Searching for clothes online can be a frustrating experience when you’re looking for something specific. Maybe you saw someone wearing a cute dress and you want to find the same one, or you have a photo of a dress you love but have no idea where it’s from. Is there a way to search for clothes using just a picture?
Using Reverse Image Search
Luckily, there are a few options for searching for clothes with just a picture. The most useful tool is reverse image search. Reverse image search allows you to upload a photo or provide a link to an image, and it will show you webpages where that image appears. This can help you track down the source of a photo and potentially find a place to purchase the item.
Google Images has a built-in reverse image search function. To use it, go to Google Images and either upload a photo or insert the URL for an image. Google will scan the image and then show you results for matching and similar images across the web. You can scroll through the results to see if any shopping sites appear where you might be able to buy the dress.
There are also browser extensions like Search by Image that make reverse image searching easy from any webpage. These tools let you right-click any image and immediately perform a reverse image search. The browser extension will show you results from multiple search engines like Google, Bing, Yandex, and TinEye. Using multiple reverse image search engines increases your chances of tracking down the source of a photo.
Trying Clothing Search Engines
In addition to general reverse image search, there are some more specialized clothing search engines designed for identifying fashion items from photos. These sites have databases of clothing images to match against and focus specifically on fashion results.
Some options to try include:
| Search Engine | Description |
| LikeToKnow.It | Allows influencers to tag fashion products. Upload a screenshot or link to view similar items. |
| Chictopia | Upload photos of clothing to search 100,000s of street style images to find similar looks. |
| ShopLook | Powered by computer vision to match photos with similar clothing items for sale. |
These specialized sites may yield better results than a general image search when it comes to identifying fashion items. Their product databases focus specifically on clothing.
Trying On Similar Styles
If you can’t find the exact dress from a photo, the next best option is to look for similar styles. Even without the original dress, there are ways to find comparable alternatives:
– Note the key features of the dress – like the neckline, sleeve length, silhouette, pattern, fabric, etc. Then search using descriptive terms for those attributes along with “dress” or “clothing.” For example “off the shoulder floral maxi dress.”
– Browse clothing sites filtered by the main categories that fit the dress – casual day dress, evening gown, summer sundress, etc. Scan the pages visually for dresses with a similar look.
– Use online tools like FindSimilar.com where you can select visual attributes like neckline, sleeve, hemline, and pattern. It will then show you dress options matching those features.
– Check sites like Polyvore that let you search for clothing “sets” people have curated with similar styles. Look for sets with dresses in the same vein.
– Look on Pinterest for fashion inspiration boards centered around certain dress styles. The pinned examples will showcase similar aesthetic approaches.
With enough persistence across clothing sites and visual search tools, you can likely track down dresses that have a comparable look and feel to the original image.
Searching Shopping Sites By Image
Many major ecommerce sites now have their own built-in image search functions specifically for finding clothing, accessories, and other products available for purchase. This approach streamlines searching within a particular shopping site.
Here are some examples of sites that allow image searches within their inventory:
| Shopping Site | How Image Search Works |
| ASOS | Upload photo on mobile app or drag and drop on website. |
| Macy’s | Click camera icon to upload a photo to search. |
| Zara | Image search bar accepts photo uploads to find similar items. |
| TARGET | “Similar Looks” filter on site searches for comparable styles. |
Image searching within a particular clothing retailer can be more accurate than broader reverse image search. It shows you in-stock items right on that site. The available filters also let you refine by color, size, price and other attributes.
However, it likely will not find the precise original dress unless that retailer carries it. But this approach helps uncover similar dresses conveniently available for purchase.
Searching Social Media
Social media can provide additional clues to help identify an unknown dress in a photo. Here are some tips for tracking fashion items down through social networks:
– Hashtag search – Search relevant hashtags like #fashion, #dress, #cuteoutfit to find people posting images with similar dresses.
– Geotag search – If the photo has a geotag or mention of a location, search that place name plus terms like “fashion” or “outfit” to potentially find local users wearing the dress.
– Reverse image search – Use the social media site’s built-in image search to see if someone else posted the same dress photo.
– User comment search – If you have any information on the original poster (even just a first name), you may be able to search public comments on their profile to ask for dress details.
– Share the photo – Post the image yourself asking if anyone recognizes the dress. Helpful commenters may be able to ID it or link to similar options.
While social media image searches can be hit-or-miss, the collective knowledge of fashion-savvy users on sites like Instagram and TikTok can sometimes help provide the missing details needed to track down an outfit.
Using Fashion Recognition Apps
In recent years, visual recognition technology has advanced to the point where several smartphone apps now offer instant clothing identification from photos. These apps leverage artificial intelligence trained specifically on clothing images.
To use them, you simply snap a photo or upload a dress image and the app’s computer vision will analyze it and provide matches. Here are some top options:
| App | How It Works |
| Google Lens | Smartphone camera app identifies clothes and shows similar items available for purchase. |
| StyleSnap | Take or upload photos to instantly shop similar looks from retail partners. |
| ASOS – Style Match | Fashion scanner app matches uploaded photos with ASOS product inventory. |
| Amazon – StyleSnap | Shop looks spotted in the real world via Amazon’s mobile app. |
These apps tap into vast databases of clothing images and product catalogs. They can accurately match the details of a dress like pattern, color, shape, and style. The matches link out directly to shopping sites making it easy to find and buy near-identical dresses or close alternatives.
Tips For Better Image Search Results
To maximize your chances of identifying a dress from a picture, keep these tips in mind:
– Use a clear, high-quality photo – Blurry pics with lots of background clutter are harder to match.
– Get photos from multiple angles – Details like the back or sides can help narrow down dress options.
– Note any visible tags or logos – Visible brand names or tags make matching easier.
– Pay attention to distinct details – An unusual neckline, print, or silhouette makes finding a match more likely.
– Try searches across multiple sites – Don’t rely on just one reverse image search engine.
– Adjust your search terms – Adding extra descriptive details improves results.
– Follow image leads across social media – Posting the pic yourself and asking for help can provide useful clues.
The more unique attributes a dress photo captures, and the more search avenues you pursue, the better your chances of tracking down where to purchase that perfect dress you’ve been dreaming about.
Can You Image Search Clothing Stores Directly?
Many major clothing and fashion retailers now offer the ability to directly search their website or app using an image. Here are some of the top clothing brands that currently provide their own visual search for shoppers:
| Clothing Retailer | How to Image Search |
| ASOS | Upload pics in app or drag and drop images on site |
| Macy’s | Built-in camera icon image search tool |
| Zara | Image search bar accepts uploads to find matches |
| Forever 21 | “Visual Search” page allows photo uploads |
| H&M | In-app camera lets you search the catalog with photos |
| Urban Outfitters | Online image search powered by Syte visual recognition |
Being able to directly search the product catalog of major fashion brands makes finding a specific item much easier. You get instant access to all the available listings and inventory a retailer carries.
The image recognition capabilities vary across sites, but are improving all the time. Many now leverage AI and machine learning to match details like fabric patterns, sleeve shape, hem length, and more.
While these on-site imaging matching options are not perfect, they provide another useful avenue for tracking down clothing from photos. And as the technology advances, they should keep getting better at identifying those hard-to-find dress photos.
Conclusion
Searching for clothing using just a picture has certainly become much more feasible thanks to reverse image search, visual recognition, and retailers adding their own on-site image matching capabilities. While finding an exact match is not guaranteed, you now have more tools to point you in the right direction than ever before.
The key is using high-quality dress photos that capture unique details, and pursuing multiple search avenues persistently. Cross reference reverse image results with social media data, shop visual attributes on fashion sites, and try image matching directly through your favorite brands. With the right photo and some sleuthing skills, tracking down a beloved dress look is no longer just a dream.
