Shopping therapy. Window shopping. Exercising. Call it what you want, but us girls “need” our time to try on that one shirt or gaze at that Michael Kors dress. Today, going to the same old stores at the mall is becoming less and less enticing being replaced by the new fad of boutique shopping. Boutiques supply the latest trends, keeping up with the magazine and runway fashion and supplying it to the everyday shopper. And I must say, the atmosphere of shopping in a boutique is quite different that shopping in a big department store–the young employees, the color coded racks, and scented everything. But the clothes, of course, are the biggest draw. Now there is a way to peruse to the racks anywhere you go with the latest iPhone app House Account.
Created by Laura Vinroot Poole, owner of the boutique Capitol in Charlotte, NC, the app works just like Instagram. Boutiques post pictures of their latest clothing items, trendy outfits, their styles as seen on the streets, or anything else they choose to display about their boutique. The app has taken off since its creation, and features over 370 boutiques.
So how does it work? All you do is make a sign up with an email or Facebook, and start following the boutiques you choose. The app automatically searches the boutiques in the area as suggestions, but stores across the country can be searched. After you hit the follow button, the shop’s latest pictures will fill the page and that’s all! You’re free to shop ‘till you drop. The best part about the app is that you can truly shop rather than just stare at all of the beautiful clothes on the screen by liking the going to the boutique’s page and reserving the item, or even pre-ordering it if the item is not on the racks yet. The prices aren’t directly displayed on the pictures, but no worries, you can live chat with employers in the boutiques to find out all of the product details down to the washing instructions. Plus, live chat allows you to seek style advice from the store representatives if you’re ever in need of some style tips. So, for those who fear losing the interactions of shopping in a boutique, Poole has got you covered with the live chat option.
We already can’t get away from our phones with Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tinder constantly at our fingertips. Why not add one more app to your collection? Even if you only “window shop,” House Account will give you your shopping fix whenever you need it, and wherever you are.
Sources
Brazilian, A. (2014, March 15). The Boutique, Now in Hand. The Wall Street Journal, p. D3.