Trying on clothes, Virtually

One of the problems with niche marketing of clothing is knowing what measurements to produce clothes for. The standard sizes that we currently have represent averages that fit some people better than others. If you wanted your clothes to fit perfectly, you would have to have them custom made which would be very expensive. Or would it.

Imagine that you have an avatar that actually corresponds to your measurements. This may not be ideal for a fantasy life but it is ideal for clothes shopping in a virtual world. Let's push this just a bit and say that you have multiple avatar that reflect your usual weight gains and losses throughout the year.

So you decide to go clothes shopping in a virtual world. First, you step on the scale to get your current weight. And then you select the avatar developed for that weight. As you look at items in the store, you select ones that you like and have them put on your avatar. This provides several benefits over our current ways of shopping.

First, you cans see how this particular items looks on you. Not every item will look as good on each body type. Second, you can try the item in different colors and fabrics to see which one works best for you. Third, you can look at yourself from all angles without having to crane your neck as you would in a store with those full length mirrors. Fourth, you can see how this new items goes with things you already have. Say it is a new jacket and you wonder if it will go with some slacks you already have. Well, just put the virtual copy of those slacks on your avatar and you can easily see. Fifth, you can get the opinion of friends. Have a friend teleport to the store and have a look. Maybe you thought that lime green jacket went pretty well with the slate blue pants but your friend might have a different opinion. Sixth, you could consult an expert (software) fashion adviser who could tell you if certain colors, textures, and styles work together and what they are appropriate for.

Finally, when you are done, the specifications for the items of clothing can be sent directly to the clothing manufacturer, fed into the tailoring machine, and your items will be sent to you with a few days. Stretching the imagination, one can see a day when these tailoring machines may be located locally, so you can just go pick up your clothes in a couple hours like you might pick up your dry cleaning.

Of course, the specifications would then be added to your inventory and the next time you go shopping, or it you were trying to figure out what to wear to a particular event, all of these items would be available to try on.

Some of the elements of this scenario can be accomplished today. Some require a little imagination and some advances in technology. However, we can't consider the possible uses of a new technology in a world frozen in the present. We have to consider it in a world that has been changed by the technology.