Pinterest is getting closer to giving us Cher's 'Clueless' closet
It's easy to fall in love with an outfit you see someone else wearing. But finding those items to buy for yourself isn't so easy. And even when you can, an outfit that works perfectly in your mind sometimes turns out to be a disaster IRL.
Technology is giving us hope, however: Pinterest's new and improved fashion assistant, called Lens, is here to give us the Cher Clueless closet experience we've always wanted.
First introduced in February, Pinterest Lens is getting a major fashion upgrade. To access Lens, just tap the camera icon in the upper righthand corner. Then all you have to do is hit the circle in the middle of your screen to take a picture of anything in the real world -- a coat hanging in the corner, your coworker's shoes, or a purse in the new Kate Spade line -- and watch the results roll in.
The pre-existing Lens already identified types of clothing you might want and suggested new outfit ideas for you, but now it can dig much deeper into specific styles and recommendations.
Lens doesn't just stop at the fact that you want a new swimsuit or necklace. The technology can new get really specific: finding you a red, high-waisted one-piece with side cutouts or a chunky, turquoise statement necklace. After it's pinpointed the style you're after, Lens goes even further to suggest other items you should pair with the look.
Lens' capabilities aren't just limited to photos you take on the spot. You can use photos already on your phone for searches. As if that wasn't enough, Lenz also has recommended searches to help you discover new styles and get an idea for popular seasonal styles. Finally, Pinterest added Instant Ideas to Lens results, so you can quickly get ideas related to a specific result in just a tap.
As part of the upgrade, Pinterest has doubled the number of object categories the Lens technology can recognize. This means the app can recommend certain styles and pairings of shoes, shirts, hats, and more.
Lens is relatively new, and Pinterest hasn't shared any statistics on its popularity has gotten positive user feedback so far. With the upgrade, the world's fashion bloggers may get even more prolific.
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Competitors like Craves and ASAP54 are out there, but they're not as far-reaching and don't combine the same kind of style recommendations that Lens provides.
Pinterest recently raised over $12 billion of funding which it plans to use on more advanced computer vision and visual search technologies. So get used to visual assistants taking the stress out of everyday fashion decisions, sit back, and relax.
Molly is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While there, she studied life sciences communication and conservation biology. Molly has worked in multiple communications positions at UW and recently acted as a science intern at Business Insider in NYC. She is a lover of all things science and tech related, and is always ready to take on a new challenge. When Molly isn't writing, she fills her time training for IRONMAN events, acting as the unofficial #1 Wisconsin athletics fan, and trying as many new foods as her budget will allow.
