Style Book app

stylebook

2 weeks ago, at Michael Mazzella‘s free Jam session on real estate flipping in Hawaii, Aunty saw Margaret, a fellow real estate investor friend.  We did a bit of girl talk chat after the session and Aunty mentioned Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying” and how it was truly changing Aunty’s life.  (Post to come, one day soon.)

Well, Margaret went home, downloaded the book and took to it like a kid in a candy store.  She emailed her excitement about it, suggested that we do lunch, and we arranged the meet up.

We had a mid morning breakfast today and played catch up on people that we knew, classes that we had taken, and what we had been and were now currently doing in our lives.

Margaret is a fashionista.  I can just imagine how many closets of clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories she has – all in festive happy colors and textures.  She said that we were destined to meet at Michael’s session because of Marie Kondo’s book.  She wanted to share an app with Aunty – Stylebook by left brain/right brain LLC.  It is not a free app (Aunty’s favorite kind) but it is actually worth every penny and more of its $3.99 price tag.

Margaret showed me her wardrobe, categorized by types such as tops, bottoms, scarves, bags, shoes, etc.  Categories of categories can also be determined.  This will allow you to see your entire closet on your iPad or iPhone!  She would then “make” outfits by starting off with a focal point such as a crinkly blouse, then adding different elements such as a pair of striped leggings, see through long vest, boots, and a sassy scarf.  Each outfit can be named and saved, as well as be changed out with a touch and swipe of the finger and then saved as.

This is a great app for travel packing.  Aunty tends to pack heavy and doesn’t even use half of the clothing taken on trips.  With this app, each day’s outfit can be determined and pieces picked out from anywhere and anytime in advance. Day to day, from head to toe, then sorted into a list so it becomes an easy task to put only those items into the suitcase and feel confident that there is just the right amount of clothing for the trip.

The most time consuming part is taking photos (with the iPhone or iPad) of each piece of clothing.  Each item is laid out flat on a solid colored sheet or background, then edited with a few tools so only the item is displayed, like a cut out.  In fact, it reminds Aunty of paper dolls (remember those?) with each outfit cut out carefully and then attached to the doll’s silhouette.

This app will be even more fantastic AFTER doing the tidying exercises in Marie Kondo’s book.  Whittle down all the items in your closet and drawers to only what you want to keep, then take pictures of them.  Or, do your tidying choices DURING the photo taking for the app!  As you put together your outfits, it may become clearer as to what is missing, and that can lead to a justifiable trip to your favorite clothing store!  (You can also take photos of clothing items at stores and see how they will work out with your existing closet before committing to buying something that you may or may not need.)

The Stylebook website is very helpful, with photo tips, notes, sharing, even online shopping (that could be dangerous).

Aunty can tell – that this is the start of a beautiful concurrence of a tidying theory and an organizational practice.  Aunty can’t wait to play paper dolls again, with real clothes from her soon-to-be tidy closet!

4 thoughts on “Style Book app

    • SO true, Joe! Also, I am taking rather lousy pictures so have to figure out how to hang the clothes using clear plastic hangers on a white background. I will also be using one of those stylist pencil thingees to erase edit. However, I am okay with going slow. Weeding out and giving away what doesn’t bring me joy and taking pictures of the ones that do. Working at a turtle’s pace. That’s me.

  1. Hmmmm… This is very, very interesting. Thing is, I’m the opposite of a fashionista. Sorry to say my closet is very boring. I should tidy it up and donate some of the things I no longer ummmm… fit in.

    I like the idea of planning out your traveling things though. Then again, I bring the same clothes almost all the time on our trips so………

    • Since you travel so much, it is good that you know what to pack. The way I see it, nobody will see me again so if I wear the same thing, who’s to know?

      I really do have too many things that I don’t wear and friends that “drag” me along (very willingly) to find clothing treasures that just have to be purchased. We went to the annual HOT sale (Hawaii Opera Theatre) and found some unbelievably beautiful designer items – I got a Chanel white wool blingy coat, a killer Dolce and Gabbana princess-like dress, and Oksa pants that remind me of parachutes. Will I use them? Probably not the coat and dress, but it was easy to get carried away.

      Yesterday we went to the YWCA’s Dress for Success sale (held at the Richard’s Street Y on the last Wednesday of the month). It was my first time and I went a little coocoo but I do believe I will utilize the finds. I will take my Stylebook photos and then figure out the looks that I want.

      I also plan to compile outfits as I wear them if the combinations are good ones. Nowadays when I dress for a special occasion and liked what I wore, a few weeks later, I forgot what it was! Duh. This app might become one of my favorites.

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