In the past year, personal shopping Web sites have exploded, offering interactive, highly individual experiences tailored to your specific tastes. They all follow a similar formula: Follow people (or stores) that you like, save your selections in a gallery — and buy later, or right away, since they link to the point of purchase.
With some sites, you can satisfy your tastes by designing your own shoe, or answer a questionnaire about styles you favor, or track users whose taste you like. Sign up via Facebook or Twitter, and you can broadcast your picks to your network of friends — and see theirs as well.
Here’s a rundown of the most popular personal shopping sites.
Fancy
thefancy.com
A luxury Amazon-style site on which you can “fancy” and buy just about anything, from products to experiences: women’s or men’s clothing, pet gear, gadgets and homeware, food or art. Then there’s the intriguing “other” category, which can include a gorgeous photo of a yacht — that you can actually click through to buy. It’s got a heavy celeb following: Diddy, Ashton and Kanye all use it. “It’s a place where I’ve discovered a lot of hot new s - - t,” Nas has said in Us Weekly.
There are so many things to choose from, Fancy appeals to just about anyone — it’s a one-stop shop.
Book a hotel in Bali, then buy a bikini by Pour Moi and a new Nikon camera to capture it all.
Shoes of Prey
shoesofprey.com
Design and customize your own shoes. Choose from an array of shoe styles, heel heights, color and materials — from patent leather or shiny soft leather to genuine snake or fish skin or silk, for example. Customize everything down to the last details, like ankle straps or a peep-toe. Prices range from $140 to $330, depending on the design.
Uber-picky fashionistas with a shoe fetish who can never find the perfect pair
Want a pair of 4-inch strappy sandals in blue snakeskin? Just a few clicks, and they’re yours! Watch out, Manolo Blahnik.
Lyst
London & New York
lyst.com
Lyst, which specializes in top-end designers, lets you follow tastemakers and their favorite finds. If you like what you see in their collections, you can drag it onto your own page, or just curate your own.
Upscale, up-to-the-minute fashionistas who check out all the season’s runway trends on Style.com
Follow the fashion blogger from W magazine, for instance, to keep up with what’s trending — like a hot-pink handbag from Pierre Hardy.
Want Worthy
wantworthy.com
A virtual closet/bookmarking app. Browse the Web and see something you like? Install Wantworthy, add its “I Want This!” button to your bookmarks toolbar and click it whenever you see something you want to buy later. It’ll store the link and image in your own space. Fun feature: You can separate into “Basics,” “Favorites” and “When I’m rich.”
The hard-core online shopper who needs help keeping track of her cyber wish list
Want a new Mulberry bag or a dress perfect for a wedding? Save it in Wantworthy now, and buy it later.
Send the Trend
sendthetrend.com
An accessories subscription site. Sign up and answer a survey describing your style, and it will send you personalized recommendations and trends. On the fifth of every month, you can either purchase your favorite item, or skip it. All accessories are $29.95, and handbags are $39.95.
The accessories fiend who can never get enough, but is on a modest budget
Buy ornate chandelier earrings, a bejeweled snake ring or a choker — it’s all here.
Polyvore
polyvore.com
Polyvore lets you create an entire custom-styled outfit, plus accessories, assembled by you! Choose from thousands of current items to create “sets.” Click through to buy, or browse the creativity of other people’s sets — and maybe end up purchasing something.
The consummate scrapbooker who’s always cutting outfits out of fashion magazines
Alexander McQueen platform sandals with a Vivienne Westwood tartan dress? Hey, you’re the stylist!