Most adults don’t worry too much about what they wear on a day-to-day basis. As long as it’s more or less appropriate to the setting (office, gym, night club, etc.), people never stop to consider how well items fit, whether the colors are right for their complexion, or the relative wear and tear (and whether or not it has compromised the clothing). In fact, most people try to think as little about their appearance as possible, much to their detriment. If you think no one is looking, you are sadly mistaken; just reference shows like What Not to Wear if you need proof that people around you are constantly taking note of your appearance and judging you by it (from family, friends, and coworkers to complete strangers). So if you’re tired of looking like a lump in your clothing and feeling like a failure every time you put together an outfit, perhaps it’s time to consider what the fashion world has to offer, and how your iPhone (or iPad) can deliver the style tips you need to succeed.

The main reason to look to the app world is simple: it’s always there. Having access to fashion advice whether you’re sifting through your closet or racks at a store means you are never without your fallback when you need some helpful hints to make wise decisions. In fact, you can even take the What Not to Wear team wherever you go. If you’d like to have Stacy on one shoulder and Clinton on the other, you can stick them in your pocket and pull them out at a moment’s notice. With tons of free podcasts like “How to Wear Jeans”, “No More Second-hand”, and plenty of clips full of advice from the shows, anyone can figure out what to toss, how to shop, and most importantly, the rules for their body type. Of course, you could also pay to download your favorite shows as a way to take their fashion tips with you, but the podcast offers a lot for free.

However, there is another great reason to turn to the wide world of apps; it’s a heck of a lot easier than trying to figure things out on your own. That obviously hasn’t worked so far. And the fashion industry is anything but easy to decipher for the uninitiated. So instead of trying to figure out which Bryant Park offerings to emulate (and which to leave in the world of high art) let your apps do the legwork for you.

You should start with an app called Chicfeed. This freebie offers a world of inspiration thanks to a dense catalog of photos from some of the best fashion blogs on the web (Sartorialist, Jack and Jill, LookBook, etc.) and it is updated frequently. If you really want to be on the cutting edge though, consider getting Vogue Stylist, which provides you with tips and trends straight from the editors (as well as a click-to-buy option). And you should definitely download StyleCaster, which puts together a hassle-free look for you based on the daily weather report in your area (does it get any easier?). Once you’ve got a whole new wardrobe, download Stylebook to help you organize it. All you have to do is snap some pics and you can virtually create outfits for the entire week!

In short, your favorite iDevice is your one-stop shop for fashion advice. It will do practically everything short of creating personalised t-shirts and actually pulling the clothes onto your body. All you have to do is download a few good apps and you’ll soon be on your way to a stylish wardrobe that makes people look at you for all the right reasons.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.