So my girlfriend came home buzzing after watching a women’s rugby match and hit me with, ‘Where do you even buy those shirts? They look cool.’ Honestly, I had zero clue. My first thought was just to punch ‘women’s rugby shirt’ into Google. Bad move. The results? Overwhelming. A million sites popped up, prices all over the place, and pictures that didn’t match the descriptions half the time. I scrolled for ages feeling more lost.
The Brick-and-Mortar Bust
Figuring real stores might be easier, I dragged my lazy self out. Hit two big sports stores downtown. Mistake number two. The rugby section? Tiny. And guess what? Ninety percent was men’s gear. The few women’s shirts they had felt like an afterthought – tucked in a corner, limited sizes (mostly small or medium, nothing above), and designs straight outta 2010. One helpful guy shrugged, ‘Yeah, not much call for it here, mostly order online.’ Back to square one.
Diving Back Online – The Hunt
Planted myself on the couch with snacks, phone in hand, ready for round two. This time, I got smarter – focused on stores actually known for rugby stuff. Found three that seemed legit and dove in.
- Store One: Found one fast! Liked a deep blue shirt. Awesome. Went to filter by women’s… except their ‘gender’ filter lumped men’s, women’s, and kids together. Scrolled forever. Finally spotted it. Added to cart. Shipping cost? Almost as much as the shirt. Nope. Closed the tab.
- Store Two: Actually had a proper women’s section – major win. Found a vibrant green shirt she’d love. Size chart was crucial, though. Measured her favorite t-shirt (sneaky!) and compared. Size looked good. Ordered! Delivered quick… but seriously? The “medium” felt like a toddler hoodie. Return process meant printing a label, finding a box, paying for tape… ugh, effort. Lesson: Size charts are gospel, trust them absolutely.
- Store Three: After the size debacle, I was cautious. Found another promising store. Website felt smoother. Filter worked! Found a sharp red shirt with good reviews specifically mentioning fit. Triple-checked their size chart against the last disaster. Medium this time seemed safer. Added it, went to pay… pop-up! ‘Sign up for emails for 15% off your first order.’ Fine. Typed in the old spam email. Got the discount code, applied it, felt slightly victorious. Checked out. Shirt arrived 4 days later. Perfect fit! Success finally.
So, Was It Worth The Hassle?
Honestly? It was a headache finding the right place. Big things I learned:
- General search = mess. Stick to proper rugby outlets.
- Physical stores? Probably a waste of time unless you live near a specialist.
- That size chart is your lifeline. Measure something that fits well, then measure again. Don’t wing it.
- Shipping costs will mess you up. Factor it in early or hunt discount codes.
My girlfriend loves her new red shirt, so mission accomplished. But next time she asks? I might just nod towards the laptop and say, ‘You remember the struggle…’.
