Curatefashion.com founder Katie Fokken loves fashion. But in our current culture of Instagram “influencers”, affiliate-posting social media mavens, and size zero fashion bloggers, she’s not the norm. She doesn’t wear a size XS or have a six-figure clothing budget. So, consequently, celeb fashion bloggers’ faves and monthly fashion box subscriptions just don’t work for Katie. “I love fashion and follow tons of bloggers, but I don’t look like most of them and so a lot of what they recommend or try to sell just won’t work for me. If those looks don’t work for me, I know there are lots of women out there—of different shapes & sizes—who also want to look fashionable and feel confident about their look.” Since necessity is the mother of invention, Katie threw on her best “Good Vibes Only” t-shirt and her strappiest heels and curatefashion.com was born.
Curate has the promise to be the real-world woman’s “TTS” new best friend. Literally. A site full of aspirational outfit choices and size & shape recommendations for the everywoman, curatefashion.com also has a unique “ask the stylist” feature. So if you don’t have a roommate, forthright friend, or trusted co-worker around to advise which shoes to wear with that dress or whether you can go sleeveless or not on casual Fridays, the stylists at Curate can. Website visitors can ask how to wear a kimono, if lace skirts are classic or trendy (the answer is, “both”) or how an urban Grandma can wear intentionally-destroyed denims without looking like she’s wearing a costume and curatefashion.com will have the answer. From the comfort of their own couch. Or even closet. And it’s free.
Besides offering fashion advice (what do you wear to an afternoon wedding on a boat anyway?), Curate also has pages and pages of aspirational sample outfits for the fashion influencer in the making. Or the mom in the carpool lane, the Corporate Newbie, and of course, like Katie Fokken, the not-a-size-zero fashionista. Each sample is created with the real life, real-sized woman in mind. If site visitors like one of the items in the aspirational sample, curatefashion.com links them to where you can purchase it.
“Empowered women help empower women,” Fokken says about this dream venture of hers combining fashion with helping others. As the retail industry continues to transform, people are demanding a more personal and customized shopping experience. With large growth in daily active users as well as continuing to increase their diverse group of stylists, Curate seems poised to scale fast.
Learn more about the story behind Curate and what it has to offer the average shopper at the next Beta.mn Showcase event on 10/10 at Target Plaza.