When my friend entered the village hall for my son’s third birthday party, he was visibly surprised by my outfit—a mint-green tulle midi dress that looked more suited for a fairy tale than a toddler’s celebration. Blushing, I explained to him that the bold fashion choice wasn’t mine; it was the result of an AI styling app. I’ve always loved unique clothing, using my wardrobe as a form of self-expression and enjoyment. However, juggling a three-year-old and a six-month-old has left me overwhelmed by choice and unable to dress with confidence. This morning, in a frantic attempt to get ready amid screams and chaos, my personal style has deteriorated into a mishmash of stains and baby-related mess. Faced with this dilemma, I wished for a personal stylist to help me navigate my wardrobe. Compelled to find a solution, I explored various styling apps like Whering, Indyx, and Acloset. These apps leverage AI to analyze users’ wardrobes and suggest outfits. Despite skepticism from fashion experts about AI’s ability to cater to individual styles, I felt the need to try one out for a week. I chose Acloset, which lets me digitize my wardrobe by uploading photos or searching for items online. Quickly, I reached the app’s limit of 100 items, feeling invigorated seeing my wardrobe compiled virtually.

Acloset features functions for generating outfits based on weather and occasions, but it struggled with my specific lifestyle needs. On the first day, I wore a striking ensemble that AI recommended: a voluminous red midi skirt paired with a burgundy top. Though I would have chosen comfort over style, I found that delegating outfit decisions to AI freed me from self-consciousness. As the week progressed, I experienced some successes and misses, all of which helped me reevaluate my style preferences. For my son’s birthday, AI chose a vibrant party dress that I wouldn’t have dared to wear otherwise, boosting my confidence. Despite my initial intentions to continue using the app, a sickness bug hit my three-year-old, leading me to default to pajamas. Yet, the brief week of AI dressing sparked a revival of my fashion sense. Surprisingly, my styling choices still felt authentically me, with one friend even stating that the outfits seemed very true to my personality. This experience showed me that AI, rather than diminishing my individuality, had the potential to enhance it, and I left feeling reinvigorated in my personal style journey.