If you follow me on Instagram (madisonjanemayberry) then chances are you saw me share the photo above of a new top I recently purchased. The great thing about this top was that it was picked out specifically for me by someone else, it arrived on my doorstep in a box with a bunch of other items that were also selected just for me based on my style and personality and came with a pre-paid return envelope for the items I didn’t want to keep.
Sounds pretty great, right? I had heard about Stitch Fix from a couple different bloggers over the past year, but it wasn’t until last month that I finally bit the bullet and scheduled my first “fix”.For those of you unfamiliar with Stitch Fix, it’s a clothing delivery service that lets you try on items from the comfort of your own home for a small fee of $20 per fix. You don’t have to keep any of the 5 items that are sent to you, but if you do decide to keep one of the items, the $20 you paid for your fix goes toward the item(s) you keep.
Lately, my friend Emily and I have been talking about how bored we are with shopping at the same stores every single time. Don’t get me wrong, I love J. Crew and Banana Republic as much as the next person, but sometimes a girl needs a little variety. Am I right?
Additionally, since we have moved to Minnesota, we’ve been pretty busy. Between work, trips to the gym after work, dinner with friends and home projects, our free time has been a little bit limited. Limited time = much less shopping for me. Initially, the idea of a clothing delivery service seemed fussy and perhaps a little wasteful, but I decided to give it a try at least once to see what I thought.
Turns out, I loved the process! Here’s how it went:
1. I created a profile at stitchfix.com that included my sizes, clothing preferences, style likes and dislikes, what I was looking for more of in my wardrobe, etc. The survey was really detailed (they even said I could send Pinterest boards I had created for inspiration) and I felt it accurately depicted what I was looking for in the clothes I wear. I also told them how much I was looking to spend on a per-item basis.
2. I scheduled my fix. Since I wasn’t sure if I wanted to commit to regular shipments, I scheduled just a single fix to arrive on or before March 25th. Right now I’m looking for more work wear that can also transition into pieces I can wear out to dinner with Joe or friends. Versatility is key!
3. My package arrived on March 23rd. The box contained five pieces and a card with detailed information on the pieces, how much each item cost, and what to do with the items I wanted to keep and/or return. There was also a pre-paid USPS envelope to return my unwanted items.
4. I returned the items I didn’t want in the pre-paid envelope and signed into my profile to let them know what items I kept and what items I returned. I ended up keeping the 3/4 sleeve black top pictured above since it goes well with jeans but also looks great with dress pants and can be tucked into pencil skirts for work. Once I logged in online, I also was able to give feedback on the items they sent to me so that my next fix will be even better tailored to my likes and dislikes.
What I Liked
-The items came from other sources that I would typically look for clothes. It helped me bust out of the J. Crew and Banana rut that I’ve been in lately, and opened my eyes to pieces that I might not normally try.
-It felt so luxurious having a “personal stylist” pick out items for me based on what I like and dislike.
-It was EASY. And this is probably the biggest bonus in my book. The box arrived at my doorstep. I could try on the clothes with other items in my closet when it was convenient for me and I didn’t have to spend time going to the mall, finding a parking spot, trying on clothes in a dressing room wondering if the shirt I was trying on would go well with the pants I had in my closet at home.
-It’s relatively affordable. The top I kept ended up costing me $48, which is pretty on-par with what I would typically pay for a nice blouse for work. I selected the middle range of the price options, but you certainly could select a lower range depending on your budget.
What I Disliked
-Some of the items weren’t very “me” in nature, but they weren’t way off base, either. I think that the feedback I provided online will help make the next fix I get a better fit for what I’m looking for.
-Truth be told, I felt like I wanted to buy at least one item because I knew that the $20 I paid up front was going to be credited back to me if I purchased something. I’m not sure if this is a positive or a negative. I love that I get my money back if I want to keep something, and thankfully I really loved this top and would have kept it anyway. However, if my box didn’t have a single item I wanted to keep, I think I might have been a little bummed.
Want to Sign Up?
If you are thinking about trying Stitch Fix, you can use this link to get signed up. Full disclosure: Stitch Fix did not sponsor this post in any way, but if you do decide to sign up and use the link I provided, I will get a credit toward my next fix. This isn’t exclusive, but is true for anyone who uses the service, you included!
Have you tried Stitch Fix? Or have you considered it? I would love to hear what you think!
Madison