Having thoroughly cleansed my wardrobe of anything that didn’t quite spark joy over the last 12 months, I dare say I feel a bit like shopping again. But with vaccine appointments hard to come by, the thought of perusing the spring arrivals indoors doesn’t exactly appeal. Online shopping is of course far from novel (Americans collectively spent an additional $105 billion online in 2020) but the sheer volume of offerings can be overwhelming, particularly when one’s 9-to-5 involves sifting through the season’s latest fashions. The solution I didn’t know I needed: The Yes.
The Yes is a bit like having a seasoned fashion editor on speed dial who also happens to have the most thorough understanding of your personal taste. And in a sense, you do: former editor Taylor Tomasi Hill signed on as creative and fashion director to the start-up that was co-founded by former StitchFix COO Julie Bornstein. What sold the Moda Operandi alumna, who’s seen it all? “For a large part of my career I was conditioned to reshoot product, even though those brands already had their own imagery,” says Tomasi Hill. “But with The Yes, we let them tell their own story with their own art rather than through our own filter.”
Upon opening the app, you’re asked to complete a brief questionnaire that homes in on your given aesthetic. Then you’re presented with several items on which you must click “yes” or “no.” The more of that you do, the smarter it gets as it curates purchase suggestions, all the while cleverly managing to push your style boundaries (athleisure-averse, I shocked myself by purchasing a sweatshirt). Did I mention shipping and returns are free?
Currently there are hundreds of brands on the roster with new ones constantly being added, making it a great way for emerging labels to be seen. And as any good editor knows, it’s all about the mix, so you’ll find brands like Khaite sitting alongside Zara. But what good is all the fun if you can’t share it? Luckily, The Yes just launched a social component that allows you to share your picks with friends and quickly react with emojis. Shopping is officially fun again.