Gone are the days when phones were just for calling people. Now they are pocket computers, allowing you to browse the internet, play games and for many people they have become a bit of a fashion accessory. One of the major reasons for the popularity of the
iPhone is its fashionable status and good looks and many more Android phones are now realising that aesthetics can sometimes be more rewarding than pure hardware.
But as well as being fashionable items modern smartphones also allow trendsetters to keep up to date with the latest fashions thanks to the wealth of apps that are now available in the palm of your hand. We’ve trawled the range of fashion apps for Android phones, and picked out the ten that no fashion fan should be without. Many of these apps are also available for the iPhone.
1. Gap Style Mixer (free download; requires Android 1.6 or higher) – link
Gap Style Mixer lets you mix and match Gap clothes to get an idea of what your outfit would look like, before you buy. It does more than that, though – you can add in non-Gap clothes from your wardrobe to the virtual wardrobe of the app, just by snapping a photo of the item you want to add. Then you can mix the new item in with the rest. Make notes and store ensemble outfits in a virtual Closet. As an added bonus, open the app up while you’re near a Gap shop to get exclusive discounts and offers.
2. Google Shopper (free download; requires Android 2.1 or higher) – link
Keen to get the best deals? Next time you’re gazing adoringly over that expensive but perfect top, scan the barcode with your Android phone and let Google Shopper tell you the cheapest local place to buy the same item.
3. Fashion Diary (free download; requires Android 2.2 or higher) – link
Track your stylistic coups with this must-have app. Take photos of your outfit, mark or create a category for it, and the app will store it by date, category, and keywords, letting you immediately answer questions like “will this skirt look formal enough?” or “have I ever worn this dress to that club before?”
4. Trendstop Fashion Trendtracker (free download; requires Android 1.6 or higher) – link
With up-to-the-minute fashion updates and over 500 fashion show galleries, Trendstop will get you all the news and gossip as it happens. Instant coverage from the catwalks at New York, Paris, London and Milan Fashion Weeks are provided and the Fashion Store Finder allows you to submit your own fashion trends for others to pick up on.
5. Glamour Fast Beauty (free download; requires Android 2.0 or higher) – link
Ten in-depth videos give you detailed guides to creating various timeless beauty looks with cosmetics. You also get an extra free beauty tip every fortnight, to keep your look fresh.
6. How To Tie A Tie (free download; requires Android 1.5 or higher) – link
Whether it’s for you, or to make sure your date looks as good as you, it’s always worth knowing the best way to tie a tie, and this step-by-step guide delivers.
7. PD Fashion Headlines On The Go (free download; requires Android 1.1 or higher) – link
Paperdoll magazine’s app gives you all the latest fashion news and trends with up to the minute info on designers and collections.
8. NYmag.com mobile app (free download; requires Android 1.6 or higher) – link
This app gathers five of the best nymag.com blogs together into one newsfeed, including The Cut, New York Magazine’s main fashion blog. Pure fashion fans will set it to just download The Cut, but you can throw in culture news too – and be sure to add Grub Street, for the best restaurant reviews in the city, if you catch a flight to NYC for fashion shopping.
9. Miss Droid Lite (free download; requires Android 1.5 or higher) – link
A fun little game for all fashionistas. Guide Miss Droid through the world of fashion and beauty pageants to eventually become Miss World. She needs to buy the right frocks and socialise with the right people, if she’s ever going to make it to the top. Great fun.
10. London Fashion Trend (free download; requires Android 1.6 or higher) – link
This would score higher for us if the implementation was better, as London Fashion Trend can be a bit annoying to use at times, but it’s still worth having if you live in London or visit often. The app can provide news, videos and images from the latest fashions in London.
