Website that helps you find clothes you actually like?

March 21, 2013 8:17 PM

What website am I thinking of - make clothes selections, creates a fasion profile, and then makes suggestions? General advice on how to figure out what to wear... why does 30 feel so...weird? I feel like I'm either dressed like a 20 yr old or a 60 yr old - awkward, all the time.

1) There was a website where you selected items of clothing (this or this? or, "show me something else"), which it used to suggest other clothes... created a "style profile" etc. The closest thing I can find is a lifehacker review of covet.com - which is no longer in operation, and anyway, it was much more recent than that. I can't find this website anywhere... help! What am I thinking of?

2) I've been through a lot of change lately (a lot of "who am I where am I heading?" angst), and I can see this manifesting in a closet purge. I feel silly in office-professional, can't pull of "cute", feel mannish a lot. I'm kinda boho-artsy-outdoorsy, but work in an office (pretty relaxed). I feel awkward, at best, much of the time... I'd like to own very very few pieces of well made (and/or ethically made) clothing. I very much like the idea of a "uniform". I hate shopping. I can't wear what I wore in college (it fits, but looks inappropriate), and don't want to look like a grandma or a soccer mom. Ugh.

I'm 5'9" with a 30" inseam, curvy/slim (lotsa booty, no boobs)... and in my early thirties.

Any celebrities in their 30's to look at for inspiration?
Where do 30 yr olds shop anyway? (I'm in Australia, but travel to the US regularly)
Looking for good quality, reasonably priced basics...leggings, cardigans, etc. ?
HOW to shop and/or learn to recognize what I should be trying on/buying...
I've read through heaps of old fashion askmes. Any general advice or resource recommendations more than welcome. If there are any mefites in Sydney who want to go shopping, memail me!

posted by jrobin276 to clothing, beauty, & fashion (9 answers total)

Was it Polyvore?

I will be interested in the answers here, too!
posted by shortyJBot at 8:23 PM on March 21

It sounds like Styloot, though their functionality has changed some, so I am not sure it will still do what you want.
posted by Michele in California at 8:39 PM on March 21

Was the website stylemint?

No help on the other stuff, it's hard. I'm turning 30 next month and all my clothes have nautical stripes or polka dots, I'm kind of having a style crisis.
posted by SoftRain at 8:57 PM on March 21

livingcloset.com - makes suggestions based on what you own, how others are wearing it, what else you could add to the outfit...etc.
posted by grassbottles at 9:19 PM on March 21

You might be thinking of youlookfab.com? I'm not a huge fan, to be honest, but some people love it.

Looking for good quality, reasonably priced basics...leggings, cardigans, etc. ?

Good luck with that. I live in Australia too, and our clothes are WAY overpriced compared to the States (don't start me). I've had good luck with asos.com, and shopbop.com, although shopbop is a bit pricey so I usually only look at the 50% and 70% off items. (I bought a great dress by rag & bone from shopbop on sale, at probably 25% of what I'd pay for it in Aus.)

For brick-and-mortar shops, I think seed is pretty good - it's like the new Witchery. But none of them are what I'd call both 'good quality and reasonably priced', really. I am envious that you travel to the States so often - I'd definitely be stocking up there, if I were you!

Oh, and I can't speak to quality, but I drool over some of the stuff on the J.Crew website. Their basics look to be nicely cut, and good quality, but appearances could be misleading- I'm sure an American can weigh in on that! They do ship to Aus, but the price conversion + shipping is ludicrous. Given the rough parity of our respective dollars, I don't know how a dress that is $99 in the U.S. can cost $160 plus shipping when you buy it online from Australia, but there you have it.
posted by Salamander at 9:30 PM on March 21

Oh, also...Saba is great for quality basics. NOT inexpensive, though. Grrr.
posted by Salamander at 9:31 PM on March 21

When I was in Australia I did most of my clothes shopping at Savers!

I know the awkward in-between-ness you're experiencing. Since then I've grown comfortable with "business casual". At work I usually wear dress pants, a simple long-sleeved knit top and a cardigan. I also like those tops that are a low-cut knit top with the collar of a button-up shirt sewn to the neckline - it fakes a layered look and gives me the button-up collar with the comfort of stretchy knitwear.

Oh, and I'm 32.
posted by fullerenedream at 10:11 PM on March 21

Thanks everyone!

The website wasn't ANY that have been mentioned yet, though some are very similar. So in a practical sense, I have an answer... but keep the suggestions coming 'cause it's driving me nuts! It was white with green letters across the top, heard about it on metafilter or cup of jo, or maybe pugly pixel or something.

At least I'm not alone =)
I'm American living in Oz; I can vouch for J. Crew's overall quality though the whole price thing is appalling. Being not-from-Oz is compounding my problems, as I have no frame of reference for any of the stores here! I'll check out Seed. And Savers, and witchery...etc.

I love Anthropologie, just ordered a bridesmaid's dress from them: ONE set of prices, shipping to Oz is a flat $25. Excellent customer service too.
posted by jrobin276 at 12:44 AM on March 22

I have tried Stitchfix.com, with mixed results. You complete a style profile, schedule a "fix" and for $20 get five pieces sent to you from a stylist. You pay for what you keep from the box, ship the rest (or all) back for free. My first fix was awesome. Second was meh.
posted by natasha_k at 3:19 AM on March 23