01. The Context: A Personal Problem Validated
The Origin Story:
I started this project to solve my own morning frustration: staring at a full closet and feeling like I had nothing to wear. I realized I wasn't lacking clothes; I was lacking visibility. To see if this was a universal issue, I surveyed 11+ users.
The Validation (Data Points):
of users struggle with outfit selection every single day.
still decide what to wear by manually mixing and matching, leading to significant time loss.
explicitly asked for AI help with color coordination.
Research Methodology
User Surveys
Conducted comprehensive surveys with 11+ participants to gather quantitative data on user behaviors, preferences, and pain points related to wardrobe management.
User Interviews
Conducted in-depth one-on-one interviews to uncover qualitative insights, understand user motivations, and identify emotional triggers behind wardrobe decision-making.
Desk Research
Analyzed market trends, existing solutions, and academic research to understand the broader context and identify opportunities for innovation in wardrobe management.
Competitive Analysis
Evaluated existing wardrobe apps and fashion tech solutions to identify gaps, benchmark features, and understand industry standards and best practices.
How Often Do Users Struggle with Outfit Selection?
Survey results from 11+ users
54.5% of users struggle with outfit selection every single day
Usage Preferences
- • Both: Users want the tool for everyday outfits AND special occasions
- • Mixed Approach: Users prefer a mix of AI-generated outfits and manual selection with AI suggestions
- • Privacy Aware: Many users would upload photos depending on privacy settings
Feature Interest
- • 3D Avatar: High interest in 3D preview feature (45.5% very interested)
- • Color AI: Users find AI color combination suggestions very useful
- • Customization: 50% want body shape and size customization for avatar
02. The Challenge: Why Current Solutions Fail
Through my research, I identified three "Experience Killers" in existing wardrobe apps:
Cataloging clothes feels like a part-time job.
Users are afraid of mismatching, so they stick to "safe" neutrals.
Seeing a list of clothes isn't the same as seeing an outfit.
Key Challenges
After gathering and analyzing all available information, I successfully mapped out the primary challenges and pain points that people are currently facing.
| Category | Pain Points | Interviewee's Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing an outfit | Decision fatigue | "I spend too much time in the morning figuring out what to wear." |
| Decision fatigue | "I usually wear the same few outfits because I can't think of new combinations." | |
| Color coordination | Difficulty matching colors | "I'm not sure which colors go well together, so I just stick to neutrals." |
| Fear of making the wrong choice | "Sometimes, I put together an outfit but later realize the colors don't match at all." | |
| Wardrobe organization | Forgetting owned clothes | "I have clothes I haven't worn in years because I forget they exist." |
| Lack of a structured system | "My wardrobe is a mess, and I can't keep track of what I have." | |
| Buying new clothes | Uncertain about how new items will match existing ones | "I love shopping, but I don't know if a new shirt will match my other clothes." |
| Hesitation in purchasing decisions | "I sometimes buy things and later realize they don't fit my style." | |
| Need for a virtual try-on | Lack of a preview before wearing | "I wish I could see how an outfit looks on me before actually wearing it." |
| Skepticism about how an outfit will look | "I take so much time trying on different combinations before deciding." |
Key Pain Points
- Decision Fatigue – Many users struggle with daily outfit selection, leading to frustration and wasted time.
- Color Coordination Issues – Matching colors effectively is a challenge, especially for those with large wardrobes.
- Lack of Outfit Inspiration – Users often wear the same combinations due to difficulty in visualizing new styles.
- Forgetting Owned Clothes – People forget what they have in their wardrobe, leading to underutilized clothing.
- Need for Personalized Styling – Users want outfit suggestions tailored to their preferences, body type, and occasion.
- Skepticism About AI Styling – Some users hesitate to trust AI for fashion advice without personalization or human-like recommendations.
- Desire for Virtual Try-On – Many want a 3D avatar preview to see how outfits look before wearing them.
- Privacy Concerns – Some users are hesitant about uploading personal clothing images due to security and data privacy concerns.
03. The Solution: Designing for Efficiency & Confidence
Feature 1: The Frictionless 3-Step Upload
The Research Gap: 36.4% of users worry about the effort required to digitize their wardrobe.
The Design: I designed a "Rapid-Fire" upload flow. By using AI to auto-detect Categories and Hex Colors, I reduced manual data entry by an estimated 70%.
The Result: A chore becomes a 15-second task.
"Automating data entry to combat user drop-off."
Feature 2: The Color Harmony Score
The Research Gap: Users mentioned a "Fear of making the wrong choice" and "Not knowing which colors go together."
The Design: I integrated a Color Harmony Score directly into the "My Wardrobe" stats.
The Logic: This gamifies the closet, giving users data-backed confidence to try new combinations instead of just wearing black or white.
Feature 3: The 3D Avatar Preview
The Research Gap: 45.5% of users were "Very Interested" in a 3D preview. 50% specifically wanted body shape and size customization.
The Design: The AI Styling screen features a customizable 3D model.
The Logic: This eliminates the physical "trial and error" phase of dressing, directly addressing the pain point of "Uncertainty" cited in my user interviews.
04. User Personas
I synthesized my survey data into two distinct archetypes:
Uoorja Sharma
Age: 29
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Location: Mumbai
Tech-Savviness: High
Fashion Style: Chic & Minimalist
Pain Points:
- Struggles with decision fatigue in picking outfits for work.
- Needs quick outfit suggestions to match formal & casual settings.
- Often forgets what clothes she owns and repeats outfits frequently.
Goals & Needs:
- AI-powered daily outfit recommendations to save time.
- A wardrobe organizer to keep track of outfits.
- A 3D avatar preview to ensure professional and stylish looks.
Kavish Patel
Age: 24
Occupation: Fashion Blogger
Location: Bangalore
Tech-Savviness: High
Fashion Style: Trendy & Experimental
Pain Points:
- Wants inspiration for new outfit combinations.
- Struggles with mixing and matching colors effectively.
- Prefers customization to match personal style preferences.
Goals & Needs:
- AI-driven color coordination suggestions.
- A virtual try-on feature with a customizable 3D avatar.
- A social-sharing option to get feedback from followers.
05. Impact & Learning
Technical Growth
I learned how to integrate complex data (like hex codes and category tagging) into a clean, minimalist UI that doesn't overwhelm the user.
Empathy-Led Design
By starting with my own pain point and validating it with others, I ensured that every button served a purpose.
Future Scope
I plan to add a "Sustainability Score" to show users the cost-per-wear of their items, encouraging more conscious consumption.
