OOTD - Outfit Orientation Tool & Direction

OOTD – Outfit Orientation Tool & Direction

Inspiration

For many people, choosing an outfit is a quick and simple daily decision. However, for blind and visually impaired individuals, navigating clothing choices can be significantly more challenging. Identifying clothing items, matching outfits, and remembering previously worn combinations can often require assistance from others. We were inspired to design a tool that promotes independence and confidence, allowing users to make clothing decisions on their own. Our goal was to create an AI-powered wardrobe assistant that combines accessibility-focused design with modern technology to help users confidently choose what to wear each day.

What it does

OOTD is an accessible outfit recommendation app designed for blind and visually impaired users. The app allows users to ask what to wear using voice or text input and receive AI-generated outfit suggestions based on weather, occasion, and clothing they already own. Users can scan, recognize, and describe clothing items using their phone camera, track previously worn outfits to avoid repetition, and search their outfit history using voice search. The app also includes a closet scanning feature that helps users locate specific clothing items, alerting them when the correct piece has been detected.

How we built it

OOTD was designed using an accessibility-first approach. The interface prioritizes simplicity, clarity, and voice interaction to support users who rely on screen readers and nonvisual navigation. The system includes voice input for hands-free outfit requests as well as a text input option to support braille keyboards and other accessibility typing tools. The outfit generation system suggests combinations based on occasion and weather. The wardrobe scanning concept uses camera-based clothing recognition to help identify items. The interface was designed with high contrast, large touch targets, and the Atkinson Hyperlegible font to improve readability and accessibility.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was designing an interface that balances simplicity with functionality. Because blind and visually impaired users often rely on screen readers or voice navigation, we needed to ensure that every screen was clear, structured, and easy to navigate. Another challenge was conceptualizing how AI wardrobe recognition and closet scanning would work in a way that feels intuitive and helpful rather than overwhelming. Designing interactions that work both visually and through audio feedback required careful consideration.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of creating a concept that prioritizes accessibility and independence from the beginning. The app includes a voice-first interaction flow, AI-generated outfit suggestions, a wardrobe history tracker, and a closet scanning feature that helps users locate clothing items. The system also supports multiple input methods, including voice and text, to accommodate braille keyboards and other accessibility tools. In addition, we developed a full high-fidelity interface with consistent branding and accessible typography.

What we learned

This project taught us the importance of designing with accessibility in mind from the start rather than adding it later. We learned how thoughtful design decisions can significantly improve usability for people with different needs. We also gained experience in accessibility-focused user interface design, voice interaction design, and structuring interfaces that work well with screen readers. Most importantly, we learned that technology can be a powerful tool for promoting independence when it is designed inclusively.

What's next for OOTD – Outfit Orientation Tool & Direction

In the future, we hope to expand OOTD with additional features such as real-time clothing recognition using computer vision, smarter wardrobe organization and tagging, and weather-based outfit recommendations. We would also like to integrate the app with voice assistants such as Siri or Google Assistant and incorporate haptic feedback that guides users when locating clothing items in their closet. Our long-term goal is to continue developing OOTD into a fully accessible wardrobe assistant that helps blind and visually impaired users confidently navigate their personal style.