stitchfix four - august 2014- goodbye, forever.

somehow it is october, and i am sorely behind on my blogging. i've been QUITE busy with life, but even though i didn't post a review right when i received my last stitchfix, i did manage to take pictures of the contents in box #4 (see my stitchfix 1 review for more information about this service).

after the last two disappointing boxes, i decided to request a different stylist.  my profile was already pretty detailed and specific, but i tried to make it even MORE so, hoping it would improve the contents of my next box.   for this fix, i requested dresses and tops that would be suitable for a photo shoot, with a focus on jewel tones.

in this fix i received:

under skies- jorja mini dot striped fit & flare dress- $58

susan monaco- edina scoop neck tank dress -$184

41 hawthorn- brydon twisted seams striped tank -$48

fun2fun- sonoma striped sleeveless top- $38

renee c- edmondo stud detailed split-back blouse- $48

i felt pretty lukewarm about the dress when i pulled it out of the box.  the pattern and colors weren't very interesting, and once i put it on, it was obvious that it was far too large on the top.  

the cut of this dress had promise.  i like fit and flare dresses, and with the exception of it being a tad more snug around my torso than i would have liked, i thought it was pretty cute.   

until... i looked at the price, which was $184, way WAY above my listed price range in my profile.  there wasn't even a chance that i'd shell out that kind of money for a jersey knit dress.   it wasn't that special, and i have no idea why the stylist even put this in my box.    

 moving on to the tops, the 41hawthorne tank was really soft and comfy and was kind of cute.  but, i thought it was on the large side, not particularly flattering, and not worth $48.    i also wouldn't want to wear something  this casual in a photo shoot.  this is more like something i'd wear for grocery shopping or maybe some casual outdoor outing?  

 the fun2fun top has an elongated round back which gave it some flare.  the material was also sort of sheer and scratchy, but the fit was decent.  i also wasn't particularly fond of the shade of orange used.  normally orange is my absolute favorite color, but something about this one (perhaps paired with the navy) was off-putting for me.   

when i first saw the split-back blouse, i was annoyed that it had mini gold studs all around the collar and down the back.  once it was on though, i decided they weren't that bad, and i kind of liked the idea of them. 

unfortunately, the cut of the front wasn't great.  at all.  it made me look bigger than i really am, and i felt really meh about it.   

the back however, was kind of cool, and i was sort of into it for a few minutes (i know. a few minutes is a long time.)

until i noticed some manufacturing flaws.  see how the studs are crooked at the collar? the fabric must have caught when the studs are were being... studded on. 

the studs on the front were an even more noticeable mess.  this was CLEARLY a return.  i briefly debated asking for a replacement, but after thinking about it, i really wasn't into the top, especially since it made me look so wide.  

once again, i was pretty disappointed with my box.  even though some of the items were okay, i still think the stylist missed the mark despite my detailed profile.  because i still had some stitchfix credit, i decided that instead of losing the $20 styling fee by not getting anything, i would just go ahead and keep the fun2fun orange/navy striped top.  i really didn't like it much (still don't), but i decided it was time to give up on stitchfix altogether--- and just use up my remaining referral credits.  i wound up paying something like $3 for the tank.  i figure it's worth at least $8, so i sort of won with that one.

so there you have it.  my 4th and final stitchfix review.  i have a couple friends that have had pretty decent success with this styling service, but apparently it just wasn't in the cards for me.  i really, really, really, wanted to love it, given my hatred for shopping, but... i don't. i just can't.   

out of frustration, i immediately signed up for keaton row, another styling service with a very different model.  honestly, i probably won't write a review on my experience, but currently it is free, and i have had a pretty positive experience so far, in case you want to give it a try.  

stitchfix three - july 2014- another fail

i'm not going to lie.  after my last stitchfix, i greeted the latest box with more fear than excitement (if you're unfamiliar with stitchfix*, check out my post about my first one here.). i was almost afraid to look at the pile when i opened it. but look-- so colorful and prettily tied with a sash from one of the items.   

in this fix, i received a pair of earrings, two blouses and two dresses.   unfortunately, i forgot to take a second look at the prices, and i'm not entirely sure i remember them correctly:

pixley- fantasia rhinestone deco earrings-$32 (or $36?)
ark n co- silvie floral beaded detail dress- $68? $78?

creative commune- rye floral print short sleeve blouse ~ $64?

skies are blue- moraga cut out detail blouse ~$48?

papermoon- waters diamond print maxi dress- $78

but before i get into it, i first want to apologize for not offering a fashion show with this post.  i wanted to. i really did. i set up the tripod, i set the timer, but the camera and i were just not getting along. it was just one of those days, i hope you understand.  

i had mix feelings about these earrings. i think i could almost like them-- and they actually looked reasonable on, from a distance, with my hair partially covering them.  so basically, i guess i don't like them at all.  they were just too large and gaudy for my taste.  

i tried on the ark n co dress first.  i liked the warm pink color, but was pretty certain the cut would be unflattering on me... and i hated the beading detail on top.  like a lot.  i actually specifically noted in my profile that beading was a no-no.  as i suspected, it was a little too large, and not that great of a fit overall.   it reminded me of the dress i disliked so much from my last box.

the creative commune blouse was flat out too large.  i was pretty much swimming in it, not to mention that i didn't like the print, and the colors were so intense... reminded me of an andy warhol print actually.  i didn't even have to think twice about this one.  

initially i thought this skies are blue blouse had potential.  however, i found the material scratchy and uncomfortable, even though it fit well.  i also couldn't get past the cut outs in the front.   i'm not opposed to cut outs, but these were just too large and too many and it just didn't look right on.  

at this point, i was worried.  the last item i tried on was the maxi dress. the color was fine, i liked the print ok.  i have actually wanted a maxi dress for a while, but i don't own any.  the material is soft and stretchy, and i was also pleased to find that the length was perfect.  i had anticipated it to be at least 5-10" too long, but it seems this one was cut for petites.  

but i wasn't sure.  something felt off, and i couldn't put my finger on it.
i went back and forth between yes and no about a 53 times. i texted pictures to my girlfriends.  i asked bffbf no repeatedly what he thought. something felt off about the dress, and ultimately i decided that the dress is too frumpy, and the $78 price tag certainly did not help.  i do have referral credit, which would soften the blow, but in the end i decided i'd rather lose another $20 than shell out additional cash to cover the rest on a dress i don't love, and quite frankly only looks okay on me... and ages me significantly.  which leads to the question, why does stitchfix keep sending me FRUMPY CLOTHES?  there is nothing in my profile that says, "please dress me like a my great-aunt mildred".  i'm bewildered, really.

so another fail, another $20 referral credit gone, and i am really disappointed. i am actually pretty ready to give up stitchfix* completely, but i do have some referral credit left, so i might as well give it another go, right?  

maybe the next box will be a hit, but honestly, i am not holding my breath. 

*leads to a referral link if you'd like to help support my fashion roulette habit.

stitchfix two - may 2014

on saturday morning, i found my second stitchfix box on my door step, and immediately busted it open to see what i received.   if you're unfamiliar with stitchfix, check out my post about my first one here.

my initial reaction was good. i had requested items with lots of color, and my stylist was definitely paying attention.   i also had requested dresses and a moto jacket, so i felt pretty pumped when i skimmed the product style cards that were included.

this is what came in the box, in order of appearance (below):

moon collection- steph sleeveless belted floral dress~$58

under skies- bria floral shift dress ~$48

evolution by cyrus- beyonce french terry asymmetrical jacket~$88

c. luce- mike floral print fit & flare dress ~$68

under skies-abbie pintuck button-back blouse ~$48

before trying on this dress, i thought maybe i could like it, despite the rather bohemian print.  it certainly wasn't something i would typically pick out, but i tried to be open minded.  however, once on, i felt chubby and unattractive.   although you can't see it in the picture, the back part of the dress was too loose and baggy.

i hated this under the skies dress at first sight.  while i am more than happy to wear a floral print, this one reminded me of an old lady's wallpaper, and looked something that my mother would wear.  i love my mother, but she's not the most stylish of ladies.  however, i dutifully tried on the dress, and my stylist was right about one thing-- it was a flattering cut, and fit quite perfectly.   bffbf actually quite liked it, but in the end i just couldn't get over how much i disliked the combination of the print and the cut of the dress together.

i really liked this jacket.  i am a huge fan of white and grey, especially together, and it fit well.  however, style-wise it was too sporty, and i was looking for something more feminine that i would actually wear frequently.

this mike floral dress was okay. the fit was about right, maybe only slightly too tight, and i liked the color.  but once again, the style was just off somehow... even though i realize that this floral print is somewhat similar to the print of the blouse from my first fix that i loved... yeah. i don't know what to tell you.  i just felt like this dress was either too old or too young for me-- i couldn't decide which.

the abbie blouse had potential.  i wasn't that big of a fan of the pleats + the lace cut out + the button back together (seemed too busy), but style wise it was acceptable.  i still wasn't over the moon for it though, and unfortunately it was just too loose and made me look too shapeless and chunky.   i may have kept it if it was a size smaller.

needless to say, i didn't keep anything in this stitchfix, and lost the $20 styling fee, although luckily i have a couple referral credits.  i am pretty sure i'll try the service again, maybe in july or august, and see what happens!  overall it was still fun to get the fix, even if it was disappointing that i didn't end up keeping any of it.  fingers crossed for next time!!

my very first stitchfix: february 2014

first naturebox, now stitchfix-- i'm just trying all kinds of things aren't i?
i first heard of stitchfix a couple months ago, and since i've been grumbling for years that i need a personal stylist, i decided it was a service i should try.

to provide a brief overview, stitchfix is a personal styling service. you fill out a detailed profile online, they send you a box of five items to try on, you pick what you want to keep, send back what you want in a prepaid envelope.  you're charged a $20 styling fee for each box, but that's put toward anything you buy.  if you buy everything in the box, you get a 25% discount (you see how they get you?).  

i initially wanted to receive a box in january, but the first available date i could choose for my shipment was in february -- it seems they've been overwhelmingly popular lately!

i inadvertently "cheated" and saw the list of what i was receiving by logging into my account before i actually received the package... and then once i saw what i was getting, i started a mad hunt across google trying to find images of my items.  i know. i know.  i shouldn't have done that.

i was immediately concerned about the prices (see below) and the fact that i was receiving two pairs of pants. i had requested a pair of skinnies but i was also hoping for a dress.  anyway, i could only find images of 2 out of the 5 items online , and i was still bouncing with excitement when my package arrived.

the clothes come tissue wrapped with a personal note and style cards that give you an idea of what you can wear the pieces with.

this is what came in my box:
sweet rain isaac floral print tab-sleeve blouse - $48
carlsbad lace detailed sleeveless blouse - $58
dear john kelli slim bootcut jean - $68
kut from the kloth danny (jennifer?) 5-pocket knit pants - $78
zad kayla metal teardrop earrings - $32

the sweet rain isaac floral print tab-sleeve blouse was one of the items i managed to find an image of online, and i knew already that i was going to love it.