I’m a big fan of sites that aim to socialize fashion and shopping decisions. Weardrobe, Polyvore and others are taking fashion and style to a new level with the ability to socialize looks and designers. A new fashion-focused site, Go Try It On aims to to add a social element to both figuring out what to wear and getting feedback on a particular outfit.
A finalist at the Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW, Go Try It On allows users to share photos of themselves and get honest opinions on their look before they go out. Once you upload a photo of yourself, you can add descriptions of the brands you are wearing and include context around the choice of the oufit (i.e. first date, black-tie gala). The site’s community can then comment on the site and provide feedback on fellow members’ outfits.
Users have three options in terms of getting feedback: They can ask the community, keep their looks private, and just share with their friends, and finally, ask a brand if they are really looking for some savvy specific fashion advice.
Eventually, Go Try It On will make money from affiliate fees; allowing users to tag their clothes with links to buy items at particular retailers. The site is similar in theory to Weardrobe, a site that allows users to share their “street-style” photos of outfits. Go Try It On differs slightly with its emphasis on the feedback from its community.
The main barrier Go Try It On will face is gaining a trusted community; but with the participation of popular brands, the site could be able to gain a loyal following. One way the site could socialize users’ outfits further would be via Facebook Connect. But, Weardrobe saw success with its model and was able to gain a loyal following. The startup was selected as a fbFund winner and was recently acquired by Like.com.