So I tried Stitch Fix

Ok, this post is kind of weird for me. I usually don't write reviews, because this space has traditionally been a place for creative expression, sharing my heart, and keeping family up to date. But I just tried something fun for my birthday, and I wanted to share.

First, some background.

So, I hear these stories about girls who LOVE shopping. They go when they're stressed, and it's like therapy. They thrive on the thrill of the treasure hunt, walking around and trying things on until the store closes.

I'm not one of those girls.

It's not that I don't love wearing pretty things, but the process to obtain them is often stressful.

See, I walk in all confident, but once inside, I'm assaulted by choices. It's dizzying after about five minutes. I'm acutely aware of how little cash I have to spend, and I suddenly can't remember whether I already have blue pants and need black ones, or if the jacket I'm holding will clash with the blouse in my closet. Standing in that green-tinged dressing room, I wonder why on earth I decided to wear tennis shoes that have to be untied and tied again, and how am I supposed to tell myself whether stripes are really flattering on me or not? I usually end up leaving without buying anything.

It's better when I shop with a friend--or better yet, with my mom. She's known me for all of my 20-plus years, so she gets me. And she's refreshingly, brutally honest.

However...my best shopping mate lives almost 200 miles away, so I don't shop much.

And so I decided to try Stitch Fix. I have to admit, the idea of someone taking notes on all my preferences and finding stuff for me to wear without me searching for any of it was pretty dang attractive. And since I bet I'm not the only one getting those mint-colored ads in my junk email, I thought I'd tell you all how it went.

You start by filling out a quiz--a really detailed quiz about your sizes, your color preferences, and details like whether you like to show off your arms occasionally, often, or all the time. This part was SO fun for me. You get to rate outfits, and tell them how much you're willing to spend on tops, bottoms and accessories. Then, you give them a link to your Pinterest page, and write a note to the stylist.

You schedule your box, pay a $20 styling fee, and wait! 

I scheduled mine to arrive on my birthday last week. :)

The box arrived a day early, and was so cute...

And even cuter inside!

Every box has five items. Mine had:

1. A soft, dark gray dress
2. A white peplum blouse
3. A lace-trimmed sleeveless blouse with a bohemian vibe
4. Pretty silver earrings
5. A navy and orange poncho wrap

Nestled up against the packages was a note from my stylist about the things she'd selected. There were even pictures showing different outfit combinations using those same items.

Hubby was my very willing second opinion while I tried on each one in the bathroom. (Thanks, babe!)

1. The gray dress fit me perfectly, and I loved the soft stretch of the material. It had a high neckline (rare!), and a pretty "v" in the back whose point dipped to about an inch above my bra line. Subtle, but elegant.  
   
   
   
   
   I *almost* kept it because it felt so flattering...but it felt too form-fitting for work. In the end, I couldn't justify spending $79 for a dress I didn't plan to wear regularly.
2. The wrap looked cool in the box, but on me it looked like I'd been turned into a clothes tree for some orange and navy soccer team jerseys. I guess ponchos are just not my thing, because I even forgot to take a picture.
3. The boho blouse was so airy and delicate. I slipped it on with high hopes, but then realized that the lacy t-back would never look flattering against exposed bra straps. Plus, I'd forgotten that this style of shirt is narrow on top and wide on the bottom--great for someone with opposite proportions to mine. 
   
4. The earrings were beautiful!
   
   
   
   
   I loved them for about five minutes...right up until the moment that I realized they would cost $28. What?? I know for a fact that I can find a similar style of earrings for less than half that cost, so into the return bag they went.
5. The white blouse was the one true, amazing find that I kept and love. I mean, just look at the layered edge on those sleeves!
   
   Also the tailored, curved hemline meant that I could wear it just as prettily untucked as tucked. I kept remembering different pants, shorts, and skirts that would look great with it in different combinations. (AKA my wardrobe is expanded!!) At $58, it is by far the most expensive top I've ever bought in my life, but the $20 styling fee I'd already paid went toward its cost. Since I've been searching for a versatile, work-worthy white blouse for over a year, I happily paid the extra $38 with birthday money. 

At checkout, you go online and tell them which items you plan to keep, and why. I gave a lot of details about what I loved and didn't love, because this will help my stylist choose better things next time.

Whatever you don't want to pay for goes in a bag with pre-paid postage.

So here is my take on the whole experience.

CONS:

• I can definitely find better deals when I'm willing to spend a few hours at places like Ross, Target, or TJ Maxx. The prices in the Stitch Fix box are similar to full-priced items at a department store, which is not what I'm used to spending on clothes. 
• When it comes it a box, you only have one size to try. At the store, if you don't like how something fits, you can usually find the same item in a different size.

PROS:

• I have to say, for never having met me, they did a GREAT job of picking stuff that I would have gravitated toward naturally. The colors were great, and the styles were all very pretty. 
• Even more shocking...all of it FIT! I mean, that never happens in real-life dressing rooms. 
• I liked the chance to try things I would not normally buy (like the poncho). Even if I didn't end up keeping it, now I know. 
• I loved "shopping" without having to actually wade through a gajillion choices. It was delivered to my door, and I never left the house. 

There you have it! While it's not going to be my primary mode of shopping in the future, I have already scheduled my next box to arrive in about three months. Have any of you tried a personal shopping service? What did you think of it?