The idea behind Stitch Fix is great. A personal stylist sets you up with 5 pieces of clothing and accessories. Try them on in your own home with inventory from your own closet. You send back what you don’t want, and you only pay for what you keep.
What’s the cost?
The styling fee is only $20, and you can take that amount off of whatever you buy. If you like everything in your Fix, you get an even bigger discount. Of course my plan going in was to at least buy one thing to avoid losing the $20, but I was also comfortable with losing that amount a money just in case I didn’t love anything. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s that if you don’t absolutely love it, don’t buy it. That is unless you get thrown in the pool unexpectedly and you just need something clean and dry to wear. In that case, anything will do. But I digress.
Celebrities pay thousands for someone to dress them. At $20, Stitch Fix is a personal stylist for us regular peeps. When I saw all of these amazing Fixes in my Instagram feed and on YouTube, I knew I had to give it a try. So I completed my style profile and added as many notes as possible before I ran out of characters. I even updated my style board on Pinterest to reflect my personal style and likes. Looking back, I don’t think that it was worth the extra effort because it didn’t seem like anyone looked at my board or even the style profile requests.
Fix #1
Immediately when I opened the box, I liked the vest and the sleeveless blouse. The problem? Neither fit! I was so disappointed, because I even followed the size chart provided on Stitch Fix. This is one problem I have with women’s clothing. One designer’s size 10 is another’s size 8. The other two tops looked like something my mother would wear, and the red jeans? Just no; they were mighty expensive and didn’t go with the theme of the rest of the box at all. Not that everything has to go together, but I just didn’t feel that this fit with my style at all or even the style of the rest of the items (very frumpy). It was so disappointing to find that the two pieces I actually liked did not fit.
I decided to email Stitch Fix to see what would happen. I didn’t expect any response but surprisingly heard back the next day stating they’d send a do over box, and I didn’t have to wait another 2 months for it. Yay! So with high hopes, I gave it another try.
Fix #2
I liked this box probably more than any other. But again, I had the same sizing issue. There was confusion with the rep I emailed with who said she had taken care of the notes to my profile but apparently she was talking style notes and I thought she meant sizing. So, my fault, but this time nothing fit right except for the jeans, which I didn’t care for given the fit and the price tag. I probably would have bought the dress in a larger size because it was beautiful, but just a tad too short/tight.
Fix #3
Since I had updated my sizing and profile, requesting short-sleeve tops for summer, I hoped to add some life to my summer wardrobe. When I opened the box, I pulled out a cute crochet cardigan and thought I can roll with this, but then I kept pulling out more and more long sleeve tops *smacks head*. The other funny thing? I only sized up one size and everything was super big on me.
There was one type that I sorta liked, but I noticed that there were pulls already in the fabric. Nothing terrible, but I knew that this was the type of top wouldn’t last very long.
Clothing prices
Whether I selected the moderate or the lowest pricing scale in my style profile, I never received any pieces that were less than $48, and no pair of pants less than $100. Kind of pricey, depending on the clothing type but I still would have been willing to pay some of the prices if the fit and style were right. $68 for a cotton maxi skirt? I thought about it. Until I did the research and found the same maxi skirt on amazon for $28 less. So I wasn’t saving any money by forgoing my styling fee and purchasing at a better price. Major flaw. I didn’t price check everything, but I highly suggest you do before you buy. Google is your friend!
What I did like
Sometimes you are your worst enemy when it comes to picking out clothes and accessories. I know that I get stuck in colorless ruts, and it’s fun trying on things that someone picked for you, from a fresh perspective. Just like subscription boxes, you’re forced to try new things, and it’s always exciting getting a surprise package delivered to your door. I discovered a few new brands and that’s always a good thing.
Try it for yourself
Now I didn’t have the best luck with Stitch Fix, but others have had the very opposite experience. I have loved some of the pieces that I see other people getting. Maybe they have a better stylist, or maybe greater sizing options, I don’t know. But if you’re interested in giving it a try, visit Stitch Fix and complete your style profile. If you sign up through my link, I’ll get a credit which may convince me to give it another go…in a few months.
I’m late seeing this post and commenting on it, but I received a fix about a month ago for the first time. My girlfriend was starting to do it and they gave her a credit for referring someone so I decided to give it a try.
Out of the five items I was sent, I kept one, which was a sleeveless silk blouse, green with a blue print. Sizing was pretty good on it, but at $89 I could have found something similar at TJ Maxx for a fraction of the price. I also received a pair of grey cropped pants. Unfortunately they don’t carry a good selection of petites (which I did request from my stylist) so they looked very odd on me, not short and not long. Back they went. Two other tops I received were too peasant-y looking and I had specifically said on my style profile that I hate that look so I was surprised they sent them. I also was sent a pair of mint green ballet flats with rounded toes. I was open to keeping them, but at $98 I just couldn’t justify it for the little use I would get.
My girlfriend has had moderate luck with her fixes, but she has spent well over a thousand dollars on clothes in the last three months. I can’t afford to spent that. Plus, their prices are about what you would spend for Talbots clothing and I think Talbots is much better quality.
Glad I tried it, but I’m probably a one and done.
I agree that it’s too pricey. I have heard people say they’ve gotten more competitive with their pricing but I’m not sure. As far as the quality and styles (and not hearing your requests) I think it all comes down to how good your stylist is.
Someone used my link above which gave me a styling fee credit so I may give it another go after summer.