I’ve gotten many, many questions about Stitch Fix over the past year and was hesitant to post about it again because it has been somewhat hit or miss for me. However, because of all the questions I’ve gotten, I decided it might be helpful for me to write another update with more information and share some additional tips that I’ve learned that might be helpful to some of you.
Back when Stitch Fix first launched, a few of my friends signed up for it and loved it. Based upon their recommendation and my husband's encouragement, I tried it out. That was a few years ago and I wasn't thrilled with what I got in my box.
In fact, I sent half of it back, and I wish I wouldn't have kept two of the items I did because as much as I thought I could convince myself to love them, I just couldn't.
I did get a pair of earrings in the box that I love and have worn countless times since then. So that was the one redeeming part of my first Stitch Fix experience.
Why I Tried Stitch Fix Again
I decided that Stitch Fix just wasn't for me and was happy to leave it at that. However, when a friend invited me to go with her to a Stitch Fix Influencer's Dinner here in Nashville. I decided to go — mostly because I was honored to be asked and I was hopeful that I'd meet some other local bloggers at the event.
While at the Stitch Fix event, I had a long talk with the Stitch Fix folks. I was quite cynical about things and they patiently answered all my questions. They encouraged me to give Stitch Fix another try. They gave me some pointers on how to get a box that's according to your style (they encouraged me to be really, really specific in what I asked for and also encouraged me to set up a Pinterest board with wardrobe ideas).
And then, they gave me a $20 Stitch Fix credit coupon so I could try the service without having to pay the $20 stylist fee. I debated whether or not I was brave enough to try again. I finally decided that it was worth a shot since it was so risk-free. Even if I sent everything back, I'd not be out anything out of pocket.
So I really put some time and effort into making sure my profile had very specific directives on it and I set up a Pinterest board with some outfit ideas. I was so excited to get my box in the mail. Unfortunately, I was once again very disappointed. You can see what I got in that box here (I ended up sending everything back).
I had earned some Stitch Fix credit and had gotten some tips from people who have had success with Stitch Fix on how to have more success with your fixes, so I decided to try again. I didn’t keep my hopes up, but was pleasantly surprised when I actually loved one of the pairs of pants they sent to me.
Since then, because I had some more credit to use, I’ve gotten a few more boxes and had more success — mostly when it comes to jeans and shorts. But I’ve also gotten a few shirts and dresses that I’ve loved, as well.
How Stitch Fix works:
1. Sign up for a Stitch Fix account.
2. Fill out your style profile. You'll give very specific details on sizes you wear, styles you like, colors you like, types of clothes you like, and what types of clothing you are specifically looking for (more casual, all business, a mix of both, etc.) You can be very detailed in your descriptions and even share a Pinterest board with them to give Stitch Fix some ideas of your tastes in clothing.
3. Go to checkout and pay a $20 styling fee (this is reimbursed if you choose to keep any of the clothes).
4. One of the Stitch Fix stylists will take your style profile, sizes, and preferences and put together a box of clothing based upon what they think you'll like and what they think will work well for you.
5. They'll send you this box in the mail. You'll have a few days to go through the box, try on the clothes, and then choose to keep any that you liked and ship back any that didn't work (they provide a postage-paid envelope for you to use).
Tips To Get a Fix That Fits Your Style
Make Sure You Fill Out Your Style Profile Carefully — Be really, really honest in your style profile. Make sure all your sizing and preferences are absolutely accurate.
Request a Stylist — If you know someone who has gotten fixes that you especially love, you can ask them who their stylist is and you can request that they assign the same stylist to you. No guarantees, but I’ve heard of this working for people. You can also request to have the same stylist you had last time (if you liked them) or a different stylist (if you didn’t like what they chose).
Leave a Note For Your Stylist — Please do this. Tell your stylist exactly what you are looking for and what you aren’t looking for. They do read these notes and try to honor them.
Give Incredibly Honest Feedback — Seriously, don’t shy away here. I’m brutally honest and I’ve seen that it makes a huge difference when I leave 100% honest feedback. Don’t hold back!
Stick With it For a Few Fixes — It took several fixes for my stylist to really get what I liked. I'm very picky on the clothes I keep. Since I have a minimalist wardrobe, I have to really love a piece of clothing to keep it. As the stylists learn your fashion tastes and what you don’t like, they will do a better job choosing for you. After I had done several fixes with them, I noticed that they were sending me fixes that were much more in line with my style.
Request Multiples of An Item You Liked — If you liked a specific dress, shirt, or pair of shorts, you can ask if they have it in any other colors. I’m the kind of person who loves to get multiples of the same style (it simplifies things!), so this has worked well for me! (For instance, I got multiples of this dress and these pair of shorts — just in different colors.)
Here are my overall thoughts on the Pros & Cons of Stitch Fix:
PROS TO USING STITCH FIX
- It’s insightful to fill out your style profile! It helps you think through what you love and what you don't love.
- It’s fun to anticipate getting a box in the mail! It's fairly rare that I get to open and go through a mystery box, so looking forward to the box makes the experience more exciting!
- Since I don't enjoy shopping, I love getting a box of pre-chosen clothes in the mail — SO much easier than going shopping! Plus, I loved being able to try them on my own bathroom, see if they match items I own already, and decide whether I want to keep them or send them back.
- I love the styling cards they gave you with each of the items to give you ideas of how to accessories a piece/what to wear it with. These are great especially for someone like me who has no idea how to put outfits together. (See examples of the Style Profile cards here.)
- It’s great to be challenged to try new things. Many of the items they send are styles I wouldn’t pick off the rack at the store, so it’s great to have the opportunity to try on new and different styles. It’s caused me to be a little more adventuresome in what I wear.
CONS TO USING STITCH FIX
- You never know what you’re going to get. A few times, I’ve loved almost every piece in my fix. Other times, I’ve loathed most of what was sent. It’s a risk you’re taking — and you’re out $20 if none of the items work for you. (See my fix below for proof of that.)
- Sometimes, it seems like they don’t look at your style profile carefully — or they are limited on options they have to send in your size and preferences. I’ve had a few times where I wondered if they stylist even so much as glanced at my profile because what she sent was so, so different than what I was also disappointed because I had been very detailed in exactly what I was looking for.
- The prices at Stitch Fix are going to be much more than you're going to find at the thrift store or on the sales rack. This service is designed specifically for women aren't on a extremely tight budget who want to dress fashionably without spending a lot of time shopping. For busy working women, it could be a lifesaver. However, I think you need to be somewhat adventurous for it to work well for you.
{These shorts were one of my favorite pieces in a fix from last year. I get asked all the time where they are from! I ended up getting them in khaki and turquoise because I loved them so much!}
Read My Completely Honest Review of Stitch Fix here and read Why I May Have Changed My Mind About Stitch Fix here.
Have you tried Stitch Fix before? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.
