Googles AI Dressing Room A Hands On Doppl Review
I never expected to be virtually trying on Kate Hudson’s iconic yellow dress from “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” right from my office desk, but that's exactly where my week went.
This fashion experiment was made possible by Doppl, a new AI venture from Google Labs that lets you virtually try on almost any outfit. Imagine the digital closet from “Clueless,” but powered by modern AI and accessible on your phone.
What is Doppl and How Does It Work?
The process is straightforward: you snap a full-body photo of yourself, upload an image of the outfit you want to see, and within about a minute, the app generates a digital version of you wearing the clothes. It’s designed to be your personal, virtual dressing room.
Doppl, which launched recently on the App Store, is both a try-on tool and a tech showcase. You can upload any clothing image you find—from a Pinterest board, a brand's website, or even a photo you took at a thrift store. If you're not comfortable using your own picture, you can select from 20 different preset AI models.
Google acknowledges that the app is still an experiment and “might not always get things right.” Currently, it only supports tops, bottoms, and dresses, with no official support for shoes, bags, or accessories. It also doesn't offer sizing recommendations.
The First Test The Iconic Yellow Dress
My first test was the yellow gown I've admired since I was a teenager. My AI “Doppl” appeared, looking unsettlingly like me but with slightly different proportions. It then struck a pose in the dress.
Each generation creates a unique short animation of your AI clone moving, turning, or posing. In this instance, my clone lifted an arm as if ready for a red-carpet event. While the fit wasn't perfect, it was surprisingly accurate and convincing. I was hooked and suddenly felt a strong desire to own that dress.
Putting Doppl to the Test Hits and Misses
To see what it could really do, I pushed its limits. I started with an outfit from my Pinterest board, “The Life of a Shopping Addict”—a black tank top paired with a long, flowy skirt. The result was a miss. Doppl generated a short black mini dress and boots, completely misinterpreting the original look. It even made my hair longer.
However, other attempts were much more successful. I uploaded a pair of Zara jeans that had been lingering in my online shopping cart. To my surprise, Doppl’s rendering included the belt from the product photo, even though accessories aren't officially supported. As a 5'10" individual who struggles with finding jeans that are long enough, the virtual preview looked promising. It was good enough to convince me.
I bought them.
My experience shows that simpler outfits with clear silhouettes work best. The AI can get confused by layers, complex fabrics, or blurry images, sometimes inventing new clothing entirely. But when it works, it’s incredibly persuasive.
The Verdict Is AI the Future of Shopping?
So, what's the takeaway? “This is generative AI in an augmented reality format,” notes Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst at Forrester. “I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be useful. Is it going to be transformational and double anybody’s business? No. But it’ll be useful.”
The app certainly has room for improvement. It doesn't ask for personal measurements like height, which could greatly enhance accuracy. It's also currently limited to users over 18 in the U.S. with a Google account.
While Doppl may not replace the in-store dressing room just yet, it offers a glimpse into the future of retail. For a free app, it gets astonishingly close to the real thing and might just be the nudge you need to finally click “buy.”
