Stitch Fix January 2020 | I sent it all back
If you dislike Stitch Fix posts...consider yourself warned! Proceed only if you feel like being irritated today. 😉
If you'd rather peruse some hilarious second-hand fashion: the ThredUp Rescue Box fails.
And here are the ThredUp Rescue box keepers.
(I'm giving the non-Stitch-Fix people a minute to clear out.)
(How's the weather where you are? Good?)
Alrighty!
This was a pretty disappointing box, which means that some of you will be very happy because you like it when I have a box of bad fashion.
The person who usually styles my boxes is out on maternity leave, and maybe that's why this box was a swing and a miss for me.
Let's get started!
I am smiling here, but I do not like this vest.
Vests don't make sense to me (my arms will be cold!) and I don't like the way they look on me either.
(I got a vest in a previous fix and I was also unenthusiastic about that one.)
An accurate representation of how awkward I feel in this vest:
I feel like my waist looks so weird.
Also, since I have a long torso, the drawstring of this vest is hitting me in my actual ribs, not at my waist.
What if we unzip it?
Still no.
Up next, an asymmetrical tunic sweater, which is, I dunno, all right.
But it's $84! and for $84, I feel like a sweater should be more than just all right.
The jeans were pretty nice, but nothing remarkable.
This scarf is very soft, but I don't like the colors. And I am not a person who wears scarves.
The last item, a pair of shoes, is something I really DID want to keep. But alas, they were a little bit too big.
Stitch Fix lets you do an exchange for other sizes, but they were out of pretty much every size known to man when I tried to exchange.
So, sadly, they had to go back.
HOWEVER. I found the same shoes on Nordstrom Rack, so I placed an order.
(I also found them on Amazon for the same price as on Stitch Fix, but they were actually cheaper on Nordstrom Rack.)
Get $50 off your first Stitch Fix for a limited time
It looks like this link is still working, so if, after reading my post (ha!), you still want to give Stitch Fix a try, do it through the button below so that you get $50 off.
You only pay for what you keep from your fix, so you could opt to just keep one or two things, in which case the $50 discount would be quite a good deal.
I like these posts!
Can you add a link to the shoes?
Sure, here you go! https://www.nordstromrack.com/shop/product/2653267/report-alexa-perforated-zip-sneaker?color=CHARCOAL
I totally agreed with you on all counts. The vest...No. Just no. It looks like you should have lures and bait hanging out of the pockets. I liked (not loved) the sweater and even if I had loved it, I am way too cheap to buy an $84.00 sweater. I'm a scarf lover and thought that the scarf was okay, but also didn't like the colors. It looked like something Mrs. Doubtfire would wear as a shawl. Cute, simple shoes. Definitely my style. I love the Stitch Fix and Thred Up posts. So fun!
I agree with Linda on all counts!
The vest suffered from having those big rectangular pockets on the waist, making even small hips look wider (not what most of us want, but who knows 😉
Asymmetrical sweaters and shirts are like the fashion industry saying, we have run out of ideas why you should buy one more boring sweater, so here is one that looks all funky and different! That said, the photo where you are posing with the camera looks awesome, and the geometric shapes on the sweater makes you look like an interesting, professional photographer.
The scarf, not bad, but if you don't wear it, you don't wear it. I wear scarves as I'm always cold, and to lend color to my face/spiff up a boring shirt.
The other things, not really moving me one way or another, so I agree, you should not buy things that don't make you feel great or fill a need.
I did like the colors on you of all items, though.
Maybe wide hips would make our waists appear smaller?
I just know I didn't like it on me at all!
The one with the camera is me taking a photo of myself in a mirror. People do it all the time with cell phones, but I sometimes do it with an actual camera. 🙂
You are right there, an hourglass figure isn't all terrible if it makes your waist look smaller. And yours definitely is small!
I think you look ready for a photo shoot, if that is something you would like to pursue 🙂
I have those shoes in black from Nordstrom rack and I LOVE them!
I actually really like the jeans on you, Kristen! But, fair warning, I am obsessed with jeans and have way too many pairs. (Don't tell my husband I admitted that in writing.) PS: I LOVE the clothing posts. Love them.
I actually deliberately wear a utility jacket that has the waist hit a bit high because I am long waisted and my legs frequently look short and stumpy. This jacket creates the illusion that my waist is a bit higher and thus tricks the eye into assuming my legs aren't so stumpy. I don't cinch it quite so snugly, though, because then the illusion is overridden by how much bigger my booty is than my waist. Lol. Dead giveaway!
I can see wearing something a little bit higher, but not this much. I usually find higher waisted dresses/tops to be uncomfortable because the cinched-in part makes me feel like my ribs are being constricted! An empire waist feels fine, and a lower waist feels fine, but I hate that feeling of it hitting right at my bottom ribs.
Isn't it annoying to shop for clothes when you are long-waisted? Dresses, jumpsuits, and swimsuits usually are problematic.
I'm 5' 7 1/2" with a short torso. Weird, huh? I'm all legs. Equally hard to pick clothes for.
Basically, we all need custom-made clothes. Heh.
I was just reading an WSJ article about how custom made clothing was the norm for most until after WWII. I had no idea it was that recent. I'm all for custom clothing if I could afford it. Women's sizing systems are a joke.
yeees but then most ordinary people made their own & had about 3 outfits - day dress & aprons to keep clean, a church dress, gardening clothes...men had their weekday suit & a Sunday suit & everyone wore hats - I don't sew & don't look that great in hats..
Yes. People definitely used to have WAY fewer clothes than we do now.
I LOVED my box this month!!!!
That's so great! I was super happy when my one box had five items that I liked.
Whoa, I have to agree with you! On the whole, I don't care for these subscription services at all. I tried Mighty Fix at your suggestion (because it involved less money and no fitting, lol). I really, really wanted to like it, but I just pulled the plug. After roughly six months, I haven't even used two of the items, and none of the rest have been life or even week changing. I believe there comes a point when one has enough of a base line or base wardrobe, that a regular influx of more is just overwhelming. Good for you to sticking to what looks good on you.
Actually, I love the vest, but then I love vests. This one is so practical with their big pockets etc. Teachers love pockets. 😉
I love the rest too, and would have kept the whole box as long as all the items fit.
I really liked the sweater on you, but I agree that I wouldn't pay $84 for a sweater that was meh. Too bad about the shoe size! I have been looking for a similar pair, and Nordstrom Rack is out of the sizes that would fit me best. Bummer.
I agree on the whole order! I can't believe that sweater is $84. That would be about $110 Canadian. Is it really a sweater? It looks thin, more like t-shirt material. That's great that you found the shoes in your size, and cheaper too! They are really cute.
Enjoyed the disclaimer at the beginning.
Anyone else get Marty McFly flashbacks with that vest or is it just me?
The whole concept of Stitch Fix is not for me.
Mostly because of the cost. I just don't go through my clothes fast enough to warrant purchasing something every time a Fix came to my door.
I too am long in the torso and legs and arms and neck and... For the most part I just construct my own garments or refashion thrifted items.
From what I see your stylist doesn't pay any attention to your feedback. Why did they send you a vest if you sent the last one back saying you don't wear vests?
all that being said I do like the way the sweater and the scarf look on you.
Love these posts but this box was so blah that the pictures weren't even funny! ;-(
I'm wearing a vest right now.
And I wore one yesterday.
I like vests. I don't like my arms to be weighed down or restricted, especially when I'm getting kids and the wheelchair in and out of my car, so I love vests for the days that start in the 30s and get into the 50s and I have a lot of people/things to move.
I totally love these posts and I totally agree with sending these back. The shoes were fine but they need to fit. At least you found your size elsewhere. Nothing else triggered the buy button for me, and the vest doesn't flatter you, you are right. Who wants to wear something that the waist hits in the wrong place and is uncomfortable, anyway?
I'm not paying $84 for a sweater, but even if I did, it would have to wow me a lot more than that one for me to pay that much for it. Goodness!
Love the Marty McFly comment Battra92! Yes, absolutely!
I really like vests, but that one looks off. Utility vests are really popular, but they should be green, not maroon (imo)!! I think the colour is a huge part of the problem. 🙁
I change my stylist ever so often and leave notes of what not to send.
I was super disappointed with my January box, too! Got all greys, and the one item I did like was $90! Hoping better things for February.
I totally agree especially when you see the price tags. Haven't seen my box yet and now worried.
I must confess, I like when you get boxes of stuff you don't like and comment about it! But I am happy for you when you get something you do like!
The shoes, a couple of tissues, paper towels or an Aldie ad in the toe of the shoes and Voila - they fit!!
The jeans, they look a “Whole” lot better than the ones you were wearing!!
And yeah, you were right about the other things.
I wrecked my feet doing things like that! Long term nail damage is a real thing! I only learned this after hundreds of dollars with little improvement at the podiatrist.
Love the scarf and the shoes!!!!
Thanks again for the akward modelling. Always amusing. 🙂
I agree with all of your choices. Vests aren't my favourite either. The only good thing about them is that you gain pockets!
I realize that the purpose of much clothing has changed over the years. Here is ancient me again, now in my 80s.
For me clothing is the necessity of keeping me warm or safe or cool. After these requirements prettiness can begin.Now we seem back to our cave ancestors in Africa, where mankind began: beads...feathers...bits of this and that to catch the eye!
The sleeveless jacket and scarf illustrate this perfectly. Plus jeans with holes. My daughter wore a pair of these at her daughter's graduation ceremony and I am still shaking my head over this. Maybe the height of fashion but makes me feel like a visitor from Mars.
I hope this doesn't sound critical. It isn't meant to--it fascinates me more than anything else.
Interesting!
I think the perspective as to whether clothing is for function or style depends very much on the culture in which you grew up (from a generational, socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic standing).
If you look back through time, clothing was rarely only about keeping warm. It was frequently a way to signal wealth, social status (there were even times in history when it was illegal for someone not of a certain class to wear a certain color or material!), religious identity, and even education.
How we dress heavily influences how other people see us, how we move within our environment (see also: how many women died in the colonial era due to setting their skirts on fire while cooking over open flames), and how we feel about ourselves. I say this as someone who is pretty much the opposite of a fashionista, but who is fascinated by history and how we interact with objects - engineering is all about how humans interact with the natural world and with the technological world, and how choices made throughout history have influenced the way we interact with objects today (see also: why US speed limits are in miles per hour instead of feet per second or kilometers per hour, or meters per second).
THOSE CLOTHING BOX DEALS LOOK DISAPPOINTING AND EXPENSIVE TO ME.I HAVE FOUND A FAVORITE CONSIGNMENT SHOP NEAR ME THAT CARRIES good brands and good prices.I have a Baseline of clothes but once per season (summer and “ winter,” here in Az.) I go and buy a few fresh pieces. I also get my good leather purses there at great prices. It’s a great store! It makes for a fun outing. But I don’t need clothes more than that so those boxes with their mostly disappointing and way too expensive items just don’t look like a lot of fun,to me. Good luck with the next one,though.
Something has definitely changed over at Stitch Fix. I don't know what happened. I used to get awesome items when I first signed up towards spring of 2019. I'm one of those folks who hates clothes shopping because I'm right on the border between plus size and "regular" size, so I frequently have the experience of "oh, this would be awesome if I could get it one size bigger!" in the "regular" department and then turns around and has the experience "Oh, this would be gorgeous if I could just get it one size smaller!" in the "plus size" department.
Also, I wear a women's size 12 shoe, so I can pretty much never try shoes on in a store, and I'm 5'9", which is apparently too tall for "normal' clothes, but too short for a lot of "tall" stuff that seems to be designed for giraffes! (or just women who like to wear really tall heels compared to my beloved totally flat Toms). And I'm built like a linebacker - broad shoulders, strong calves, strong arms and forearms, and lots of butt and thigh muscle (hello, cycling). So finding clothing that fits but isn't basically a tent is... hilarious.
Anyway.
My first few Stitch Fix boxes, I got some really awesome items - a plum blazer that's stretchy so it doesn't bind my wide shoulders, cut with a peplum in the back so it fits correctly over my curvy self, and has 3/4 sleeves so I don't constantly feel like I need to push my sleeves up all the time; a dress that's just the right length, has some stretch to it, a black-and-white pattern I love, wide enough straps I can wear my normal undergarments, and is completely crease-proof - I stuffed it in a duffle bag for a vacation to FL this past summer, and it looked amazing after being scrunched in the bottom in FL humidity for almost a week!
(apparently my comment is too long, so get ready for part 2!)
They also sent me some amazing earrings that I've been loving, and some short- and sleeve-less tops, but I did have to get on their case to stop sending me dry-clean only anything (seriously, who actually LIKES dry-clean only clothing??). But the last few months, the entire box has been a dud - tiny earrings when I've very specifically asked for only large dangly ones, a bunch of stuff in navy blue when I specifically have stated multiple times that my foundational pieces are black and I want colorful tops and accents, and a bizarre obsession with sending me slacks, shorts, and skirts when I made it clear I DO NOT want them to send me bottoms - I have one specific brand/style/size of slacks I love and wear to work, one specific brand/style of jeans, and I just don't do skirts. Dresses, occasionally, but not skirts. I've found one single stretchy pencil skirt in my entire life that doesn't hang funny on me, and since I don't wear non-pant-like things very often anyway, I don't feel the need to add any skirts.
In short, I gave them very detailed feedback on every single box for months, and it was like no one was even reading what I wrote, on top of feeling like whoever they handed me off to was not used to styling plus-size ladies, and seemed to believe we all want to wear shapeless tops in drab colors over painfully bland skirts (what is WITH the skirts??), vs. every single note I sent in about "Please, please, for the love of all that is pretty, send me COLOR."
/rant
I was so hoping this would solve my dilemma of needing to carve out way too much time to go shopping regularly (since I can't stick with just one type of store, and generally have to visit them all just to find a few pieces that will work), hence the angst over it not working.
I really hate clothes shopping.
The first StitchFix box I received did very well, but things went downhill after that to the point that it was like some evil algorithim was deliberately sending the exact opposite of what I specifically requested.
I do much better with online secondhand shopping.
That's exactly how I felt after the first two boxes. No one was reading my comments and they just kept sending expensive pieces that were exactly what I didn't want.
I love this post. Paying too much for clothes is how my friends have big credit card bills . And they shop Stitch Fix. I wish you would do a side by side of similar outfits from Stitch Fix and a Thread Up with the cost. Thank you for the wonderful post.
I always seem to get one of those items in a Stitch Fix box where it's like "This is nice, but it's not EIGHTY DOLLARS nice." I keep telling them that I'm looking for items that feel "special" and they keep sending me generic.