What am I wearing? It is the eternal doubt before every occasion: from a party to a business meeting or an impromptu dinner. If the price of a professional styling session can exceed 100 euros, technology offers a free and accessible alternative. EL PAÍS tested four applications that use artificial intelligence to organize clothes, plan it seems on a daily basis, suggesting combinations based on skin tone and even virtually trying on clothes before purchasing them.
A calendar with every day’s ‘looks’
THE app Where, available in App Store and in Play the Storeallows you to create a virtual wardrobe with all the clothes you have at home. Uses artificial intelligence to generate clothes automatically: just select the “style” option and ask the app which offers combinations. The user can save the file it seems that you like. This tool allows you to filter by category, color or season and organize the clothes in folders depending on their use: party wear, daily or sportswear. You can also create your own combinations and assign them to a specific day on the calendar, thus avoiding having to decide what to wear every morning.
Garments can be added to this virtual wardrobe in three ways: with a photo, by selecting them from the database app or importing them from the web. If you choose to manually upload photos of the garments, Whering recommends placing them flat on the floor, without hangers and in natural light, as it automatically eliminates the background afterwards. This option can be a bit tedious, as each garment must be carefully stretched.
It is also possible to add items from a database shared by other users. During tests carried out by this newspaper, this option did not always work correctly. For example, searching for “skirts” brought up all kinds of items, from shoes to sweatshirts. The most practical thing is to search directly on the web for a specific item and ask for the app that captures the image. Additionally, Whering offers a Chrome extension that lets you add images from any web page.
When you add a garment, the app automatically tags features like color or sleeve type. It also allows you to manually add additional information such as brand, size, price, purchase date and condition of the garment. Over time the user will be able to consult interesting statistics: see which clothes are worn the most and which the least, the most frequent brands and the most popular colors in the wardrobe.
Personalized ‘Outfits’ based on skin tone
Style DNA is an application designed to improve personal style by analyzing physical characteristics, shopping habits and fashion preferences. It is available in both App Store as in Play the Store. Upon registration, the app asks questions to understand the user’s goals: learn to complement their natural features, look elegant and fashionable, or shop more intelligently and consciously. It also analyzes shopping habits, such as how often you return clothes or the tendency to buy impulsively, and brands of interest, which can vary from fast fashion brands too prize or luxury.
THE app It also takes into account the user’s height and body size (hourglass, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle or round). One of its strengths is that it performs an analysis of the complexion and facial features through a photograph. In this way, it determines the colors, styles and clothes that can enhance beauty. The app can also evaluate whether a specific item matches the user’s “style formula.” That is, if the color suits you or if the shape goes well with the proportions of your body.
Furthermore, the app includes an AI assistant that works similarly to ChatGPT. In this case it offers fashion advice and virtually matches clothes. One limitation of the assistant is that it only suggests clothes from your database, not from your personal closet. Style DNA offers a payment option of 19.99 euros per month or 80 euros per year, which allows you to virtually try clothes created by app and receive more detailed suggestions on clothing and makeup.
A ‘capsule’ wardrobe adapted to the times
“Most people only wear 20% of the clothes they own,” say the creators of Cladwell, an application available on the App Store and in Play shop. They point out that, compared to 40 years ago, people buy five times more clothes. Its goal is to reduce unnecessary purchases and help create a capsule wardrobe: “A smaller wardrobe, full of carefully selected pieces that can be easily mixed and matched. It’s the most environmentally sustainable option.”
Cladwell stands out because it not only takes into account personal style, but also sunny, rainy or snowy weather. THE app It has a chatbot that helps answer all kinds of questions: from what to wear to a wedding in July to what to wear based on the weather in Madrid. This assistant also helps you pack your suitcase for a trip, offers tips on how to combine some of them jeans wide-legged or other clothing and recommends clothing from sustainable brands.
The platform offers a paid version – at 8.99 euros per month or 59.99 euros per year – with additional functions. Calculate, for example, the real value of each item based on the frequency of use and consult the statistics on the wardrobe: which items are used most, which least and what their characteristics are.
Trying on clothes thanks to artificial intelligence
StyleLab is a sort of virtual stylist. Perform a colorimetric analysis and determine which shades suit each person best. Based on a series of questions – such as body type, accessories or favorite styles – it offers personalized suggestions. For example, if you identify an hourglass silhouette (hips and shoulders of similar width and a narrow waist), the app recommends avoiding clothes that are too loose, opting for tight-fitting garments that highlight your curves and discarding baggy tops.
One of its most surprising functions is to virtually try on clothes thanks to artificial intelligence. The user can upload a photo of himself and see how different clothes would look on him. While the tool may alter the user’s silhouette slightly, it is useful for viewing styles and combinations before purchasing clothes. It also suggests shops where you can buy the items shown.
Although the app shows the outfits that best suit a user based on skin color, it has a limitation: it only allows you to try on clothes from its database. That is, it is not possible to virtually try on the photographed items found in a physical store. Despite this, it is possible to describe a garment so that AI can generate and try it on virtually. StyleLab is available in English at App Store and in Play shop. It offers a three-day free trial and then a subscription for 9.99 euros per week.
