From 2007 to 2018, Polyvore was a fashion website that provided users with a way to reimagine their wardrobe, home decor, and other fashion projects.
Polyvore users were able to create a “board” (similar to that of Pinterest) that captured their style and offered inspiration for future purchases.
Although Polyvore decided to cease operations several years ago, we became inspired to catalog 8 of the best alternatives that are very similar to Polyvore since it was so useful to fashion lovers everywhere. Let’s jump right in!
Style Book, an app created by Jess Atkins, is a well-known fashion app that is the ideal hub for planning and curating your dream wardrobe.
Style Book has been available on iOS devices since 2009 and has been a source of fashion inspiration, similar to Polyvore.
The app’s mission is to inspire its users to draw fashion ideas from their own closets, or to think of ways to add items to their wardrobe to elevate it. Photos can be taken of pieces that are already owned to create virtual outfits.
Unlike Style Book, Polyvore was focused on allowing users to generate style collages comprising items from different websites. However, these platforms have a similar utility for those looking to improve their wardrobe and keep up with trends.
Combyne is a Polyvore-adjacent app that enables users to mix and match outfits that can be shared.
Although Combyne does provide a terrific method for outfit assembly, the social component of this website/app really sets it apart from others in the area of fashion.
Combyne was founded in 2015 by Philipp Seybold to accommodate the growing interest in creating virtual wardrobes.
In this way, Combyne shares similarities with Polyvore, while also providing a social aspect to users so that they may interact with others’ closets! Combyne is available on both iOS and Android.
Shop Look is a fashion exploration and shopping platform that was developed in 2014 by Laya Adib.
The idea for Shop Look came about when the CEO found herself working at Google Shopping, believing that she could meet the desires of customers in a new way.
Shop Look, available on iOS and Android, has been molded to capture current and future trends in fashion to aid you in your wardrobe development.
It allows its users to create vision boards for fashion, enabling them to dream up their fashion aesthetics. Shop Look has taken the concept of Polyvore and reinvented it to suit the needs of style in 2023.
Fashiers is another great fashion designing app, containing over 500 brands to play with. Joining Fashiers includes gaining access to a broad community of fashion designers and experimenters that you can interact with and draw inspiration from.
Fashiers was created by founder and CEO Gina Benavides in 2015. If you’ve ever seen the show “What Not to Wear”, this app provides the same service by allowing the input of other fashion lovers to help you create your best outfit!
Fashiers is similar to Polyvore, as Polyvore also offered a social aspect to the site. However, Fashiers provides a more direct approach to outfit development and style tips. The platform can be accessed from the website, or through the iOS app.
Urstyle is a fantastic Polyvore alternative that also allows users to compile outfit sets using clothing items and accessories that belong to numerous brands.
Urstyle, launched by Damian Gadziak, is primarily utilized in a web browser (however, it is available in the App and Google Play Stores as well).
Urstyle’s website is sleek and easy to navigate, making it a seamless transition from Polyvore to this newer fashion site. As with Polyvore, you’ll also love the social element of Urstyle!
Another app that is very closely related to Polyvore is Fashmates, a fashion curation and sharing app created by Harish Ramchandani in 2015.
Fashmates users can compile their more sought-after outfit combinations and shop for them in-app – truly streamlining the outfit trying and buying system.
Also, with Fashmates, you can monetize your style. If enough people respect your styling expertise in the app, you can enroll in their monetization program based on sales through the app. What an awesome way to make a little extra income!
Smart Closet is a fashion management app that is dedicated to the cultivation of digital closets.
This app is more focused on personal fashion development and does not contain a fashion community like that of Polyvore. Instead, Smart Closet aims to act like a personal shopper and stylist!
Smart Closet was created in 2015 by Clasilda Clarich and is accessible on your smartphone and tablet through their app. The Smart Closet app can be downloaded from the App Store or from the Google Play Store, depending on your device.
Founded by Francesco Calzà in 2015, Bantoa is an Italian fashion app and website that was developed to promote style expression online.
Like with Polyvore, you can create outfit “sets” to combine clothing items that are of interest to your fashion aesthetic.
Additionally, Bantoa users can follow fashion influencers in-app to become aware of the most recent fashion trends. Bantoa can be accessed through the website or through the app (on iOS and Android stores).
Polyvore was a fashion and social commerce platform that allowed users to create mood boards (of image collages named “sets”) of their latest fashion interests.
Polyvore provided their user base with the tools to make an outfit board, as well as collages of clothing that could be followed by others.
Polyvore was inspired by a couple in 2006 who wished they could assemble digital collages of their furniture and fashion interests.
At its peak, Polyvore hosted around 17 million users until about 2016 – two years before it was acquired by Ssense. Polyvore was truly the digital fashion epicenter of the mid-2010s, and many apps have taken inspiration from its legacy.
A fashion brand and company, Ssense, acquired Polyvore and redirected the website domain to their site.
Once Polyvore was acquired by Ssense, it was noted by Ssense that the Polyvore platform did not retain a strong user base nor offered any financial incentive to keep the site around. So, it was decided that Polyvore would be absorbed into Ssense.
Now that Polyvore has chosen to close its doors, what might the best stores for outfit shopping be?
First, you may want to consider what is trending. Prior to visiting any shopping website, it is recommended that you consult both Instagram and TikTok for fashion inspiration.
Most contemporary fashion trends begin on social media and are then picked up by mainstream fashion websites.
After you’ve collected some ideas from social media, look at any of the apps/websites listed above. These sites contain fresh perspectives on fashion and may even author some of the current trends!
Finally, make your way over to shopping websites. Outfits that share similarities to what trended on Polyvore can be found on sites like Princess Polly, Shein, and Missguided. The clothing on these websites is not only cute, but also very affordable!