all UK orders over £75, and free next day delivery on all UK orders over £100. Asos.com also ship internationally and prices are clearly stated per country.

So, onto the clothes! There are different departments depending on what you are wanting to shop for, and I'll go into more detail about each one...

~~~WOMEN~~~
Shop by: Product / Brand / Inspiration
Categories:
New Clothing / New Shoes & Accessories / Last Few / Dresses / Tops / T-shirts & Vests / Knitwear / Jackets & Coats / Jeans / Trousers / Shorts / Skirts / Jumpsuits / Shoes / Bags & Purses / Accessories / Sunglasses / Jewellery / Watches / Leggings & Hosiery / Lingerie & Nightwear / Swimwear / Sports & Loungewear / Petite / Curve - Size 20 to 26 / Maternity / Clearance

There are quite a few asos pieces in my wardrobe, and I usually make the most of their never-ending clearance section. As styles come and go you can find really good bargains and the prices start at about £2 for hosiery and jewellery. Some of the best things I've bought have been simple cotton tops that I've worn through the summer and winter and they are holding up to the use and washing very well. I've never had any problems with the quality of the items, and I find that the colours and details show up as very true-to-life in the photographs.
The best section in my opinion is the dresses. They are gorgeous, wearable, well-priced and there are lots of fancy designs for special occasions and nights out. A point to be wary of is that a lot of the 'dresses' actually only work as longline tops on taller women. I'm 5'10'' and have had problems with the short hemline lengths that look ok on the models, but you cannot judge for yourself until you get the item home.
The shoes are fantastic as well; I've bought a few pairs of flat ballerina pump shoes and have worn them to destruction! They stand up to constant wear and are comfortable and practical. The only issue here is that some of the fabrics for the shoes are not waterproof, so only good for wearing in the dry weather!

~~~MEN~~~
Shop by: Product / Brand / Inspiration
Categories:
New Clothing / New Shoes & Accessories / Last Few / T-shirts & Vests / Jersey Basics / Shirts / Polo Shirts / Jumpers & Cardigans / Jackets & Waistcoats / Long Sleeve Tops / Sweatshirts / Jeans / Shorts & Swim / Trousers / Suits & Tailoring / Shoes / Bags / Sunglasses / Watches / Accessories / Underwear & Socks / Loungewear / Clearance

The men's clothing range is not too bad, there are a lot of graphic print tees and funny-looking cardigans, but the shirts are nice, smart, and trendy, covering a reasonable range of price tags. I'd say the best bit of asos Men is actually the shoes! There are loads to choose from, there are literally hundreds of pairs of trainers and the boots are excellent and of very high quality. I bought my man a pair of Cuban style leather biker boots for £25 (originally £65) and they are wearing in really well. You can get some cool accessories that would be good for gifts, things like ipod covers and wallets are a good bet, and the clearance is usually ok with out-of-season winter warmers and simple jewellery costing around £2-£5 a piece.

~~~BEAUTY~~~
Shop by: Product / Brand / Inspiration
Categories:
New In / Cosmetics / Lash Bar / Nail Polish / Beauty Accessories / Bath & Body / Skincare / Tanning / Hair Care / Styling Tools / Fragrance / Clearance

The beauty shop sells mostly higher-end cosmetic products from brands like Benefit, GHD, O.P.I, Urban Decay and many others. They even have a few B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful products left after the brand closed production, and I was really pleased to find there are still some of their eye make-up products in stock as I loved these and was sad to see them go. You'll be paying the average retail price for most things, but it is worth it as there are some brands that may be difficult to get hold of unless you live in one of the bigger cities with plenty of department stores. You can buy make-up, hair products, skin treatments and appliances all in one place. The sale prices are very good and they often have exclusive limited edition items. For example at the time of writing there are exclusive Bourjois vintage styled eyeshadow singles for just £3.00 each.

There are some newer departments that I have not purchased anything from yet, but they contain even more choice and variety and would be suitable for a wide range of budgets. Other areas of the site cover:

~~~DESIGNER~~~
Shop by: Women's Designer / Men's Designer / A-Z of Designers

~~~OUTLET~~~
Shop by: Women's Outlet / Men's Outlet / A-Z of Brands

~~~KIDS~~~
Shop by: Girls / Girls by Age / Boys / Boys by Age

If you are stuck for ideas and want inspiration then you can use one of asos's handy styling guides to help you find your way around. Fancy a summery festival look or dressing like a celebrity? Asos can help you out. There are also places to check out latest trends for a modern look or pick up vintage pieces if you like retro style. I occasionally receive a small glossy mag through the post featuring new items and beauty tips as well as short articles with people in the fashion industry or celebs. This is quite useful and it gives you search codes for each item so you can then log on and go and buy it straight away!

I think asos.com is a fantastic site, really well designed, easy to use and they have a massive range of clothes with most at reasonable prices. Checkout the sales and grab a bargain, or treat yourself to something special. I've ordered with asos several times before and received prompt communication and good service. The only time I've ever experienced a problem is when ordering items from both the men's and women's sections in the same order. I'm not sure if the items are stocked in separate warehouses, but the items were packaged separately and the men's cardigan I bought went missing in the post although I received my women's items. I received a refund without any complications after a brief series of emails with the Customer Service team. I would recommend asos.com to anyone and will continue to use them as a first choice for online clothes shopping.