What is LOOKBOOK.nu?

LOOKBOOK.nu is the largest online community dedicated to showcasing member-uploaded "street style" photography. Also known as "LB" or simply "lookbook," LOOKBOOK.nu is both a utility that allows members to document their evolving style & a collective gallery from which "lookbookers" and non-members can draw daily fashion inspiration. The most inspiring looks of the moment—as determined by community "hypes"—are displayed on the "Hot" page, while the most recent looks posted by reputable LB members are published to the "New" page. Founded in 2008, LOOKBOOK.nu was created to bring together creative, interesting, and openminded fashion enthusiasts, and to democratically recognize the talents of real people around the world. In a sense, LOOKBOOK.nu is the world's first, truly editorless fashion magazine.

How does LOOKBOOK.nu work?

1. Create an account to upload your looks, and browse others.
2. "Hype" (i.e. vote up) whatever you like or find inspiring—community "hype" determines what shows up on the front "Hot" page.
3. For every "hype" your looks receive, you gain "karma" points which build up your reputation within the LB community.
4. Optional: Leaving positive/constructive comments and giving "love" to your favorites (you can only give one per day) are always appreciated.

What can I use this for?

• Show off the art of your style.
• Enhance or reinvent your look through inspiration & feedback.
• Promote yourself and gain a following for your blog, photography, boutique, etc.
• "Fan" your favorite members to keep track of all their looks.
• Be inspired by original styles from every corner of the globe.

How do I become a member?

LOOKBOOK.nu is an open community. To become a member, sign up here.

What is a "look?"

A "look" is a member-uploaded photograph that displays the user's outfit, and optionally, a list and/or description of what they're wearing.

How do I post a look?

Click the "POST A LOOK" tab on the main navigation menu to upload your photo, or just click here.

How do I edit or delete a look?

The links to edit and delete a look are located to the right of the main photo.

How do I keep track of looks I like?

The most recent looks you've hyped and given "love" will be saved on your user profile page, under the "Hypes" and "Loves" tabs, respectively.

Are there any rules regarding what I can post?

How does the "Hot" page work?

The "Hot" page features looks that are currently popular amongst LOOKBOOK.nu members. This page is sorted based on real-time "hotness" as determined by aggregate "hypes" of the entire community. Users vote for looks by clicking the "hype" button to the left of each photo. Once a look has earned a certain mass of "hype," it becomes popular and jumps to the "Hot" page. As a look on the HOT page gains more hype, it moves up in position. However, as the look gets older, it moves down in position. To stay fresh, the Hot page typically favors looks posted within the last 1-2 days.

How does the "New" page work?

The "New" page displays the most recent looks posted by reputable LOOKBOOK.nu members (users who have earned reputation in the community by accumulating "karma") and looks that have been hyped by reputable LOOKBOOK.nu members. When you see looks you like, you can help increase their "hotness" by clicking the corresponding "hype" buttons. Hyping a new members' look will increase the chances that his or her look becomes published to the "New" page. Additionally, hyping a member's look(s) will also increase his or her karma, thereby building up his or her reputation as well.

Does the "New" page show looks posted by all members?

The "New" page does not feature every single look uploaded onto LOOKBOOK.nu; it excludes looks that are posted by members with very little or no established reputation, which in general means brand new members. This is done in part to fight spammers and trollers who use newly registered accounts to post promotional, inappropriate or offensive materials, but mostly it is to manage the high volume of looks that are added each day. The "New" page employs a "karma filter" to allow active and more experienced contributing members, who have gained "karma" by posting high quality looks that meet all 10 guidelines, to have some priority over newer members who have not.

That's not fair, how am I supposed to get seen if I am a new member and my look isn't shown on the "New" page?

Initially, looks posted by new members are not immediately shown on the "New" page. The "New" page is a privileged section for members who are here to actively participate and contribute to the community (and not just to self-promote). However, new members' looks that are not initially shown can still become published to the "New" page if they get "hyped" by more established, reputable members. The more hype your look gets, the more exposure it earns on the "New" page.

How can your look gain hype if no one sees it at first? Having friends who are experienced members helps; they can immediately vouch for you by hyping your look. But even if you don't know any lookbookers as a new member, you can get views for your looks by sharing them on your blog and in your networks, making friends on LB (by fanning people, hyping looks and leaving meaningful comments & loves on your favorites) and especially building a fanbase who get your looks delivered straight to their homepage feeds. As you get more and more hypes from LB members, you also build your karma, which will help subsequent looks gain exposure on the NEW page faster and more easily.

What is "karma?"

When a look is "hyped," the person who posted it is rewarded with a karma point. In the same way that popular looks are voted to the top of the "Hot" page, the users who post these looks get increases in karma. This is how members reward each other for posting looks that are original, appealing and/or inspiring. Karma, especially average karma (total karma divided by the number of a member's looks), is also used to determine a members' "reputation" in the community.

What is reputation?

When a member first joins LOOKBOOK.nu, he or she has no established reputation. A member's reputation determines whether a members' look is published to the "New" page upon posting. Reputation is determined by a member's average karma (total karma divided by the number of looks) as well as other factors. Factors that help build reputation include: earning karma from medium to high rep members, gaining fans with medium to high reputation, and actively participating within the community. Factors that lower a member's reputation include: posting looks that are flagged by moderators for deletion, being reported for abuse, and having little or no activity within the community.

How can I build up my reputation?

1. Post high quality photos that display your style at its best. Make sure to follow all 10 guidelines so your looks don't get flagged for deletion.
2. Be an active participant in the community. Rather than simply hyping looks, make friends by "fanning" members that inspire you, and leave sincere comments on looks you like.
3. Don't spam, offend, or troll.
4. Promote your looks without blatantly asking for hype by sharing your look with friends and blog readers (especially current LB members), and on certain threads on LB FORUM.

What is the Karma Filter?

The "New" page employs a "karma filter" to show looks by members who have established reputation within the community. Due to the high volume of looks added each day, the karma filter ensures that looks from active and more experienced contributing members are not quickly buried by looks from newer members. The "Karma Filter" is divided into three settings: strict, lite, and off. On strict mode, the "New" page will show more looks posted by "high rep" members, and less looks posted by low to medium rep members. On lite mode, the "New" page will produce a greater variety of looks, showing more looks by medium to high rep members and less looks by low rep members. On off mode, the "New" page will show the greatest variety of looks posted by low to high rep members. Looks by members who have very little or no reputation will not be shown on the "New" page, unless they have gained significant hypes from active and more experienced, reputable members.

How much karma do I need to become fully visible on the "New" page?

Since reputation takes into account other factors besides karma, there is no magic number that will ensure that your looks are always published on the "New" page. In general, members who follow the guidelines, actively participate in the community, gain fans and earn karma from more experienced, reputable members will be rewarded with greater exposure on the "New" page, while members who break the rules, fail to actively participate, and/or get reported for abuse will not.

How do I down-vote a look?

There is no down-voting (or negative hyping) because the purpose of the site is to promote a diverse and openminded community. If you find an entry with spam, questionable content, or just has nothing to do with fashion, click the "flag" link within each entry and it will be reviewed by site moderators or automatically removed.

What should I do in case of offensive feedback?

You have complete control of the comments on your entries and you may flag or delete any spam, offensive, or negative comments. We will review all flagged comments for violation of our Terms of Service and ban offenders when necessary.

It says I can't post on LB FORUM yet. What's up with that?

We require a waiting period for new members before they earn posting privileges on LB FORUM. This is to help prevent spammers and trollers from participating in the LB community forum. It also helps encourages new members to read sticky topics and search for answers to previously asked questions instead of making redundant posts.

Who made this?

Just a guy and a girl hailing from San Francisco, CA who like art, fashion, and culture…though in one sense, if you are participating, you did too.

You can reach us at: hello [at] lookbook.nu