Ri(t)ch Styles Blogging 101 : Fashion Apps that I can't do without!

A lot of you always ask me what Fashion Apps I use for inspiration and to help me in my work, so today's post is going to be about those. While I try to keep myself App free as much as possible, here is the list of my favourite fashion apps that I can't do without and help me make my life simpler!

Sharing made easy with SHAREit!

The invention of the smartphone has changed our lives to a large extent, and we are now recording most of our daily events on our phones. The world of apps has taken everything by storm, and very often I find myself surprised by the various kinds of apps that are launched in the market. Today, most phones have really good quality cameras. Most of us hardly visit the photo studios or use the services of professional photographers except on special occasions. The number of pictures we as bloggers need to click to keep you guys updated about the various things happening is no joke. As a fashion blogger, my daily life involves constantly juggling between clicking pictures, recording videos and then sharing them on social media. So, you can imagine the amount pictures and videos I shoot on a daily basis. All the data cannot be stored on my phone. I need to regularly back it up on my laptop. Also at times, I need to use media from earlier shoots or from shoots where I have used my DSLR, and it is quite a hassle to transfer things from my laptop to the phone because then I have to find my cord or use my email which is very time consuming. All my concerns were put to rest when I was introduced to SHAREit which is now available across all devices – phone, laptops, and tablets.

Style O2 - Your very own stylist at your fingertips!

Life has become very fulfilling these days. While most of you think that this statement of mine has got to do with motherhood, of course it has, but then that is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about something else that I have gone back to and am extremely content doing - professionl styling for magazines and TV shows and personal styling for my clients. While earlier it used to be more of a word of mouth, I recently came across this amazing app called Style O2 which helps people like us who breathe fashion and need a dose on a daily basis. It is a Social Discovery App that lets stylists like me help people like you make the smartest style and fashion related decisions and not have questions like 'How am I looking?' be something that stresses you out.

You can choose from hundreds of stylists across your city be it fashion stylists, hair stylists, make-up stylists or salons and book their services starting at as low as INR 500/-. See their work, read reviews about them from other users and book the services all through this amazing app. Whether it is an everyday query or if you are looking for a completely new makeover, whether you are new to a city or have a wedding to attend, there are stylists of every kind to cater to your needs. All their details and work is right there for you to check out!

You also have the style feed where you can share tips, work that your stylist has done or ask everyday queries and thus engage in some meaningful knowledge sharing with everyone on the app. While the app is mostly to help you out to look and feel good, you could also put your knowledge to good use and respond to questions asked by other members. It's nice when your advice can come to someone else's use. 

This app is currently available to download for Android and iPhone users throughout India but the stylist services are available only in Mumbai. They will be launching in Bangalore, Delhi, Pune and Kolkata in a very short while. And guess what - for a limited period, they are giving away free vouchers worth Rs. 500 from Enrich Salons on booking any Enrich Stylist in Mumbai through the App on a an Android phone. Sweet, isn't it? Best part - the offer comes with no strings attached. Just download here, go to the offers section, find an Enrich stylist near you and book through the App. Simple! If you are in the other cities, you too can download the app and engage on the style feed or contact stylists for any help if you are visiting Mumbai :) 

There is nothing to think, the benefit is all yours, so head to Style O2 and download the app right away for Android - https://goo.gl/9DAa5b and for iPhone - https://goo.gl/UXyPoh

If you have any queries, you can log onto the Style O2 website or drop me a mail on ritchstyles@gmail.com and I will help you through it all :)

If you like what you see on Ri(t)ch Styles and want to stay updated regularly, follow Ri(t)ch Styles on 

    

You can also email me on ritchstyles@gmail.com :)

Future of Fashion in the Apps World

There is nothing like physically shopping for clothes or accessories where you can touch, feel and try so that you are exactly sure of what to buy  However, one thing about being a new mommy is that your child is your world and you are not really left with any time to head out and shop. Earlier, all the errands big or small along with shopping plans used to get easily integrated into a day or week, but now the hours just fly by with my little one and finding time for everything gets really difficult. Online shopping came to my rescue for 90% of my requirements right from my pregnancy, but lately I have made the transition to apps on my smartphone for a lot of things.

According to the report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (Iamai) and IMRB International (a market research firm), by April 2015 India was going to have nearly 200 million mobile Internet users and it is expected to reach 213 million by June 2015. Now that is a huge number and the growth rate is astounding too. It's very clear if you look around that all around people are spending more time on the internet than any other media and the consumption of internet data is increasing on our mobile devices than our desktops or laptops especially for our personal work. Finally most of the time on our mobile devices is spent on apps thus making apps an indispensable part of our daily lives. I have noticed that every time I try to open a mobile site, in most cases it directs me to download the app which on downloading honestly is far more smooth to use than the mobile website. Where does that leave me? Well it leaves me totally in favour of just the app and the mobile website is soon forgotten.

Today if I want to shop or take a cab or book a ticket, I just log onto the app of the respective service provider and book the services. There is never the thought to wait to head home or to office to sit on a laptop or use the mobile website to do so. It just proves how mobile sites are soon going to have to phase out because I do not see them serving any purpose with apps doing a far better job.

Let me give you an example in terms of fashion of an experience of mine which proved to me that in the future this world is only going to be dominated by apps! :)

I usually like styling clothes that exist in my wardrobe or stuff similar to what is in my wardrobe through collages on a site called Polyvore. Recently I got a last minute invite for a party with the party being just 2 days away and like I told you with a baby time for yourself goes down like crazy. Also I was out for a family occasion and it was not going to be possible for me to head to the mall. But that didn't stress me out cause I had my favourite apps right there on my phone to help me through it all. In my head I zeroed down on an orange dress that I had and knew my Polyvore app would help me put the rest of my look together. I instantly went back to collages that I had created for an orange dress that would inspire my look and this look seemed just perfect!

Now I had everything to put this look together but the gold gladiator heels and so I got looking on Pinterest to see what was available in the Indian market and bingo I found this perfect pair!

Well then all I had to do was click on the link and it too me to the Myntra app where I finally placed my order. I got this beauty for INR 1500 at a 50% discount and it reached me in 24 hours just in time for the party :-)

The experience was quick and seamless and I could finish the entire process in hardly any time right there on my phone. It makes me really happy to see that the future of fashion in the apps world is going in a direction which is making fashion more accessible and easy to understand and imbibe. Life I am sure is just going to get better and better for the Indian users with the way the penetration of apps is happening in our lives.

If you like what you see on Ri(t)ch Styles and want to stay updated regularly, follow Ri(t)ch Styles on 

    

You can also email me on ritchstyles@gmail.com :)