What is Polyvore? Why do Polyvore?

I got completely hooked with Polyvore the past week or so while setting up this blog, that now I thought it deserves a few words before I talk of other things. So, what is Polyvore? Why do Polyvore?

Polyvore is a lot of things. It's a resource for fashion trends and style advice. It's an online store for everything relating to fashion and style. And, it's a blogging community for fashion enthusiasts from all walks of life, from all kinds of fashion inclinations.

It is the third aspect that I find really interesting because it allows a member to put together outfits however one likes, for whatever occasions one can think of. One can be as experimental, as outrageous, as flamboyant as one likes to be. And the best part? All that within one's comfort zone.

I'd like to think of this Polyvore exercise as educational for one in search of personal style. One can test the waters of one's own fashion inclinations, in concept, before plunging right in for real. One can make as many fashion "uh-ohs" as one dares to do, and no one would really mind--no nasty jokes to hear. And who knows, maybe one will find someone with the same fashion "uh-ohs" and the two of them can start a trend. It's possible in Polyvore.

On another level, Polyvore allows a fantasy, a whim, an escape. Without costing anything. It allows one to try the fanciest of dresses, the highest of high heels, the loveliest of bags, the costliest jewelry and other trinkets, and many more. All virtually, of course. With a single drag of the mouse, one can have anything and everything one desires, prettily arranged in one's collections. There is no one to say a Valentino gown is not part of one's lifestyle. Nor is there anyone to say a Manolo Blahnik, a Christian Louboutin, or a Jimmy Choo is beyond one's economic reach.

I found on Polyvore many other Muslim girls interested in fashion and style. For this, Polyvore is even more exciting for me. Some are firmly asserting traditional Islamic hijab, some are mixing and matching, traversing a middle way, while some are opting for modest yet relaxed look. But all are definitely blazing a trend, putting Islamic fashion and style on the map so to speak, for everyone to see. Checking the sets and collections of Muslim girls on Polyvore, one gets to see that there is no single "Muslim look." There is variety and richness in Islamic fashion and style.

Hmm... describe Polyvore in one word? I can really only think of one. FUN. Yes, Polyvore is fun.