My Personal Stitch Fix Experience! My First Fix ~ Spring 2020! And ALL the Details You Need to Know!

(Can you tell I'm excited?!)

Hi! My name is Amy and I have the best husband.

Before my birthday, my husband Andy told me he was going to “Win my birthday” with the gift he got me.

Truer words have never been spoken. I knew better than to doubt him because he’s rarely wrong (which is a special talent that isn’t *always* easy to be married to…but is actually often helpful and really awesome most of the time).

So even though I didn’t have anything to open on the day of my birthday, he totally did win my birthday…with a gift to a SUBSCRIPTION PERSONAL SHOPPING SERVICE OF MY CHOICE!!!! Wooohoooo!!!

Let me back up. I LOVE to shop. Like, it’s probably my third favorite thing to do in life. (Don’t ask me what numbers 1 and 2 would be…but they would be good, I promise.) However, I have young kids – 4 and 6 years old at the time of this past birthday of mine – so shopping for pleasure doesn’t happen much for me these days. As much as I’d love to regularly shop for myself, I don’t make it a priority at this point in my life. And that’s okay, but I do miss it. Maybe you can relate.

So, what’s a husband to do for his wife who loves to shop but just doesn’t get a chance to anymore? Well, Andy told me that I could subscribe to *whatever* shopping service I wanted. And so the research began! I looked up plenty of options, read up on as many personal reviews as I could find, and they all kept pointing me in the same direction: Stitch Fix! **You can check it out here at my personal referral link where you and I both get $25 off if you sign up: https://www.stitchfix.com/invite/ctxnzhhrgm?sod=w&som=c**

I had heard of Stitch Fix before but hadn’t really understood how it worked before doing it myself. If you’re kind of wondering how it works, this is the gist:

* GET STARTED: First, you create your account and answer questions in your Style Profile. I had So! Much! Fun! when I created mine! They ask you things you’d expect, like the typical sizes you wear, your body type, and your style preferences. That part was pretty cut and dry. After that, they also check with you to see what occasions you typically dress for – night out? Office wear? Casual wear? – as well as if you’d like to pay less or splurge for clothing and accessories. To get a better idea of things you might choose for yourself, they ask you to select the outfits/styles you “like” from different pictures. At the end, they ask for you to share any social networks with your style (I linked my favorite Pinterest board https://www.pinterest.com/amyw259/styled-and-accessorized-/) as well as an “About You” section. It took me some time to think about what might be helpful for my stylist to know, so after a few tries this is what I shared about me:

“I love to shop but never have a chance to, due to having two young kids at home. When I do shop, I also tend to shop for my kids, not me. My daily goal with my style is to make a good first impression if I would meet anyone new that day. My style varies, from taking chances to following trends; I like unique pieces but also things that are more basic. When it comes to my fashion, anything really goes for me ~ if it makes me happy, I’ll wear it.”

I think that was really helpful for my stylist to know about me, and it sums up pretty perfectly where I’m at in my life right now with fashion and my style.

* ALMOST THERE: After creating your Style Profile, it’s time to commit! But don’t worry, they are very flexible with this part. To schedule your first Fix, you add a credit card to your account and pay a $20* styling fee (*currently accurate at the time I am writing this). This same amount is taken out prior to each Fix. At first this fee kind of annoyed me, but the $20 is automatically applied to any items I buy in my Fix. The only way I’d lose the $20 would be if I sent everything back. Pretty smart on their part, right? So I’ve made my peace with it, since I’ve been able to put it towards an item in each Fix. Then they ask you how often you’d like to be styled. Since Andy decided it would be a monthly thing for my birthday (again, yes, he totally won my birthday! Did I say that already?), that’s how often I opted to receive my Stitch Fix box. But they have a variety of options if you want to be styled more or less often ~ they allow you to choose from getting your Fix every 2-3 weeks, monthly (yep, that’s me!), every other month, or every three months. They also give the choice to ask for your Fix on demand. With this option, it may still take a few weeks before it arrives, but that way it’s not a scheduled, regular thing. You know, if having it regularly scheduled isn't your thing. And regardless which shipping frequency option you choose, it is free to delay a Fix or cancel any time! At this point, I super love it, but I also appreciate that they don’t need me to commit for life. Or for any specified amount of time. Because that, my friends, is how you’ll keep me around. Thank you for allowing ME to decide how long I want to commit. Also, they have free shipping both ways…talk about knowing how to keep me happy!

* READY TO DO THIS: After you schedule your Fix, they give you updates about when your items will be shipped and delivered. I like how easy their app is to use – I’ll share more about the app features another day – and I was able to track when my oh-so-anticipated Fix would arrive! Unlike shopping from many online sites that arrive 2 or 3 days after ordering (hi, Target and Amazon Prime!), it did take a little longer for them to ship me my first Fix. My birthday was at the end of March, and I got my first Fix a couple weeks later. HOWEVER, this was exactly when everything was very delayed due to the COVID 19 pandemic, so I think normally it would have been able to get to me sooner than it did. Plus, anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to stretch my birthday celebration as long as possible…so it was like a bonus couple of weeks of celebrating my birthday! (Not to mention that I get to celebrate my birthday every month, when my Stitch Fix arrives! Did I mention that Andy won my birthday?)

*******

So. The waiting was finally over, and my first Stitch Fix box of wonder and joy arrived!! It was my birthday all over again: just like Andy wanted for me, and the exact reason why he not only won my birthday, but my heart for life! (Among many other, much less superficial reasons, of course.) My then six-year-old daughter (you can find her on YouTube at Aila #AmericanGirl), who loves watching other people’s unboxing videos on YouTube, encouraged me to make my own unboxing video for the big reveal of all my items. I hesitated but then I figured, how many others also wondered what Stitch Fix was like, and what kinds of items might be included? So I went with it and posted it (several months later, but better late than never, right?) You can find it here: https://youtu.be/WRWoATO2VMA Because, you know you want to see this for yourself! At least my daughter does! :-)

When I got ready to open my Stitch Fix box, the first thing I noticed was the tape. I’m a sucker for cute packaging, and their Stitch Fix tape that sealed the box was adorable…however, it was not my friend. Apparently opening a package when you’re super excited to dive into it doesn’t always happen quickly…but once I finally got in there, I saw a welcome note from my stylist, style cards for each piece in my fix, and the amazing clothes and accessories that were neatly wrapped in pretty boxes and tissue paper! And it was sooooo exciting but I couldn’t even read it all, because I couldn’t wait to See! My! Clothes! And! Accessories!

As much as I wanted to tear that tissue paper off the moment I conquered that packaging tape and opened my Stitch Fix box, I did take a minute to read the welcome note. In this note, I learned that Lisa was my stylist. If I’m being honest, my first impression was uncertain. I wasn’t sure about some of her picks for me at first, but after trying them on, I was REALLY happy with her choices for me. It’s like she gets me without ever meeting me. I have since elected to keep her as my stylist (more specifics on how that works in a bit). I feel like she really listens to what I’m looking for. It feels very personalized. When I was researching other possible style box subscriptions, there were mixed reviews on the stylists’ abilities to keep it personalized. But more people were happy with Stitch Fix stylists than any other service I read about, so that was one of the big reasons I went with Stitch Fix. And I’m still so happy I did!

But I digress. And you’re probably wondering what was in my Fix and what I kept. Because that’s the super fun thing about Stitch Fix, right? Well. Let me tell you. I was in for a treat. Or five. :-)

SO, WHAT DID I GET?

First, I opened some pretty (and surprisingly HEAVY!) blue bracelets (MARLYN SCHIFF Coatile Multi Strand Bracelet Set). I will be honest, it wasn’t something I was really excited about opening as my first big Stitch Fix item. But I was ready to give everything a chance when I tried it all on. Because, let’s be honest, you can’t judge a book by its cover. When I put the bracelets on as part of the outfit, I decided I did like them. They weren’t my cup of tea initially, but when I put them on they looked pretty. Plus the soft blue color can be paired with a lot of things I have in my wardrobe. So did I keep them or not? Why, yes, yes I did. (More on that later…)

The next item I reached for in my Stitch Fix box was a blue floral top that had a beachy, flowy look (DANIEL RAINN Bernal Split Neck Blouse). This was definitely not something I would pick from a clothes rack either. But that’s the beauty of Stitch Fix – I get to try things I normally wouldn’t! And that’s a great thing in this case, because the fit was impeccable, the style was fun and vibrant, the cut was flattering, and the top goes well with a lot of items I already owned. So as soon as I saw this piece on me, I felt like it would be a great addition to my closet. So this one was a keeper, too!

The third piece picked *just for me!!!* was an open navy cardigan (AVLN STUDIO Velda Multi Weave Open Cardigan). The fabric was so soft and comfortable! It was so easy to just throw on and add a polished finish to any outfit. Cardigans aren’t usually my thing (which seemed to be a theme with this Fix, honestly, pulling out things I did like but that “aren’t usually my thing”), but I like the style, fit, and design of this one. The loose knit of the fabric is a really pretty touch. I decided to keep this one, too! And I’m SO GLAD I did, because I have reached for it way more often than I initially thought I would.

Next up was the piece that stole the show! This blush jacket (MARKET & SPRUCE Bambi Belted Cargo Jacket) is a dream! If I’m being 100% honest, this was the first piece in my Fix that would have caught my eye if I were the one doing the shopping. Not only is it adorable, but also practical with the quick zipper and stretch fabric (can’t have my shoulders feeling all restrained in there, you know!). Best of all, the style of this jacket is feminine and fun and happy! What more could I ask for? Thank you, Lisa! And yes, this one was an obvious keeper.

Last but definitely not least, Lisa picked for me a fantastic pair of white crop jeans (JUST BLACK Nadine Released Step Hem Skinny Jean). I have a few pairs of white pants, but nothing like these! The length is practically perfect for any type of shoe, so they can easily be dressed up or down. The hem ankle detail is a bit longer in the back and slightly distressed for a bit of added interest. These were a nice surprise because they were really soft and comfortable, and I have a thing for skinny pants. So these versatile pants ended up moving into my closet as well, making it a perfect 5 out of 5 Fix!

*******

Lisa had a great first Fix for me, and I think sending me pieces that could work well separately but also as a super cute outfit was a great way to start my relationship with Stitch Fix! After deciding which items to keep (like I said, all of them! For my very first Fix! Yay!), I went onto the Stitch Fix app and started my “Check Out” process. Similar to online shopping, you select which items you want to keep and pay for those. If there’s anything you don’t want, you simply send it back in the provided prepaid envelope. Of course, lucky me, I didn’t have to do that this time.

In the checkout process, there is a space for written feedback specific to each piece. It was here that I was able to reflect on the items, the reasons why I kept them, and share some helpful insight with Lisa for the next time she styled me. At this point in the checkout process, I was also able to decide if I wanted to let Lisa style me again, which I absolutely did. If I wasn’t happy with my stylist, I could also choose to have a new stylist, or let Stitch Fix decide whether or not to keep me with my current stylist for my future Fixes. They also had a rating system where I was able to share what I thought about how specific pieces fit me, how I felt about the quality and style, and how I felt about the cost for each item.

So finally, it was time to pay, and the way Stitch Fix pricing works is pretty interesting to me. As a reference, the lowest cost I’ve seen is $28 for an item, and the highest I’ve seen is just short of $100. Is it more money than I’d probably spend if I went out and did the shopping myself? Yes, probably. (I do love a good deal!) Stitch Fix has a really big incentive for you to buy all five pieces in your Fix: If you decide to keep every item, you get 25% off of everything! So for this first Fix, I did the math, and it was cheaper for me to buy all 5 items with the 25% discount than it would have been for me to get everything but the bracelets, which was my original plan. I have been able to wear and enjoy the bracelet set, so that worked out. I also gave feedback to Lisa that this first Fix was a bit of a splurge because it was my birthday, but in the future, I would want to keep pricing lower. She has done a great job of keeping the price down since then, so I have really appreciated her working with me on that.

As you can probably tell, I was beyond happy with my first Stitch Fix experience. I honestly love everything about it: the anticipation of waiting for my Fix to arrive as I follow the tracking in their app, the excitement of seeing what came just for me, the personal touches (like the references to my Style Profile and a note to me from my stylist), having a “personal shopper” since I don’t get out to shop for myself…really, I love the whole idea of it! And in my opinion, it is carried out really well by Stitch Fix and my stylist, Lisa.

Would I recommend using Stitch Fix? Absolutely! I love it for me, as someone who loves wearing cute new stuff but doesn’t make the time for it regularly. I can also see how it would be helpful to someone who doesn’t know where to start with their own style. That’s because the things that my stylist has picked for me, I really HAVE loved (Lisa, you are awesome!), but they aren’t necessarily things I’d pick for myself without someone’s input or guidance. So I think it’s a pretty great resource regardless of what style preferences you may have, and whether or not you enjoy shopping for yourself.

So if you’re itching to try it, like I was when Andy told me about my birthday gift from him, you can check it out for yourself, here at my personal referral link: https://www.stitchfix.com/invite/ctxnzhhrgm?sod=w&som=c – and even better yet, they offer a $25 credit to both you and me if you try it...who doesn’t love an added bonus like that, right?!

Oh, and my amazing husband Andy? He loves my Stitch Fix clothes on me. And of course, he loves what makes me happy. So really, this birthday gift worked out great for everyone! And it keeps working out, every month. I can’t wait for my next Stitch Fix to arrive! **checks app for next Fix tracking update**