THIS & THAT APP by Alexis Castillo-Snyder

THIS & THAT by alexis castillo-snyder

CONCEPT The concept of the THIS & THAT application is to assist consumers in styling outfits and help with their shopping searches and to find the missing piece to their wardrobe and/or specific outfit. It is a helping hand when it comes to a consumer’s lack of knowledge about how to pair specific garments, trends, silhouettes, and styles together to complete an outfit in the most fashionable way possible. This application not only helps users put together outfits, but also allows them to shop amongst the products they find on the application. The main search term will be ‘shopping’.

GOALS

SLAOG

I bet just about everyone has been in the position where they have a great article of clothing but nothing to go with it. Maybe its an extremely bright printed top or an edgy pair of studded heels – what does one wear with these? The This & That app expands users minds outside of their boring closets and out into the world of retail. This is the product someone uses when they’re out shopping for a pair of pants to go with that crazy bright printed top or pair of studded heels and don’t know what to put it with. Everyone would love to have a personal shopper and/or stylist of their own. Someone who knows the ins and outs of the industry and what current trends are going on. The ultimate goal of this application is to create the digital online shopping and styling assistant for consumers. The consumers just plug in what they’re looking for and the app does the rest from there. The main thing people will be able to do with this application is to find the missing piece to their outfit and give the consumers options to choose from. For instance, if a woman doesn’t know what to wear with her pink and white maxi skirt, the app will find tops, shoes, and accessories that will work with that specific style, silhouette, and color of that garment. Users will also be able to search for products they want and find new products they didn’t even know were out there. Consumers will be able to easily shop amongst the products they find and won’t be limited to one brand or product. People’s lives and knowledge about clothes will be enriched and expanded. Not only are users able to search for products and purchase them, they are able to learn as the process goes on. Consumers will remember the tips and styling lessons that the app is giving them.

TARGET MARKET This application specifically targets women between the age of 20 and 40 years old. Typically, these young-women have busy lives. They either work or go to school full-time, leaving them with a fair amount of free time and a good amount of spending money. These women are very interested in fashion, clothes, pop-culture, and are the type of people who like to plan their outfits ahead of time, but sometimes, like everyone, run into some walls when it comes to putting the perfect outfit together. Most importantly, these women absolutely hate wasting a fabulous outfit on a not-so-wonderful day. With that being said, these women love to shop. If they like it, they buy it. Sometimes they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even try it on before going straight to the checkout line where they fall for the impulse purchases every time. This market is very tech-savvy and tend to shop online and find great deals with their iPhone apps and other sites, hence their love for the THIS & THAT app.

PLATFORM

MROFTALP

This application is mainly created for the iPhone. The iPhone is the most accessible and handy when users are out shopping. This application also requires iOS7 software, since that is the most up-to-date and advanced Apple software for their iPhones. Similarly, the iPad will be able to hold the same form of application without drastic changes to its layout. The iPad is also easiest to purchase products from since there is a larger screen and less scrolling to do. It is led to believe that more shopping and purchases will be done on the iPad while other features, such as creating collaged looks and finding the perfect missing piece to the outfit, will be more likely used on iPhones. This application can be purchased at an affordable and low $1.99. It is listed at this cost because, for one, there is not an app that has all of these features combined, let alone just the ability to find product to go with other product. This application will require an immense amount of time and research to create to make sure that nearly all trends, silhouettes, and current products are listed on the application and continuously updated as time goes on. This is an app that people will not use just once. It is an application that is updated weekly, even daily for some features, to keep users coming back and interested. With all this being said, This & That can eventually turn itself into its own website. There are many retailers who carry a number of various designers and name brands, such as Shopbop, who also have applications for the iPhone. Of course, the websites have tons and tons more information than the application, but it something to think about for the future. Creating its own website would drive even more traffic to the application, and vice versa. The website may not have every feature that the application does, but it will be a great way for consumers to go online and shop the products.

Figure I.

THIS & THAT

wear trending shop look of the day wish list search

Figure II.

THIS & THAT wear trending shop look of the day wish list search

Figure I. Home screen of THIS & THAT on iPhone Figure II. Home screen of THIS & THAT on iPad

SOCIAL MEDIA Social media platforms will be connected to this applicatoin, but only if users choose to connect the two together. Users will be able to share their content, product finds, and purchases with main social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Users will have the option to share and spread the news about the application with their friends on Facebook and Twitter when they first sign up. Instagram may also be an option. When users create an outfit and make a collage look, users will be able to connect with their Instagram account and share their favorite looks and pieces with their followers. No social media will be required for this application. Sharing is all optional.

DESIGN

NGISED

After users click the ‘wear’ button on the home screen, they will be directed to the main feature THIS & THAT. This is the feature of the app that helps users find the missing piece to their outfit and offers options of pieces for users to select, purchase, and/or get inspiration from. The feature has Figure I. ‘WHAT YOU WANT’ Screen This screen is the starting point of this feature. This screen has all options for the user to select depending on what they are specifically looking for. Options are limited to give the program a large understanding of what the user wants. Users can select tops, bottoms, jackets/coats/sweaters, shoes, accessories, which in include hats, scarves, etc., and, lastly, jewelry. Users will only be allowed to select one option for the program to specifically narrow down necessary and fitting products. After the selection has been made, the user his the next button and will be directed to the next step. Figure II. ‘TYPE’ SCREEN This screen nearly identical to the ‘WHAT YOU WANT’ screen, except this screen identifies what product the user already has and wants to match a new product with. Again, only one selection can be made. After the selection has been made, the user his the next button and will be directed to the next step. Figure III. ‘SILHOUETTE’ Screen This screen allows users to identify the specific shape and silhouette of the garment they currently own. Prior to this screen appearing, the user will see another screen with a large selection of garment components such as ‘long sleeve’, ‘cap sleeve’, ‘turtle neck’, ‘v-neck’, etc. Users will be able to make more than one selection needed. After the selection has been made, the user his the next button and will be directed to the next step.

Figure I.

Figure II.

Figure III.

THIS & THAT

WHAT YOU WANT

TYPE

SILHOUETTE

STEP ONE: Select the product(s) you’re looking for

STEP TWO: Choose the article of clothing you currently have

STEP THREE: Define the shape of the article of clothing

TOPS

BOTTOMS

JACKETS / COATS / SWEATERS

SHOES

ACCESSORIES

JEWELRY

Figure IV.

Figure V.

Figure VI.

THIS & THAT

COLOR STEP FOUR: Choose the color(s) of the garment

PRINT STEP FIVE: Define the prints on the garment

FINISH

TAKE A LOOK! STEP SIX: Browse the products we’ve selected

FINISH

Figure VI. ‘TAKE A LOOK!’ SCREEN This is the final screen of this feature. This is where all products, depending on what the user selected at the beginning, come up. Prior to seeing just skirts or pants on the screen, users will be able to choose from a list of products to narrow down their views. For example, if they only want to look at pants, they will be able to select ‘pants’ and only see pants.

NGISED

Figure V. ‘PRINT’ Screen This is where the prints on the garment are chosen. The prints are limited, but prior to this screen appearing, users will have a list to choose from to narrow down specific prints such as ‘animal print’ or ‘stripes’ or ‘plaid’. The user also has the option to skip and select no pattern at all. After the selection has been made, the user his the next button and will be directed to the final screen where the user will be able to look through the application’s findings.

DESIGN

Figure IV. ‘COLOR’ Screen This is the color selection portion of this feature. Users will be able to select the main color of their garment they have. After the main color is selected, another screen will appear with even more options of shades of that color. For example, if the user chooses the main color as ‘blue’, the next options will range from turquoise, sky, to royal blue. There will also be a ‘skip’ option if the colors are too overwhelming to choose from or if the garment contains too many colors. After the selection has been made, the user his the next button and will be directed to the next step.

FUNCTIONALITY The THIS & THAT application is very easy to navigate. All users start with the homepage. The homepage has a list of all features that come with the app (see Figure 1 on ‘Platform’ page). These features are titled as wear, trending, shop, get the look, my wish list, and search. Once these tabs are clicked on, the user is taken directly to a new screen and the starting page of that feature. The ‘wear’ feature is the main feature of the application, as shown in the design portion of this booklet. The user is guided with step-by-step screens and directions. The trending feature is where users can go to get the latest news and updates on the latest breaking trends going on in fashion today. After clicking ‘trends’, the user will be taken to a new screen with a list of options to browse through such as ‘Runway’, ‘Street Style’, ‘Red Carpet’, etc. Below the ‘trending’ tab is the ‘shop’ tab. This is where the users can shop amongst the wonderful products they find using the application. The users will have a wide variety of designers, brands, and products to choose from. On the final step of the ‘wear’ feature, the ‘shop’ feature is also present, just specific to those selections made by the user. Next is the ‘get the look’ tab. This is where, on a daily basis, the application finds a popular look going on, whether that be an outfit worn by a celebrity, a specific theme or trend going on, or looks straight from the runway. This feature takes that specific outfit and breaks it down for the users to see then lists the products, or similar products, where the users can shop from. The ‘my wish list’ tab is where users can store their favorite products and looks for another time to purchase. Maybe they can’t afford it or maybe they want to send their list to a family member or boyfriend because her birthday or anniversary is coming up. It plays as a shopping bag that the user doesn’t have to be emptied or purchased until the user decides to. Finally, there is a search tab for users to specifically be able to search or a product they are looking for, just as any website has.

Stylebook App ‘Complete My Look’ Tab on Various Websites

Glamour ‘Ask a Stylist’ App

Other competing services and/or experiences may include any retail website that includes complete outfit looks on each product. For instance, if a consumer is looking at BCBG’s website for a pair of leather leggings, there is a small feature that says ‘Complete my Look’ and has a model wearing an entire outfit to go with each specific product. Typically all websites have this feature but limits variety of pieces. All of THIS & THAT’s competitors are out there but there is one major feature of THIS & THAT that sets them apart from the rest. That is, instead of creating outfits out of your closet and having to pre-style your outfits and plug them into your phone one at a time, THIS & THAT does the work for you. It looks beyond your closet for that missing piece to your outfit and all the users have to do is wait for the results.

SROTITEPMOC

Another competitor of THIS & THAT would be applications like Glamour’s Ask a Stylist. This, like Stylebook, is, too, a brilliant app, especially for those who do not know what to wear or how to wear what they want to wear. All users have to do is upload a photo of themselves or their outfit and type in some details about where they’re going. Users can be as brief as “How the heck should I wear this blouse?” or as specific as “I’m going to a rodeo in Kansas City and am not sure what to pair with my favorite vintage boots and never-fail Seven jeans.” as they want. Users choose a Glamour stylist that best suits their personal style and sends the message. The stylists will get back to users within a few minutes with their style advice.

COMPETITORS

One major competitor that THIS & THAT may run into is the Stylebook App. Stylebook is designed to help users carefully curate their wardrobe so they can look effortlessly chic everyday. They want users to get the most of what they already ahve in their closet and to choose new pieces that will integrate well into their wardrobe as a whole. It acts as a closet assistant moreso than a personal shopper and stylist. Users are able to lay out outfits, create custom categories, shop over 7,000 retailers, share outfits on social media, etc. The users have to do all the work to make their outfits and search for style advice and trends they are looking for rather than it just coming to them. Lastly, Stylebook retails for $3.99.

THE END

THIS & THAT by alexis castillo-snyder writing and new media I professor goto