Buying magazines and catalogs in order to take women’s fashions from them
Question

                What is the ruling on buying catalogues of the western clothes, in order to buy through them and avoid going to markets? Knowing that these catalogues contain men and women in underwear only (almost naked)! So what is the ruling on this?

Is it permissible for a woman to look at another woman who is only in underwear, For the purpose of buying? I hope you give me a detailed convincing answer.
Praise be to Allah.
    It is not permissible to buy the catalogues mentioned, 
    because they contain indecent images which it is not permissible for a man 
    or a woman to look at. 

    It is well known that the ‘awrah of a man before other men, 
    and the ‘awrah of a woman before other women, is the area between the navel 
    and the knee. These images include uncovering of the ‘awrah as you say, and 
    this is in addition to the fitnah and evil which may be caused by them for 
    the men, women or children who look at them. 

    The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: What is 
    the ruling on buying magazines in which there are images of women so as to 
    take ideas for designs that may be in accordance with our sharee’ah and 
    ignoring those that go against it? 

    They replied: 

    It is not permissible for you to buy these magazines in which 
    there are images of different styles because of the fitnah contained in 
    these magazines and because by buying them you are helping them to continue 
    to produce these harmful images. You should be content to wear the clothes 
    that women in your country wear.  

    And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send 
    blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and 
    companions. 

    End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (13/75). 

    It also says (1/468): As for the indecent pictures that are 
    found in the magazines, it is not permissible to buy them or bring them into 
    the house, because of the negative consequences that outweigh the benefit 
    sought – if there is any benefit – otherwise the matter is more forbidden. 
    The Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “That 
    which is halaal is clear and that which is haraam is clear, and between them 
    are doubtful matters which many people do not know. Whoever avoids the 
    doubtful matters will have protected his religious commitment and his 
    honour, but whoever falls into the doubtful matters will fall into haraam, 
    like a shepherd who grazes his flock around a sanctuary and soon will 
    transgress upon it. Every king has a sanctuary and the sanctuary of Allaah 
    is His sacred limits.” And he  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) said: “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make 
    you doubt.” And he  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to 
    a man who came and asked him about righteousness: “Righteousness is that 
    with which your heart and soul feels at ease, and sin is that which wavers 
    in the heart and you feel hesitant about it, even if people advise you to do 
    it.”

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was 
    asked about the ruling on buying books which contain pictures.

    He replied: Books which contain pictures may be divided into 
    two categories: those who are made for the purpose of the pictures, such as 
    that Burda magazine, which it is not permissible to buy or keep, because the 
    purpose behind it is the pictures; and another kind which is not made for 
    the purpose of the pictures, rather it is aimed at some useful purpose, but 
    it may contain a picture of the person who wrote the article. There is 
    nothing wrong with keeping these, because it is too difficult to avoid them, 
    and because it is also too difficult to go through them and erase all the 
    pictures. And it is permissible to sell them because if it is permissible to 
    use them it is permissible to sell them. 

    End quote from Liqa’ al-Baab il-Maftooh (21/115). 

    And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: I warn you 
    against bringing these magazines and journals that are filled with 
    attractive images, misleading words and deviant fashions, into your homes 
    and letting your families get their hands on them, for you will destroy them 
    and ruin their morals and values. Everything that is shown in these 
    magazines and journals will have an effect on those who look at them and 
    read the ideas mentioned in them.  

    O believers, keeping these magazines and journals in your 
    homes will prevent the angels from entering them, because the angels do not 
    enter any house in which there is an image. What do you think of a house 
    that the angels do not enter? Keeping such magazines is haraam, buying them 
    is haraam, selling them is haraam, making money from them is haraam, 
    accepting them as a gift is haraam, and everything that helps to publish 
    them among the Muslims is haraam, because it is cooperating in sin and 
    transgression, and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Help you 
    one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but 
    do not help one another in sin and transgression” [al-Maa’idah 5:2]. 

    Fear Allaah, O slaves of Allaah, and beware of keeping these 
    magazines and journals; burn them for proof is established by what you have 
    heard. Burn these magazines and destroy them; do not leave them in the hands 
    of your wives or sons or daughters. Beware of spending money on them or 
    subscribing to them, for that involves many evils, such as wasting money 
    that Allaah has given to people to spend on their religious and worldly 
    interests, and wasting money on something that is of no benefit, or on 
    something that may be harmful. It is proven that the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade wasting money. 

    End quote from Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/381). 

    And Allaah knows best.