LIKE a huge chunk of women, I absolutely despise shopping for a new wardrobe in store because of my biggest enemy – the changing rooms.
The unflattering lighting does nothing for my figure – and self-esteem that’s already battling with body dysmorphia – and I’ll leave the store with confidence shattered to pieces.
Of course, one solution is checking out what’s new on ASOS and other online retailers – but shopping online is like going on a mystery hunt, as you’ll never know what’ll arrive on your doorstep.
This is a struggle for millions of fashion fans all over the world – but now Zara has come to rescue with a solution, possibly revolutionising the way we shop for clothing forever.
The Spanish fashion giant now offers a virtual try-on which you can currently access only on the mobile app.
Once downloaded and open, you can click on any of the items you have your eyes on and there will be a little black square in the corner that says ‘try it on’ in the bottom left corner.
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The first time you click the icon, the app will ask you for two photos – a headshot selfie, as well as a full-length body picture. The process takes just a couple of minutes to upload, and don’t worry – it doesn’t need to be anything professional.
Once done, the app will create your very own avatar, and you can then click on anything in the app to ‘try on’.
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From the moment I learnt about the new add-on on the app, I was sceptical – I didn’t believe a computer-generated image could help me with finding a new wardrobe better than my eye.
Intrigued by the results and rave reviews online, I went in – with an open mind – to give it a go… and now I can’t stop using the updated app.
Whether you’re after new basics or something more cheerful for Valentine’s Day from their latest collection, the virtual try-on works for pretty much everything – apart from lingerie.
Although the avatar wasn’t an exact copy of me, I was impressed with how realistic it looked – I was expecting something less convincing and more animated; something closer to the caricature images created by ChatGPT.
Online shoppers can choose any piece from the huge range and the app will feature a selection of clothes and footwear to ‘complete’ the outfit – and the options are almost endless.
This is great to see how the final outfit will look all styled up – or whether the pieces complimented one another better in your head.
I am not the most adventurous when it comes to fashion and for the most part rotate between the same five outfits throughout the week – most often a pair of jeans and a basic top or a button-up shirt.
But I found the process really fun, and the app actually suggested items that I wouldn’t have normally gone for, including a denim two-piece and a busty mini dress, so it meant my shopping was a little more varied than usual.
Double denim Valentine’s Day edition
I’ll admit – when it comes to double denim, I feel a bit icky, as all it reminds me of is Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in the Noughties.
But something about this dark wash piece intrigued me, so I decided to see what it would potentially look like on me – and I was pleasantly surprised.
Sure, I wasn’t necessarily mad about jacket buttoned – but I immediately fell in love with the indigo hue, which teamed perfectly with the baby pink top I spotted in the retailer.
Surprisingly, although this was the fit I was least excited about, it was the final look I ended up loving the most – so much that I’m tempted to nip back to Zara and buy it.
Black mini dress with bow detailing
Historically, mainstream andfast fashionbrands have catered for the average height – which is just 5ft 4in for a woman inthe UK.
This means that many trending and viral pieces garments are inaccessible totaller fashionistaslike myself – especially when it comes to rocking a mini dress when you’re 5’9ft.
While I am all for a leggy display, some of the mini frocks are often too short even for my liking– so it was interesting to see where this sexy £29.99 number would fall on my legs without having to waste my time in the changing room.
Although feature didn’t ask for my height and other measurements, I was shocked to see that the LBD looked just as good in person – if not better – and covered my dignity, without having my cheeks on show.
A cute little date-night look? Sorted.
Soft button cardi and palazzo trouser co-ord
Although cosy co-ords have been all the rage in the recent years, I’ve never jumped on the trend – as it’s felt too casual for me.
Sure, they’re good for lounging around or dashing to the supermarket to get your groceries, but can they really look stylish enough for anything else?
Intrigued to find out whether I could overcome my fear, I picked this soft co-ord that will set you back a little over £40 in total – and two minutes later, was amazed how well the grey complimented my skin.
While the colour and the fit were slightly different in person, I was in love with what I saw in the reflection – and this could very well become my go-to ‘grabbing a coffee with my friends on a Saturday’ ensemble.
Pink shirt and striped bottoms office look
A pair of jeans and a black top – my team will know that this is my outfit most days when I make an appearance in the office.
It’s timeless, comfortable and most importantly – saves me the headache from styling myself in the morning.
But I’ve wondered if I was able to pull off the ‘smart trousers and button-up shirt’ look – and this Zara feature might just convince me to replenish my wardrobe with office-friendly attire.
My typical move would be to tuck the shirt in – however, the app suggested different styling, leaving the bottom buttons open, giving it a more modern-day feel.
Safe to say, I loved the more ‘bossing it’ feel and how well the two colours complimented one another.
Denim bustier top and wide leg jeans
As someone with a naturally more athletic frame, I’ve always been reluctant to wear corset-style tops, as they often tend to make my shoulders and arms look even more muscular and broad.
But something about the way this denim combo looked on the avatar made me give it a go – and needless to say, I’m sold on this trend.
As my nearest Zara on Oxford Street didn’t have the black heels, I opted for a red pair instead – and I’m glad I did, as that pulled the look together, giving it a nice pop of colour.
Although this feature widened my fashion horizons, two key aspects make me wary about using this feature more often – what happens to these images afterwards and the sheer amount of water and energy needed to create the AI photos.
Why is Zara so popular?
Zara was founded in 1975 in Spain, and the first UK store was opened in 1998. It remains as one of the most popular stores on the high street, but why?
Rather than producing more quantities of a style, it is said Zara focuses on producing more styles.
Some stats suggest Zara releases 24 trend-led collections every year, 500 designs a week andalmost 20,000 per year. Other estimates put its production levels at 450 million garments a year.
Even if a style sells out very quickly, there are new styles waiting to take up the space. This means more choices and higher chance of getting it right with the consumer.
Zara only allows its designs to remain on the shop floor for three to four weeks, and this pushes the consumer to keep visiting the store or website, because if they were just a week late, the clothes of a particular style or trend would be sold out and replaced with a new trend.
At the same time, this constant refreshing of the lines and styles carried by its stores also entices customers to visit its shops more frequently.