A Review of Stitch Fix

A few of my friends had tried Stitch Fix and raved about it, so I wanted to test it out for myself. It’s a service where they send you five items of clothing and/or accessories that work with your style, body type and wardrobe.

The Idea

I’m not much of a shopper. There was once a time where I liked to wander through the stores, trying on different items and feeling the textures of the various materials. Now I’m busy enough that shopping is a nuisance, so I tend to wear the same stuff over and over again, even that poor faded black tank top that’s seen better days yet goes with everything.

I liked the idea of someone selecting new items that were designed to complement my style and existing wardrobe. I was particularly looking for travel-friendly items, things that pack well for business travel around the globe.

The Challenge

I know that I’m not the easiest person in the world to fit. I’m 6’1″ and built strangely: because of my broad shoulders I’m always a size L in anything with a sleeve, but in tank/sleeveless tops I’m a S-M because of my small chest (the only exception is at REI where their brands seem to cater to oddballs like me). I’ve never had much of a waist. My rear end is round, my thighs are larger than average, my calves are skinny and my inseam is long.

This is undoubtedly a challenge for the personal shoppers at Stitch Fix, but I was willing to give it a try.

The Sign-Up

I registered on June 7, and walked through the process: sizes, measurements, personal style and relevant notes to my stylist. Then it came time to schedule my first Fix.

The first available day on their shipping calendar was August 5. I knew that the service was popular, but two months to wait for a service? I wasn’t pleased, but I scheduled it anyway.

Two days later, I started getting emails. “You haven’t scheduled your first Fix yet!” Umm, yes I have. I even have a confirmation email to prove it. But I logged back in and noticed that a Fix date had opened on July 5. I switched my date and expected to have a package waiting for me the day after the holiday. I didn’t notice until today that my confirmation email said July 7, so I spent the 5th with one eye on the porch, waiting for the package to arrive. Ultimately, it was delivered on the 8th.

The Clothes

In this Fix, I got four tops and one dress. The package comes with a price list (ranging from $48-$98 per item) and a styling guide: a Pinterest-looking guide for what the stylist envisions each piece to work with.

The dress was most like my existing style. I already have a couple of maxi dresses that I already pair with a denim jacket, so she nailed that one pretty well.

But in reality, the dress wasn’t very flattering. It wasn’t skintight, yet there was something about the thin material that highlighted every imperfection. “It makes you look lumpy,” declared The Assistant. What’s more, the material was prone to wrinkling. I knew that wouldn’t work if I needed to live out of my suitcase for a week.

The other item that I was most excited about was the blue top, on the right side in the styling chart above. It had this very cool cutout pattern that went around the entire shirt, not just the front. (Why do manufacturers often only decorate the fronts of things, like we’re two-dimensional?) But the fit was all wrong. The gathering at the left shoulder stood up a bit, giving a decorative, slightly puffy effect, while the right shoulder sat flat.

The next item was the white shirt, top left on the styling guide. This was the least “me” of all of the items: lots of lace decoration down the front, but of course I tried it on. The shirt was soft, unwrinkled and worth considering except for the fact that it was extremely sheer. “If it wasn’t for the lace, that shirt would be totally clear,” said The Assistant. “I can even see your belly button!” Back in the box it went.

The second item on the left of the style guide was my almost-kept-it item. It was a long, vaguely tie-dye style tank that fit well, was nice and soft, and didn’t wrinkle in transit. And then I realized that it looked almost identical to a top that my friend bought at Target for $12.99. It wasn’t worth the price, so back it went.

The final item — lower left on the style guide — was a cute tank with an adorable sheer detail across the shoulders and down the back. I really liked the look of it, but it was enormous on me through the chest and armpits. It required someone with a DD bra to fill the space and that’s very much not me.

The Results: 0/5

Even though this particular box was 0 for 5, everything in there had some potential. I’ve rescheduled another Fix for August 11, and specifically asked for business-casual, travel-friendly clothes — not necessarily for the conferences and meetings themselves, but for the nights, weekends and downtime where I’m still in business mode, but don’t necessarily want to be in my daytime clothes.

Want to Try It?

If you’re interested in giving it a try for yourself, use this referral code: http://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3836063. I think it’s worth a try.

Have you tried Stitch Fix? What did you think?

Tags: accessories, clothing, fashion, monthly delivery, personal shopper, stitch fix