I only had one New Year Resolution for 2015 and that´s not to shop for the entire year. I have too many clothes, shoes and bags and many of them are still not worn. I was determined to really do it. I challenged myself, “You can go for a year without shopping, girl.”
But oh, how I failed. After seven months of no shopping, I did shop yet again. You know why?
I found two outfits in my closet without the right color of high heels to go with them. And I wore my tube + short wedding dress to a grand birthday party but I didn´t have the perfect jacket to go with it.
Eventually, I shopped because I needed those items for some particular important events. But if only I could have borrowed them from someone my size, I definitely would have not bought them. Who knows how many more years those newly purchased items would sleep in my closet before they can say “hi” to the world yet again.
As if someone was reading my mind, an app was created to solve this dilemma, which, I believe, is common among women.
Mooch Group Inc. is launching a new app that will enable users to borrow and lend clothes, accessories, shoes, and other fashionable items among friends within their social network. Mooch will ultimately build a “virtual wardrobe” for everyone.
How does that work?
Mooch is a lending and borrowing platform that makes it possible to get the perfect style for any occasion without breaking the bank. “It will give users the ability to access thousands of wardrobe options they would have never have access to otherwise,” says Mooch CEO Shubhankan Jain.
So let´s suppose that you´re a user of the Mooch app and you have friends in your network, including me. Now you´ve been asked (read: selected) to be a bride´s maid to a friend´s offbeat wedding. The motif is rainbow and you have to pay for your own dress. You need a bright colored long chiffon gown. But you know that you´re going to wear it only once, unless you´ll be selected to be a bride´s maid yet again and you can wear the same dress.
But I have many beautiful long gowns in my closet that I’ve worn only once to some friends´ weddings, have not worn them again in the last couple of years, but I don´t want to sell or dispose of them because they´re just too gorgeous and they have sentimental value to me. Since we´re friends, you can borrow one of my dresses if it fits on you.
Of course, you have to take care of my dresses. I took care of them and you should too. If you didn´t and you returned the dress damaged, common sense tells that you can´t borrow my other items anymore. Plus, you will also get a negative “borrower” review from me which will likely deter other friends from lending you their closet.
In return, you can also write a review about your experience borrowing my items. It´s a good way to protect each user of the Mooch app.
The Process
Here´s a short description of how the borrowing and lending of your closet works at Mooch.
Users start by first selecting items they want to lend out. Then, they take a picture of the item and it goes into their “virtual closet.” The app is still in development and new features are still being integrated.
One key feature of Mooch will allow users to log-in with Facebook and peak into their friends’ virtual closets, and then request to borrow. Users can also browse item type and location via Google Maps. A review system is built into the app that lets users rate their experience with other users in order to ensure lenders as well as borrowers are protected.
For someone like me who is now learning to be wise with my money and making the most of my closet, I definitely support the app.
Sometimes, all you need is just a taste of something “new” without actually buying it. The ability to borrow a friend´s closet and to also help others out by lending your closet is a great way to have fun dressing up without breaking the bank.
Is it not nice to be able to keep up with the trend without actually buying each and every latest of-the-moment item?
Support Mooch App
The app is set to launch January 2016. To be the first to know when the app is available, visit www.mooch.xyz and subscribe to their email list.
But if you truly believe in the usefulness of Mooch app, why not support its creators and help fund the release of the app? Visit their Indiegogo campaign page and support the app at igg.me/at/mooch.
You will never regret it.
Update: I believe Mooch has moved to moochapp.com.