When I shop for clothes, I shop alone. It's a chore, not a social activity. That said, I make some pretty drastic mistakes when left to my own fashion sense. A section of my closet has been dubbed the "what was I thinking?" rack. It's filled with beaded and baubled shirts and way-too-colorful print dresses, best left for anyone 20 years my junior. So what if I could enlist the world to help me make the right choice, without ever leaving the dressing room?

That's the idea behind a new interactive mirror that's being demonstrated to show how you might combine social networking with shopping. The interactive mirror relies on several technologies: IM, text, and email; a version of RFID technology; and the use of high-definition digital video. The mirror is the canvas where all of these elements converge, making it a "mirror, mirror, on the wall" unlike any other.

From your interactive mirror you can beam video of your fashion selection out to the friends and family watching on their PCs or cell phones. They can respond with the thumbs in an online vote, make suggestions, even help you accessorize by paging through the store's online catalog. Friends and family voice their opinions using IM, text messaging, or email, and it shows up on your interactive mirror. Because the clothing has RFID tags that communicate information to the mirror, the mirror will also suggest accessories, let you know what sizes are available, and more.

The creator of the mirror, IconNicholson, calls this Social Retailing—a way to mash up brick-and-mortar stores so customers can connect live with their online friends while they shop. This past week, Bloomingdale's shoppers in New York City were treated to the social shopping experience in the Nanette Lepore boutique, which caters to younger, presumably more wired, shoppers. According to the NY Times coverage of the event, the interactive mirror garnered interest if not heavy usage. The reporter found that no one used the system to contact their friends in the hour she spent lurking.

Watch this video from Reuters and you tell me: Are you ready to drag your friends along for your next shopping experience?

P.S. Buyer Beware: Dory Devlin's column about online shopping sites that offer a personalized experience by allowing you to provide your measurements and then making fashion-appropriate suggestions, prompted me to try shopping at MyShape.com.The user interface and product selections seemed fine, but when my box arrived this weekend, the fabrics and construction were much crummier than I'd anticipated. And the fit was not particularly accurate. Only one of the five items I bought was worth keeping. Moral: There's still no online panacea and your time may be better spent "touching the goods."