Stitch Fix #3 | September Review

It's that time of the month when a box of clothing arrives on my doorstep, and I take a ton of pictures and overanalyze them with you. Yes, my Stitch Fix box arrived one day early and I have until Sunday to decide what to keep. I *think* I have a 1/5 box this time but I'm a little wishy-washy about it all, as you'll see.


Quickly, if you haven't heard of Stitch Fix somehow: This is an online styling service of sorts. You fill out a style profile, pay a $20 styling fee once your fix ships, and then receive five items in the mail. You can link to Pinterest boards, you can provide lots of feedback when you return items (more on this in a bit), and you can make suggestions or write a note to your stylist before each fix. If you buy any item from the box, you can apply the $20 styling fee towards that purchase. If you buy nothing you lose the $20 fee. To return items you'll just put all of the no-gos in their pre-paid bag and send them right on back, taking online shopping up a notch. Especially since you get the surprise factor of having someone else pick out your clothing, AND the fun of receiving things in the mail.



This month I asked my stylist to focus on pieces I could wear to work. It doesn't need to be especially 'business' like or really fancy, but my work clothes do need to be comfortable and able to bend, stretch, get down on the ground, and exercise with me. We can wear anything business casual to work, which usually means my one pair of black pants and one of my three work shirts I have for the summer. It's really pathetic, I know. But anyway, I requested lots of COLOR, length to my tops, work appropriate, and I asked for two specifics: their seemingly famous Margaret M Emer pants and the Market and Spruce hi-low top in green. I also sized down to a 'small' for my top choice in my style profile since the mediums always seem to be fairly big on me. I like flowy and have always just bought 'mediums' for my tops in hopes that it will give me extra length and not be too tight on m slightly-broad shoulders. But in reality, I think I'm a small and should probably start buying the correct size, letting go of the notion that a size bigger would be longer. If it's too big and wide then it's just not worth it!

I totally struck out with getting specific on my requests, as my stylist (another new one, making it three stylists in three fixes for me---not sure if that is normal or not) said they didn't have either for me in my size. But no biggie, she did seem to actually read my note when I requested long, colorful, work tops. She made no mention of my Pinterest board or my specific blog post all about my last fix. I did link to both in my note, hoping my stylist could look around and get a better feel for me. But actually, Jacklyn asked me to leave 'lots of great feedback' in order to help them tailor my Fixes to be more delightful. Hmph. I feel like I have been very detailed in my notes and check outs, so I'm not sure what that part of the discussion was all about. And really, of all of my fixes, even just keeping 1-2 items per box is fine by me. I'm not striving to get 5/5 boxes since I'd have a very difficult time justifying that expense each month. Getting one or two tops to add to my closet is fine by me and successful enough in my book!

I cheated again and looked at the list of items that were shipped to me before they arrived. I was kind of 'meh' about most of them when I hunted around on Google but it was still really fun to un-box the goods and try them on. I did my little fashion show after school, when Truman and Cecelia had quiet time on their screens and Porter crawled around and destroyed various parts of the house. Hence the children in the background of my pictures today;)

 1. 41Hawthorn Moni Geo Print & Camisole Blouse: $58
I've seen this top on the Stitch Fix Buy/Sell/Trade Facebook group I love to stalk, and I was intrigued because I do love the studs. And yes, I like bright orange as the color but the print is just okay for me. It came with a camisole because it's quite sheer and I'm not a huge fan of sheer tops that require layers, at least not when it's 90 degrees outside. I may change my tune when Fall actually arrives.

It fit alright I guess, but it's a total pet peeve to see where the bottom of the cami ends. I also think it's odd that the split in the sleeves is in the very back as opposed to the side of the sleeve. And the neckline isn't great on me, it kept flopping open.

I also think the poof of the sleeve combined with being not quite 3/4 length is just odd on my frame, too. So yeah, I like that it's a bold color and love the studs (or whatever they are called) but don't love this top.

VERDICT: returned

2. Collective Concepts Bradley V-Neck Blouse: $68

Love royal blue so much and the material on this is sort of a crepe-y, lightweight material. I like the rolled sleeves and the detailing around the neckline. BUT...

The definition of 'short and boxy' for me. I know that taking pictures with my arm raised up doesn't help but it really is pretty short in person, I swear. If it were longer and leaner I would be sold on this bad boy, but I'd probably still struggle with the price. Doesn't seem all that special to be nearly $70!

VERDICT: Returned

3. Skies are Blue Marquette Open Knit Cardigan: $68

I did request a short sleeved cardigan and normally love comfortable, sweater-y cardigans like none other. So I understand why Jacklyn sent this to me.

But it's not terribly long, it has SO much material I could probably wrap all three of my children up inside of it (alternative use?), and the dolman sleeves with such a chunky knit do not work for me. Love that it has pockets, the texture is cool, but the sleeve length is really bad on me. And the dolman combined with the massive amount of material in general looks strange. I don't know, it just felt very laughable to me when I had it on although it's not totally hideous in pictures.

VERDICT: returned

4. 41Hawthorn Colibri Solid Tab Sleeve Blouse: $48

This was the top that Jacklyn specifically referred to on the style card, saying it was a longer length. I liked it online when I saw it and hoped to get a really bold color like a royal purple I saw another girl receive on Facebook. So this red wine/mulberry color (no way is this 'light pink' like the receipt says) was a little bit of a bummer. Until I remembered that this is a good color on me in the fall and winter, it's a jewel tone and I do have a fleece that I've worn nearly 5 billion times that is this exact color. So I must actually like it even though it's hard to shift from Summer to Fall colors when the weather is not quite there yet.

Sleeves down and buttoned shown above. Sleeves rolled below.

I love the roll a lot, not a huge fan of them down with the gathers around the sleeve. And can we talk about the length? It really is long and is kind of my favorite length for me, wish every top hit me here instead of inches shorter. Maybe it's a 41Hawthorn thing, since two other tops I've kept from Stitch Fix have been from this brand? In fact the neckline and hem line remind me a lot of the green henley top I kept from my first fix, but obviously this is for cooler weather.

I like the side split although it does go up quite high on me, but I can overlook that because it's long enough in the back and front to maybe even work with leggings! Yesssss, although I suppose it's a nicer top that would be best with jeans or black pants. Definitely 'work appropriate' although I could see myself saving this for date nights or other non-work activities. I liked this top enough that I felt I should actually attempt to 'style' it, and Jacklyn suggested a statement necklace (plus the cardigan). I like long necklaces the best, something I've mentioned a few times to SF but haven't received any yet, so I paired one of mine with some black leggings and tall brown boots. I had Truman try to get a full length shot of me since my longest mirror is not the best for light, one sleeve was up and one down for some reason. And then Porter was d-o-n-e and wanted in on the action, too, my little muffin boy.

But yes, I really do like this top a lot. It's not super special or mind blowing but it's very 'me' and I was happy to see it was the most inexpensive of the bunch, too!

VERDICT: Kept

5. Daniel Rainn Cecil Scoop Neck Top: $68

It looks pretty short and boxy on the ground up there, huh? The print isn't my favorite, not a big paisley person, but I do like the colors and the fabric is silky and flowy.

The sleeves are different, not quite capped but definitely a little more off the shoulder or something. I paired it with some of my lighter wash jeans since the navyish-purple color didn't look right with dark jeans or black pants.

I could probably style this with a cute blazer or a fun pencil skirt (both things I don't own) to make it really cute, but by itself it's very 'meh' to me. I'm boring so if it's not awesome with a pair of jeans and a pony tail, it's really not worth it to me...especially with a $68 price tag.

VERDICT: Returning

So there you have it, a 1/5 box but still worth it since I got one long + work appropriate top for the Fall. Thoughts? Do you think I can be more specific with my feedback to get more tops like this since clearly I have a definitive style? Is it normal to get a different stylist every single time? I don't know, I just feel like they don't totally 'get' me yet but I know it can take time. I swear I'm telling them exactly what I want and like though, so who knows.

My referral link is here if you feel so inclined. And thanks to those who have already signed up through it, I hope you are having great luck with your boxes-o-clothes. ;)