How to be Your Very Own Personal Stylist for $3.99

I've been hearing about different fashion apps for awhile but none of them have compared to the functionality of StyleBook. Simply put, the app allows you to be your very own fashion stylist. I think everyone (including this fashion stylist!) would benefit from using it as a tool to shop their own closet and plan out their outfits for everyday and special events. Here are the details.

Step 1: Create Your Closet

Take pictures with your iPhone or Android and upload them to the app. Create your own categories such as Cardigans, Skirts and Dresses. You can also add items from online stores as you purchase or consider purchasing them. The app even has the capability of erasing backgrounds from your pictures but I find it easier to just take the picture on a white background.

I think this part of the process, although time consuming, could be a great motivator to edit your closet. Why take a picture of something you really never wear? Why have it in your closet in the first place? This is also the step where you become aware of the items you continue to re-buy, like black cardigans or white button-down shirts.

There are a few strategies you could use in uploading your closet. One, spend an entire day taking pictures of the worthy items in your closet (as you edit!), then add new items as you purchase them. You could also enlist your iPhone obsessed boyfriend, who might really get into the whole thing. This method is not going to work for anyone with small children or 6 day a week jobs that involve a lot of travel. The second method, best for the time-starved, is to take pictures of items as you wear them or plan to wear them. This process will also let you know how much of your wardrobe you actually wear, i.e. did you wear the same khaki pencil skirt 3x last week?! The third method, my favorite, is to have your intern or personal assistant upload your wardrobe for you. Unfortunately, my intern has too much "real" work to do so I'm going to have to utilize method number two.

Step 2: Create Your Looks

This is the fun part! Stuck on the subway? Bored waiting at the doctor's office? Create outfits! Find that skirt you never wear and match it up with something you already own. The bonus here is that you are probably more likely to be creative with your outfits when you don't have to try each of them on!

            

Step 3: Plug Your Outfits into the Calendar

This is my favorite part! Don't panic about what you are going to wear to that big meeting or wedding next month, PLAN YOUR OUTFIT NOW! You can also be very Duchess of Cambridge by plotting which outfits you can repeat amongst different company. Hopefully, no one will be taking your picture, putting it on the cover of a magazine, and reminding everyone of the last time your wore it!

Step 4: Create a Packing List 

Don't have time to pack when you get home late the night before your trip? Create your packing list in the cab home, then throw it all in the suitcase as soon as you get in. Better yet, email it to your husband and make him do the packing!

Step 5: Inspire Yourself

I love to find images of outfits I love and then figure out how to recreate them in my budget and style. Stylebook allows you to file these images with your wardrobe!

Have fun!