Google’s AI-powered shopping feature for showing you what you might look like in different outfits has come to mobile devices and can even help you see what you’d look like moving around in them. The new Doppl app uses Gemini AI to take a photo of you and replace your clothes with the outfit in another image you upload. Then, you can ask it to animate you in the outfit.
I uploaded a full-length, well-lit photo of myself to the app and added a picture of an eye-catching set of orange pants. Less than a minute later, I looked quite comfortable in those pants. A tap on the button to animate the image, and I could even get a sense of what I would look like moving in them.
In real life, trying on clothes can be exhausting, not to mention destructive to your self-esteem. And that’s before considering if the lighting or mirrors are flattering. Doppl is way less pressure and can at least help you decide if the bold new look for yourself you’re considering is at all worth it.
It’s just you, your digital self, and your imagination. You upload the outfit. The app makes you a little movie. You can save it, share it, delete it, or just sit there watching yourself turn or shift from side to side.
I tried it again with a white suit to see how going for a more formal look would do. Again, the AI fit me neatly into the outfit. The animation covered almost an entire turn, and the creases in the jacket moved realistically. The video element is what makes Doppl stand out from Google’s initial experiment from earlier this year.
AI clothiers
Not that it was perfect, of course. The movement is sometimes stilted, and the fabrics can suddenly lose all texture. The avatar sometimes floats slightly off the ground, which is disorienting to see yourself do. And even if you like the look, Doppl doesn’t magically help you afford the fancy Victorian gentleman’s suit you think you’d look great in, but for a few seconds of processing, it’s pretty impressive and would be a useful starting point for figuring out what kind of clothes to buy.
Doppl is still in early access and only available in the U.S. for now, but Google’s clearly building toward something bigger. Imagine this plugged into your calendar, recommending outfits based on events. Or syncing with your Google Photos to remind you that yes, you did already wear that shirt to a wedding last year. It’s the beginning of a personal styling assistant that uses your face, your body, and your evolving tastes.
Google touts it as a way to reduce returns and cut down on overbuying, and even as a new way for people to explore style, even if they don’t live near trendy stores or have access to stylists. Will this lead to some kind of AI-influencer-wardrobe dystopia? I’d guess not, but it’s hard to tell when it comes to AI what actual positive or negative impact will follow.
If you want to try it, it’s free, and it takes about 60 seconds to go from uploading your photo to creating a series of fashion videos to star in. The app may not get everything right, but it is worth trying on as much as any set of clothes. Or perhaps you’re just curious if your baby’s snow suit, which they look so comfortable and adorable in, would look good on you, too. In my case, the answer is it’s not quite as cute.
