My First Stitch Fix: Review

Hey there! I am trying to be more active in the blog again because I definitely love doing this and it is a way for me to relax from my busy schedule. Back during the holiday vacation I helped one of my best friends shop for work appropriate clothes, and that got us talking about personal stylists. Well she told me about Stitch fix  (this link contains my referral link from which I will receive credit to stitch fix if you sign up through it) which is sort of like a subscription box but for fashion.

Well, I have stalked the stores I mostly shop from and I haven’t fallen in love with anything in a while, and honestly the sales haven’t been that great either. So I decided to give it a try and schedule my first fix. I got a lot of basics and staples during late summer and early fall from my favorite retailers, I have linked my post about shopping on a budget above, and I am in need of some variety. I, sometimes, am not as adventurous as I should be to give my wardrobe some diversity. So because of these reasons Stitch fix seemed like a great opportunity for me.

Signing up: 

Signing up for stitch fix is super easy, all you need is an email address or a Facebook account. I chose to link my Facebook account because it was faster and I did it while waiting for my bff to try on a mountain of clothes.

Right after you sign up you get to begin your style profile by choosing whether you hate, okay, like, really like or love some outfits they put together. Then you start describing your lifestyle, preferences, body shape, etc to give your stylist as much information as possible about you and your style.

I really like how thorough it is but I kind of wish you had more choices in the first part choosing the outfits. Also maybe if they had the option of letting you explain which parts of the outfits you like or dislike could improve their matching your style. Overall the signing up is quick and easy, and the whole process is explained very well.

Fix options:

When you sign up you have the option to choose when you want to receive you fix or having a pre-scheduled fix. They offer monthly, every other month, or quarterly fixes and it all depends on which frequency you prefer to receive your fixes.

At first I opted for quarterly because I thought it would  allow me to add new items to my closet that are in accordance to the season. Then I looked at my closet and budget and decided to change it so I can request a fix whenever I like. That way I have more control over everything and can decide if I need anything.

When you start working on your style profile, you have the option to link your Pinterest board so that your stylist can get a better feel for your style. I did this and I am not sure how much of a difference it made. I have read and heard from YT that you have to pin stuff from their boards because that way they are more likely to have it in stock. Also be sure to name you board “Stitch Fix Style” or something along those line, which is something I did not do.

Pricing: 

This is perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of Stitch Fix. The price to receive the fix itself is $20 styling fee which is non refundable BUT it will be applied as credit for any item you decide to keep. If you decide not to keep anything you “lose” those $20 but usually you can find at least one thing you can /want to keep. If you decide to keeping everything they give you an incentive which I will explain later on.

As for the items you receive, they allow you to choose which price range you prefer for each category of clothing and accessories. I chose the lowest for all except dressing which I chose the $50-100 because if its a good quality dress that can serve as a professional and a cocktail or going out dress it is worth it to me. B

efore I got my fix, I looked at dozens of videos on YT about other people’s fixes and was kind of skeptical about receiving mine but I tried not to get ahead of myself. A lot of people complained that they sometimes go way over your preferred “budget” for each item, but come on it’s very hard to find high quality pants under $50, unless they are on sale. Once I received it I was actually happy with the process because everything felt like it was really good quality and the total price for the fix was not outrageous for me.

This brings me to my next point. They have this amazing incentive (a sort of bribe or devil’s advocate, JK) that if you decide to keep your whole fix you get a 25% discount on top of the $20 credit you already paid for they styling fee. Sometimes this can be worth it to get the whole fix just to enjoy the 25% discount and you can end up saving a ton, and each piece ends up being ~$40-$50.

Receiving your Fix

The fix comes in a very cute box, they kind of have me partly sold because their color scheme is basically mint/teal shades which is my favorite of all time (ahem, my blog color scheme). The box is very sturdy and it comes adequately packed.

When you open the box everything is packaged very nicely and folded. It gives you a glimpse of what’s in the box and also the paperwork. It comes with a pre-labeled USPS bag for if you have items to return, styling card, which contains a message from your stylist along with ideas on how to combine items from your fix and style them with stuff you might have at home or from previous fixes.

Since mid January they started a collaboration with Goodwill in which you can put items you wish to donate in your stitch fix box and they give you a pre paid label so you can send it to them and they will give it to Goodwill. I know a lot of people have their stance against Goodwill, but I still think this is a great initiative on their part. Finally you have your invoice in which you get the names and prices of every item in your box, and you get the final price of everything if you were to get the 25% credited to your transaction.

1.  Market & Spruce Shamar Cutout Mixed Material top in Coral

This is the only item I kept from my fix, and I will go into detail further on. I LOVE this top. It was the first in the pile and I love everything about it. The color is beautiful, the fit is perfect for my style and figure, the material is soft and  comfortable and the details on the top are simple yet elegant. I really liked it from the moment I lay eyes on it and I knew I was probably going to keep it. This top was $64 but since they deduct the styling fee, I ended up paying $44. I little pricey for what I usually buy, but I liked it enough to forgo that and purchase it. I have not work it yet because I have to iron it and because I need some skinny work part to wear it with. I will update on how it wears long term and how it handles washings and such.

2. Kaileigh Canton Scoop Neck Blouse in NavyThis blouse was cute but the fit was not the best for me. It was kind of tight in the sleeves and shoulder area and since the material was not stretchy it was certainly uncomfortable to wear. I really liked the polka dot print, and navy is one of my favorite colors to wear. Since I already have several navy tops, I did not have a need for it in my wardrobe. So for those reasons this did not make the cut. Price was $44 which was certainly not bad, it felt really well made and similar to a lot of blouses I already own that retail at around the same price. Had it fit better and perhaps been another color, I would have kept it.

3. En Creme Tatia Cross Front Knit Top in GreyI had such a bundle of mixed feelings about this top. The material was kind of “thermal shirt like” and was fairly hot for our weather in Puerto Rico. The cut was a little too short for my liking, and the cross front made me feel uncomfortable. I also did not like the fit of it on me. I did enjoy the bell sleeves and the crochet like design in the back which was beautiful. I felt like this shirt had a lot of wrongs going on for me and I knew right from the start I was not going to like it. This was priced at $48 which I found a little high for the type of shirt and material it is made out of. You can guess by now, that I did not keep this either. 

4. Liverpool Anita Skinny Pant in Olive

These pants I loved and I wanted so badly to keep them. First off they fit like a glove and were even a little loose on me, which I definitely liked. Also they were very very long which is great considering I am 5’9″ and usually need to get pants in long. They were the kind of legging that looks dressy and is very comfortable. They were a size 4 and the color was beautiful. I have not owned olive pants in so long, I was really debating getting them. They were priced at $98 and this is very high for a pant compared to what I have paid for all my other pants. I really could not justify the price and knew that perhaps at present I would not get as much use out of them. For these reasons I did not keep the pants.

5. Gilli Tonya Flare Skirt in Burgundy

Now onto my least favorite item in the whole box. This skirt was sooooo NOT me. The  only thing I like about it was the color and the material. Everything else could be taken out of my worst fashion nightmare. I feel like this skirt made me look old and shorter as well as it did not flatter me at like. I am not super skinny by any means but I do like to accentuate and show off my figure and I feel like this is the opposite. The length was way too long for me and it gave me an awkward body length impression. I really dislike flower patterns and the fact that the waist is a band and not zippered or buttoned really is not up my alley. This was priced at $54 and I feel like it was way overpriced. The material was nice and all but you could get the same material and style for same/cheaper at a boutique probably. This was definitely the thing that made me KNOW I would not keep the whole fix.

Overview: 

My grand total was $288, 25% discount was $72, plus $20 styling fee I would have paid $196 for the 5 items which ended up being roughly $40 a piece which is definitely not bad but I could not justify it when I knew 3 items I did not really like our would give the use it should have. So I decided just to keep the coral shirt.

In the end, even though I did not get a perfect fix, I still think I would give it another try. I do think if you are willing to pay retail price for items then this is a great alternative to having to go shopping physically and it can be kind of fun to receive in the mail. Sort of like Christmas all over again. If you, like me, usually buy from the clearance and sale areas it can be kind of a shock to pay $40 for a top but if these items perform like they suggest, then they can actually be worth it and you can keep them for years to come in your wardrobe. My husband thinks it’s a scam and that I should save my money and spend it at WHBM, Express, Loft, orBanana Republic Clearance section.

If this is something you are interested in, I would definitely suggest giving it a try, it can be exciting to plan and expect and it makes for a good experience. I really like that you have the option to schedule whenever you want and not have it to be monthly or  every other month, etc. I like having control. I linked my referral link above and HERE, so if you decide to sign up based on my review and would not mind giving me credit for a future fix then go ahead, and it would be greatly appreciated.

Have you tried stitch fix? Do you know of any other fashion in a box services? Let me know below! 

Thanks for reading!

XOXO

Jani <3