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.

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 me

in case you were wondering, i do indeed still receive my monthly stitch fix boxes.  december's fix kinda got buried in all of the holiday hullaballoo, and to be perfectly honest, it was less than exciting anyway. i know i kept at least one item, but hell if i remember what it was.  heh.  what i do remember is that only four out of the five pieces actually made it to me, and after a little bit of back-and-forth with customer service i ended up sending three of them back.  now i'm going to have to scour my closet to jog my memory and remember what it was that i kept.  hmmm.  my memory's not as good as it used to be.  it sucks getting old, yo.

so when january's shipment arrived - #8, if anyone's counting - i was pretty excited when i yanked the flaps open, ripped the tissue off and found the first item.  while it doesn't look like much in this picture, trust me…it's a super cute knit motorcycle-ish jacket.  it's got a fun asymmetrical zipper and it looks really cute zipped halfway or all the way up.

i actually did like this top, but not $68 worth.

this little knit box-pleated skirt is in a great color and it was comfy and versatile-looking.  but it, too, was $68.  yikes.

the teen lobbied hard for this bag.  i did like the bright color and its crossbody style.

in the end, this dress was the dealbreaker.  with credits i'd earned and the styling fee credit, the whole box with the 25% off discount would have been a very reasonable $177.  but i knew the moment i laid eyes on it that this thing wouldn't make it into my closet.  like, ever.  ew.

see?  less than flattering, and absolutely zero redeeming qualities to it.  boo.

with these shipments, i find that it's almost an all-or-nothing deal.  the pieces are a little on the pricey side when purchased individually, so it's only really worth it if the whole box is good enough to keep to utilize that 25% discount.  because the $20 styling fee doesn't get rolled over into any sort of credit beyond the current fix, i either keep one piece of the whole thing.  this month was definitely a 1-piece deal.

i still love the concept, though.  and i've ended up with new items in my wardrobe that i really do wear a lot.  most of them aren't even things i'd have chosen during a shopping trip on my own, so i like how it makes me expand my fashion horizons a little.

on to #9!

getting my fix

i am completely addicted to stitch fix.

fix #5 arrived last week, and it may be the best one yet. because i went back to my profile and removed all of the jewelry, all five items in this box were pieces of clothing - just the way i like it. 

first, i tried on these fabulous brick red skinny cords by kut from the kloth.

this is a really great color that will work wonderfully for fall/winter. and they're so comfy that i kept them on as i continued my little fashion show. 

next up: this super cute black lace-y tank.

another top that is the perfect length and drape-y fit for pairing with leggings:

just to reiterate...i'm totally aware that these pieces don't actually go together. honestly, i was just too lazy to change into another pair of jeans for this photo shoot. you know me. 

i dig how this little colorblock cardigan fits, and like the pants, isn't necessarily something i'd have chosen myself. for me, this is the beauty of stitch fix. i tend to get stuck in a rut and pick out the same stuff over and over again (just ask the teen), and this is a fun way to break out of my comfort zone. 

the final piece from this fix is the only one i was iffy on. but because of the "25% off the whole box" that they dangle in front of you, it was actually cheaper to keep it all than to send it back (note to the hub: please don't kill me). anyway, it is cute and i can wear it with a cardi, tights and boots now and sandals in the spring and summer. 

and hey, if you're inspired to sign up and start getting fixes of your own, use my special little link, yeah? hook a sista up with some referral bonuses!

i want it all

in an effort to cut back a bit, i went through and cancelled my fun monthly subscription boxes. but when i logged into my stitch fix account, i...just couldn't. so i didn't. that notice that pops up to tell me that my shipment is on its way is seriously one of my most favorite  emails all month.

then the box magically appears on my doorstep, and i waste zero time in snatching that thing up and bringing it inside.

super lame confession: sometimes i put off cracking that thing open for a little while, just to make the fun last just that much longer. muahahahaha, i am such a dork. 

but not this month. as the bean looked on in amusement, i picked up her mickey mouse safety scissors and sliced through the shipping tape and yanked the flaps open. 

the first item was a definite winner. this cardigan is TOTALLY my style. 

please excuse the non-matching shorts i'm wearing here. i didn't feel like changing into something more suitable. just know that i know better than to actually pair them with any of this stuff.  either way, this sweater is awesome. 

i love both of the tops i got. 

this little dress is really comfy, made of lightweight knit sweater-y material. 

lastly, a necklace that i actually like. 

i think, though, that i'm gonna go in and change my profile to eliminate jewelry from my preferred items list. i have plenty of accessories due to my still-active stylist status with stella & dot, and i'd much rather receive one more piece of clothing anyway.

the carrot that stitch fix dangles in front of you is a 25%-off instant discount if you keep all five pieces from your box. this is actually the first time i've loved the whole shipment. and i have some birthday money i can use. hmmmmm.  what do you think?

i have two days to decide. help me out here.