My friend, and former roommate, Felicia, was recently raving about her first Stitch Fix. I had heard of it, but really didn’t know much about it. But Felicia always explains these things, because she knows everything about everything. So, I just waited for her incoming series of one-liner text messages (side note, she is the only person that doesn’t annoy me with this shit).
She told me she liked everything and that if she kept all the items (a shirt, a sweater, a pullover, a scarf, and jeans) it would be $270. I retorted, in true Melanie fashion, about how she could get similar items at the Gap outlet for $120. You can read the conversation below, which I’m posting mainly because I felt the need to prove that I’m not exaggerating on the one-liners.
The conversation didn’t go much further from there, mainly because we have a tendency of hopping from topic to topic. Moreover, most girls with any ounce of love for fashion would have been gushing over the outfits and asking for pictures. I was seemingly uninterested because Stitch Fix costs money and I have an unhealthy relationship with money. Felicia knows this about me. This unhealthy relationship with money will be discussed in another blog post, but long-story-short, spending money gives me serious anxiety. Naturally, my way of avoiding this anxiety is to just avoid buying things I don’t need.
So, two days later, Felicia had sent me a referral link to get my first “fix” for free. Within seconds, she followed up with an urgent “JUST TRY IT” because she knew I would find 83 excuses for why I should definitely not try Stitch Fix. #1 being that it costs money and at least 76 of the other reasons would somehow be related to money, and then the remaining were associated with how nothing ever fits me – super disproportionate over here, but we’ll get to that.
Before I could let myself reason against it, I listened to Felicia, and in the back of my mind, I told myself that no matter how it turned out, I could blog about it. Without any further hesitation, I clicked on the link and started my Style Quiz. And here are my unfiltered thoughts while completing the Size, Fit/Cut, Style, Price, and About You sections.
Size
How tall are you?
5’5”? I think. Well I think I was 5’4” at one point a few years ago, but I had to have grown since then right? When do we stop growing? I’ll put 5’5” because it’s better to overestimate right?
How much do you weigh?
Well back in summer, you were 165, but last time you weighed you were 152 (thank you to my plant-based diet). But you’ve been drinking wine everyday of December and haven’t worked out at all. But you’re about to start working out again (because #NewYearNewMe) so even if you’ve gained a lot back, you’ll probably get back to like 155. Yeah, 155 sounds good.
What sizes do you typically wear? (for Dress, Shirt & Blouse, Bra, Skirt, Pants, Jean Waist, Shoe)
All of these depend… on the store, on the fabric, on the brand, on the fit. I’m so stressed right now. What if I underestimate and everything is too small or overestimate and everything is too big. And what is a jean waist? My jeans don’t sit on my waist… isn’t the important number my hip size? Is that what it is asking me? 30 sounds like a good number. We’ll go with 30. NEXT!
Are you pregnant and interested in maternity clothing?
Absolutely not, but man, how ideal for pregnant women to have clothes delivered to their door!
How would you characterize your proportions?
Average arms. Broad shoulders. Average torso. Broad hips. Average legs.
Are you curvy on your bottom half?
Finally! A question about my body that I feel confident answering. Yes.
Fit/Cut
How do you prefer clothes to fit your top half?
Loose. I don’t want to have to be sucking in the tummy all day.
How do you prefer clothes to fit your bottom half?
Fitted. Too tight and a muffin top will make an unwanted comeback for the first time since middle school.
What types of jeans do you prefer?
Style: Skinny is the only one I genuinely know. I don’t own boot-cut. Not sure what straight and wide mean. Hopefully I can change my preferences later because I am probably fucking this all up.
Rise: Low rise are a no-go. Is high rise the same as high-waisted? I’ll play it safe and just go with mid.
Length: Choices are Ankle, Regular, and Long. Again, I’ll just play it safe and go with the middle one. Well no, it gives you dimensions… you could get your tape measure and measure the jeans you have. *looks over at dresser* Nah, that seems really far away, and I’d have to turn the light on. Too much work. Can’t go wrong with the one in the middle of the spectrum.
What do you like to flaunt? What would you rather downplay? (for Arms, Shoulders, Back, Cleavage, Midsection, Rear, Legs)
I’ll flaunt my arms, but if they’re at a stage where I have to do “skinny arm” in every pic, I’ll pass. Ditto for shoulders. Don’t put me in capped sleeves, because I’ll look like a linebacker in the NFL. I love to show off my back. They don’t have an answer that fits me for cleavage… genuinely think there needs to be an option of “What cleavage?” here. I say this in all seriousness. Like don’t send me some top that only a voluptuous woman can pull off. I settled for “sometimes I’ll flaunt it” because the other option about being covered up isn’t necessarily true either. Midsection… are they asking me if I want belly-shirts and crop-tops? Because I don’t. Rear and legs? Sure, give me some form fitting styles so I can show off the booty and thighs.
Style
What do you think of the styles below? (Rate on a scale of Hate it, Just ok, Like it, or Love it)
Hate it. Like it. Like it. Like it. Just ok. Just ok. Good luck to my stylist with figuring out what my “style” is with those answers on very different looks, none of which I loved.
How often do you dress for the following occasions?
Work/Business Casual: Most of the time.
Cocktail/Wedding/Event: About once or twice a month.
Laid-Back Casual: Most of the time. I don’t get dressed on weekends.
Date Night / Night Out: Every couple months.
How much do you want your Fix selections to focus on the following occasions?
Work/Business Casual: Frequently: As much as I can get!
Cocktail/Wedding/Event: Sometimes: If my Stylist really loves it for me.
Laid-Back Casual: Frequently: As much as I can get! …idk why, but hey, maybe I can stretch business casual and wear the stuff to work!
Date Night / Night Out: Sometimes: Very little, or only when I specifically ask for it.
Are you more of a jeans / pants & top gal or a dresses gal?
I’m more of a no pants & no bra, oversized t-shirt, gal. But, I guess when I’m forced to get dressed, I’m a healthy mix of both.
Where do you typically purchase your clothes? Select all that apply.
I see what they’re doing here. They have stores grouped together… Section 1 is Target, Old Navy, H&M, Express, American Eagle Outfitters, Brandy Melville, Forever21, TJ Maxx. Section 2 is Macy’s, Nordstrom, Madewell, Zara, J. Crew, Anthropologie, Lululemon. Section 3 is Neiman Marcus, Net-a-Porter, Theory, Vince, Tory Burch, Shopbop. So it ranges from “In Melanie’s Budget” to “Hell Fucking No.” So I’ll check off a couple in Section 1, and I’ll include Forever21 even though that store is a lie… me, my body, and my liver will never be 21 again.
Would you like to incorporate more of the following styles into your wardrobe?
Boho. Why not? Classic. Definitely. Glamorous. Definitely not. Romantic. Sure. Casual. Absolutely. Edgy. Yes! Preppy. God no.
The remaining questions were about my jewelry tone preferences, whether my ears are pierced or not and how often I’d like to receive certain categories of clothes, accessories, and jewelry. I focused on tops, pants, jeans, dresses and decided to pass on the bags, scarves, earrings, bracelets. They also asked me if there were colors, prints, and fabrics I’d like to avoid and I was quite pleased with how “open” I was to this new experience. I hardly checked anything off!
Price
How much would you ideally spend on items in each of the following categories. We’ll do our very best!
The lowest price range is $50-$100?!? Well then, my default answers are as follows:
About You
When is your birthday?
06/07/1991. Are they gonna give me free styling for my birthday? Or do they try to find age-appropriate clothing? Either way, seems like a relevant question.
What is your primary occupation?
I fit into so many of these options. Education? Yeah, but I’m not a grade-school teacher. Office/Administration? Kind of. But “Management” makes me feel more important. And it’s not a lie. So, Management, it is.
Are you a parent?
Not sure of the relevance here. Are there different types of wardrobes for moms vs. non-moms? I mean, I guess. But no, not a mother.
What are your primary objectives for signing up for Stitch Fix? Select all that apply.
No option for “Pleasing Felicia” or “Writing a blog about my experience” so I’ll settle for: To try items I wouldn’t select for myself, to give myself a gift/surprise, to discover new trends/styles, to save time and reduce my need to shop.
Provide us with your social networks.
Have a Pinterest account, literally never use it unless I’m looking for hair inspiration. My Instagram handle in meluhknee_g, but it’s private. Is my stylist gonna request to follow me orrrr? My Twitter will provide you with zero information about my personal style. See tweet: “The best part of my day is coming home and taking my bra and pants off.” LinkedIn, though? I guess to browse my resume and place of work to better understand my workplace attire. Hm… I’m too lazy to go get the link to my profile. NEXT!
Finally, I was offered a recap of what I could expect and not expect from my Fix. It also asked me to provide a note for my stylist, especially if I had an upcoming event to dress for. My response: “I don’t have any events for the next month, but it has been quite chilly so warmer items would be good! I tend to avoid super flowy (unstructured) tops because I have broader shoulders and hips and can look boxy if my waist is not extenuated. I like most all colors in my wardrobe. I am very small chested, so can pull of low cut tops without looking provocative. I HATE capped sleeves.”
If he/she defies any of those guidelines, they’re fired!
Next, I had to choose the frequency of my subscription (2-3 weeks, every month, every 2 months, every 3 months). I went back to Felicia at this point to see what she did. Also, I realized that up until this point, I had no idea what the process was. I thought I paid $20 for the stylist to pick and choose used items that I would wear for a few days, see if I liked, buy if I did, send back if I didn’t. And I was over here thinking, “Why would I pay all that money for used clothes, but hey, I wouldn’t mind spending $20, wearing them for a few days and sending the back.”
Felicia explained that they were new with tags and you do not wear them. Just try them on, see if they fit and if you like them. Purchase some, or all, and/or mail back what you didn’t like.
A light-bulb went off inside my head. This was perfect for me. Someone is shopping for me, which means I do not have to leave my bed, enter a store, or ever interact with society! And now, after reading a Forbes article on Stitch Fix, I realize that stylists are a combination of data algorithms and people, who can do a better job at picking my clothes out than I can. Honestly, I’m not even going to argue with that. It’s definitely true for me. I don’t even know what a jean waist is or the difference between the cut and rise of jeans.
To summarize and bring this post to a close… the sign-up process, for any normal human-being unlike myself, is quick and easy. As you can see, I sat and over-analyzed every question, so it likely took me a little longer. It was fun nonetheless and I really like the concept. I received my first Fix on January 5, and will be receiving a monthly Fix until my anxiety takes over and I can’t justify spending the money anymore.
I’ll obviously be following up on with my thoughts on my Fix. For now, I want to hear from you. Have you tried Stitch Fix? What was your overall experience? Do you get a Fix more or less often than every month? Share your thoughts in the comments area!
Featured Image by: Artificial Photography
