unlucky #13

it's been a while since i gave in to the temptation of a surprise box from stitch fix.  i was receiving them pretty regularly for a while there, but when i was finding myself disappointed more often than delighted, i decided it was time to take a break.

but with summer coming and a handful of fun things planned out that i could use some new clothes for, i thought maybe it was time to give it a shot again.  so i logged in, made a few notes and updates to my style profile, and scheduled a fix.  it arrived about three weeks later:

i was really excited to see what had come, so i was a little bummed when the first thing i pulled out was something i didn't want or need - a handbag.

now mind you, the bag is cute.  i could totally use it and it would definitely work with pretty much everything i wear.  but i really don't need another purse, and so i set it aside to place into the prepaid envelope for returns.

the rest of the shipment was equally disappointing.  i don't really love button-down tops, and yellow/mustard/gold is my least favorite color.  it's one of the handful i know doesn't work on me, and this top was no different:

the old lady really liked this one, but i wasn't a huge fan of it for myself.  and with a pretty hefty price tag, we decided to pass on it too.

the only dress in the package was just okay.  it was a bit too small anyway, and so it wasn't hard to set it aside along with the bag and the other tops.

this is the only piece i ended up keeping.  i'll actually wear it, and it's cute enough to wear for all sorts of occasions.

not to mention, it was the cheapest option out of the bunch.  check out the invoice:

i went back into my style profile to add a few more comments and requests (and to eliminate handbags from the list of things i want to receive), so i'm going to give it one more shot next month.  cross your fingers.

this baker's dozen

so you know i've been a big fan of stitch fix for some time now.  i love the idea of someone doing the shopping for me, picking out items to send me a fun surprise once a month.  and it's really done a great job of enhancing my wardrobe, adding pieces i wouldn't normally have picked up on my own.

but to be perfectly honest, the prices are a little steep for what you get if you choose just a couple of pieces out of each fix.  a lot of the things i've received are items i could easily find at old navy/gap/insert easily accessible store here, and for less than what stitch fix charges.  i know you're paying a premium for the service on top of the cost of the actual items, and the 25% discount if you buy the whole box makes it okay.  i mean, on average, you can keep all five pieces for about $200 - which is really pretty reasonable if you ask me.

i decided to try going back to the days of operation downsize somewhat - attempting to cut back on some of the expenses that truly aren't necessary.  and so along with discontinuing a bunch of magazine subscriptions and removing the gel manicure, i went into my stitch fix profile and cancelled the automatic monthly fix.  of course, i didn't time it right and couldn't stop one final shipment from coming my way.  oh, well.  i asked for less long-sleeved, cool-weather pieces and i got 'em - fix #12 arrived this weekend:

a floaty chiffon sleeveless dress from stitch fix's house brand, 41hawthorn, $68.  not bad, not great - just...meh.

i wouldn't have looked twice at a white denim jacket, but as i tried it on i realized it could be a pretty versatile piece to have on hand for summer evenings out.  this one is by a brand called just usa (i know, me either), $58.  i can easily find this at old navy or gap, who always have some sort of promo or sale going on, for half that.

i haven't thrown on a maxi dress in awhile, although when i put this one on it reminded me why i loved them in the first place.  they're cute, comfy, hide lots of issues, and can be worn for just about any occasion.  i liked the cut of this one - can be worn with a regular bra and the multicolored chevron print is fun.  but i balked at the $78 price tag, and decided to pass.

i love a nice dressy-ish tank, and this one even went with the loud ass hot pink shorts i was wearing at the time.  it was just a touch snug though, and for $58 i figured i could do better.

i forgot to take a picture of the piece i ended up liking most and keeping, but i ended up throwing it on with a pair of shorts and sandals on mother's day.  it's a sheer embroidered top layered atop a basic cami, and it's light and airy.  love it.

thanks for the fun, stitch fix stylists.  maybe we'll meet again when the season changes, when i'll need to beef up the fall wardrobe a bit.  we'll see.

missed it by THAT much

so i know that others haven't been in love with their stitch fix shipments lately, but i'm still really enjoying the monthly surprise boxes.  i get a kick out of seeing what they've chosen for me, and while there are definitely misses, there are quite a few hits too.

for fix #11 (i think...i've totally lost count), i was pretty happy with the styles that they sent.  at first glance, i thought the whole box would be full of win, but then there was at least one piece that was a complete and total dealbreaker.  

this mixed-material sweater looked promising.  it was lightweight and in fun, spring-y colors that i figured would work for the coming months.  except that when i tried it on, well...i didn't love it after all.

i paired it with the soft pink skinny jeans that also arrived.  these looked like they'd work too - great color, nice stretch, even the perfect length for this shorty.  anything labeled "ankle length" typically works for me.

too bad i ended up looking squatty and dumpy after all.  hello, thunder thighs!  boo.

this striped top was right up my alley.  good neutral colors, nice cut, soft fabric.  i did like it, but for the price ($58ish), i knew i could find something similar for a whole lot less cash.  meh.

i liked this dress instantly.  i loved the color, style, everything.  even the bean "ooh"-ed when she saw it.

too bad for me, though.  i put it on and it was really big.  like, i was swimming in the damn thing.  i figured i could alter it to make it fit right, but the teen shook her head.  "you shouldn't have to fix it for what it costs."  and she was right.  hard pass.

but the last piece - this one's a winner.  nice shape, lovely fabric, fun stripes, and pretty lace accent on the skirt.  this right here was the keeper.

when i went to do the online checkout before mailing back the unwanted items, i made sure to add a note requesting more spring/summer-y items for future fixes.  with the warm months coming up pretty quickly, i don't want any more long-sleeved tops, jeans, or sweaters.  let's hope they actually pay attention.

guess we'll see in about a month.

fix my fix

you know what's fun?  getting emails that tell me i've earned stitch fix credits because people are giving it a shot using my referral link.  i still love getting my monthly fix, and i hope that those of you who are trying it out are having fun with it too.

i just went in and tweaked my style profile a little and added a few comments based on fix #10.  i wasn't in love with the majority of the shipment, which was kind of a bummer.  but that also gives me a kick in the butt to go into my pinterest style board and add more stuff to it.  supposedly the stylist will go into it and take a look to get some inspiration for future fixes, so maybe it'll help.  here's what came this month:

i actually thought this jacket was kind of cute.  i liked the lace details and figured it would be one of those easy pieces i'd reach for frequently.

but when i tried it on, i found that the neckline was a little awkward and the jacket would have to be either zipped up all the way or not at all.  meh - pass.

this dress had potential.  light, flowy, perfect for the spring-summer months.

and when i put it on, it was comfortable and very much my style.  except that i wasn't in love with the color.  yellow has never been one of my favorites, and so this also went into the return pile.

when i pulled this top out of the box, i knew instantly that it was a fail.  heavy, dark linen with a boring design that i hated on sight.

i tried it on anyway, just to be sure - and confirmed that it was horrible.  i couldn't even picture an occasion that i would bust this out for.  yuck.

you'll notice in that shot (and the jacket one) that i'm wearing some super baggy jeans with those bizarre hobo-looking patches on them.  that would be item number four:

clearly, i wasn't a fan.  anything but skinny-ish jeans tend to make me look dumpy and very soccer-mom-ish.  RETURN.

lastly, this long-sleeved tunic was really similar in style and color to the jacket.  with slightly contrasting lace trim at the shoulders and just the right length for pairing with jeans, leggings, or even to throw on after a beach trip in the summer months.

obviously, this was the one piece i ended up keeping.  in fact, i decided to wear it that day with my favorite pair of lululemon wunder unders, puma ballet flats and some stella & dot accessories.

keep 'em coming, stitch fix.  even when the pieces are a big fat fail, it's still my most favorite delivery all month.

fixinista

when my monthly box from stitch fix arrives, i tend to hold off on opening it for at least a day.  in my head, waiting to crack it open makes the fun last just a little bit longer.  i'm such a dork.

but this time, with the bean's (and therefore, mine too) social calendar completely booked with engagements all weekend long, i needed something to wear that didn't make me look like a soccer mom.  i suppose that's my fault though, considering most of my clothing money is spent on workout gear.  and the big closet cleanout from a couple of months ago left me with seriously slim pickins.  so i was hoping to find some good stuff in this month's shipment.

this is my most favorite moment of every fix - right after i slice open the top of the box, pull the flaps back, pause for just a second longer, and finally tear into that tissue paper to see what's inside.

the first item was in a beautiful, bright, happy color.  this sleeveless top will transition nicely from now (since so cal's stupid weather is downright summerlike in february) all the way through the actual summer months.

i look kinda pissed off in the picture, huh?  sorry about it.

i really liked the second top i pulled out.  i'm a big fan of the tab sleeve, 'cuz i like options.  the colors are fun, too, and will work well with things i already have in the closet.

i liked it so much, i decided to wear it for that afternoon's shindig.  i paired it with something i'd just scooped up at old navy - their rock star super skinny cargo pants.  their jeans never fit me quite right, but for some reason, these pants worked.  they're comfy, don't have that awkward gap at my waist, and are the perfect length.  rock on, old navy.

the hits just kept on coming with the third top.  i'm pretty happy that my stylist decided to shower me with tops this month - my wardrobe is severely lacking in cute tops.  of course, when i head to the mall in search of some to add to the collection, i can never find ones i like.  this is the beauty of stitch fix - they send me things i often like instantly, yet most likely wouldn't have picked up on my own.  anyway, this lightweight top went perfectly with the other pair of cargo pants i scooped up.  it drapes nicely, and i like the stripes and colors.

this little dress is going to be perfect in the coming spring and summer months.  plus, i love polka dots almost as much as stripes, and it's in a nice neutral color that i can pair all sorts of different colors of shoes with.  sweet.

the last item was this pair of mint skinnies.  they're crazy long, but otherwise fit me really nicely.  and the denim has a lovely stretch to it that i like.  you know, for all that bending and stretching i do…in jeans.  heh.

this was a box totally full of win.  bravo, stitch fix.  well played.

so, a reminder - if you want to give it a shot, it's just a $20 styling fee that gets you a box of fun that they assemble using information from the profile you create on the website.  you can keep specific pieces or the whole box, and that $20 is credited back to your purchase.  if you keep it all, they slice 25% off of the total, and whatever you don't want gets shipped back in the prepaid envelope they include in the package.  and if you decide to try it out, use my referral link.  hook a sista up.

fix number six

so my stitch fix boxes have been really good the last couple of months, right? that just means i was due for a dud anytime now, and i've gotta say...if it had to happen, i'm glad it was this one. with holiday shopping season upon us, i really had no business even scheduling a fix right now. heh.

this time, i received two dresses. this fit & flare LBD is pretty basic, but comfy and cute. $68:

the other dress was superbad. like, how unflattering! striped 3/4 sleeve knit dress, $68:

this open cardigan was the sole winner in this shipment. $48, but i got to apply my $20 styling fix credit towards it. 

i'm already bracing for it to be stolen out of my closet by the teen, who's already given it the googly eyes when i showed it to her. 

the last two items were both sleeveless tops. i mean, i know I live in soCA, but come on. 

boring ass front pocket sleeveless blouse in burgundy, $58.

the other, a black velvet detailed hi-lo tank.  it's a'ight, but not worth $58:

see what i mean? total flop, this fix. but that's totally okay...because that closet cleanout credit from thredup is coming, and should be applied to my account just in time for the next box. sweet. 

oh! also, annie - if you're still interested in that hello kitty toaster…email me.