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Stitch Fix review
A few years ago I decided to try Stitch Fix. I am going to share with you my Stitch Fix experience along with some tips and tricks to get the most from your box. But first…..
What is Stitch Fix?
Stitch Fix is a fashion shopping service, not a rental service. A stylist puts together a box of 5 items ranging from tops and pants, outerwear, athleisure, to shoes and accessories. You try on the items in the comfort of your own home. See if they fit into your existing wardrobe.
Stitch Fix uses a mix of big data and a human stylist to send a customized box of fashion to help save you the time of looking through stores and websites trying to find clothing you like. It’s a fun way to add current fashion trends since each box is a mystery but usually on-trend and targeted to your style. See my tips below on how to optimize your box.
They also offer add-ons such as undershirts, underwear, socks, sleepwear, shapewear. These don’t count towards your 5 items. I have tried a few basic items such as undershirts and underwear. It’s fine. They work. All the items are fairly simple, mostly white, beige or black so they go with most clothes. Some things are Stitch Fix brand and others are name brands such as Wacoal and Free People.
How does the sign-up process work?
There is a quiz when you sign up. It starts out fun. They show you different outfits and ask you to rank how much you like each outfit. The quiz is very through, you will want to set aside 15-20 min for this whole process. They request your height, weight, sizes for shirts, bra, pants, dresses, shoes, jeans, and skirts. You can enter your proportions such as long arms or a short torso. They ask which areas of your body you like to show off vs cover-up. What types of activities you want clothes for such as work, date nights, casual. Where you like to shop, brands you like to buy, how much you want to spend on items in the box, what types of items you want to receive such as jewelry, shoes, work blazers or yoga pants.
You select a date by which you want to receive the package. You will likely receive the package sooner. This is worth noting for people who need to be careful of package thieves and prefer to be home for package delivery. The date you pick is not necessarily the date the box arrives. I have never had a fix arrive late, it is always delivered prior to the date I pick.
They request a credit card number and charge a $20 styling fee that you can use as credit towards your purchase. If you send all items back you are out the $20 styling fee. This is necessary to protect the business from people who will just want to order to take a look and then send everything back. Stitch Fix doesn’t charge shipping so the styling fee is basically shipping.
You can share your social media name so the stylist can see what things you wear in your pictures from Facebook or Instagram and you can share a Pinterest board you devote to your style.
What is getting a box like?
The 5 items arrive in a box with 2 sheets of paper, one sheet explaining the contents and one with the prices. Keep track of the return envelope. The box has a pre-labeled return envelope inside so you can send back anything that didn’t work out. You want to keep track of this or you will have to print out the label and get a new shipping envelope yourself. They also want the pouches shoes or purses come in and boxes for jewelry returned if you are not keeping those items. If you are like me then designate a specific spot to put these things and always put them there. Or better yet don’t open the whole box until you have time to go through it all at once and immediately put return items in the return envelope. Then you are unlikely to lose track of anything.
Now for the fun part, the clothes! Or you know, shoes, handbag, earrings, whatever. The jewelry is usually in a small box so it is easier to keep track of. It’s fun to try on the clothes and shoes at home to make sure they go with other items you already own. In a store, something might look great but then at home, you discover it doesn’t really go with the pants you thought it would or the fall purse clashes with every coat you own. In the context of your home wardrobe, you can make better decisions about an item. Does it really fit your personal style and can you wear it with things you already own?
If you love all 5 items there is a 25% off when you buy all 5. This is where things can get weird. If you want to buy 4 items sometimes you find yourself buying all 5 because it’s cheaper given the 25% discount. I usually do some honest analysis and ask myself if I can just decide on 3 items. I hate getting stuck with an item I don’t want just because the math works out that buying all 5 is cheaper than buying 4 things. On the plus side, some boxes are absolutely fantastic and I love all 5 items. Then the discount is awesome!
You have 3 days from when Stitch Fix receives a delivery confirmation to check out. You can check out online at their website or the app on your phone. Also, do leave detailed notes as to why you did or didn’t like an item. Filling these out will help you get better fixes in the future. If you fail to checkout then the credit card on file will be charged as though you have bought all 5 items. You can request more time but you have to go into the app or log into the website to do so. You can change your return date and pick one that works for your schedule.
THIS IS IMPORTANT. You have to check out. You can’t just mail back what you didn’t want and let them figure it out. This is not Le Tote.
Put any unwanted clothes in the return pouch and drop off at a post office or a USPS drop point.
How much does it cost?
Part of the beauty of Stitch Fix is you can set a budget. You can pick an average item price range for item types. The options are for accessories, bottoms, dresses, jewelry, tops, outer layers, shoes between “the cheaper the better”, $50 – $100, $100-$150, $150-$200, $200+. Or you can not specify a budget at all and let the stylist pick what they think works best for your style/body type regardless of cost. I have switched to the no-budget option and the stylist does a good job of not going crazy.
There are some items that are designers such as Kate Spade and a little pricey and some items will be very budget-friendly at between $20-$30. After a few bad fixes at the $50-$100 price ranges I wanted to see what the result was with no set budget and I have been happier with my fixes. They used to total between $200-$300 total for all 5 items and now with no budget they trend higher $250-$350 for all 5 items. I am less likely to buy the whole kitten caboodle but I am happier with what they send me so 2-3 items I love vs 4-5 I like is a win for me.
Stitch Fix Review
I have enjoyed using the service and have a few wardrobe favorites that came from my fix boxes. I will definitely keep using the service. Each time a new fix is near I log into Pinterest and take stock of my wardrobe. Ask for some new styles I am excited about. It’s so much fun. The mystery of the box. It makes new clothes an exciting experience.
I have put some time into rating items in their app on a daily basis and keeping my Pinterest board up to date before a new box is due. That is part of the fun for me. I also put in good notes about what I want in a box. The boxes have definitely gotten better the more I rate and put effort into the process.
The best thing about Stitch Fix has been the process of refining the fix. I chose to really sit down and look at my closet and work on defining my style. Seeing all the new items they have in the app and trying things on at home has helped me pare down my closet and focus on having a better quality wardrobe. Not quality in terms of money spent but in feeling like I had things to wear. I used to think I had a style but it was fairly scattered and I had a hard time putting together outfits. Stitch Fix has helped me narrow my focus and the result is easier mornings. I always feel like I have something to wear.
I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars for this Stitch Fix review.
Tips to optimize your Stitch Fix box
There are always ways to optimize the experience and help ensure a successful fix. It is very disappointing to receive a box with nothing in it that you like. With most things in life, communication is key. Here are some things I have learned over my 2 years using Stitch Fix.
- Use the app to rate items as often as possible. In the Stitch Fix app they show you a few rounds of clothing each day and you give a thumbs up or down. This is used to help more accurately pick items you will like for the box. The more items you rate the more accurate the box will be. Every day there are new items to rate. I enjoy going through them with my morning coffee. Using a trigger like coffee helps me remember to rate items every day. Also please don’t like everything. Ask yourself if the item really fits your style. I pick items that fit my work and social life styles. I personally don’t want to spend Stitch Fix like money on cozy home items.
- Narrow in on what you want from Stitch Fix. I have decided that I want work, social life, and date night items. The stylist only sends 5 items at a time so focus is key. I personally don’t see the point in using Stitch Fix for items I don’t care about being on trend for. Liking 50 blazers when you never want them to send you any is unproductive. My stylist probably thinks I never workout or carry a purse because I thumbs down every workout or handbag item they show me. Narrowing your focus on what you want from Stitch Fix will increase the odds of a successful box.
- Leave a note for your stylist before each box. Clearly communicate your upcoming events, vacations or what you feel like you need in your wardrobe. If you recently decluttered your closet and need new work pants be sure to request that. They also have a section on the website only (hopefully soon in app) where you pick desired item types, necklace, pants, shirts, dresses. Stuff like that. Fill it out! One caveat is you can’t be too specific. They have a limited selection. Request general work appropriate pants not specifically dark brown straight leg work appropriate pants with real pockets in front. (On a side note if you know where I can find pants like that leave me a comment)
- Keep an up to date Pinterest board for the stylist. Each season I usually hop on Pinterest and search for fashion trends for the upcoming season. I pin items I really love to the dedicated board I linked to in my Stitch Fix profile. This way the stylist can see which new trends I am interested in. Don’t forget to update the description of the pin. Otherwise, the stylist might get the wrong idea for you if the pin originated with a description that you don’t agree with.
- Pick a reasonable time between fixes. You can get a fix at various intervals ranging from every 2 weeks to every 3 months. I like every 2 months. Honestly consider how much time you have to devote to rating items, trying them on, checking out, returning the unwanted items. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
- Leave detailed notes about each item kept and returned when checking out. During the checkout process you can let the stylist know that you are up to your eyeballs in black pants please do not send more. Or let them know you loved the red shirt and to send a red shirt every fix and you will be overjoyed.
- Tell the stylist which season you want clothing for. I have had summer items sent in a September box. I wonder if they were just trying to unload leftover summer inventory. So be clear in between season months what you are looking for. Sure, early September can be hot and I might wear warm clothes for another month. But at that point, I was looking for fall clothing. But I didn’t specifically say send fall clothes in my stylist note. This is region-specific, in L.A. they can wear warm clothes longer than Minneapolis. This is an example where big data should be helping the stylist know where you live and average temps.
What Stitch Fix is not.
- Not a way to quickly build a whole wardrobe. If you lost weight, got a new job, midlife crisis, for any reason need a lot of clothing then this isn’t the way to go.
- Not good for a special one-time event like homecoming, wedding, gala. You have such little control over what shows up and they don’t really have anything that dressy to wear. Maybe a guest to a casual wedding but even then you are taking a risk if you schedule the fix date too close to the event. You can use Rent the Runway for stuff like that, and always add a backup dress.
- Not good if you avoid new trends. These items are not over the top fashion-forward and all of it is very wearable but some people really hate going outside of their comfort zone or have a very specific not necessarily trendy style. The items they send are fairly modern on-trend within a few style groups.
- Not for people who are very picky or hate surprises. The stylists are very good at selecting items that fit your style but you do have to be open-minded. If you are really picky then you will struggle with the service. They have a limited inventory of clothing. Many items are produced by the designer as an exclusive Stitch Fix item. Your stylist requests have to be somewhat vague. Like I want a blazer for work, not I want a red blazer with 3/4 length sleeves, a narrow lapel, and one button.
- Not for tall people. I think I am at the limit for women at 5’10”. Sometimes things are a little short. If you are taller than me this might not work out for you. There are petite sizes so if you are petite Stitch Fix could be a really good option.
Advantages/Disadvantages vs. shopping in a store
Advantages
- Saves time vs. aimlessly wandering a store looking at what’s new.
- The process of rating items and going through Pinterest and composing a note to the stylist can help bring clarity to your personal sense of style.
- It is getting better. Each month they learn more and the data gathered helps create better more customized fixes.
- Cheaper than a personal stylist. Less pressure if you don’t like the clothes.
- No horrible changing room lighting.
- You can try on clothes with items you already own to make sure they coordinate.
- It’s a safe way to broaden your fashion horizons and try on items you might not have picked for yourself.
Disadvantages
- It does take time and effort to get a fix you will enjoy. Sending back all the items and losing the $20 fee is no fun.
- If you want a different size you mail the item back instead of just asking a store associate. This is probably not a good service if you are shopping for new clothes after weight loss or gain.
- The big data element isn’t quite 100% there yet. It keeps getting better but some items will be head-scratchers.
- If you need a complete wardrobe refresh this can take a while 5 items at a time vs. going to a store and having the ability to buy 10 things if that’s what you need.
I hope this Stitch Fix review helps you decide if the service is right for you. It will be exciting to see how the service grows and gets better with time. Since they became a publicly-traded company they have had resources to expand and improve the service. Katrina Lake’s story of how she founded and grew Stitch Fix is inspiring to women entrepreneurs everywhere. To be 35 years old and running a 3 billion dollar company is amazing. Seriously read about her story if you have time. Katrina Lake’s billion-dollar business.
Get $25 off your first fix using my referral link to sign up.
Click here to save $25 on your first fix.
If you want a peek at my Stitch Fix Pinterest board for inspiration click here.