Shopping at the "World's Most Fabulous Store"... From Your Laptop

For weeks I looked everywhere for a dress to wear to an upcoming gala hosted by my sorority, Alpha Phi, to no avail. The dress code is red, red, and red, coinciding with the cause: helping hearts through Cardiac Care and Research. The color cut down my choices drastically-- spring is about sweet pastels, not vibrant red.

I searched every cranny of Carousel Center for a red dress that is flattering and stylish, and I came out empty handed and discouraged. At my wits end, I decided to type “red cocktail dress” into Google. What I found is a diamond in the rough web site, ShopStyle.

ShopStyle is, in their own words, “the online equivalent of browsing the aisles of the world's most fabulous store”. The Web site combines finds from every online store imaginable; I encountered BCBG, Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters in the 28 pages of search results, along with Web sites I had never heard of like eDressMe.

I spent an hour just looking at every dress, spirits lifted by the amount of options in a variety of styles and price points. This Web site was my dream come true—it cut my online shopping time in half while showing me items I would never have come across on my own. ShopStyle also acts as the middle man by connecting you to the Web site where you can purchase the item. But that’s not all.

ShopStyle users can make Stylebooks where they put together outfits that combine clothing, accessories, and shoes as well as the inspiration for that look. Looking through the recently popular Stylebooks, I was surprised by the enviable style I discovered. Not only do some users have awesome looks put together but their Stylebooks have cool layouts and artistic photos.
My stalking of Stylebooks is another feature of ShopStyle. Of course you can put together looks for your own pleasure, but other users can view them to get ideas for their own Stylebooks, or to just drool over fabulous outfits like I do.

A Stylebook.

If you want an expert’s opinion, ShopStyle has its very own blog called Stylenotes that posts images of trends such as ripped denim that can act as inspiration or information.

ShopStyle is the perfect haven for online shopping junkies and people who just love the process of putting together a fashionable look. In fact, I am back on it now looking for a formal dress. Looks like my 30-page paper will have to wait…