Stitch Fix, I Want to Love You

I really want to love Stitch Fix. I love the concept. I love filling out the style profile. I love making a Pinterest board for inspiration. I love getting the pretty box in the mail, and I love the personal note from the stylist.

It's just that this time, I didn't love any of the clothes. For me, my second Stitch Fix was a total bust. I didn't keep a single thing.

Stitch Fix is an online personal stylist for real people like me. To get started, follow this link where you'll fill out a detailed style profile with your height, weight, and sizes. You'll look at photos and note what you like and what you don't. Filling out the style profile is fun.

Do you use Pinterest? Linking your Stitch Fix account to a Pinterest board  is another way to help your stylist get to know you.

When you are ready, schedule your first Fix. For a twenty dollar styling fee (that can be applied to anything you buy from your Fix), your stylist picks five items especially for you and ships them to your door. You have three days to try them on with other items from your own closet. Then, you simply go online to checkout. Purchase the things you like and send the rest back in the postage paid bag that comes with your Fix. Like it all? You get a whopping 25% discount when you buy all five items. Shipping is free both ways. Easy and fun!

So let's take a look at what came in my second Fix. Here's the item I liked the most from Fix #2. The Munro Tie-Waist Striped Cardigan. My stylist said she chose it because she saw I'd pinned it on Pinterest.

Even though I like this color for Spring/Summer, I would've passed this by in the store because I would've assumed the horizontal stripes would make me look fatter. And I would've been wrong. This was actually slimming, and that tie even made me look like I still have a waist. It also has pretty lace details that set it apart from your run of the mill cardigan.

Trying clothes you'd normally pass on is one of the advantages of Stitch Fix.

One nice little detail from Stitch Fix is that each item comes with a little style card that gives you ideas of how to create an outfit around the item using things from your own closet. 

Like I said, this was my favorite, but it came with a hefty $88 price tag making it the most expensive item I've received from Stitch Fix so far. I didn't love it anywhere near that much, so back it went into the postage paid return bag provided by Stitch Fix.

When I first saw this dress in my box, I was so excited. But. . . when I unfolded it, my dreams were smashed. Smashed, I tell you! I'd specifically asked for a MAXI dress in this Fix. Imagine my heartbreak when I realized the bottom half of my new dress was missing.

It should not have surprised anyone that I did not care for this style. Below is a screen shot of my Stitch Fix style profile. Anything look familiar? Check out my comment. I clearly said, "Don't like it much at all." This little number joined the striped cardigan in the return bag.

*Update 5/25: I checked the Stitch Fix blog today. Clearly, some people can rock this style -- just not me.

via Stitch Fix

Next up, a set of enamel bangles that would look nice with that dress, if I was keeping it. I felt that at $38 for the set, they were too expensive. I also already own nice jewelry -- things Mike has given me on special occasions, things we've picked up on overseas trips, and things that have been passed down through our families. I don't feel the need to buy costume jewelry. I think I should adjust my Stitch Fix profile to say "no accessories." I'd rather get one more piece of clothing.

This next shirt is straight out of the box and a little wrinkled, but to me, this shirt is just plain ugly. I tried it on to see if it looked better on my body than on the hanger. It did not. Into the bag, ugly shirt! (I've read some reviews where bloggers liked this shirt and kept it. So if you own this shirt, forgive me for calling it ugly. That's probably too harsh. It just didn't work for me.)

Finally, the flounder shirt! You know how worried I was when I saw that my stylist had picked a blouse with a flounder print. Flounder. . . as in the fish. It was much cuter -- in person -- than I expected. Now, I might (well, probably not) buy a cute, critter print shirt like this at Target, but I don't see paying $48, which is what this shirt cost. For me, a $50 blouse should be an investment, while this little shirt seems like more of a fad. Also, this was the only item in my Fix that didn't fit well. So this, the final item in my Fix, joined the others in the return bag.

I was disappointed in this Fix for several reasons.

First, I felt that none of my requests were honored. When you schedule a Fix, there's a section for a note to your stylist. I asked for a maxi dress/skirt, a blazer/jacket and flowy summer tops.

As I said earlier, I was the most disappointed about the dress. Not only was it not a maxi, it looked exactly like a dress I said I didn't like on my profile.

I  think the striped cardigan was my stylist's answer to the blazer/jacket request. In all fairness, I may have said blazer/jacket/cardigan in the note. I honestly can't remember. And this piece was in a photo I had pinned, so it makes total sense that she would choose it. Be careful what you pin!

Neither of the shirts in this Fix were what I had in mind when I said flowy summer tops. Not even close.

From My Pinterest

Then, there was the issue of color and style. I listed the colors I love on my profile and on my Pinterest board. And I pinned lots of examples of my style. This Fix was a total miss in both areas. There was altogether too much orange/navy (not a color scheme I love) and too many stripes. Overall, this Fix just didn't look like me.

I was so disappointed that I wrote a private message to Stitch Fix via their Facebook page.

And that's when things turned around.

The same day, I got a detailed personal message from a customer service rep at Stitch Fix. She explained that as a new company, they have limited inventory and can't always fill every personal request. She listened to my concerns. I give Stitch Fix an A+ for customer service.

And there are other things I really love about Stitch Fix. I love that they only send you a Fix when you request it. There's no contract or automatic monthly shipments (unless you request a Fix on a monthly basis). I love that you can choose a price range. My least expensive items have been around $38. I love the free shipping and the super easy returns.  And I love that I can try new styles without going to the mall.

Stitch Fix, I want to love you. *Let's give it one more try.

*And try again we did. Stitch Fix #3 was much better. Fix #4 was better still.

I was not paid by Stitch Fix for this review, and this review represents my honest opinion. I receive $25 referral credit whenever someone new signs up for Stitch Fix using my personal referral links in this post. Want to give Stitch Fix a try? Click here to get started. 

Because Stitch Fix is still in Beta, there's a short waiting list. Go ahead and sign up. Fill out your free Style Profile -- that's the fun part -- and get on the waiting list. Stitch Fix will let you know when you can schedule your first Fix.