“What to Wear” debuts on Facebook – A great way to track new trends in junior apparel?
The popular social media game “What to Wear” is currently running in beta on Facebook, so you can expect to see it gain traction among teens and young women. In fact, it is expected to become so popular among teenage girls that many junior fashion apparel buyers look forward to using the application as a way to test the popularity of new junior fashion trends.
In honor of Fashion Week, the game will feature clothing and accessories from five hot designers, including Jane Marvel handbags, Selima Salaun’s eyewear, Lily Pulitzer apparel, Vanessa Noel footwear, and Colette Malouf’s jewelry and hair accessories. Players will purchase virtual goods to create the perfect outfit, and then their “friends” can vote on which player’s “outfit” is the most stylish.
The concept was created by social network game developers, Large Animal Games, in conjunction with PLUS Media. Since its Facebook debut on June 15th, “What to Wear” has generated 27 million engagements, and other social media sites will follow suit, including a mobile application for the iPhone. Since it is a proprietary system, the game can be played across multiple social networks.
As the game gains users and new designers are incorporated, expect wholesale junior fashion outlets to keep close tabs on what people are voting for. It should be a fairly accurate indicator of which trends will influence junior clothing apparel and accessories purchases next year. In addition, it will help women get a preview of how to put outfits together using some of the newer pieces being shown by top designers.
Another Facebook fashion trend is being marketed by Status King, a company that makes t-shirts that allow you to print a custom status message on it. Each t-shirt shows your picture, your status message, how long ago you “updated” it, and Facebook’s signature “what are you doing right now?” box, just as it looks on the web site. The Status King app for allows your friends to vote on the “best status” for a given week, with the winner receiving a free shirt. Hmmm…. Is this just another way to promote social media networking, or could it be the next trendy junior fashion? Look for clothing that you see advertised through these channels at Fashion Spot LA.