Fashion questions abound. Not only when you're standing in front of your full closet with seemingly nothing to wear, but also in the store dressing room, when you're dithering over yet another little black dress and wish someone you trust were there to give you a simple yea or nay.

You can ask a girlfriend's opinion, but they can sometimes be the worst enablers, offering more pros than cons for the vicarious thrill of watching someone else spend money.

To the rescue comes ... Glamour. The old media magazine company is bringing its no-nonsense advice to the social media realm with its new free app, Ask a Stylist.

While the typical individual doesn't have ready access to professional stylists, technology has evolved to put instant help at your fingertips. The app puts Glamour's team of about 30 national and international stylists at your disposal, ready to answer all your fashion queries.

As far as the Glamour team knows, theirs is the first iPhone application to offer free personalized style advice in real time. If you have questions about a look for meeting a first date or going on a job interview, just snap a photo and zap it over. They promise a response in less than 10 minutes.

The app allows men and women to choose a stylist based on their style as well. Their photos only appear when they are working, which may be anywhere from 20 to 40 hours a week, based on their other projects.

Head stylist Meghan Noel, from Los Angeles, for instance, also might be found working as a freelance stylist on independent films or music videos. The FIDM graduate also has her own line of dresses and never imagined a day when she'd be fielding style questions from around the world.

“;At first I expected to get specific questions like, 'Do these shoes go with this dress?' But we get all kinds of questions, like, 'My kids think I look like Ugly Betty. How can I update my look?'”; she said.

While a lot of style advice these days tends to be snarky, a way to get the job done while entertaining third-party readers, questions and answers on Ask a Stylist are kept private, so stylists' responses are gentle and full of encouragement.

“;We are never going to tell anyone they look bad. It's not what we're here to do,”; Noel said. “;We're here to make people feel good because every woman deserves to feel beautiful.

“;People can send in their photo so we can take into account their hair color, skin color and body shape to give them personalized advice,”; Noel said. In the case of the Ugly Betty look-alike, “;she had a pear-shaped body, so I explained how she could wear a simple jersey dress with a belt at the natural waist to achieve an hourglass shape and sophisticated look.”;

Another app user's friends and kids teased her about her mom jeans, and she just wanted a definition of mom jeans, which Noel explained are high-waisted jeans with a roomy fit, while recommending the more flattering and stylish option of a medium-rise, boot-cut jean to balance volume in the hips.

“;Our answers are as long as they need to be, and we have a lot of repeat users,”; Noel said. “;I love that because it does indicate people are valuing our advice.”;

Putting the service to the test, I snapped a photo of one of my colleagues in a long drapey tunic sorely in need of a belt. There were only two stylists available at the time, Jamie Larosa and Alexis Shaw. Larosa describes her style as being “;a little rock 'n' roll and hip-hop. She likes sunglasses at night and is most likely to shop Harajuku Lovers and Karma Loop. Shaw describes herself as a modern-day hippie whose favorite brands are Free People and Velvet.

I put the same question to both: “;How can I dress this up for the office?”; The results came back within two minutes.

Both recommended a wide belt at the natural waistline, but Larosa suggested dressing it up with black stockings and black pumps “;for a traditional edge.”; Perhaps assuming big-city living, she also suggested layering with a khaki trench coat.

Shaw suggested adding a brown belt and brown riding boots for a “;casual business look that's a little bit arty.”; Hmm. Brown riding boots are a little hard to come by.

At any rate, once you find a stylist you're comfortable with, it's easy to pitch questions and feel confident you're getting good advice. (For my personal query, visit my Fashiontribe blog at blogs.starbulletin.com/fashiontribe.)

In spite of the pervasiveness of style advice on television and in women's magazines, and books devoted to fashion rules, there's no lack of interest in seeking a second opinion. Since the app launched three weeks ago, it's been downloaded more than 100,000 times.

“;What's difficult about fashion is that it constantly changes. So do our bodies, our lives, the stages we're in, so the rules are constantly changing,”; Noel said. “;Some people don't care as much as others, or they don't care about the details until they have to make a decision.”;

Noel said she was excited when she heard about the app through her alumni website. “;I told myself I was gonna use it, and I do use it!

“;Even professional stylists find it's easier to dress other people than themselves because it's hard for any individual to have an objective opinion about the way they look,”; she said. “;It's reassuring to get a second opinion so you know what other people are thinking.”;

She recently sought other stylists' help in choosing an outfit to wear for a television interview about the Ask a Stylist app.

“;I had eight outfits picked out. One was a professional look with a blazer; one was a ruffled dress with a chunk bib necklace. I ended up going with a compromise, the blazer with the chunky necklace.”;

The pros' rationale: The blazer reads “;professionalism,”; while the bold accessory choice registers as “;stylish, artistic, creative, forward.”;

Many questions come from store dressing rooms, when people are trying to decide whether to buy or not to buy.

“;I love those because I like helping people on a budget make use of their fashion dollars in the best possible way,”; Noel said. “;We also get a lot of requests to help them pick from two looks.”;

With the app, there's no longer an excuse for people to leave the house without looking their best.

“;We're here to eliminate fashion disasters from the planet,”; Noel said.

FASHION FEEDBACK

Here are a few questions submitted to Ask a Stylist, with answers and photos used with permission of the app's users:

               

     

 

 

NIGHT OUT, FIRST DATE QUESTION: Is this OK for a first date? Should I add anything?         ANSWER: This is a great look for a first date! The chiffon top is delicate and romantic, and the textural skirt is so chic and flirty! Together, these pieces create a look that is feminine and subtly sexy (just what you want for a first date). All this feminine number needs is a metallic clutch and some stacked bangles! Have fun on your date!

               

     

 

 

DRINKS AFTER WORK         Q: Is this app for guys, too? What do you think of the shirt and blazer? Do I need a tie? A: Ask a Stylist is for anyone with a fashion query! This blazer and shirt combo is effortlessly cool and oh so versatile! A tie is a good option (with the shirt tucked in, of course) for an occasion in which you need to appear professional or dressier, but for drinks, the casually untucked shirt with the sleek blazer is a great look! Bottoms up!

 

 

               

     

 

 

FORMAL BIRTHDAY DINNER         Q: Attending my boyfriend's bday dinner. Is this dress better with the black cardigan and black heels or the white cardigan and silver heels? A: Love this dress! The bold print is perfect for spring and is sure to be a hit at your boyfriend's birthday dinner! The black cardi and black heels combo is a great way of creating a professional, office-ready look for work, but for a special night out, you've got to go with the striking white cardigan and silver heels! Enjoy dinner!