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Comment by nsfmc | Hacker News Reader

This is a promising market if other outfits like http://www.trunkclub.com/ and http://manpacks.com/ are any indication.

I think the trick, though, is making sure that you can align style with your customer. When i first saw trunkclub i thought "netflix for clothes" which is a pretty novel concept if you figure that reselling overstock, late season purchases ala http://gilt.com/ is a pretty solid concept but if you also add-in the whole "personalized wardrobe" aspect, then it's really something exciting for folks that want nice wardrobe standards similar to what jesse at http://putthison.com/ advocates but don't need it this season.

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Never heard of Trunk Club, but I love the execution. The interesting thing I'm taking away as a point of comparison is how superior an identity like "Trunk Club" is versus a simple "I found a clever domain that was available" type identity like dress.me.

"Dress Me" is kind of immasculating/infantilizing, whereas Trunk Club is kind of exclusive and sort of has an old world sophistication to it, both in use of throwback terminology "trunk" and the fact that clubs are such "guy things."

Not really comparing the feasibility of one business or the other, just pointing out my reaction to the identities...

Trunk Club is exactly how I would of expected Dress.me to work if I were signing up. I think just recommending doesn't go far enough. Getting a box in the mail with everything put together for you seems much nicer.

Having a personal shopper is appealing I think. That being said, their brands are definitely on the higher end and more than what I'd probably be willing to spend on clothes. E.G. Denim ranging from $165 - $225 means a single outfit could get pretty expensive quick.

Still, I can definitely see the high end of the market being viable though. Seems like demand would exist at mid-market prices though too.

One thing that has kept me away from Man Packs is that I have no idea how often I need new socks, underwear, or shaving cream. I'd love to have them sent to me automatically when I'm in need, but it's hard to put that on a schedule. It's probably close to once a year - but it's far enough apart that I don't really know how often I really need them.

Dress.me sounds like a better execution for my preferences - I need a new shirt and some new jeans, so I go to the website and it finds exactly the right items for me with minimal effort or decision making on my part.

If you love a DVD you got from Netflix, you still put it in the envelope and send it back for a replacement. That's where all of these clothing services fall short. If I keep the clothing I like, I end up with a pile of dirty clothing (that I like). Let me return it all, check a box indicating what I liked, then send me a clean but comparable replacement. Heck, if you follow the Netflix model and let me browse styles online, I'll be able to fine-tune my tastes in no time, without the help of any fashion consultant. As a man, I don't mind shopping, but I'm frustrated when I'm confronted with swimsuits on a day I want to buy a turtleneck, and laundry's a chore. An online closet would solve a number of headaches for a lot of men.

I rather suspect the segment of people who would rather ship dirty laundry via UPS and have it replaced with different clothing rather than just doing their laundry is comparatively small. The people who can afford such a luxury can generally afford to have a washer and dryer in their residence, or at least a straight-up laundry service.

Also, your idea would require used clothing to be laundered and shipped out to other customers. There's probably room for an online Goodwill, but that's literally what it would have to be.

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