The Unintended Consequences of Stitch Fix

This post could also be called, The Only Stitch Fix Review You Will Ever Need or Way Too Many Words about My Stitch Fix Experience. Let’s just say that I am not officially sold on the idea. It’s been a while since I shared my 1st Stitch Fix experience, time for an update!

If you have never heard of Stitch Fix, it is a mail order company that sends out 5 items picked out for you by a personal stylist. The boxes are shipped to you as often as you’d like. You pay a $20 styling fee for each box you receive, but if you buy anything from the box the $20 is credited towards your purchase. You also get a 25% discount if you purchase all 5 items from the box, and a $25 credit towards future purchases if you refer a friend.

I usually try to purchase most of my clothes on sale, so I was initially hesitant about the $20 “styling fee.” Still, having a real stylist send you picks sounded like a fun idea to use as a special treat. During my pregnancy and postpartum, I socked away my clothing budget each month for the purpose of refreshing my wardrobe once I lost the baby weight. I used signing up for Stitch Fix as the carrot on the stick to get me out the door and moving.

I reviewed my 1st box and was smitten with the idea, but sadly found no keepers. When I received my 2nd Stitch Fix box, I was not impressed. Whomp, whomp.

I was ready to chalk it up as a wash and even write a negative review after I received this accessory I thought at first glance was a free gift; like the kind you get when you buy cosmetics at the department store.

But this was no free gift. I still don’t know how a clear plastic pouch with polka dots could be $38. What! I was really disappointed with this one.

I was tempted to cancel my Stitch Fix account right then, but I did get the pair of jeans that I loved from my 1st Fix, now in the right size.

They fit great. I love them, and they have quickly gone into full wardrobe rotation. I even did a happy dance over them that my daughter captured.

I will wear these jeans for years and would have never picked them without Stitch Fix. But has it been worth the $20 styling fee?

Besides my new favorite jeans, the three other items in my 2nd box were just as underwhelming as the overpriced plastic pouch. For instance, this striped shirt was cute and comfy, but I was swimming in it. Maybe a size smaller would have looked better.

For me, one of the biggest downfalls of the Stitch Fix service- there is only one size to try on. I don’t believe having multiple sizes would really be feasible with this type of service but it feels like a waste of a $20 styling fee when I get something that I like but in the wrong size. 

Then there are some items that have one thing off, like this cardigan that was cut to flair up at the belly.

I love the color, love the softness, love the faux scarf look, but the changing length hits right at a self-conscious area which would always bother me no matter how much I loved the rest of the cardigan. Plus I felt the $58 price tag was a smidge too high.

Then there are some pieces that are just way off, like this dress.

I felt too frumpy; plus pale skin and pale yellow don’t play well together.

In conclusion, my 2nd box was only mildly successful because of the jeans. I decided I would give Stitch Fix one more try.  Three tries seemed fair. Then something strange happened.

While waiting for my 3rd box to come, I started noticing clothes in the store that I normally wouldn’t even give a second glance.

I found this dress that looked eerily similar to the Maxi dress I returned from my first Stitch Fix box, however the price tag was much friendlier.

I wear it, I love it.

That’s about when my 3rd box arrived. It did not start off so strong.

Stripes on my thighs, nope. Boxy yet asymmetrical tank, no thank you. Green jeans that are even tight on your knees, oh no. This picture doesn’t look quite as bad as those jeans felt by the way.

I returned it all. But it wasn’t a total loss.

For instance, I love the cut and feel of the gray shirt from the 3rd box but not the price, $44 (but –$20 credit from the styling fee would make it $24).

At Old Navy, I found this very similar one in light blue. To be fair it is not as soft but the $9 price tag was a perfect fit for my lifestyle (baby spit-ups and carpool).

The funny thing is I would have never picked out this shirt to try on. Thanks to Stitch Fix this shirt is now a go-to in my wardrobe. I feel put together while still able to run around after kiddos (i.e. get sweaty and not ruin my $44 shirt).

The bottom line: Because of Stitch Fix I updated my wardrobe, but not necessarily with clothes from Stitch Fix. For me, the priority was to find pieces that fit both in size and budget.

Maybe it was the style cards that came along with each shipment, admittedly my favorite part, which provided the styling inspiration.

Whatever it was, Stitch Fix’s unintended consequence was more shopping.

This was contradictory to the initial benefit that drew me to the service in the first place; new clothes without having to go out clothes shopping and more importantly without having to try on clothes in those hot dressing rooms with grumpy kids. I might be a rare exception, but this service just inspired me to go shopping!

There are certainly much cheaper ways to be inspired: shopping with a friend, browsing Pinterest style boards, and fashion bloggers of course, (Kendi, J and Ms. Quirk never disappoint). But, I surprisingly found Stitch Fix to be very effective.

I’d read reviewers touting the benefits of trying on things you would never pick out for yourself. But since I had never been one to shy away from a new trend or a different style, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed.

But to prove me wrong the Stitch Fix stylist threw in this little ditty.

I am smitten with this blue striped dress and would have NEVER tried it on in a store.

This dress won me over! So, it is with starry-eyed wonder I profess that Stitch Fix is fabulous. But just to be fair, we all know the lack of judgment that goes along with a crush, so let’s look at the numbers one last time. Numbers don’t lie (or is that hips?).

Total spent on 3 boxes from Stitch Fix:

Box 1 –  $20 styling fee

kept nothing

total = $20

Box 2 –  $20 styling fee

kept jeans $78 – $20 styling fee credit + tax

total = $82.35

Box 3 –  $20 styling fee

kept dress $54 – $20 styling fee credit + tax

total = $56.55

Grand total $158.90

So is $159 worth it for a dress and jeans? In my book, no; not when there are 5 people in my family to clothe. But was it fun? Yes, absolutely, and the hidden bonus was a few budget-friendly outfits because of it. Would you like some more numbers for proof? Sure!

Money Saved by not buying Stitch Fix (but all items purchased thanks to the stylist inspiration):

Old Navy

light blue shirt $9.20 vs Grey shirt $44 = $32 saved

Pink Maxi dress $23 vs Blue Maxi dress $88 = $62 saved

Grand total saved $94

I might try Stitch Fix again for a special occasion like my birthday since it is always fun to splurge on some special pieces. But until then, I’ll keep scouring the clearance racks.

Is your birthday coming up soon? Click over on this link if you are interested in signing-up for Stitch Fix because if this review didn’t convince you to join, I don’t know what will. Did I mention you get a $25 referral credit if you refer a friend?