Stitch Fix Review: The Possibility

Click here to read my first review of Stitch Fix and an overview of how the process works.

Click here to read my second review.

Click here to read my third recent review.

 Click here to read my fourth and most recent review.

If you read my last review, you will know that I was basically done with Stitch Fix. It has been six months since my last try and, again, if I didn't have a $25 off coupon, I wouldn't have given it another shot. I'm glad I did, though.

From my last couple of reviews, the bar was set low. Very low. Knowing that no matter what you set the costs at, you get things priced around $60, I requested classic wardrobe staples, hoping for high quality pieces I could use for a number of years.

Let's look at what they sent me!

While I don't know I would have classified the items they sent me as 'classics', the pieces included a lovely note explaining that the jeans are the same jeans sent in my second box, but in a larger size. And she called my 'feedback', which is really just me complaining on my blog, as actually helpful.

Johnny Skinny Jeans by Kensie Jeans, $88. Like I mentioned before, I already received these jeans once, just in the wrong size. They are so incredibly soft. They are definitely denim, not a jegging, but they almost feel like felt, but not in a weird way. After receiving them for a second time, I finally pulled the trigger and added some ridiculously expensive jeans to my wardrobe. And sang along with 'Let It Go' when it came on the radio.

Farah Fit & Flare Striped Dress by 41Hawthorne, $68. If you needed a nice, cocktail length dress for all sorts of occasions, this would probably be a nice dress for you, assuming you found one that was sewn properly at the waistline. However, if you are sewing two parallel pieces of fabric together with parallel stripes, any incorrect angling will stand out. Great in concept, poor in execution. Back in the box.

Carlita Jersey Maxi Dress by Loveappella, $78.I'm sure this dress would be lovely if you have a great tan. However, with my lack of skin pigment, anything pastel just looks like pajamas. And come on, it's a jersey maxi dress. I have one I bought at Walmart that cost me $15. Back in the box.

Selfridge Cowl Neck Long Sleeve Top by 41Hawthorn, $48.This is a nice top, which is why I own an almost identical top. Only my top was free, since my sister was getting rid of it, and it's not shear in the back. Back in the box.

Downing Striped Knit Shirt by Pomelo, $78. This shirt does not look good on the hanger. It's a big old box. And it's orange. I don't have anything orange. However, I really like it on me. It's definitely a casual shirt, but I think it has the potential to be styled up a bit more. Not that I've figured it out completely yet, but I definitely kept this one and I've worn it twice already.

This box was my favorite so far and the first box where I actually kept two things. And while I don't seem to have the same luck as most other reviewers, there have been some positives throughout my numerous boxes.

1. I've found the brand Kensie. The jeans I kept are from Kensie. The sweater I loved from my last box, but didn't keep it because of the cost was Kensie. Actually, with the sweater, I tried to find it cheaper online and couldn't, but I did find my bird shirt, which I love and my mother-in-law got it for half-off, so it was actually reasonably priced.
2. It's helped me realize that tops that look like ugly, tent boxes on the hanger can be great when on. Like judging a book by its cover, I judge shirts poorly when on a hanger. I need to try more things on that I don't love on the hanger.
3. I've been forced to incorporate more high-waisted, jersey pencil skirts. The fastest way to make a top work appropriate is to tuck it into a skirt. It's also forced me to shave my legs more, since they aren't hidden by jeans.  

I am more optimistic now to try Stitch Fix again. Probably later in the summer for some fall staples, but it will definitely be less of an experiment and more of a treat.

*This post was not sponsored by Stitch Fix. All opinions are my own.*

Blogmas 2013: It's Beginning to Smell A Lot Like Christmas

Winter in Tucson never feels very Christmas-y. The trees don't lose their leaves. Snow doesn't fall. Most days you could still wear a tank top for the majority of it. It's really hard for me to get in the Christmas spirit when it simply doesn't feel any different than any other time of the year.

This year, I'm trying so hard to get into the spirit, so I decided to make it feel more festive. Since I can't make it snow or make the landscape transform, I went much smaller scale. I'm going to make it smell like Christmas.

So, a few weeks ago, Dan and I spent way too much time in a Bath and Body Works, sniffing all the candles and trying to keep sneezing to a minimum. After some great debating and nearly $50 later, we went home with these four:

1. Spiced Hot Toddy
2. Mint Chocolate
3. Holiday
4. Peach Bellini

1. Spiced Hot Toddy. This one is my favorite. It smells of apples and cinnamon and cloves and warmth. Even when I'm not burning it, it just sits on my kitchen counter and the odor can reach all the way to my living room sofa. It's not overwhelmingly Christmasy so you could get away with burning it as early as October.

2. Mint Chocolate. Who doesn't love mint chocolate? Andes mints, mint chocolate chip ice cream, thin mints, mmm. In theory, this should be a great candle. It does smell quite yummy, but it misses the mint chocolate mark just a bit. The sugary notes in both the mint and chocolate overpower the crispness of the mint and the richness of the chocolate. Still burn it like crazy, though.

3. Holiday. If you are ever in need of a candle that smells like Hot Tamales candies, then I have a candle for you. It is a little intense, so I do only burn it for short periods of time and keep it covered when I'm not burning it.

4. Peach Bellini. Throughout middle school and high school, I had a weird obsession with peach. Finding peach candy was the best thing ever and all my body lotions and body sprays were peachy. It still holds a special place in my heart. All that being said, this candle wasn't peach enough for me. There are definitely peach notes, but the notes of berry and citrus overwhelm it a bit.

Stitch Fix Review: The Appeal

Click here to read my first review of Stitch Fix and an overview of how the process works.

Click here to read my second review.

Click here to read my third and most recent review.

If you read my last review, you will know that I was thoroughly disappointed in Stitch Fix. Throw-in-the-towel disappointed. It's actually been four months since I gave up on this concept.

If I quit the Fix, why am I trying again? Purely on the hope that any combination of the change in weather to autumn clothing or additional time to hammer out the kinks of their 'beta' phase will result in a box that is actually styled for me.

Look, I'm really not looking to be blown away. My expectations were very, very low. The only criteria I really had was that the box feel like it was meant for me. Meaning two things: 1) No flowy polyester tops and 2) NO FLOWY POLYESTER TOPS! After glancing over the content of my other Stitch Fix boxes, over 50% of the items were flowy polyester tops, even though I specifically said no polyester. Granted, I did end up keeping two if those blouses, but a large part of the decision to keep them was the fact that I'd lose the $20 fee for the box if I didn't keep something.

Now you fully understand my mindset, here's what they sent me!

Look! No, polyester blouses! A step in the right direction! Here's the break-down!

Santos Stripe Detailed Crew Neck Sweater by Tulle, $58. There were a lot of great qualities to this sweater. The knit was thick and dense. There was the cute detail on the back of the neck with a button closure. The colors were pretty and vibrant. Unfortunately, the pros did not outweigh the cons. The stripes were really unflattering, drawing all the attention to my belly. And a pull-over sweater is really not practical for Arizona. Back in the box.

Susanna Metallic Dot Crew Neck Sweater by Kensie, $78. I really liked this sweater. The knit was nice, the two tone affect from alternating the direction of the knit to form polka dots was adorable, and the yarn had metallic flecks in it. It was really nice, but it wasn't worth the price. I couldn't justify spending nearly $80 on just a top. A nice, structured jacket or dress, maybe, but not a simple pull over sweater. Back in the box.

Justin Floral Print Cowl Neck Tank by Hourglass Lilly, $48. I really wish Stitch Fix had more tops like this one. High quality cotton and slimmer fits. Unfortunately, I didn't keep it. I have a similar shirt from H and M for less than half the cost. The cowl neck was too low and the pattern was a little outdated. Also, the fern leaf right across my belly kind of highlighted it. Back in the box.

Zoey Interlocked Triangle Charm Necklace by Bay to Baubles, $32. I love this necklace. I have wanted one of these for quite a bit. The intertwined pair of charms. My eyes had been on circular ones, but the triangles are adorable. The chain seems a bit short, but I love the style and the quality. In a change of pace, the quality and price seemed to line up. It stays!

Ken Windowpane Print A-line Dress by Collective Concepts, $78. I really didn't like this dress initially. It was very boxy on the hanger. On me, though, the cut was more flattering than I expected, but not great. The material was terrible, polyester. And the print really wasn't doing anything for me. Back in the box!

This box was probably close to being my favorite, tied with the first box. However, I finally grasped the problems I've had with Stitch Fix during these trials.

1. This box was better than the previous three, but the price and quality really don't line up. I have my price setting to the $50 to $100 range, with the exemption of jewelry. I really wanted Stitch Fix to introduce me to high quality staples, but it has been mainly average quality trendy pieces.
2. They don't know how to dress women with different body types. While I do love my body and I am at a healthy weight and size, I will admit my shape can make me difficult to dress. I carry a lot of my weight high on my hips, it's who I am and I accept it (and detailed thoroughly in my style profile). Yet, the clothes I was sent tended to either be flowy, trying to hide it completely and turning me into a tent, or highlighted it, making me look worse. I did some research into other reviews from other women on Stitch Fix and the was a definite pattern to the ones who loved their boxes: their bodies were designed for clothes. No quirks. Slender bodies who could probably make anything look good. Take that how you will...
3. The lack of variety in the Stitch Fix 'closet'. Even though you have to take a style profile quiz before your first box, you better fit into the Stitch Fix 'style' before you consider signing up. I really hoped there would be more staple pieces, like classic button up blouses, cardigans, blazers, and trousers. The boxes tend to lean trendy and girly, in the cuts and prints. 

At this point, I don't know if I will try Stitch Fix again. Like I said last time, I may try again if I can get some proof that things have changed. That the odds of me being happy with a box have gone up. Right now, I just don't know. Not a strong appeal.

*This post was not sponsored by Stitch Fix. All opinions are my own.*

Review: Essie Matte Top Coat

A while ago, I bought L'Oreal's matte nail polish as a substitution for the Essie matte top coat, which I couldn't find in stores. I was disappointed with the L'Oreal version, so I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it from Amazon.

It goes on like any normal top coat, for me, after two coats of a color. It dries incredibly quickly, much more quickly than a shiny top coat. And, this my be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it, but if you are painting it over a shiny base coat, you can see where you've applied the top coat. Also, the polish was a cloudy white color until I painted it over a deep red and transfer tinted the bottle. Hopefully it won't taint any future colors I paint it over.

It's a nice top coat and it has a nice effect, but it's nothing spectacular. It's not as matte as the L'Oreal polish and quickly buffs itself smoother with normal finger usage (that's a weird phrase...). And it's not any strong or more protective than a shiny top coat, giving me about two days of coverage before it starts to chip. The following picture is after roughly 48 hours, the same amount of time when I took pictures for my L'Oreal review.

I would buy it again, but I don't know if it met my expectations. It needed to be more matte and more protective, but it'll be a fun novelty every once and a while.

Review: L'Oreal Matte Nail Polish

I have been on the hunt for matte nail polish for months. Although I've had this Essie top coat saved on my wishlist, I just couldn't force myself to pull the trigger. I don't know, I never really intentionally buy nail polish. It's always an impulse purchase on my way out of Target. To order it online somehow seemed like a big commitment.

Anyway, true to fashion, walking around Target I discovered that L'Oreal carries now two matte polishes: one in deep teal and one in black. Dan talked me out of the black one, but I happily skipped along home with the teal one.

There are a lot of great things about this polish. It goes on like regular polish, but it seems to be more pigmented, so one coat is enough. Also, because it's matte, you can tell when it's dry when it goes from shiny to matte. And it dries really fast.

However, there is one very big downside. The stuff chips like crazy! This is after less than two days of wear!

And you may say that it's because I only applied one coat, but I did apply two on a couple of nails and they look just as bad as the rest. The twisted thing is that there is no way to seal them, either. Any top coat I have is shiny, completely negating the matte effect.

I'll probably try to keep touching it up for a few more days, but it just refuses to hold up. Next time, I'll just pull the trigger and get the matte top coat, giving me the ability to just make any color I want matte.

Fan of Friday: Week of 8/16/2013

You've read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, right? I mean, who hasn't? Heart-warming young adult novel about girls and their summer. Great book, except for the unfathomable idea that not only is there a perfect pair of jeans, but they are the perfect pair for four different girls.

Well, I've found those jeans. That's right, the mystical, magical perfect pair of jeans.

Karaoke Songstress Jeans by Judy Blue.

Mini review time!

Recently, on Modcloth, I was eying a cat blouse (because why wouldn't I?) and knew if I rounded the shopping cart up to $50, I'd get free shipping. After looking at a few different items, I came across these jeans.

I've never seen a product on Modcloth have such high reviews. Apparently, these pants are made with magic. I was hesitant, especially since they cost $49.99, but I am still testing the hypothesis that you get what you pay for. Once they arrived, I was so scared to try them on that they sat for days. What if I was the exception to the perfect pair of pants?

Clearly, I am not because I make these look good! (Diva moment, moving on...)

Yes, they are more expensive than the $20 jean I buy from Old Navy, but the quality is great. The denim is dark and thick (almost too thick, it is August so I'm roasting).

I can't believe I'm going to confess this to the internet, but I have a condition. It's called CPB, chronic plumber butt. My hips can't support pants properly and my butt likes to make an appearance. Not with these. The cut hits me right at the navel and does not budge. The top half inch folds over when I stand up from sitting, but it's nothing compared to worrying about accidentally half mooning your coworkers when adjuring a meeting.

Also, my second worst condition: MMT. Malignant Muffin Top. But not with these pants! I don't care what Clinton Kelly or Tim Gunn says, sometimes, even if your pants are 100% the correct size, you will have muffin top. At least I do because my pants have to attach themselves to my body somehow, right? So, maybe they don't eliminate it entirely, but it is at the most minimum I've ever seen it.

Anyway, I'm not kidding when I say I will probably only be buying these pants from here on out. I'm a convert.

Stitch Fix Review: Judgement Day

Click here to read my first review of Stitch Fix and an overview of how the process works.

Click here to read my second review.

If you read my last review, you will know that I was on the fence. I was completely torn about Stitch Fix. My third box was to be the deciding vote between a decent first box and a frustrating second box.

Verdict?

Stitch Fix is a lie.

A lie, I say.

Let's start out with some of the information that Stitch Fix had about me. 1) I requested a maxi skirt and breathable work clothes, since, you know, it's June and Tucson is the surface of the sun this time of year. 2) I don't like shear shirts, mentioned by me and commented on by my stylist in the last box. 3) Under the materials portion of my style profile, it says I do not want polyester. 4) The only pattern I would like to avoid is paisley, part of the style profile.

OK, remember all those things.

Here's what they sent me!

On the description sheet of the clothes, there was a note from my stylist saying they were currently all out of maxi skirts. I don't really understand that, especially since I made the request for a maxi skirt about a month ago (plenty of time to set one aside for me), but I didn't really hold it against them because they tried to make it up to me with the first dress.

Cyrus Striped Maxi Dress by Fraiche by J, $118. This dress has a lot of pros. It's long like a maxi skirt. The fabric seemed nice and breathable. The cut is very on trend. However, it was $118. Ouch. And it was too clingy. I shouldn't have to break out the spanx for a maxi dress. I want a skirt with more flow to it, like my Walmart maxi dress. Also, I feel like they were trying too hard with the slimming elements of the dress. A little bit of black along the edge is slimming, but this was too much. Back in the box. {Sidenote: let's not talk about my ridiculously long bangs. I've since gotten my hair trimmed up.}

Calafia Jersey Wrap Dress by 41Hawthorn, $58. Another breathable dress, this one with pockets. It was actually really cute and twirly. I'm sure a lot of people could have worn this to their comfortable desk jobs. However, for me and my job, I move around too much to not worry about exposing myself. Because it's a wrap dress, I would have needed a cami under it to insure my boobs wouldn't pop out. And because it's short, leggings would have probably been a requirement. It just wasn't worth the required layering. Also, the quality of the dress was pretty bad. The slot for threading the tie through the dress wasn't hemmed (I don't know the proper term, but the edges were rough) and the fabric felt kind of cheap. Back in the box.

Kourtney Dot Print Blouse by I. Madeline, $68. So the first two weren't actually that bad. These next two, however, piss me off. It's a long sleeved, shear, polyester, flowy, button-up blouse. Yuck. The only, single redeeming quality of this blouse were the tiny gold buttons, which refused to stay buttoned. Nope, back in the box.

Patsy Paisley Print Button-Up Tank by 19 Cooper, $58. Alright, you ready? It's a paisley, sleeveless, shear, polyester, flowy, button-up blouse. There were two things I like about this top. One, the green was a very pretty color. Two, the detailing in the hemming at the bottom of the blouse. It created a nice, little panel that I kind of enjoyed. That is until I saw it in the mirror. The panel only covers the front half of the blouse. It's got this weird fishtail in the back so you would have to tuck it in. And if you tucked it in, you would hide the cute panel in the front! Back in the box!

Rashida Floral Print Tabsleeve Top by Collective Concepts, $68. First impression of this shirt was not in its favor. It's another kind of shear, polyester, flowy top. However, because of the pattern, you wouldn't really have to layer it to avoid being trashy. Also, no button-up, which I prefer in my flowy tops. And the sleeves and neckline were cute details. For the sake of transparency, I should let you know that I would not have kept this blouse if I didn't have a $25 discount, making the blouse $43, which is still A LOT for a blouse you aren't over the moon about. I did wear it to work and it is growing on me, but I still don't love it like my indigo blazer from the first box or the cherry tank top from the second.

Kind of a shame there were no accessories in the box this time because they've been posting about some cute ones on their blog lately.

So, if you haven't already guessed, I'm done with Stitch Fix. They just don't deliver what they claim.

I may consider trying again in a couple of months if there's evidence that they've somehow gotten better and are now actually trying to pick out pieces their customers would like, but don't hold your breath.

*This post was not sponsored by Stitch Fix. All opinions are my own.*

Stitch Fix Review: The Sequel

If you'd like to read about my first experience with more detail about how Stitch Fix actually works, here is my first review.
 
I just received my second box from Stitch Fix and let me start out by saying, I am torn. I am so very torn.

Let's start at the beginning with what came in my box.

Delanie Floral Print Self Tie Dress, $78. This dress had a lot of potential. The fabric is soft and feminine, the red is almost coral in color, and the buttons on the top of the sleeves is a cute touch. However, the cut just did not work on me. It's too boxy and the drawstring waist wasn't enough to fix it. Also, it was just a little too casual for me to think I could dress it up for work. Back in the box.

Claudia Cut Out Silk Tank Top, $88. I really don't understand this top. Where are you supposed to wear it? And who is supposed to wear it? Flowy button-up tops like are nearly impossible to wear unless you've got a BMI under 20 or a cup size under B. And the potential sunburn lines! It looks better on me in pictures (although pictures really don't do the cerulean color justice), but this shirt was a mess in person.

Multi Chain Layered Short Necklace, $38. This necklace almost didn't go back in the box. I loved the idea of a dozen or so chains of nearly the same length. However, the deep red dipping concerned me. I'm sure it would look go on a lot of people with a lot of different outfits, but I couldn't figure out how to wear it. Apparently, Stitch fix doesn't include styling instructions with jewelry. The deep red didn't go with enough clothes I have to justify spending $38.

Sophia Skinny Jeans, $88. According to the internet, you get what you pay for when it comes to jeans. I've never actually tested this hypothesis because I've never had an expensive pair of jeans fit well enough to justify spending the money. And these jeans didn't fit either. A size too small. Granted, if I were in a store, I would have tried on the next up size and I may have considered spending the $88 for them. They were well constructed and the denim was much higher quality than the Target jeans I'm currently wearing. If I had money burning a hole in my pocket, I may google the brand and see if I can find them in a size that fits me, but this pair was a no-go.

Cherry Hi-Low Racer Back Tank, $38. When I opened the box, just looking at the fabrics, I would not have told you that I would be keeping the cherry print top. I can't say I've ever been a fan of cherry print, I actually think they're a little played out. However, the small scale of the print and the jewel tones changed my mind. It's a polyester, but you'd never guess by touching it. It feels like it's much higher quality. Also, with the flowiness and the high-low cut, it'll be great on days I feel puffy. Throw a cardigan over it and wear it to work. It was the sole survivor of this box. 

So, again, the box was one for five. It could have been worse.

Here's where I am torn. I love the idea of Stitch Fix. I love the idea of a stylist picking out a bunch of pieces for you, based on your profile, sending it to you with styling ideas, and trying them on at home. That being said, I don't feel like that's what Stitch Fix delivered. I don't feel like the pieces were chosen for me.

Yes, there were improvements between the first and second boxes, but I also greatly increased the amount of information I gave them. Hell, I included a link to my blog post about my first box. And yes, there was a note about how none of the pieces were sheer because I said I'm not a fan of tops that must be layered.

However, I would never wear that cerulean top. They tend to only work on waify frames, which from my profile measurements and blog pics, I am clearly not. Secondly, even if it flattered my body type, I couldn't wear it to work. My profile designates that I'd like most of my pieces to be work appropriate. Lastly, it was $88! That's insane! I know I have it set for tops between $50-100, but there is no way that that top should cost that much. In my mind, I will spend $75 on a nice cashmere sweater, not a tangled blouse.

The main reason I think I'm torn, though, is that I'm still unsure of what I want from Stitch Fix. The reason I joined was that I really wanted to branch out and try new clothes that I never would have considered. I never would have tried on the cherry top, but I have to say it's perfect for me. On the other hand, I feel like the stylist just chooses a couple of pieces they get at a discount, check that the sizes are close enough, and throw them in a box. For what I'm paying for the 'stylist fee' and the cost of these pieces, I feel like more of the items in the box should be up my alley.

There's a couple other little gripes I had:

• There's no notice when your return has been processed. The thing that makes me the most nervous about Stitch Fix is the potential for the returned items to get lost in the mail and ending up having to pay for everything. After my first return to Stitch Fix, I was constantly checking me email, waiting to hear if they had made it back safe and sound. Nothing. If not an email, at least make it an option on your website that I can check my order's progress. Keep a girl in the loop!
• The Style Profile isn't detailed enough. Why not have inputs where I can give you my measurements? Me telling you that I'm a size 10 in pants doesn't really mean anything when a 10 from Old Navy is a 16 at Forever 21 (Shut up! So I buy cheap clothes a lot!). Also, the "Final Comments" box portion of the style profile is much too small. I felt like there were all kinds of things I still had to say when the character count cut me off. People will probably assume that I am hovering and trying to be too involved in the process, but how does having more information about me hurt?
• Let me know the style profile update deadline. After my first delivery, I went through and updated my style profile to make sure it was really reflecting me and my style. A couple of weeks passed and I wanted to add something to my profile, but it was only like two weeks before the next shipment was to be delivered. It would have been great to know if I still had time to make adjustments or if I had missed the deadline. Or even a reminder email that they would be starting building my box in a few days if I had any last minute updates or requests. 
• I inadvertently spoiled the surprise of what was in my box. I logged on to double-check the arrival date of my next box (to make sure I hadn't scheduled it for when I would be out of town) and they were already asking me how I liked all my pieces! With detailed descriptions! Now, this may not be a negative to some people, but I am a girl who loves a surprise. I was really disappointed. 

Maybe my expectations are just too high. I still have hope for Stitch Fix, but not as much as I initially did. I'm going to give it one last shot next month and hopefully I'll be blown away by my next box. I've requested a maxi skirt and breathable work clothes. Stay tuned...

*This post was not sponsored by Stitch Fix. All opinions are my own.*

Stitch Fix Review

Have you heard of this new website called Stitch Fix? I guess websites like this are very trendy now.

Anyway, what you do is fill out a profile, full of questions about your personal style. Then, one of the Stitch Fix stylists picks out five pieces they think you would like. They pack them up, ship them to you, and you get to try on everything in the comfort of your own home. Whatever you don't want to keep, you put it in a shipping envelop, which is included and prepaid, and return it.

It's pretty cheap, too. The service only costs $20, but the money goes toward your purchase if you decide to keep something. If you keep everything, it's 25% off.

I'd read a bunch of reviews from other bloggers and it seemed like they had had good experiences. Since I'm in a bit of a style rut lately (the only labels in my closet are from Target or Old Navy), I decided to give it a whirl.

The profile process is long, but thorough. There's a place to link your Pinterest boards and other social media to better represent yourself. The part I found most helpful was the comment box at the end where you can explain things that aren't detailed in the other portions, like that I'm high waisted and work with my hands in a dirty lab most days. I was slightly concerned that the stylist would only send me big, chunky necklaces because my profile may have eliminated everything else.

I scheduled my first delivery and it showed up last Thursday. Isn't the packaging pretty?

In case the process gets confusing, it's literally written all over everything.

When I unwrapped the tissue paper, I actually squealed. My favorite (and the one I kept) was on top and I was instantly in love, but I'll describe that one last. My box consisted of four tops and a bracelet. Yay, no chunky necklaces!

The first piece was a black and white chevron blouse with 3/4 length sleeves. Since it was sheer, I never would have tried it on in a store. But once I tried it on, I really liked it. I still wasn't a fan of the big pearl buttons pinning up the sleeves, but if the bottom of the blouse were about an inch wider, I would have kept it. The material had no stretch to it and was stubborn over my hips. 

UPDATE (6/4/2013): This top is available at modcloth for $39.99.

 

The second blouse was a gorgeous turquoise color. The material felt so fancy as it was actual silk. However, that's all that could really be said about this blouse. It was low cut enough that it would have to be layered.

And I suppose it could have been helpful in hiding a pregnancy?

The third blouse was a sheer, long-sleeved high contrast black and white top. Again, something I would have never tried on in a store (1. I don't like to be forced to layer things. 2. This would have been a magnet for broken machine dirt) In spite of that, I may have considered keeping it if it had fit me in the arms. It ended up being about two inches short of my armpits.

The only non-top was a gold chunky hinged bangle. It. was. gorgeous. I really loved it. The problem? It was $40. That's probably not bad if you wear bracelets all the time and have a job where you aren't using your hands all the time. I just couldn't justify keeping it, but it did remind me to break out my $2 Forever 21 bangles more often.

The last piece, as I mentioned before, was squeal-worthy. It's a deep indigo, 3/4 length jersey blazer. Reasons why I love it: 1. The color goes with almost everything in my closet allowing me to add it just about any outfit. 2. It's classy enough that I could wear it over a dress to a fancy party, but the material is casual enough that I could wear it to just about anything, especially work where I hate to be overdressed. 3. The 3/4 length sleeves keep them from getting dirty at work if it's a fix machines type of day. 4. It's washer and dryer safe (The biggest complaint I read online of Stitch Fix was sending moms "Dry Clean Only" stuff. Who has time for dry clean only?)

I love it and it's the one thing I kept from my box. Inspired by the bangle, I paired it with a bunch of my cheap bangles and a gold necklace and wore it to trivia that night (btw, we led the whole night and just missed first by one point after the last round. Shucks)

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Overall, I'd call the experience a win. I actually even signed up for another one next month. Here are some of my other random thoughts on it:

• I signed up to have mine delivered on a Friday, but they showed up on a Thursday. Next time, I'll do it early in the week because the three-day return limit scared the bejesus out of me. If you don't have it in the mail by the third day, they will charge you for everything. Since it was delivered at the end of the week, my third day was Sunday, when there is no mail. Scary for procrastinators like myself.
• It's a little unnerving when you have a box full of really nice clothes that you know you have to return and the cats just NEED to smell everything. Trying to keep two little cats out a cardboard box is just like torture to them.

• I feel like this service would be best when you have a special occasion coming up, like a vacation or a wedding. You can designate that when you schedule your shipment. At least for me, these pieces were fancy enough that I don't know how often I'd feel comfortable wearing some of them.
• That being said, I like that it forced my wardrobe to be fancier. You can specify how much you want to spend per piece, but from the reviews I've read, most pieces are between $50-$100, no matter what you designate. The blazer I kept was $78, which is a lot more than I would normally spend, but the $20 stylist fee reduced it to $58. However, the quality is definitely there. I've tried on similar pieces from Target and it's just no comparison. I need to be reminded that sometimes you get what you pay for. 

Hopefully, I won't need any sort of update in the near future about how I screwed everything up and ended up accidentally purchasing a $200 box of stuff  that doesn't fit. Overall, though, I was very happy with Stitch Fix.

UPDATE: Here's a more critical review of my second box...

*This post was not sponsored by Stitch Fix. I just wanted to share my experience. However, if they do want to sponsor another post, I wouldn't say no...*