Trying StitchFix for the first time: so far, so good!

My eldest daughter text me some photos last week from what appeared to be a recent shopping excursion.  She was standing in front of a full length mirror, modeling a few different outfits. Every single one of them was trendy, stylish, and fit her perfectly.   I complimented her about it, and that's she told me: everything had been selected for her and mailed to her via StitchFix.

Back before I started using Adblocker on my browser, I used to see ads for that company on Facebook, but disregarded them because I didn't think they were worth it. I don't like the idea of getting stuck with automatic monthly shipments, and being "height challenged", shopping for clothes is usually not easy--I'm just barely too tall for petite-length clothes, and regular length is usually a bit too long.

Still...when she clued me in on the process, I was intrigued enough to give it a try.

You start by filling out a thorough profile on yourself, your likes and dislikes when it comes to clothing, style preferences (Dressy, Business Casual, Casual, etc.), and what types of items you'd like to receive (shoes, tops, jeans) and how often.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that you can schedule shipments at varying intervals: monthly for a regular "Fix," once every two months or once every three months to space them out more, or every 2-3 weeks if you want to build a wardrobe quickly.

My daughter sent me her referral code (so that she gets $25 if I place an order, and so will I, on a future order), and then my husband found an AmEx offer that will give me $25 back onto my credit card if I spend, $50 or more.  Okay...let's give it a go!

I downloaded the app and visited the website, where I filled out the questionnaire.  For once, I was completely honest about my height and weight, and didn't hold back when answering the questions about what parts of my body I'd like to highlight vs. what I'd like to de-emphasize.  I also took advantage of the opportunity to provide "additional comments" and told the stylist what types of necklines I prefer, what typically looks and feels right in terms of color and fit, and then hit "Send" and hoped for the best.

The website also has a "thumbs up, thumbs down" gallery that you scroll through, not unlike a dating app, and indicate which items you like or dislike.  Supposedly, this helps the stylist assigned to you to figure out what type of pieces to send.

After a few days of obsessively checking back on the website to give more ratings--I think that's my favorite part--I was informed that my stylist had chosen some items for me, and I would receive it within a week.  My credit card was charged a $20 styling fee, which would be credited towards my order if I decided to keep any of the items.  The shipment will include a pre-paid envelope so that I can return any items that I don't want.

*Note: if you do keep ALL 5 of the items, you're rewarded with a 25% discount on the entire order.  This makes a significant difference in the price, and if you're on the fence about one item, it could be less expensive to just keep it and donate it to a friend.

Styling Cards and Note from My Stylist

First bit of good news: the box wasn't expected to arrive until Saturday, but showed up on my doorstep by Wednesday (today).  When I opened the box there were 4 clothing items, and 1 accessory item (a necklace).  Although the necklace was pretty, I immediately regretted indicating that I'd "occasionally" be open to receiving things like jewelry and shoes, because what I really need are some basic wardrobe pieces, so I feel like I cheated myself out of a clothing item. (My daughter told me--after my shipment was already on its way--that she also decided not to receive accessories. Her logic is that you can find low-cost accessories pretty easily just about anywhere, and don't require the expertise of a stylist for those. I agree.)

Each piece came with a Stitch Fix styling card, with a photo of the item I received, along with a bunch of other suggested items you could pair with it (shoes, bags, tops, etc.)   Yet another reason I won't be asking them to include accessories in a future box--I can just pick them up my own, based on the card suggestions. There was also a message from the stylist (Ashley), explaining why she chose each item.

First impressions: the color palette of dark blues and black were definitely my style, and all 3 shirts coordinated well with the dark wash jeans.  But would they fit?

First clothing item:  Dark Wash Boyfriend Jeans, $88
The jeans fit pretty well, although the waistband hit a bit lower than what I'm used to.  I checked off the box that said I like my pants to hit "at the waist" rather than "low rise" or "high rise" but this pair leaned more towards the lower end.  Nevertheless, they zipped right up, with no gapping anywhere. The bottoms of the jeans were cuffed up, though, and hit at a weird length, so I ended up rolling them down and they were just about right (a tiny bit long, but after washing, I think they'll be spot on perfect).  I have never spent this much money on jeans before, and this was the most expensive piece of clothing in the box, but I have to admit--they're probably the nicest jeans I've ever owned.

Second clothing item: Floral V-Neck Top with Short-Sleeves
I loved the look of this right out of the box, and when I tried it on, it looked great.  It flowed nicely without being too billowy, and it consisted of two different fabrics: a cotton jersey for the back that made it feel like a t-shirt, and a more chiffon-like patterned fabric in the front that added ease and movement.  Very nice! It looked great with the jeans, and the fabric accent on the sleeves were an eye-catching touch. Although I had indicated that I don't like to "show off" my arms on the questionnaire, I did say in my note to the stylist that I like 3/4 sleeves or even short sleeves, I just wasn't a big fan of sleeveless shirts. She listened, and I'm glad.

Third clothing item and Jewelry item: Black long-sleeved tunic shirt, $54 and Gold & Silver tone necklace, $28
Another top with mixed fabric materials, in basic black, which I like to wear often. In fact, I didn't think I would want to keep this one because I already have something very similar in my closet, but once I tried it on, it won me over. It fit very well, like the first shirt, with just the right amount of looseness without looking matronly. It was also a nicer quality than the similar shirt I already own, so I'm going to ditch that one and keep this one.  I paired it with the necklace and it looked terrific.  I would not have bought this necklace for $28, but with the discount, and seeing it paired with the clothes, I do have to give credit to the stylist: it was a great choice.

Fourth clothing item: Button Down Blouse
The color on this was my favorite--a smoky dark blue with a cut that was flattering.  Two issues, though: the top button pulled slightly in the front, because of the bra I was wearing, and the fabric was a bit sheer.  I changed into a "lower profile" bra, but it was white instead of beige and showed through more than the first bra, so I also put on a cami underneath, and it was perfect.  Another keeper!


The Cost: $244 for all of the pieces that were sent to me. However, if I keep them all, I get 25% off (-$61). Since I already paid the $20 styling fee when the box shipped, the additional charge to my credit card will $163, but the Grand Total is $183 for the jeans, 3 shirts, and the necklace.

But wait--there's the AmEx offer, too. So, my final cost was actually $158 for 5 items.  That's a good deal, especially when you consider that everything I bought coordinates with one another, and with items I already own. And, since I used my daughter's referral code, we'll both be getting a $25 credit on our next order. Sweet!

Conclusion: my first Stitch Fix was definitely a win.  When I went to finalize my order online, I provided the stylist with detailed feedback (pretty much what I've said above), and changed my preferences on my Style Profile to exclude accessories going forward. I also sent a comment to the stylist that I have a "Date Night" coming up at the end of next month, and requested that she include an outfit that would be appropriate for that.

The website also recommends that you send the stylist links to an online bulletin board or social media account (like Pinterest or Instagram) where you save photos of clothes you like.  If I've learned anything thus far in the process, it's that the more information you provide, the better the experience so I went ahead and started up a private Pinterest board and sent the link to the stylist. I'm curious to see how next month's shipment works out, and if it is as successful as this one.

If you're interested in trying StitchFix and would like to use my referral code, click Here.  Good luck and let me know how it works out for you!

I'll report back on my second shipment at the end of August. From other reviews that I've seen online, the experience can vary greatly from person to person.  (On the StitchFix Facebook page, for example, it's either a 1-star awful review or a 5-star rave, with nothing in between. So far, I would rate it highly, but I'm going to give it a few months before I render a final verdict.)