DYO from head to toe

These days it seems like every celebrity has their own fashion line.  Everyone from Jessica Simpson all the way to P. Diddy is jumping on the fashion bandwagon and designing lines that express their style so why can’t you? It’s not like these celebrities are more qualified fashion experts by any stretch of the imagination (see: Jersey Shore’s JWoww debut her Filthy Couture line).

So what’s stopping you from designing your own style? With more and more online retailers offering co-created and custom-made apparel, the answer is nothing!

Open Runway is just one of many fashion companies embracing the co-creation trend. We’re revolutionizing the way women shop for fashion by empowering both shoppers and emerging designers  to design and purchase their own dream shoes.

Here are some others you should know about:

Styleshake lets women design a wide variety of apparel. If you are looking to design your own dress, shirt, top or accessory, StyleShake is the place to be.

How it works: Shoppers  can mix and match a large assortment of patterns, specify the color and fabric, and have the choice of ordering their design in a standard size or paying a little extra for their made-to-measure service. Receive it in 10 days or less.

Price: Dresses start at $97

Why we like it: We all need that special dress for a special occasion and the ability to design your own dress can really make an occassion that much more memorable.

Blank-Label provides a platform to design your own men’s dress shirts.

How it works: Customize the fabric, collar, cuff, placket, pockets, shoulders, buttons and more on your personalized dress shirt. Receive your shirt in 3 weeks or if you’re in a hurry get it 10 days using their express service.

Price: Dress shirts start at $45

Why we like it: Men’s dress shirts are normally pretty simple, so the ability to mix things up with different color collars, buttons, and shoulder straps can really help you stand out from the crowd.

The Boston Connection: Talking with Fan Bi (@lifeofbi) is always an awesome experience. Check out his blog to hear the latest. He and the team relocated to Shanghai for the summer for a number of different reasons – check it out. Danny Wong (@dannywong1190), Blank Label’s lead evangelist, is knocking Blank-Label’s PR out of the park.

Gemvara is an online jewelry retailer that lets you customize each piece to your liking. They offer a wide variety of jewelry from pendants to engagement rings.

How it works: Find a style you like and customize it by choosing your gemstone and precious metal. Receive your design in 3 weeks or less.

Price: Price varies depending on piece

Why we like it: With thousands of bling to choose from, you  can save yourself hundreds of hours combing through stores looking for something unique and perfect for your sweetie. At Gemvara you can design a perfect engagement ring that truly expresses your love.

The Boston Connection: Matt Lauzon (@mattlauzon) , Gemvara’s founder, is a great asset to the Boston start-up community. We’ve met Matt a number of times and had the pleasure of  speaking on a Gemvara (known as Paragon Lake at the time) sponsored Mass Customization Panel titled “How Mass Customization Can Create Value & Profit.” at the end of 2009.

IndiDenim offers made to measure jeans designed by you.

How it works: Through their online Jean Builder you can choose your fabric as well as features such as the rise, fly, hem stlyes and more AND have them custom made to fit your exact dimensions and. They offer both Men’s and Women’s jeans.

Price: Jeans start at $145

Why we like it: If you’re anything like me, you spend hours trying to find that perfect pair of jeans. With the ability to create the perfect pair of jeans, it almost seems silly to waste time going to the store.

The DYO revolution is upon us. It’s time for your voice in fashion to be heard!