Category: Fashion

Maryland is such a tease. We had a couple 60 degree days last week and then over the weekend there was more snow. MORE SNOW. I am SO sick of snow! I’m so sick of my winter clothes and I want the world to bust out in warm weather and springy prints, which I prance around singing Disney songs.

I mean, is that too much for a girl to ask for?!

With spring weather on my brain and songs in my head, I was hoping this month’s Stitch Fix would be a breath of warm air. Here’s the note I left for my stylist:

Sara J again! Let’s try some skirts and dresses again — I’m feeling the whole Jess from New Girl vibe right now with fitted tops and swing skirts. I pinned a bunch of dresses and skirts to my board for you to check out. If you need to go up in price a little for better quality, that’s okay. I’m also interested in trying a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans (pinned a pair).

So, did she deliver? Let’s check it out!

Item #1: Donna Morgan Dorie Floral Print Dress – $138
Oh my gosh, so exciting! I actually JUST pinned this dress on my pinterest page because I saw it on the Stitch Fix blog in a post about spring trends. I wasn’t sure if it was a top and skirt or a dress, but I knew I liked it!

For the first look I styled the dress for a spring/summer wedding or fancy get together. With the high neckline, I skipped the necklace and just added on a gold leather wrap bracelet and gold heels. The dress is super comfortable and the skirt is great for hiding tummy pooch.

For the second look, I made the springy dress more work appropriate by adding a bright sweater, skinny belt and gladiator wedges. I like that the dress is so versatile depending on the accessories you decide to add!

Keep or Return? I’m totally leaning towards keeping the dress. I love the colors and the fit is really great on my body shape! Oh and if you like it too, I totally found it on the Nordstrom website in sizes 8 – 16 (same price, $138) and on the Anthropologie website in sizes 0 – 14 (it’s $198 there though).

Item #2: Renee C Ari Skirt – $58
Let’s start with the positive – I really like the tribal/ikat pattern on this skirt. In fact, when I pulled it out of the box, I was already whispering sweet nothings to it in my head. Or out loud. However, when I put it on my bubble was burst. The elastic on the back of the waistband is really weird – it’s kind of skinny and twisted. I am considering buying the skirt and fixing it myself, but does that seem kind of silly for a $58 skirt?

For my first look, I tried to fix the wonky waistband by adding a thick woven belt… which did help. Just pretend the belt is black instead of brown! To finish the look, I threw on a black t-shirt, black gladiator wedges and a fun statement necklace.

For the second try, I kept the same shoes and t-shirt… but I untucked it. I also added on a long necklace and green cardigan for a more casual work look.

Keep or Return? I’m leaning towards returning this one. I really like the fabric and even the length of this skirt, but the twisting waistband makes it difficult to wear. Do you think I should return it or try to fix the waistband on my own?

Item #3: Pixley Hansen Scoop Neck Blouse – $48
YAY, another item that I recently pinned to my pinterest board! I loved this when I saw it on someone else because of the bright blue and the fun pattern. When I received it in this Fix, I realized that it is actually reversible with a v-neck on one side and a scoop neck on the other. I like both, but went with the v-neck for both of today’s looks.

Here’s my work look – I paired the blouse with a long necklace, bright sweater and a pair of work trousers. I love the way the blue pops against the red/orange of the sweater!

For my weekend look, I paired the blouse with the Henry & Belle Ria Distressed Skinny Jeans (below), a statement necklace and a pair of sandals. I’m totally loving this blouse!

Keep or Return? Keep, keep, keep!

Item #4: Henry & Belle Ria Distressed Skinny Jeans – $184
Okay, let’s ignore the price for a moment. Can we pretend to do that for a minute? Or at least pretend that I live in a world where I would spend $185 on a pair of jeans…? Anywho, they are soft as butter to put on and I thought they looked really cute in person, but when you look at the pictures it is clear that light colored jeans are not the best look on me. I have a very similar pair in a darker wash that look a billion times better!

I paired the jeans with the Pixley Hansen Blouse above, so I decided to style them as if I were running out with my kid on the weekend. I threw on a pair of my favorite chucks and my funnel neck top from a previous Fix. They are super comfy, but the lighter wash is just not doing it for me.

Keep or Return? Return. I already own a few pairs of skinny jeans that look good on me, so I don’t need a pair that just looks okay. I’d still like to try a pair of boyfriend jeans though!

Item #5: Renee C Addae Fit & Flare Dress – $68
First off, I love the bright cobalt blue of this dress… so pretty! The fabric also has a really subtle texture, which makes it look more expensive.

Here is the dress styled for a warmer day – all I added on was a statement necklace and a pair of cute ikat wedges. Full disclosure: I am wearing a shaper under this dress. The dress clings to my tummy and sides in a very unflattering way, so in order for it to look it’s best I had to smush everything down a little.

For the second look, I added on a floral sweater, statement necklace and a lower pair of patterned wedges.

Keep or Return? Return. I really like the color of the dress, but the fit is not the best on my body type. Also, the length is a little too short on me and I’d walk around in fear of a swift breeze.

Help Me!
When I opened this month’s Fix I was in LOVE. I feel like Sara really understands what I’m looking for and provided me with some really great options.I’m leaning towards buying both the floral dress and the blue patterned blouse. I’m a maybe on the patterned skirt (if I can figure out how to replace the waistband) and a definite no on the jeans and blue dress.

What do you think I should buy? I always love to hear your feedback, so leave me some comments below and tell me what you think! Do you agree with my choices or am I overlooking another winner?

Decision Update: Thank you all for your feedback! I ended up purchasing the floral dress and the Pixley blouse. My next Fix will be delivered at the end of April and I can’t wait to share it with you!

 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Stitch Fix, I pay for the $20 styling fee and any clothing I purchase with my own hard-earned money. If you enjoyed my review and decide to try Stitch Fix for yourself, the biggest compliment you can give me is by using my referral link. Thank you to anyone who chooses to click through and support my shopping addiction!

Psssst…Do you love checking out what other people received in their Fixes? I added quick links to every single one of my reviews on my Stitch Fix Reviews page!

In order to get the most out of my monthly Stitch Fix subscription I’ve gotten into a bit of a routine. A little 5 step routine to ensure that I get the most out of the Stitch Fix experience. Since I’ve had a few more friends sign up for Stitch Fix, I wanted to share my tips with you!

Step 1: Try Each Item On

Now it’s totally up to you if you immediately squeal loudly and strip off all your clothes as soon as you hear your mail person drop your Stitch Fix box at the door. I mean, I do. Obviously. But you may decide to be a little more refined about it, if that’s more your style. What isn’t negotiable is to try on every single item in the box.

It seems a bit of a “duh” step, but so many times, people say “Oh, I knew I hated it when I took it out of the box, so I didn’t even bother to try it on!” Um… why? It will literally take you a minute to try an item on since you’re already throwing clothes on and off, so why not give it a chance? Sure, you may immediately decide that you hate the cut, or color, or shape of an item. But until it is actually on your body, you don’t really know.

Take that extra minute and try everything on, even if you think you’re going to hate it. Maybe you’ll surprise yourself and actually like the piece. Or, if you do indeed hate it, figure out WHY you hate it, so that you can leave better feedback for your next Fix.

Step 2: Make at Least Two Outfits & Use the Style Cards

So, you’ve tried everything on and you have some favorites. Great! Now is the fun part: Go into your closet and put together at least two outfits using each new piece. No matter how awesome that new blouse may look to you, if it doesn’t go with a couple different things in your closet, it might not be the best buy for you right now.

Stitch Fix makes it easy on you by including their Style Cards. At first glance you might not know what to pair with a gray swing skirt, but by checking out the cards you can easily find something similar to try.

Step 3: Take Pictures & Ask Friends What They Think

Even if you’re not a blogger who is interested in posting your Stitch Fix items for the whole world to see, it’s still a great idea to get some feedback. My friend Katie takes pictures of each of her pieces and texts them to me to check out. Other friends have posted their Fix items on Facebook and asked for opinions. Sometimes another pair of eyes is exactly what you need to decide whether to go for that saucy pair of red jeans.

I would say to ask your husband/significant other/spouse, but if they are anything like mine you’ll get one of two answers: The “everything looks great on you” answer, or the “I don’t understand why that top has two different kinds of stripes” answer. Neither is very helpful.

Step 4: Complete the Return Survey & Be Brutally Honest

It’s easy to say that you don’t like something, but when you are filling out your return survey for Stitch Fix be sure to tell them WHY you didn’t like the item. Was it too expensive? Do you have a white-hot hate for anything gray? Was the fabric so thin that you could see every lump and bump through it? Do dolman-sleeve tops make you want to punch a puppy?

Whatever the reason is, make sure to type it into your return survey. This way, when your stylist looks through your notes to style your next Fix they will know what doesn’t work and how to avoid it.

Step 5: Send it Back

Okay, so you tried on all the items in your Stitch Fix box, took some pictures, asked your best friend what she thought and left some feedback. Great! Now all that is left is to pack up everything you don’t want to purchase and throw it back in the mail. You have three days to mull over your decision before you put the rejects back in the prepaid shipping bag, so take the entire time if you need it!

Disclaimer: This post appeared on BlogHer.com. This post is not sponsored by Stitch Fix, I pay for the $20 styling fee and any clothing I purchase with my own hard-earned money. If you enjoyed my review and decide to try Stitch Fix for yourself, the biggest compliment you can give me is by using my referral link. Thank you to anyone who chooses to click through and support my shopping addiction!

Psssst…Do you love checking out what other people received in their Fixes? I added quick links to every single one of my reviews on my Stitch Fix Reviews page!