Stylebook Revisited

When I was a senior in high school I stumbled onto the app Stylebook in the App Store. For $3.99 it claimed to be a virtual closet for your real-life wardrobe. When I first downloaded it my closet was clunky, unorganized, and had too many trendy pieces. Even if I had adopted the Stylebook App I doubt that I really would've made progress in terms of organizing my closet and calculating cost per wear.

5 years later I have found closet and style nirvana where my closet has everything I need and is finally organized. I don't know where I get my out of the blue ideas sometimes. Its like in the middle of the night when you get a surge of energy to clean random parts of your room, or is that just me? Nevertheless, I re-downloaded the Stylebook app and I decided I'd give it another go. Since I felt like I had been at a style lapse.

After a couple weeks of seriously adding clothes to Stylebook category by category, adding prices, and colors I finally managed to completely upload my closet.

So what does Stylebook do and how do I use it? Stylebook is an app where you can basically digitize your closet (yes, like Cher from Clueless).

You can make looks from your closet, record looks on a calendar, record pictures of inspiration, have a wish list that you can actually pair with what's in your closet, and record details about your closet (size, color, brand, best cost per wear/worst).

I use this app mainly to make looks and record what I'm wearing and also calculate my cost per wear for clothes.  This look is actually what I'm wearing in this post! There's an outfit shuffle feature that comes along with this app (exactly like Clueless) that will randomly build looks for you, but so far I haven't really found much use out of it.

There's also a calendar feature where you can record looks. I don't dress up every day so this feature isn't entirely life changing but it is good to recall when I wore something last. Although I don't really care about being an outfit repeater! This calendar was for March. I have been recording almost everyday in April.

Here's an image of my cost per wear.

Like I mentioned earlier I am in a totally different place in life style wise. I have found a style groove but that doesn't mean I need to get lazy! I do have an idea of what I wear a lot and what I rarely wear. I know that I can splurge on chelsea boots, a good black leather handbag or three, birkenstocks, and maybe a pair of Rag & Bone denim. Nevertheless, I want to keep growing and learn more about myself through style by what I'm wearing and analyzing the cost of my clothes, and habits.

I would say the hardest challenge for me while using Stylebook is importing the photos. Although they make it very easy its very tedious. I am a very much into aesthetics and the way my clothes look make a very big difference to me. I tried my best to make sure the clothes I was uploading were taken on a mannequin or overall just a good quality stock photo which was super cumbersome. Some photos I'd edit on Photoshop (yes I was very devoted to the cause).

If you can find the images of your clothes on eBay or Poshmark or even the stock photo you're golden. Just a side note - don't expect to have all of your wardrobe photos taken and all the details added instantly. It took me weeks but it was definitely worth it. I even added all the colors of my clothes recently. Shocker that black is still the largest.

I also am loving that you can plan looks for trips with this app. I travel to D.C. a lot year round, but particularly in the winter and I usually have a post-it note stuck in my makeup bag of looks I plan on wearing. It'll be so much easier to make these looks on my iPhone on breaks at work or when I'm winding down at the end of the night versus my scribbles shoved in my bag.

I also like the Style Stats feature of this app where you can analyze your closet per color, brand, size (not something I've added), total closet value (I only blur because I don't want you to judge!), and the cost per wear. I do wish there was a valuation feature because most of my clothes are purchased secondhand from eBay and I would like to put what they're worth vs. what I paid. Ultimately, I think my favorite part of this app is when I'm considering purchasing something- I can really play with it in my closet and see what it works with all the way down to the details.

Ok let's play a game- what's new about me? Just my neckerchief! Last summer J. Crew did a berry print and I wanted EVERYTHING. Blouse, skirt, shoes, bandana scarf, and swimsuit/cover up. I ended up buying a blouse but the sizing was very off (definitely should record J. Crew sizes in Stylebook). I was browsing on Poshmark when I found this scarf for $8 originally $40?! 

Bandana scarves are so versatile, check out an old post on how you can style them here. By next spring I want to own all the berry print from J. Crew including the shoes. I have the swim cover and just bought the swimsuit so that's something!

Do you like my shiny new shoes?!

So my opinion on digitizing your closet? I wouldn't say its a must for everyone, but if you find yourself wanting to challenge yourself or really face your closet head on this would be the app to help you do it. I think its a very valuable resource to see your clothing digitally in addition to physically. Making looks has gotten a lot easier!

As Porky Pig would say, that's all folks. I'll just be here using the Stylebook App and buying too much J. Crew resale.

Many thanks to my dear friend Mallory who I don't get to see enough for meeting me on a thirty degree day to take these photos. Check out her site here. 

Wearing: Top - H&M, jacket - c/o Zaful, jeans - J. Crew (old), shoes - Sam & Libby (old but love this), scarf - J.Crew (old but love this), watch - Marc by Marc Jacobs

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