Stitch Fix Box #3 - February 2016

I know my last Stitch Fix box wasn't necessarily great--I returned three of the five items. This third box, however, was awesome! As I did with the first fix, I kept all five items sent to me. I was very specific with my feedback with the return of the other items on the second fix, and I made sure to fill up my request box with very specific descriptions of the things I had been hoping for. I also went into my shared Pinterest folder and made some updates. All of that communication paid off. Every item sent this time was exactly or very close to the exact item I requested. So here's what I got...

Brand: Market & Spruce
Style: Cordelia Striped Boat Neck Sweater
Cost: $58.00

I love this sweater. I usually wear a straight-lined fit top, and this sweater is more fitted at the bottom than I would prefer, but it's long enough to cover everything that needs covering. I asked for a black-and-white-striped sweater, and this is what I received. This sweater would look great with jeans or slacks, depending on how casual or professional I feel like being on that particular day. It's a very versatile piece, and I can't wait to throw it on over some leggings, accessorized with my tan scarf. I think it's going to look quite stylish!

Brand: Laila Jayde
Style: Valerie Heathered Raglan Top
Cost:$64.00

This pullover is just about perfect. The fit is great. The color is great. I even like the back of the top (which is solid black--different from the front and sleeves--not something I'd have picked out for myself). It's soft and comfy. I like it even better than the striped sweater that I mentioned above. If this top wouldn't cost so much, I'd probably sleep in it because I feel like I'm wearing a pajama top when I have it on. It's flecked with black, so it's not a solid wash of beige. I'm fair complected, and beige isn't usually flattering, but the color of this top looks good on me. I'll probably be wearing this piece a lot.

Brand: Skies are Blue
Style: Abba Plaid Top
Cost: $64.00

When I first pulled this shirt from the box, I wasn't too fond of the lace inserts on the sleeves. I did ask for a plaid shirt, so I tried it on anyway. Both my husband and sixteen-year-old daughter agreed (and they very rarely agree on anything) that the shirt looked great on me. So for that reason and to receive the discount for keeping all five pieces, I decided to hang on to it. I can layer it over a white tee with some jeans. I like the rose-colored accents. That, along with the lace, adds some femininity to a usually masculine article of clothing.

Brand: Just Black
Style: Cami Crop Jean
Cost: $78.00

The pair of jeans that were sent to me in the last fix were nothing at all close to what I wanted. My daughter went as far as to call them "mom jeans". These, however, are right on target. They are a much lighter, skinnier-legged, and shorter than the last pair. They're a little lower-waisted than I would prefer, but it's not so bad that I wouldn't wear them. I love the way they fit in the thigh and seat. I'm short, so the fact that they're meant to be "crop" jeans helps me. They're the perfect length for me to wear them as normal, ankle-length jeans. I like the wash, too. I already have several pairs of darker jeans, so I requested a lighter wash, and that's what I was sent. Love these. Maybe I'll put them on with that plaid shirt and my Chucks for a jeans day at work. I'll be comfortable and cute at the same time--two very rare qualities of fashion for women my age. These are NOT "mom jeans". Hehe.

Brand: Yosi Samra
Style: Samara Metallic Flats
Cost: $72.00

In my request for this shipment, I asked for a pair of leopard print ballet flats. I've had them on my wish list for a long time. These aren't those. However, I do love these. In her note, my stylist Hannah, said that she searched the warehouse for the print I wanted but couldn't find any. So she sent these instead because they are also currently "hot" right now. I think I like them even more than I would a leopard print pair. They are a little flashy but still neutral, so I can wear them with just about anything to which I would want to add some pizzazz. I had a taupe-colored pair of Tieks saved on my shared Pinterest board, and these are very close the the same style I saved there (and these cost much less). I did an Amazon search for these shoes, and I found pairs that ranged from $71.00 to $84.00, so what we've paid for them is more than fair since I never had to set foot in a store to get them. This is, hands down, my favorite item in this shipment.

So, all in all, to keep all five items was priced at $336.00. The 25% discount for keeping all of it subtracted $84.00 from the total, so it ultimately cost $232.00. That averages to about $46.00 per item. That's not too bad. Lot's of people complain about how much Stitch Fix marks up the pieces in their shipments, but I really do enjoy getting these boxes each month and getting nice clothes without having to shop for them. I think the extra cost truly is worth the hassle-free experience. I still recommend the process and give Stitch Fix two thumbs up!

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Stitch Fix Box #2 - January 2016

Okay, I do have to admit that, because my first box was amazing, and I kept all five items, I was expecting the second fix would to be just as or even more amazing. I was disappointed, but it wasn't because I didn't like the items that were sent. Had the fits been different for a couple of the items, I would have kept all five again. Style matching is on point. Each piece was definitely something I would wear if they all fit properly. So, here goes...

Brand: Bancroft
Style: Leighton Metal Bauble Necklace
Cost: $34.00
This necklace wasn't bad. I may have worn it with open-front tops or necklaces. I didn't keep it, though. I sent it back. However, had I been keeping all four of the other items, I would have kept this, too, in order to keep the discount for keeping everything. It would have been worth it. Since I was already sending back a couple of other things, I sent this back as well. Just two months ago I dropped more money on jewelry at one Premier Jewelry party than I do in a whole year, so I figured I didn't really need any more necklaces. I did send a note back to my stylist with it, though: "I very rarely buy or wear actual jewelry. I am more apt to keep accessories like scarves, shoes, and bags or purses." So, I'm anxious to see what types of goodies come in Box #3.

Brand: Kut from the Kloth
Style: Kate Boyfriend Jean
Cost: $88.00
These went back. No question. I put them on, and they were too big in the waist, too baggy in the thigh and seat, and way too long. My sixteen-year-old daughter looked at me in them and said, "No way. Those are 'mom jeans', and you're too young to wear 'mom jeans'." Okay, I immediately decided that they go back. The quality of the jean is great. The style is nice. It just wasn't the right fit for me. For a taller, fuller-bottomed gal, they'd be perfect, but I have absolutely no hips. My legs are scrawny. These just did not flatter me at all. I left some very specific feedback with their return, and I'm still hoping for a great pair of jeans.

Brand: Margaret M
Style: Emer Jacquard Print High Waisted Cropped Pant
Cost: $98.00
Kept these. I received a purple pair just like these in my first box and sent the message to my stylist that I loved them and would keep every pair she could find and send me. Apparently she found another pair--even nicer style than the first pair. I love these. They fit perfectly, and they are extremely comfortable. If she sends another pair in the next shipment, I'll probably keep those, too. I just wish she could find a pair of jeans for me that fit in the legs the way these pants do. The price is higher than I would normally spend on pants, but these really are worth the extra cost.

Brand: Renee C
Style: Floren Split Neck Top
Cost: $48.00
This is one item that, had I seen it in the store, I would not have picked it up to try on. I'm not big on printed tops, but having tried this on and getting thumbs up from both my daughter and my husband, I decided to keep it. It's navy, and that color looks pretty good with my fair complexion. It's not extremely long, but it's long enough to cover my tummy that I hate. It's also loose enough to not cling to my midsection. It'll be great with a pair of white pants that I already have.

Brand: Market & Spruce
Style: Sawyer Space Dye Dolman Sleeve Knit Top
Cost: $58.00
I really liked this top. I liked the print and the sleeves. However, it was just slightly too tight. My daughter and husband both said that it looked great on me, but I just wasn't comfortable in it. I was more self-conscious of my tummy than I wanted to be. Plus, all it would take was one accidental run through the drier, and that would be sixty bucks down the drain because it would be too small for me to wear it. So, I packaged it up with the jeans and necklace and sent it back. I did send my stylist a note that I really liked everything about it but the size, so maybe she'll find a larger size and send it. I'd keep it then.

So, all in all, I kept two items--the navy top and the Margaret M pants that I absolutely adore. This fix cost my husband $121.00, so he got off easy this time, I suppose. I am still loving this process and am anxiously awaiting my next box in February. Since Christmas, my sister, my mom, two of my sister's friends, and two of my mom's friends have subscribed to Stitch Fix, and they all love their first boxes. I have seen some videos and blogs that are bashing Stitch Fix for their prices and mark-ups of items that would cost half the price of what they're tagging and sending to us in these boxes, and I just want to add that, yes, these items are more than what I would pay in a department store, but...

1. I am not the one out there in the stores fighting other shoppers.
2. I am trying on clothing items that I would have not ever tried on in a store--and I'm loving them.
3. Because I'm trying on styles that I wouldn't normally like, my eyes are being opened to new fashion options.
4. I now have a personal stylist that listens to and tries to fulfill my requests. And...
5. Having someone else worry about all of those stressful things for me is worth the extra cost. To me, it's really difficult to put a price on the comfort and ease of being able to try on clothes at home.

Even though I only kept two items in this fix, I still highly recommend this process to any woman who can afford it and is too busy to worry about fashionably dressing herself.

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My First Stitch Fix Box - December 2015

I received my very first Stitch Fix box, and I am so pleased with what was inside! After my husband surprised me with the news of his Christmas gift to me, I was very happy to complete the online style profile and anxiously awaited the shipment. While waiting for my package to arrive, I scoured the Internet to read reviews and view images of what other women were posting about Stitch Fix and their own personal experiences with the process. I read posts by one blogger who wasn't too pleased but for some reason continued her subscriptions just to see what she would get--and she even kept at least one item per shipment. All of the other reviews were positive, and I hungrily read everything I could and looked at all the pictures that were posted. Mostly everyone agreed that, on the first try, you don't normally like everything that is picked for you by your stylist, but that, over time and through your comments and requests, your stylist learns your preferences, and your shipments get better and better each time.

My experience may not be typical, but I have to say that I LOVE EVERY ITEM THAT WAS PICKED AND SENT TO ME IN MY FIRST SHIPMENT! I made sure to carefully complete my style profile, I sent a message to my stylist telling her what fits I preferred and what parts of my body I like to hide, and I attached a link to my Pinterest fashion board where I pinned many, many things that I liked. What she sent me was SPOT ON! I hope, for the sake of my husband's bank account, that not every shipment is this awesome! Here's what I got:

Brand: Margaret M
Style: Emer Printed Straight Leg Pant
Cost: $98.00
My favorite color is purple, but in all honesty, if I'd have seen these pants on a rack, I would have passed right over them. However, since they were included in this package, I had to try them on. This was the best item in the box! Back in my younger days before children, I was a stick--no hips, no waist, just straight. Now that I'm older and overweight, I have an apple shape--I hate it. My waist and stomach are larger than my hips and thighs. It seems to me that this is the most difficult shape to dress. These pants, however, fit perfectly. They look awesome on me! I would never spend this much money on a pair of pants for myself, but if pricey pants normally fit like this, I guess I know now why I have never been happy with the way my clothes fit me. Because it's on my husband's dollar, though, and he said keep whatever I want, this pair of pants is staying! And getting worn often.

Brand: Renee C
Style: Huebert Space Dye Open Cardigan
Cost: $58.00
I have to admit that I am a cardigan collector. I have a bunch, and I feel like a woman can never have too many. Had this not been a neutral color, I may have sent it back, but it's grey, and that's the color of the season right now, so I'm adding it to my core wardrobe collection. All of my other cardigans are longer, covering my bottom, but this one stops at my hips in the back. The front is lower, so if I wear a longer shirt beneath it, the undershirt will show from the back. The cost is a little high for my taste, but if all five items in the shipment are kept, there's a 25% discount applied to everything, so it's worth that price I believe.

Brand: 41Hawthorn
Style: Lana Lace Detail Blouse
Cost: $58.00
This is another item I would've passed on in a store. I'm not a big fan of lace, and I'm definitely not a fan of any type of see-through material. This top, however, fits me great--the length is just long enough to cover the muffin tops that I vow to get rid of one day; the color is awesome--it's called "green", but I think it's more of a deep jade that doesn't make me look pasty and washed out; and it has just enough of the lace accent to have interesting detail without being gaudy. I believe this was my husband's favorite item in the box. Plus, it's very versatile: pair it with slacks and a jacket for work or formal wearing; pair it with jeans and flats for a more casual look. It's a keeper!

Brand: Kut from the Kloth
Style: Stefany Printed Slim Straight Leg Pant
Price: $78.00
Of the five items in the bunch, this pair of slacks was the one in question. The waist is a size too big, and the length is about three inches too long for my 5'4" height. I made sure to immediately go to my style profile and make the necessary size adjustments. They fit great through the hips and thighs, though, and the quality is remarkable. Again, I guess when you're willing to pay more, you get more. I was going to send these pants back, but my husband did a closer examination of the invoice, and he realized that keeping them would be more cost efficient than returning them because, with the 25% discount for purchasing all five pieces, we would save $82.50. So, instead of going back, these pants are getting hemmed, and I'm buying a thin, black leather belt. Besides, these look awesome paired with the 41Hawthorn Blouse mentioned above.

Brand: Octavia
Style: Raymond Plaid & Polka Dot Scarf
Cost: $38.00
Lastly, this beautiful scarf was the one accessory sent in my first package. I do have lots of scarves, but they're all pretty cheap, purchased from wholesalers or discount stores. This is the first high-quality scarf I have ever owned. I love it! It's thick, huge, and warm. It's also reversible: burnt orange and navy plaid on one side, navy with the dark orange polka dots on the other. I'm have it wrapped around me like a shawl as I type this, but I plan on wearing it later with some jeans and a white top when I run to the grocery store later. This may become my new casual go-to scarf for cool-day outings (very rare in Louisiana, I know).

So, all in all, the total of this first fix was $330.00, but with the 25% discount for keeping it all, it cost my husband $227.50 for this first installment of this year's Christmas gift that keeps on giving. He told me that, if this was going to be the average cost for keeping everything each month, I can keep it all each time, but I'm sure he's secretly hoping that I don't. I'm sure my available closet space is hoping the same thing. For this first Stitch Fix shipment, though, I am completely pleased and would recommend this to anyone. I did recommend it to several people already, and my sister went home right after and subscribed (thanks, Jen!). So, a huge thanks goes out to my hubby and my new stylist, Jama from Stitch Fix, for this awesome gift! I can't wait until January 11th, the scheduled arrival date for my next fix!

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