Are there any apps like Polyvore? Alternatives for fashion gurus

Polyvore was a community based platform designed to help you create fashionable outfits with virtual styling. Unfortunately, the app no longer exists.

So, if you’re looking to find a modern day version of Polyvore, what alternatives to the platform are there, and are they worth checking out?

We’re going to take a quick look at a few apps that are very similar to Polyvore in build and usage so you can still be sure to get your fashion fix.

Apps like Polyvore – The best alternatives

combyne

If you’re looking for an app that gives you your own personal dressing room, then combyne is the best option. It’s actually been around for a few years now, but it’s only gained popularity in that time and currently has more than a million users on the platform.

The main reason for this is that it enables you to integrate items from a lot of different online shops and hundreds of different brands, which makes mixing and matching them extremely easy.

Having this access to a lot of brands is one of the main reasons why the app has become really popular across Europe, as most people want the ability to match up two or more brands with each other.

One thing that I love about combyne is that after you’ve finished creating your outfit, it allows you to easily share it with all of your friends and followers to get their feedback on your new fit.

It can be a good way to get a quick second opinion on your outfit and whether it may suit you or not.

There’s actually a chat feature within the app too that allows you to speak to others in real time without having to wait ages for a response.

The app is more of a social media app than a game, though it is still really fun to use and play around with, and you can completely maintain your anonymity on the app too.

Overall, this is probably my favourite alternative to the Polyvore app, and in many ways I actually prefer it.

Shoplook

If you are looking for a more simple outfit maker app then you’ll want to check out ShopLook.

It doesn’t have the complex features that you’ll get with an app like combyne, but for some people this lightweight app will be a better choice as it’s more lightweight.

A lot of users of Polyvore actually emigrated to using this app instead as it is fairly similar in the way it’s designed.

You can get quick outfit ideas for any occasion, whether you’re looking for something to wear in the heat of summer or you need a new winter fit.

There’s also a subscription fee version of Shoplook if you want to upgrade to Pro, though the majority of people won’t want to do this as you don’t get a whole lot more for the extra fee (although it is relatively cheap).

In the free version you’ll still get access to fun challenges, and you can also connect with other to let them know what you think if their fashion sense (and if you’re brave enough, get to know what they think of yours!).

Overall, I think that combyne would be the better choice of the two if you’re looking for a fashion app for a teenager or adult that’s genuinely looking for clothes to wear and match with each other.

If you’re younger than this or you’re just looking to have some fun and not necessarily buy any clothes, then Shoplook could be the right option instead.

21 Buttons

Another well known fashion app that is a social network more than it is a simple dress up app, 21 Buttons is definitely with checking out if you’re heavily interested in keeping up with the latest trends.

It is similar to Polyvore in that it allows you to mix and match different clothing options together with one another, though there’s a lot more to it than that.

The app was actually pretty well known for being one of the first real social media fashion apps on the market, and in 2021 it was actually acquired, so we look forward to seeing what the future of the brand entails.

It is generally quite safe to use, and you can even earn money through the app by referring other users to your favourite fits.

The app overall is pretty solid, though it would be a lot better if there was the ability to find more well known brands and link it up with a big range of e-commerce stores.

So whilst I do still think that 21 Buttons is worth checking out for most people, it’s not my favourite one of the fashion apps out there.

What happened to Polyvore?

When it comes to fashion, Polyvore was one of the most popular outfit planning apps on the market. It allowed you to collate images together easily to create outfits or “sets”, and easily share them with other users using the same platform.

After originally being community-powered, the company was eventually bought by SSENSE a few years ago, and unfortunately was pretty quickly shut down by the large multi-brand retailer.

SSENSE deal in multi-brand high end fashion across the world in more than 100 countries, so you’d think it would’ve made SSENSE to integrate the app with their own (get it.. SSENSE!), however we’ve not really seen a similar mood board from the brand.

Many users are still searching for apps with Polyvore-like mood boards that can give them fashion inspiration when creating outfits.

Conclusion

In conclusion, although Polyvore is gone and looks like it’s never going to come back, there are still some fashion apps out there that you can make use of.

Whilst many are more of a fun game than a practical outfit making app, you can also find those that work well with your favourite retailers to mix and match your perfect outfit.

They can be better to use than some retailer apps too (the H & M app often has problems when using it), as all the fashion lovers will attest to this.

Some are much more in-depth than others though, and even border on being a fully fledged social media, so make sure that you’re signing up to the right on for your needs.