How I used the Cladwell App for Dressember
Last fall, I was introduced to the Cladwell App (only available on iOS). If you've never heard of the Cladwell app it is like having a stylist in your pocket. And as a stylist, I appreciate not having to overthink my own outfits and wanted a fun and interesting way to put Dressember outfits together all December long.
Here are a few of my favorite looks from this last Dressember, some were suggestions from Cladwell, others I changed for a Custom Outfit mostly to accommodate for the cold weather:
So, what is the Cladwell App?
Cladwell is a styling app to help you create a closet you love. They like to say you don’t need more clothes, but to know how to make better use of the clothes you have.
After downloading the app, creating an account, and giving the app some info such as; my age range, closet size, weather recommendations, how often I wear different styles of clothes like lounge/casual/going out, etc., as well as adding items to my closet, the app was able to give me relevant outfit suggestions, specifically for Dressember.
How the Cladwell app works:
Cladwell gives you three styled looks for each day and an option to create your own ensembles. If you input your zip code when creating your account, it will be able to provide you with the weather forecast as well. This was very important for participating in Dressember in Colorado! We had days in the 60s and some in the teens!
Adding items to my closet:
After creating my account, I got to work putting items in my closet. I decided to focus on winter items and dresses since I wanted creative ways to wear my dresses during Dressember. While all the items in my closet were not available in the database provided by Cladwell, I added many of my own images, either by photographing them myself or uploading an image from the brand’s website. I also learned to rename items - it’s hard to tell the difference between black leggings and black skinny jeans. I also enjoy labeling my Dressember dresses by year.
Creating my 2018 Dressember Capsule:
After adding my items to my closet in the Cladwell App, I started to create my 2018 Dressember capsule by tapping the three horizontal lines on the top left of the screen and then the + Create New Capsule. After that, I added all the pieces from my closet I planned to wear during Dressember. Since the looks generated inside the capsule will only include pieces I add, I gave myself some breathing room and creative liberty.
I live in Colorado, so layers are important for Dressember and I included two pairs of skinny jeans as well as my leggings because jeans/leggings under dresses count in Dressember. Plus any layers I wanted to wear over or under my dresses, especially long sleeves, sweaters, and cardigans. I didn’t focus too much on outer layers like coats.
Time Traveling:
One of the features Cladwell offers is Time Travel (see image above). Within Cladwell, you can move ahead to a specific day, look at the potential weather, and plan an outfit.
Notice how your page may default to today's date with your outfit selections from your general Closet. But when you hit 2018 Dressember it will take you to today's date with only the items from your capsule. At the top of your screen, it says Get Dressed and Closet or your capsule's name, 2018 Dressember.
First, under the menu lines in the top left, tap on your capsule. Then tap the calendar next to the dates at the top of your screen. Scroll to the date you want to plan for and tap above the date to select - admittedly, it's a little weird.
Once there, you can see the outfits Cladwell has put together for you.
I didn’t use this feature much during Dressember. Colorado winter weather is weird, so it was usually best to plan my outfit each day instead of ahead of time.
Refresh & Edit Outfits:
I noticed early on into Dressember that Cladwell was pairing tops and leggings or jeans together. I shouldn’t have been too surprised. I had them in my capsule, but there is no way to tell Cladwell I want dress-focused looks, so I became very familiar with refreshing the outfits and simply editing them to work during the month.
By tapping the refresh arrows on the right, next to the Plan Outfit button, Cladwell would create a whole new look for one of the pre-styled squares for that day. Although, I frequently found myself editing outfits by tapping on the paper and pen image on the left of the Plan Outfit button. Since I only wear my 2015 Dressember dress with leggings/jeans during Dressember I decided to add it to my closet as a top instead as a dress so it would automatically be paired with a bottom.
Other times, I simply swapped out pants for a dress or added leggings to pre-created dress ensemble, although not always in the app since dresses are considered bottoms and you can’t wear two bottoms according to the Cladwell App. Since tights are not a category within the Cladwell App, I freely added tights as needed to outfits on days I didn’t want to go out with bare legs.
One of my favorite features were the Feeling Neutral, Favorites, and Most Worn looks at the bottom of each day. They made it super easy to find looks I had already loved and wore frequently. Although sometimes that meant wearing the same dress or cardigan for a few days a week!
Metrics & Data:
While wearing dresses all December gave me a new appreciation for fleece-lined leggings, I also learned a lot about my wearing habits through the Cladwell app. After logging just 10 outfits the app will tell you what percentage of your capsule you’ve worn. (Statistically speaking most people only wear 20% of the clothes they own; I was so excited when I hit 100% near the end of December!)
Cladwell also gave me my Most Owned and Most Worn colors and pieces from my closet in general or within my 2018 Dressember Capsule. As well as telling me what I needed to add to my wardrobe for a complete closet, it also told me I didn’t need to go shopping any time soon even though I have a much better sense of what is working well in my wardrobe.
If you need more help, I did a screen recording of me using the app to help you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW65xdoS0Jw
About the Author
Shelby Clarke is a stylist for wearwell, an ethical fashion subscription service. She blogs irregularly at shelbyclarkeblog.com about books, fashion, and faith. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and their three fur kids: Asher (dog), Shade & Huey (cats). They attempt simple small space living, and enjoy listening to music and reading on days off.