ChatGPT can now show you wearing clothes before you buy them

OpenAI announced the global launch of two shopping features on Thursday, according to TechCrunch:

• Virtual try-on: see a piece of clothing or an accessory on a photo of yourself.
• Favorites: save products you like so you can find them again later.

Both live inside ChatGPT's shopping results. That's the part of ChatGPT that shows product listings when you ask it to help you buy something.

OpenAI has been building that shopping side for a while. CryptoBriefing notes that ChatGPT got "shopping research" on November 24, 2025, so it could suggest products in conversation. In March 2026, it added visual browsing, so you could upload an image to find similar products and compare them side by side.

It's simple on purpose. On eligible clothing and accessory listings, you'll see a new Try On button.

Here's the flow, based on TechCrunch and RuntimeWire:

• Step 1: Ask ChatGPT for clothes and browse the shopping results.
• Step 2: Tap Try On and upload a selfie or a full-body photo.
• Step 3: ChatGPT creates an image of you wearing the item.

You don't have to start from ChatGPT's own results. TechCrunch says you can upload a picture of any item, like a screenshot from a store's website, and ask ChatGPT to try it on for you.

In real life You spot a jacket on a store's website but aren't sure about the color on you. Screenshot it, upload it to ChatGPT with a full-body photo of yourself, and ask it to show you wearing it.

Think of it like holding a shirt up to yourself in a store mirror. You get a good idea of the look. You don't learn whether the sleeves are too short.

The try-on runs on ChatGPT Images 2.5, OpenAI's image model, which RuntimeWire says it introduced on September 8.

OpenAI claims the model brings several improvements:

• More natural lighting and richer textures
• Better at following edits, so instructions are followed more reliably
• Faster: RuntimeWire reports image generation latency drops by up to 50% compared with Images 2.0

Those are OpenAI's own claims about the model. RuntimeWire notes OpenAI hasn't published accuracy results for clothing previews specifically, such as how faithfully it shows a garment or different body types.

Favorites is the quieter half of the launch. It lets you save products you discover to your ChatGPT Library, so you can come back later.

TechCrunch says those saved items sit alongside your try-on images. RuntimeWire, citing OpenAI's help page, adds that you can also sort your finds into folders.

That's handy if you shop the way most of us do: look at 40 things, buy one, three days later.

One more detail matters as shopping grows inside ChatGPT. RuntimeWire reports that OpenAI's help center says product results are selected independently by ChatGPT, not as ads or through partnerships. ChatGPT links you to the store, and the store handles the purchase.

That question of trust isn't just theoretical. TechCrunch points to the AI agent startup Instinct, which began pushing product recommendations to users. Some users felt those proactive suggestions went too far and felt more like ads than help.

ChatGPT can also help you build a look, TechCrunch reports. You can describe a style you want to try and ask it to find the pieces. Or upload photos of a celebrity's outfit and ask it to find items you can actually buy.

No, and OpenAI is upfront about it. OpenAI says try-on images are visualizations, may not accurately show the product or your appearance, and do not guarantee fit or size.

The catch: a picture can show you a style. It can't tell you how fabric drapes or how a size feels. RuntimeWire puts it plainly: you still need the store's measurements and product details to judge fit.

CryptoBriefing makes a related point. Clothing is harder than makeup to preview, because of draping, fabric and very different body types. Getting a lipstick shade right on a selfie is a different job from showing a blazer across your shoulders.

Your photo: according to OpenAI's help page, as RuntimeWire reports, your reference photo is saved for future try-ons. You can change it or delete it in Settings.

OpenAI also hasn't said how many products support try-on or which stores are eligible, RuntimeWire notes. It also hasn't shared data on how many people use the new tools or whether they lead to purchases.

RuntimeWire sums up the deal well: try-on is a useful preview of how something looks on you, while fit and product accuracy are still left to the measurements, the listing and the store.

ChatGPT isn't first here. Google launched virtual try-on last year, TechCrunch notes. RuntimeWire adds that TechRadar reported Perplexity added try-on to its AI shopping in 2025, and that ASOS launched a try-on system with AIUTA tied to its own catalog.

OpenAI also already has some try-on experience. CryptoBriefing reports that on June 17, 2026, L'Oréal and OpenAI announced a partnership to bring Maybelline's makeup try-on into ChatGPT, using L'Oréal's ModiFace technology. That makeup integration was set to roll out in the US over the summer of 2026. Clothing is the next, harder step: the same idea, but for a whole outfit instead of a lipstick.

The big picture: TechCrunch says this pushes ChatGPT into fashion inspiration and discovery, an area Pinterest and Google have led. RuntimeWire sees ChatGPT's edge as reach: you can start from a description, a photo or a listing inside one general assistant, instead of opening a dedicated fashion app.

It's also a change of direction. TechCrunch reports OpenAI pivoted away from an earlier instant checkout feature that didn't perform well. CryptoBriefing says that effort included Instant Checkout pilots with Etsy and Shopify in September 2025, and that OpenAI appeared to deprioritize it by March 2026.

Try-on itself was not a total surprise. CryptoBriefing reports that signs of the feature first surfaced on August 8, 2026, before OpenAI confirmed anything. Its read: step by step, ChatGPT is starting to look a lot more like a shopping platform. The new features focus on browsing, previewing and saving, while the store still handles the sale.

If you follow OpenAI's launches, this lands in a busy stretch that also brought its Dots agents. More: OpenAI news.

• If you shop for clothes online: try on a jacket or accessory with a selfie before you buy, but still check the size chart.
• If you like saving things for later: use Favorites to keep products in your ChatGPT Library.
• If you care about privacy: your reference photo is kept for future try-ons. You can change or delete it in Settings.
• If you already use Google's try-on: compare both. Neither promises a fit.