Stitch Fix #1

I may not be traveling anytime soon, but that isn't stopping me from shopping for versatile clothes! I like clothes that can be used for many occasions - work, travel, weekends, whatever. I tend to buy some of the same kinds of clothes over and over, so I decided to give Stitch Fix a try. I thought someone else might pick out something I like that I wouldn't normally pick for myself. I created an account on www.stitchfix.com and answered a number of questions about my budget preferences, sizes, and what I like style- and color-wise (NO pink!). I then scheduled my first delivery. Once my Fix was styled, I was charged a $20 fee. This fee is not-refundable, but if you buy even one item from your shipment, the $20 is applied to your purchase. You only lose the $20 if you decide to return all five items. Shipping is not a separate charge, and a prepaid return envelope is included in the box, so you don't pay extra shipping on the return, either. My box arrived two days after it shipped and included a sleeveless print v-neck blouse, a striped 3/4 sleeve top, a plum/blue (depending on the light) asymmetrical cardigan with zipper, a pair of slimming, high-waisted black pants, and a long silver necklace. After trying everything on and (unsuccessfully) trying to get selfies of whole outfits, I decided to keep two of the five items:

The cardigan is priced at $68. It will be great to wear on a plane or to throw in a bag. Nicer looking than a hoodie, I can also dress it up a bit for work or a nice dinner, too.

I love stripes and 3/4 quarter sleeves, so the gray striped top with orange accents at the neck and elbow is perfect for me. Comfortable (so soft) and cute with work pants or jeans. It is priced at $58. Stitch Fix encourages customers to create a Pinterest board and connect it to their Stitch Fix account so the stylists can see what you like. I had pinned this top to my board, so I was happy to see it in my box even though it isn't really all that different from other items I've picked for myself in the past.

I almost decided to keep the black pants. They fit well and would be useful for work, but they were the priciest item in the box at $98, and I already have black pants. I did think they were slimming, and I really did like the fit.

The v-neck shell was orange, black and blue, all colors I like but something about it was off. Great length, great hemline, but the print just didn't work for me. The material didn't move with my body as well, and it probably would have needed ironing (or wrinkle releaser for those of us who don't iron). It would have been $48, which was a bit pricy, too.

The silver necklace would have been $38. I didn't really need it, so back it goes.

My total came to $126, and I got to subtract my initial $20 stylist fee, so I paid $106. Not too bad. I may go in and adjust my budget options a bit. I did allow for a higher budget on pants/jeans when completing my profile, and if those black pants had been denim, I probably would have kept them. I do wish "pants" and "jeans" were viewed differently on the options because I'll pay for a pair of jeans that fits well and looks good. Work pants? I'm not as excited to pay a lot for those.

Had I decided to keep all five items, I would have received a 25% discount on the total. So, my total would have been $310 - $77.50 (25%) - 20.00 (stylist fee) = $212.50. If I had decided to keep the black pants, it actually would have been more cost effective to keep the whole box rather than pay for the three items I really liked because of the 25% off.

If you think you may want to try Stitch Fix, use my referral link to get started. https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/6791440