APPS: FAVORITES ♡

I'm a bit obsessed with my iPhone and all the wonderful apps in it, but App Store shopping has been a hit and miss for me for the most part. There have been some serendipitous finds here and there (case in point: StyleBook), but I usually end up erasing most of the apps I've downloaded (even ones that cost money, if my conscience lets me) after I try them out... Only a couple have been saved from my wrath, but I still have close to a hundred downloaded apps. That probably says a lot about me...

I'm very picky when it comes to these kinds of things, so if any of you guys are like me, hopefully this could serve as a guide to download-worthy apps. I've done my research, so without further ado, here they are. :)

photography

Magic Hour - Camera & Unlimited Filter
$1.99

There's a free version of this app, but I suggest you buy the full version instead. Once purchased, the app offers free and unlimited downloading (you have to pay for the filters after you've reached your download limit in the free version) of photo effects made by its users that are definitely a breath of fresh air from the overused Instagram filters. You can also make your own filter with it. :) I love the quick share feature wherein you can just automatically send it to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. It definitely saves you time.

LabelBox
Free

I think this app's name speaks for itself. It's a quirky way to add labels to your photographs. It comes with 10 free 'tapes,' but you also have the option of buying more.



Instafonts
$0.99

I absolutely love this app! It's kind of like LabelBox, except 10x better. I love the fonts, the colors, and the textures that are available in this app. I highly suggest you guys buy this app if you like adding captions to your Instagram photos. It's very easy to use and there's a wide variety of fonts to choose from.



LINE camera
Free

This is a really cute app with very simple filters, but lots of stickers and frames to choose from. It's perfect for the very girly iPhone users, plus there is a drawing feature wherein you can use your own handwriting or draw over the photo. I know one of my blogger friends - ate Abbey Sy - uses it a lot, so if you're a fan of her cutesy Instagram photos, I highly suggest you download this app!



Fotor
$2.99 (although I think I got mine when it was free)

This is pretty much an all-in-one app that was suggested to me by Aria Clemente. It has really nice vintage-looking filters and textures - my favorite probably being the Black & White ones. It automatically saves any edited photo to its specialized album, which helps you organize your photos. It also has a quick-share feature, which is always a good thing.



SpyPic
$1.99

Have you ever seen a really cute guy/girl at a public place and wanted to take a photo to show to your friends without being really obvious? Well, SpyPic to the rescue! Disregarding the fact that this makes me seem really creepy and the fact that other people probably would not appreciate having their photos taken without permission, this is actually pretty helpful. You still have to be careful though! Wouldn't you be suspicious if someone was tapping away at an article they were supposed to be reading? ;)

productivity/lifestyle

Stylebook
$3.99

We've written about this app before! You can read the post here.

PlainDiary
Free

Here's a simple diary app that could also substitute as a note taking app. You can add photos to your notes/entries and you can choose many fonts; Helvetica, Courier New, Georgia, Times New Roman, Marker Felt, Japanese-Huifont, and Korean Fonts. You can also add a passcode to this app for more privacy. It's definitely helpful if you're afraid someone at home is going to read your diary (both physical and digital).



And that's about it. I have a lot of games on my iPhone as well, but I don't really play them all that much. I use my iPhone as a camera and social networking tool more than anything. It's kind of my laptop + dSLR put together when I'm too lazy to use either. Hopefully this helps anyone who's having problems with finding good apps :) Most of the apps listed above cost real money, but I've tried them and they're worth their price. I also hope this saves you guys from wasting your money on apps that don't do what they say.

APPS: StyleBook ♡

I may have just found one of the coolest iPhone apps ever. Quoting their website, "Stylebook is designed to help you carefully curate your wardrobe so you can look effortlessly chic everyday. We want you to get the most out of what you already have in your closet and to choose new pieces that will integrate well into your wardrobe as a whole." As someone who takes almost over an hour to decide on what to wear whenever I go out, this will definitely be helpful. On days where I feel like dressing up but have no where to go to, I could just snap a photo of the outfit and save it for the future. This app is like a personal fashion assistant you can use everyday. Here's how:

You want to wear a specific top but don't know what to wear it with. Open the top in your Closet and look at the properties screen - from there you'll be able to view every outfit you've styled using that piece. You just had a great outfit idea, but you're still in the subway going home from work. Use the Looks feature to make a quick outfit collage. You're going to a black-tie wedding and want to buy a new pair of heels. Use the shopping feature to do an advanced search for the exact color, style, and store you want to buy them from. Once you've found some candidates add the images to your closet and test them out with the dress you'll wear. Email yourself the link so you can buy them online. You're going on a business trip but don't have time to go home and tear your closet apart looking for outfits that are good to wear. While you're at lunch or commuting home, plan out your looks with the outfit editor and then import them into a packing list so you can remember how you mixed and matched all the different pieces. You want to update your wardrobe, but you want to make sure you buy pieces that count. Look at your Style Stats and see what pieces you wear the most and least. Now you can decide what you can take out of retirement or donate, and you'll be able to see what holes you need to fill in your wardrobe.

Those are just a couple examples of ways to integrate Stylebook into every day life. I think everyone who is the least bit interested in fashion should have this on their phone.

You can also make a list of items you want to add into your wardrobe so the next time you see something in a magazine/on TV/a stranger is wearing and it tickles your fancy, you could check Stylebook's catalog for something similar, save it, and check it again once you're at the mall. I'm pretty much fangirling about this app!!!! You can also keep track of your favorite outfits/style inspiration and take note - it's available for men as well. Excuse me while I beg my mom to let me buy it on the app store. While it isn't exactly free, $3.99 is a decent amount of money to pay for something so helpful. So................ go download it here!!!

Photo credits to Stylebook.