Like it or not, living in New York City makes me very fashion conscious. I've always been a bit of a shopaholic and with the advent on online shopping (
Gilt and
Rue La La, I can't sing your praises enough but my wallet certainly can) buying the latest looks has become even easier. But if you've always dreamed of taking the shopping experience one step further and hiring your own personal shopper, have I got the site for you.
A coworker recently told me about
Stitch Fix, and from the minute she said "it's like
Blue Apron" for clothes, I was intrigued. The way it works is you log on, create an account, and fill out a fairly extensive survey about your style. You will answer questions about everything from your sizes to which body parts you like to flaunt and from color palette to what your life is like. Once that is done and you decide to schedule a fix, you get an additional paragraph to explain in detail what you're looking for in a fix. I asked my stylist to focus on flowy long sleeve tops for winter and at least one dress I can wear to work. At this point I would highly recommend being as specific as possible about what you want (ie, brand names you usually buy, what piece is missing from your closet, price range) because there is a live person on the other end of things sourcing just for you.
I scheduled my first fix and I anxiously awaited my box. I've always thought personal stylists were uber expensive and not for me, but it felt like I was giving myself an awesome win-win present. When the box came to my doorstep, enclosed was a note personally signed by my stylist, Catherine, and information about how to proceed.
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| My First Fix |
I was told to try everything on and send back whatever I didn't want within 3 days in the postage paid envelope. I was charged a $20 styling fee but that would be deducted from whatever I wanted to keep. Also, if I opted to keep all 5 items, I would receive a 25% overall discount.
The first item was the Gold Tone Love Birds necklace, that I thought was cute, but for $32 I thought I could find something I'd like way more so I decided not to keep it.
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| Gold Tone Love Birds Necklace ($32) |
Next was the Florence Colorblocked Dress by 41Hawthorne ($68). I didn't really like this out of the box but I put it on, and behold, it not only fit perfectly but it was something new and different! I love this dress because I can pair it with a blazer and ballet flats for work but could gussy it up with some sparkly jewelry for a date night or holiday party.
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| Florence Colorblocked Dress ($68) |
My fix included 2 flowy shirts. The first, Rossi Polka Dot Print Neck-Tie Blouse by Renee C ($48), was a bit too librarian for me and I sent it back. The skirt I was also a little disappointed in because it was the most basic black pencil skirt that anyone who works in an office already has at least one of. Needless to say, I sent the Violet Ponte Pencil Skirt by 41 Hawthorne back as well.
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| Rossi Polka Dot Print Neck-Tie Blouse ($48) |
The second was another item I wasn't sure I'd like out of the box. The Crowley Sheer Front Pocket Blouse by Sanctuary ($78) neared the top of my price point for a blouse, but it's high quality and fits me really well. Due to the sheer nature of the shirt, I have to wear a tank under it, but the color is unique and I've already worn it a bunch.
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| Crowley Sheer Front Pocket Blouse ($78) |
One thing I thought was really unique and a nice touch was that
Stitch Fix includes style cards with each piece to give you an idea of how you can dress each item up or down with items you already own.
So I didn't end up getting the 25% discount, but I sent back feedback with each item so that the next time I order they will hopefully hit the nail more square on the head. I don't think this is something I'd invest in every month, but I will definitely try it again soon, if only for the surprise. Do any of my readers use Stitch Fix or is anyone interested in giving it a try? Sign up for an account
here.
