The best Shopify themes for clothing stores that want to sell with style
*Disclaimer - links marked with an asterisk are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you use them. However, I only share tools that I think will really help you!
Calling all the fashion-forward entrepreneurs out there! Welcome to your guide to finding the best Shopify themes for clothing brands. If you're an aspiring clothing brand looking to set up a stunning online store on Shopify, you've come to the right place.
Finding the perfect theme that showcases your brand's style and enhances the shopping experience can be daunting. But fear not, because I’ve got you covered. In this article, I’ll walk you through a curated selection of both free and premium Shopify themes, designed specifically for clothing brands.
So, grab a cup of coffee, tea (or even a glass of wine), sit back, and keep reading to unveil my hand-picked selection of Shopify themes for clothing brands that will make your online store shine.
My top tips for choosing a Shopify theme for your online clothing store
Before you dive into purchasing your Shopify theme, let’s go through a few tips about how to get started and what features to look for when choosing your theme and what to avoid.
Open a free trial of Shopify
First things first, you’ll need to open a free trial Shopify account so that you can test out the templates and the platform. Currently, you can use my affiliate link here* to get a free trial and your first month of Shopify for $1 - a nice saving that will give you time to look for themes and build your store while you’re not making sales quite yet.
Features to look for when choosing your Shopify theme for your clothing brand
When shopping for themes, here are a few things to ask yourself:
Will it fit with my brand style? It doesn’t need to be an exact match for your brand, but it should be easily customised to suit your brand's aesthetics.
Is the theme mobile-friendly? Visit the demo stores from your mobile so you can make sure it offers an enjoyable shopping experience for your customers.
Does it allow you to showcase your products clearly and beautifully? Look for a theme with visually appealing product galleries and zoom-in features.
Is it easy to navigate? You’ll want it to be easy as possible for customers to find what they’re looking for, with simple navigation and clear product categorisation options.
Does it have the features I need? Each theme offers different features. For example, do you want a newsletter pop-up to offer discounts and get users on your email list without having to pay for another app? Use that information to find a theme that includes that feature.
Is it fast? Site speed is super important when it comes to keeping visitors on your site and it even affects how your website ranks in search results.
Do they offer customer support? Building a website by yourself can be tricky, so purchasing from a company that offers support can be a big help if you get a bit stuck.
Be cautious of cheap Shopify themes online
Don’t get me wrong, there are a few hidden gems with up-and-coming designers launching their own themes, but if you see a theme where you can only change the text by editing an image in Canva - run! Those themes may look pretty, but they’re not optimised for SEO and lack a lot of features that the more reputable stores have.
But fear not! There are some fantastic, reputable, free themes that I’ll recommend in this post if you’re on a tight budget.
Test out the Shopify demo stores
Did you know that you can add premium themes from the Shopify theme store to your Shopify dashboard for free? You can install the themes to experiment with before spending your hard-earned cash on a theme that isn’t quite right. You only pay when you’re ready to publish your site or if you want access to the code if you’re particularly tech-savvy and want to add custom brand fonts or custom code. This excludes a few templates from external, yet reputable brands.
Now, for the good part…
The recommended Shopify themes for clothing brands!
Showcase: Betty
Oh showcase, you live up to your name with your sleek animations, captivating videos and seamless story-telling capabilities. This theme is perfect for your fashion brand if you have great lifestyle photos and videos and you want to "showcase” them in the best possible light (I’m sorry, I can’t resist a pun).
Broadcast: Clean
This beautiful theme is full of features to make running your online store and promoting your products a breeze. From colour swatches to newsletter pop-ups and product upsells, it’s elegantly optimised to increase sales and is perfect for premium clothing ranges looking for an editorial edge. P.s. I have used this on multiple projects and it looks completely different each time!
Prestige: Allure
Just like the name suggests, Prestige has a premium feel and is a perfect match for high-end clothing brands that want to showcase their collections and tell their brand story in an editorial, breath-taking way.
Dawn: Free theme
When you open your Shopify account, you’ll automatically see Dawn as your default theme. While Dawn may be very minimal with fewer features than other themes, it’s not one to be overlooked. Shopify is constantly adding new features to the theme and it really is a blank slate that can be transformed with your branding and a little imagination. (P.S. the Dawn theme is one of my go-to’s as a base for custom-developed sites!)
Aurora: Pure
Clean, modern and flexible. The Aurora theme has two demo styles to showcase how flexible it is and how much it can be customised to the look and feel of your brand. It excels in showcasing your products, upselling products and is full of options to merchandise your products beautifully.
Sense: Free theme
I’ll let you in on a little secret - at the time of writing this, all of the free Shopify themes have the same customisation options! The Sense theme is a beautiful example of how you could start any of the free themes as a base, and transform it to feel unique and full of your brand’s personality. But a word of warning - please update and customise this particular theme with your brand colours, style, and shapes and mix up the sections, so that you can set your clothing business apart.
Stiletto: Vogue
With a name like Stiletto and a style name of Vogue, it’s no surprise that this theme is perfect for fashion brands. It’s optimised for selling your clothing line through a combination of clean, modern design and all the promotional features you need.
Finding the perfect Shopify* theme for your clothing brand may take some time and experimentation - but it’s time well spent! Choosing the right theme will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Schedule some time in your diary to explore different options, and trust your gut to select the theme that best captures the essence of your brand and provides an enjoyable shopping experience for your customers.
Happy searching!
Hi I’m Danielle
I help entrepreneurs & creatives to bring their brand online through beautiful, strategic web design. Click below to learn more about how I can help you to launch your dream website.
