Stitch Fix #6: The First Fix That Was a Major Miss
It's been since March that the lovely Stitch Fix box has arrived at my doorstep, getting me all giddy and excited inside. Truth be told, I've had some fabulous friends and family lend me some summer maternity clothes, and have some found some great deals on a few items at Old Navy. Also, since I've not been working, we are living on a tighter budget. So, between already having clothes, not needing to dress up at all for work, and trying to keep an eye on our spending, there really hasnt been much of a reason for me to schedule a Fix.
However, we have Dan's cousin's wedding coming up this weekend in Chicago which we are super stoked for! The wedding is sure to be a blast, and we have decided it make a bit of a babymoon/early anniversary stay out of the rest of our time there. I already have a dress for the wedding, but was in need of a statement necklace and fun pair of shoes, so I thought now would be the perfect time to schedule my latest Fix!
If you have never heard of Stitch Fix (<--- referral link!), allow me to enlighten you! Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service that sends you 5 pieces at your decided frequency. You pay a $20 styling fee every fix, which ultimately is put towards the cost of whatever items you keep. If you sign up through my referral link though, the styling fee on your first Fix is waived. If you end up keeping all 5 pieces, you actually get a 25% discount! You can choose from Automatic Fixes (every 2-3 weeks, every month, every other month, or every 3 months) or do On-Demand fixes. I usually choose On-Demand fixes and schedule when I either have credit built up or if we have a special occasion coming. When you sign up, you'll fill out a detailed style profile that includes things like your sizes, style preferences, how you like things to fit, and budget. They offer "regular" sizes, petite, AND maternity sizes as well as accessories, bags, and shoes! You can let them know what you do and don't want to receive in a Fix. For example, I don't really need any more earrings or bracelets, so I simply tick the box that says I don't want to receive any of that in my Fixes. For each Fix, you can leave your stylist a note if there is something specific you're looking for, and this helps to choose more applicable pieces for you. Stitch Fix isn't just for the ladies - they have it for the gents and just recently kids, too! Unlike when you are shopping at a store, your Fix is delivered right to you so you can try everything on in the comfort of your own home and see how it goes with what you already have in your wardrobe. Included in your Fix are these cute little cards for each item that give you styling ideas, which I love! They also send a postage paid package so when you decide (it has to be within 3 days) what you want to keep and what you want to send back, you just check out online and then put whatever you're sending back in the package and put it in your mailbox. Easy peasy! Another awesome thing about Stitch Fix is that when someone receives their first Fix after signing up through your referral link, you get $25 in credit to use on your next Fix! Um, can you say awesome? Want to see what I got in my previous fixes? Check the links below!
As I mentioned before, we have a wedding coming up, so for this Fix I requested a few options of statement necklaces and shoes. I let my stylist (I don't currently have my normal stylist, as she is not a maternity stylist) know that I am wearing a dark grey body con dress so she had a point of reference. I also told her that for the shoe options, I wanted something with a small heel, as I will be nearly 34 weeks pregnant. I pinned a few ideas to my Pinterest board for her reference.
Here's what she sent!
Splendid Footwear Norris Sueded Heeled Mule - $118
These were actually more comfortable than I thought. But I specifically wrote on my Pinterest board on another style of shoes that I wasn't wild about the red color. They are fun, sure. And if I wore heels more often, I'd say what the heck! However, I was a bit irked that out of all the colors, red is the only one I said I wasn't wild about. And I asked for a SMALL heel. These have a 3.5-inch heel, which just aren't easy to walk on when you have a huge belly, no matter how you cut it. (Unless, of course, you are Duchess Kate Middleton.) Even if they were within my budget, I might have decided to suck it up for a night and keep them, but at $118, they were an immediate no for me. Verdict: Pretty certain these are going back.
Bay to Baubles Lisa Floral Bauble Rope Collar Necklace - $34
I'm actually pretty happy about this one. I have a couple of different necklaces, but nothing like this one. The metal rope collar is so fun, and the flowers are gorgeous. The photo really doesn't do it justice. It's got a bit of color, but is subtle enough that I could pair it with lots of different things and it wouldn't clash. More versatile than red shoes, for sure! I'm feeling this necklace, so am definitely leaning towards keeping it!
Full Moon Stapleton Bow Back Maternity Knit Top - $44
Just USA Maternity Willa Fray Hem Denim Short - $48
Apologies for the bra straps in the last pic, but I wasn't going to change just for the photo! So, I actually LOVED this whole outfit. I have short legs that are thicker on top, so it's hard to find a comfortable pair of maternity jean shorts that feel good. These feel AMAZING, and I like how they look too!. The shirt is so comfortable as well - Stitch Fix always finds the SOFTEST materials, and I love the subtle bow detail on the back. But the thing is, I didn't ask for these items. I ONLY asked for shoes and necklaces. And as much as I love the whole outfit, at over $40 a piece for the shirt and shorts, I don't think I can justify keeping them, especially with only 6-7 weeks left before baby arrives. Maybe if this were earlier in the summer, I might try to convince myself to keep them. But, being financially disciplined will require me to make the "right" decision on this.
Full Moon Sabrea Maternity Crew Neck Blouse - $44
This was another one that I didn't mind. I like the print and the material was super light, which would be GREAT for this hot weather we've had here. But it feels like it looks kind of like a bag on me, especially from the side. It just doesn't fit my short pregnant body well, and isn't really my maternity style. I think as a post-partum top, it might be more up my alley. However, the price rings in at $44, and for a top I'm not wild about, I just don't feel like keeping it makes sense.
Overall, I was really disappointed in this Fix. Like I said, the shorts and the pink top were great, but not at all what I requested. I had hoped to have a few more shoe and necklace options to choose from. It worked out that I like the necklace that my stylist sent, but I had really hoped that I'd be sporting a great pair of Stitch Fix shoes to the wedding too. I think I'll end up keeping the necklace, but it's likely that everything else will go back. It's a shame, because I've had some really great luck with my Fixes lately, although I imagine I was bound to have a dud at some point! What are your thoughts?
Stay tuned in a few months for my first post partum Fix!