Try Out the Latest Fashion Trends without Spending a Penny

Posted by Gill Hart Apr 6, 2009

As a child I used to spend hours playing with cut-out dolls and their paper outfits. I guess that was a sign of things to come, given my passion for fashion that has emerged over the years. If you too liked to play dress-up when you were small then Marie Claire's "My Virtual Model" could be just the thing!

On their online site, MarieClaire.comyou'll find a virtual model which can be configured to your body shape and then dressed-up with pieces chosen from selected brands, enabling you to try out the latest looks in fashion. The idea is to give women a chance to see how a certain style outfit looks on their body shape.

It is possible to personalize the model with your name, hair color/style, face shape, body shape, weight and height. There are also special features which enable you to have a bit of fun by changing your shape. You can put on weight, take it off, change your hair color or style and make yourself look younger or older.

The system currently has some limitations, for example there are only 3 body shapes, hourglass (curvy), triangle (pear shape) or inverted triangle (big-busted) and the choice of brands are currently limited. However, My Virtual Model will give you a good indication of the kind of cuts, colors and styles which are most flattering for your overall figure. This is particularly useful when it comes to swimwear as it allows you to see which styles (tops and bottoms) suit your body shape.

Once you have created your own virtual model you have to register to use the other features of the program, which enables you to select outfits from the brands available and dress your model. You will receive further instructions in the confirmation email. You can even save pieces into your own virtual closet!