Dress to impress and Roblox game, has a premise that’s almost too perfect.
Players have five minutes to run around and dress their character according to the theme. At the end of that time, everyone in the lobby has a fashion show and votes on their favorite look. I’ve only run into one problem: no one likes the outfits I create.
I approached the game as an opportunity to create dramatic outfits that would make an impression. You know, those outfits that you think are really, really frosty but you’re afraid to wear? That’s what I wanted to do in Dress to impress.
I paired the umbrella skirt with a feather halo to give the outfit an extreme, almost X-shaped silhouette and to evoke the goddess Aphrodite on the theme of Greek mythology. For the “school trip” theme, I tried to create a classic look with a black and white gingham skirt, chunky sneakers, and a layered shirt.
But I never won.
Image: Dress to Impress Group, Gigi/Roblox via Polygon and Image: Dress to Impress Group, Gigi/Roblox via Polygon
I think people were trolling and voting for the wrong outfits on purpose in some rounds (or I just didn’t vote). Once, the only male character won the “going to bed” theme by wearing cargo shorts and a black shirt. But they weren’t just trolls. My vision and everyone else’s tastes simply didn’t align. Round after round, I tried, and I failed. And while I could write off the other players as youthful people with “basic” tastes defined by the Instagram algorithm and mall clothing racks, my frustration points to the most fun part of the game.
Dress to Impress stocks its sleek, newfangled shelves with pieces from a variety of fashion traditions, including American streetwear, Lolita, and Harajuku, as well as classic boho and preppy styles. In a world of monolithic, algorithmically moderated trends and rapid fashion, Dress to Impress gives youthful people a place to play with recent types of styles. We welcome both kids who think oversized sweaters are the height of fashion and digital designers who have the skills to design the next Bratz Monster High doll outfit.
Fashion—both virtual and physical—is deeply personal and diverse. It’s not just about being relevant, it’s about having a say in what you wear. What I gravitate toward may not be what others prefer. Dress to Impress is a wild place where diversity of tastes plays out in real time, every day, with thousands of players.
So even though I’m bummed that no one appreciates my looks, I’m glad I found a style that suits me.
