Netrobe — Give Your Wardrobe a Digital Boost
Fashionistas can make the most of their wardrobes with an app that plans outfits and helps you shop more smartly.
If you’re a fan of the classic 1995 comedy “Clueless,” you might recall a scene from early in the film where spoiled high school socialite Cher blew the minds of teenagers everywhere by picking out her outfit on her hip-at-the-time personal PC. The program she used let her flip through digital images of each item of clothing, modeled it on a photo of her body, and gave her a thumbs up or thumbs down about the outfit’s fashion appeal.
What’s the App?
Netrobe one-ups Cher Horowitz by putting the digital closet on your phone. It combines the appeal of potential outfit combinations with the aspirational pin board fun of Pinterest. With Netrobe, free for iOS devices, you can snap photos of your clothes and arrange them into different categories, separating them into grids or lists.
That serves several functions — first, it helps you while you’re shopping, since you can browse your wardrobe and remember whether you already own a burgundy sweater, or if you have anything that would go with the pants you’re considering. And for clothes you already own, it’s a powerful tool for outfit-making, since you can put potential combinations side by side to see how they look.
So far, there’s no setting for seeing how the clothes would look on your body a la Cher, which is surprising since Netrobe founder Christina Plakopita references the revered comedy character on its blog. It’s worth checking out even if you don’t download the app — it’s an entertaining mix between street style and fashion tips.
And if you’re light on cash but still like daydreaming about fashion choices, the Lookbooks feature can help serve up inspiration. They’re similar to Pinterest boards, letting your imagination go wild and cobble together impractical but creative digital collages.
You’ll Want It If…
This is an awesome app if you tend to forget about certain pieces, if you’re looking to build a wardrobe, or if you just want a little extra help when you’re trying to pull outfits together.
If a wedding, a vacation or another event requiring multiple outfit changes and lots of photographs is coming up, you’ll want to look your best, and Netrobe is perfect for planning out what to take in a suitcase, or assembling Wish List photos to make last-minute shopping more focused. There’s even a specific “Suitcase” feature designed especially for smart packing decisions.
Netrobe is fantastic for gifting events — you can make a board of items you’ll need to pick up, which should likewise cut down the time you’ll spend racking your brain for ideas once you’re already at the mall. It’s part checklist, part inspiration board and all fun, so if you have a healthy interest in fashion and organization, it’s hard to see how you’d dislike it.
However, one warning: it didn’t happen to me, but others have complained about data getting wiped if they didn’t often sync the app. That’s annoying because you spend time photographing your wardrobes, only to have to do it all over again if the error occurs. So when you start using Netrobe, remember to sync often.
It’s Not My Thing — What Else Ya Got?
If Netrobe doesn’t appeal to you because it’s too fashion-focused, we recommend Pinterest for more general digital pin board fun. Lots of people put fashion and street style boards up, so you’ll still have ample exposure to cute clothes, but with just a bit more variety.
Or if you’re going on a trip and the packing aspect of Netrobe appeals to you, but you’d rather have something less frilly, there’s always Tripeze, which will help you prepare for a journey without overemphasizing fashion.
And if you end up getting a little too inspired by Netrobe and spending more than you should, I recommend using the Debt Free app to help manage payments until you’re in the clear.