Stitch Fix Personal Styling Service: I Almost Gave Up

Affiliate links included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. 

Oh friends, I have really been on a roller coaster of emotions over the past few months when it comes to my feelings about Stitch Fix.

Let me give the new folks out there a little background: Stitch Fix is what I call, “a personal stylist for the rest of us.” You fill out a detailed style profile online, and then Stitch Fix sends you a box of 5 items (can be tops, bottoms, dresses, purses or jewelry…you have some say in that) that have been hand selected by a stylist just for you. You get 3 business days after your box arrives to decide what you want to keep, and then you send anything you don’t like back (in a pre-paid envelope, they make it easy). If you love everything and want to keep it all, you get a 25% discount. So really everybody wins when the stylist nails it and sends you the PERFECT box of clothing and accessories.

I have received 8 fixes at this point, and I have yet to get that coveted perfect box. And friends, it has been wearing me down (yes, I know…first world problems…). My journey began last July when I detailed the entire process of getting signed up for Stitch Fix, and showed you some super cute clothes I got for the summer. I fell hard and fast, friends! My second fix was a bit more tailored to some particular styling needs I had for a job. Fix #3 was all about getting me prepped for fall, and I found a few pieces that I continue to absolutely love in that box. And yeah, for the record, I DO regret sending back that LBD.

And then we fell on hard times. Boxes 4 & 5 were both misses (with box #4 LITERALLY going missing and never reaching me). The CEO of the company reached out to me after that post and personally apologized for the errors. I was VERY impressed with that touch of great customer service after a disappointing experience. So I pressed on. Box 6 still didn’t fare well, but some of the fault was my own, as frankly, I’d gained a little weight over the holidays, and that made the pieces a bit too snug!

Box 7 came to me about a month ago, and it was such a catastrophic nightmare that I didn’t even take photos of what they sent. Pieces included a truly beautiful dress that was designed for someone with, AT MOST, a size B bra cup. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my breasts were literally cut in half when I put the dress on. It was so far beyond snug in the chest that it’s not even funny. And the other “highlight” was a crewneck sweater that was itchy, dull, and most definitely knitted for a giant person. No really…I think it was intended for a 7 foot tall, 320 pound man. It was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen, and it made me feel like the company not only DIDN’T read my information (for example: I’m short and have a larger chest…key things to know) but that they just threw some random crap in a box with no regard for my style preferences and called it good.

I was sort of SEETHING after that box. And I only scheduled another one because I had a little bit of credit left on the site and I didn’t want to lose it. I sat and thought for a moment about what I really wanted to see in what I thought would be my final box, and then I gave very explicit instructions. No being vague this time. I said, “I want casual! I want romantic!  I want Spring!”

And guess what? My “last” box was one of my favorites. The stylist actually read my requests and gave me what I wanted! The first picture at the top of the post was a top that I ALMOST kept, but something about it was just a little too Laura Ashley 1992 for my taste. I was the Dalilah Sheer Floral Cluster Blouse from Sweet Rain, and it was $58. I don’t regret sending it back, as I only liked it ok, even though it was very on-trend.

I also sent back this shirt, although I absolutely adored it. The main reason? It was silk. I have a toddler. My home is where silk shirts come to DIE. This wouldn’t survive more than 2 wears, unfortunately. Also? It was $88! That’s a little too fancy for me!

The major hit for me in the box was a new pair of blue jeans. I was sent the Kate Distressed Boyfriend Jean from Kut From The Kloth. They were $78, but if you are like me, you will pay more for pants that fit. These feel SOOO good.

I also kept the Miandra Embroidery Detailed Tank from 41 Hawthorn (it was not wrinkled when they sent it…that’s the doings of my children playing with my clothes…I can’t have anything nice, you know). It was $54, and I just loved the bold color, the casual feel, and the romantic detailing. It was exactly what I was wishing for, and I can tell you that I’ll be pairing it with my new jeans pretty much constantly this summer.

I went back and forth about the dress that came my way, but I ultimately decided that it just overwhelmed me. This much pattern on a 5 foot 1 inch frame meant that the dress was wearing me and not the other way around. I also thought it was a bit of a wild card, and didn’t really go with the rest of the box, which seemed to be very casual and romantic. So I sent it back, too, although I thought it was a cute pattern and would no doubt look great on someone just a bit taller than me. This was the Dominic Belted Tabsleeve Shirtdress from 41 Hawthorn, and it was $78.00. And for the record, the picture above is the absolute most flattering the dress ever looked on me. If I could just stand up against the tree in that exact pose and never move, then the dress would be a keeper. 😉

Even though I only kept 2 out of the 5 items in this box, I had my love for the company rekindled. What I learned is that I’m really more into romantic styles than I realized, and that I need to be VERY SPECIFIC with them about the fact that I want more casual pieces. If I had to guess, I’d say that most of their clients work outside of the home, and need more business-casual looks. I need stuff like boyfriend jeans, though. And I need to tell them that. I also need to hold on to this stylist and request that she dress me again in the future, because I think she came closer to getting my style right than anyone has from box 4 onward. I’ve got to hang on to this girl! 🙂

What do you think about my journey with Stitch Fix? Should I have just cut them loose after the downward spiral? Is it crazy that I’m signed up for yet another box with them? Is it obvious that I HATE shopping for clothes for myself bad enough to give them yet another try? I really do believe in the concept…maybe the key is just getting the right stylist and NEVER LETTING HER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT!