Sarah Jessica Parker x Google Shopping: Outfit Try-On Tool, Interview

During our phone-call interview, I ask Parker if she thinks Google‘s innovation comes close to mimicking the je ne sais quoi of visiting a designer store in person — of touching each fabric, speaking to the sales reps, and catching a glimpse of your final, breathtaking look in the dressing-room mirror.

“I’m certain AI hasn’t been able to replicate that yet,” she tells WWD. “But all the in-between guesswork that happens [during online shopping] — like, ‘Does it suit my height and hair color? Will this be a good gift for somebody who’s a little taller than me?’ — will be cut out.”

Parker herself has had no shortage of online shopping–related disappointments in the past, caused by feeling “seduced,” as she says, by how something looks on a model, only to realize upon receiving the item that said model’s dimensions were wildly different from Parker’s own 5’3″ frame: effectively annulling its allure. Google, though, makes it easy to gauge the proportions of a given dress, pair of jeans, blouse, and anything else that’s piqued your interest on the internet recently.

There’s also an element of whimsy attached to it all. Per Parker, “[the technology] allows you to live in a fantasy” — dabbling in sartorial aesthetics that, to date, you’ve only been able to admire from afar.

I decided to trial the try-on feature myself, which proved to have a nonexistent learning curve. To initiate the process, I uploaded a full-length selfie to the online software, before choosing a body size for my mini-me (key to ensuring the state-of-the-art technology caters to your unique body type) and generating four stylized versions of myself wearing ‘fits spanning from a loafers-and-leather pants combo to an unlikely Canadian tuxedo mashup.

The next step was perusing through Google Shopping’s “Holiday Party Outfit” and “New Year’s Eve” edits, replete with trending styles like bubble-skirt sweater dresses, swathed-in-satin ones, and striking, cutout-clad maxi gowns. Clicking on the ones I fancied most allowed the platform to seamlessly transfer them onto my avatar, and the result was three distinct holiday ensembles that I don’t have in my closet (yet) but which seemed to come alive on my figure: no IRL trip to a label’s flagship location required.

Indeed, the visuals I got back were nothing if not natural, testament to the sophistication of Google’s latest. According to the company, its software “understands the human body and nuances of clothing — like how different materials fold, stretch and drape on different bodies,” all while “preserv[ing] these subtleties when applied to poses in your photos.”

If you so happen to find a look that’s “the one,” you can hit “Shop” next to your AI-generated image mockup — which allows Google to find the closest matching style that can actually be shopped. And if you’re trying on an already-shoppable offering (say, a festive, cropped cardi from Old Navy, Madewell’s bestselling pair of straight-leg jeans, or a softer-than-soft Ralph Lauren blazer), simply search for the “Try it on” icon on the product’s Google listing and watch as it’s fitted to you, as if by magic.

As for my interview subject’s advice on nailing the ideal cold-weather outfit? It’s not as prescriptive as you’d think (though Carrie Bradshaw would, no doubt, suggest something maximalist and Manolo Blahnik–based).

“I never tell anybody what is right or wrong or what they should or shouldn’t be wearing. In a million years, I would never,” Parker shares. “I would simply say to feel most like yourself.”

The star reveals that she’s usually “shy” in settings with a lot of people: “Bigger parties intimidate me, so I try to do anything I can to feel closer to myself when I’m out in the world, especially in social engagements.”

Other than that? Follow that one fashion vision you can’t get out of your head. “If you have a fantasy about tartan and colors and jewel-toned tights and patent leather, then wear it! All those rules now, they’re just gone,” Parker adds.

WWD even managed to get the scoop on the Emmy-winning actress’ most recent holiday acquisition, one that has managed to spark utter joy for her in the past few weeks. “It’s a houndstooth coat with one gold thread running through it,” which she discovered while filming the Google Shopping campaign.

Only time will tell what your special piece will end up being, but finding out is now as simple as uploading a flattering photo of yourself in clear lighting and clicking a few buttons. A true Christmas miracle!

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The SJP Shopping Edit

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Meet the Author

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on celebrity-backed fashion campaigns, often interviewing the stars in question.