A fellow IF blogger (formerly known as SIF – though she now blogs under her real name here) started posting a few months ago about a new service she was trying out called Stitch Fix. At the same time, my old roommate (and close friend) also started posting on her Facebook page about it, and the combo was enough to motivate me to give it a shot and see if I’d like it as much as they did!
For reference for y’all – I am HORRIBLE about shopping. I don’t really enjoy it, probably because I haven’t been comfortable in my body for a long time, plus I’m cheap so I have a hard time even buying a $10 t-shirt at Target. 🙂 Also, I live in the middle of nowhere (my town has a population of just 1,000) so there aren’t great shopping options, so I’ve ended up wearing a ridiculously outdated wardrobe that is ill fitting and cheap. The few pieces I’ve bought over the past few years to have nursing friendly options were all from JCPenny or Target – the only shopping options available in the slightly larger town 30 minutes from here. It’s time for me to get out of that rut!
With Stitch Fix, you fill out a really comprehensive style profile about what styles you’d like to wear, how open you are to trying different styles, etc. You also choose if you’d like to see more accessories or actual clothing items, more party outfits, work outfits, or comfy clothes, etc. It takes awhile to fill out, but let me tell you, it was so worth it. I just got my first shipment on Friday (it’s always 5 items, and you choose how often boxes are shipped to you), and it was so spot on. Seriously – they weren’t items I’d have picked out for myself, but I was really happy with what my stylist picked!
Can you guess who was tired of the fashion show? 😉
The first item I put on was the Tigress Geo Print Blouse (Sanctuary – $88). I’m not loving it because it does nothing for me, but I’m not hating it either, which surprises me because it’s totally not a style I’d have tried on in a store. My friend suggested pairing it with black leggings and cute boots, but the problem is that I don’t OWN any cute boots, so yeah. That one will be getting sent back. I also need to kick it up the priority list to find some cute boots!
The pants I’m wearing in all of these pictures are the Emmett Boyfriend Jean (Kut from the Kloth – $78). I have honestly never tried on the boyfriend style before – ever! Traditional bootcut all the way over here. Color me surprised when I slipped them on and they fit perfectly. Jeans NEVER fit me perfectly. They have a slightly higher rise than most of my jeans, and I actually really liked that. I think they’d be awesome in the spring/summer/fall months when I pretty much live in flip flops and flats. The only problem with them is that it’s the middle of winter in the mountains here right now, so there’s no way I’d wear these for at least a few months. At the same time, I’m starting a new fitness program right now with my son turning one, and I plan on being at least one size smaller by spring, so these are getting returned with the hope that I’ll get another great pair in a size smaller closer to spring.
The next shirt I put on was the Benzer Mixed Material Sweater (Market & Spruce – $78). It’s a looser cut on my torso than I normally wear, but I actually really like that. It’s definitely dressy enough for work but casual enough for wearing on the weekend while out with friends, and the “shirt” poking out from underneath is actually part of the sweater. The only downside is that it’s a hand wash only item (GAH) which is so hard for me to remember to do. That being said, I like it enough that I’m going to keep it!
Paired with that sweater is the Betty Chevron Infinity Scarf (Octavia – $32). I LOVE IT. I don’t usually spend money on accessories, but I’ve decided that $32 on a scarf is worth it when it will pair with almost everything in my existing wardrobe as well. Sold!
The final item in my box was the Chaplin Lined Hooded Anorak Jacket (Market and Spruce – $94). Again, not an item I’d have ever tried on, but I honestly really liked it! I was torn about what to do with this item since I liked it and I don’t currently own any stylish outwear jackets, but since I’d already spent $90 on the sweater and scarf (happy birthday to me!) and we’re trying to get our spending under control right now, I decided to pass on the jacket this time around. That being said, it was a great pick by my stylist!
What I love most about this process so far:
- They give you a card with specific styling suggestions in the box – an incredibly valuable tool for a clueless style person like me.
- You pay $20 for the stylist’s time every shipment, but if you buy anything from the box, that $20 goes towards the cost of your purchase.
- If you buy all 5 items, you get 25% off the entire box!
- You return what you don’t want for free in the pre-paid bag.
- You can adjust the price point of items. After this box I’ve updated my preferences to be under $50 instead of $50-100, just to make it more affordable for me to actually buy the pieces. That being said, I’ve spent SO very little on clothing for…well, my entire life… that it’s kind of fun to look to get a few quality pieces to mix into my rotation.
- They don’t send me all black. Charlie’s feedback was “if it’s not black, I like it.” Oops. That’s from a few years of body insecurity and wanting to hide in slimming clothes. Apparently my entire wardrobe is basically black at this point, and he hates it. Who knew?
- Also, Stitch Fix doesn’t have a clue who I am and this post is written completely of my own volition, but if any of you decide to try this service by clicking on my link here, I’ll get a $25 credit towards my next purchase. The gift that keeps on giving. 😉
For what it’s worth, I have never been someone who could shop online without sending back 90% of it for being ill fitting on my body, so I’m very pleasantly surprised with how well everything fit and how much I liked the styles included in my very first box. I can’t wait to see what my stylist sends me next time!
On my way to work this morning! Please excuse the embarrassingly dirty mirror. 😉