Stitch Fix… Fell Flat

When you have to fill out a three page long style profile, you expect that the stylist you’re assigned is going to at least read it. That, to me, was the biggest problem I had with stitch fix.  

In the 4 months that I've been getting my stitch fixes, I *think* I had two stylists. I’m not sure anymore, there might have been more.

 

So here's what I got, what I kept, and how they fared....

 

Fix #1

I was expecting this one to be bumpy. After all, what can a style profile tell you? I hoped to get one think I liked and maybe—through the use of well applied feedback—get a better fix on the second go-around.

What I got was:

A dress that I absolutely LOVED! Except, I’d never be able to wear it because it was the wrong size (Didn’t I have to fill out a thing with my boob size in it? So why am I getting a dress made for an a-cup?)

A shirt that was a gorgeous color and deliciously soft fabric, but had a high-low hem and was too clingy around my tummy (unforgiving fabric was unforgiving)

A blouse that looked like I’d thrown the white lace equivalent of a burlap bag over my head

A chunky necklace that looked like it came out of a plastic egg from a $0.25 mall dispenser

And what I kept was:

A pair of work pants with a blue and white good & plenty pattern that I didn’t hate. They’re basically really thick leggings.

How they fared:

Several washes in, the pants are still holding up okay. They’ve faded a lot and they remain unfortunately tight (even though I’ve lost 5 lbs since getting them)

 

Fix #2

Leaving as much feedback as I did, I was hopeful upon receipt of the next fix and opened the box a little more excited than I had been before.

What I got was:

Black and white diagonal striped v-neck shirt. At first I was excited about this one! A) I love V-necks and B) it felt awesome and silky. When I put it on… it felt like a sausage casing and again I was confused at how it seemed that my stylist could send me clothes that were so many different sizes.

Jersey tank dress, white horizontal stripes on top, black on bottom. This one fit fine, it had a boat neck style that I didn’t hate, but was at that weird length that makes me look even shorter than I already am.

What I kept was:

A pair of high-waisted black-wash, cuffed jean shorts

A blue peasant-style blouse with white hearts and a tank top (since the blouse itself is sheer)

A silver feather pendant necklace on a long chain.

How they fared:

I wear the necklace all the time, but I’ve found that I’m pretty disappointed I kept the shirt and the shorts. The shorts cuffs were not sewn in, so after one wash, they were suddenly two inches longer, leaving them at an unflattering length. I sewed them by hand (to keep from breaking my sewing machine) but I’m unhappy with that development. After trying to wear the blouse a few times, I’ve come to accept that I won’t be able to wear it without modifying it. The neckline is wrong and the way it hangs off my boobs makes me look gigantic.

 

Fix #3

After the success (or what I felt was success at the time) of the second fix, I was certain fix #3 had the potential to be THE ONE. That I had a chance of liking ALL THE THINGS.

What I got:

Rayon-esque peasant style hi-lo tank top with keyhole in the back. The draping was okay, but the pattern (brown and robin’s egg blue floral) looked like the worst kind of throw-back. Some eras shouldn’t be revisited.

Grey and white horizontal striped tank dress. This one felt lovely. Fabric was slinky, but still sturdy, but once I put it on, it felt like I was wearing a bathrobe. It had a fake drawstring waist that was annoying, and had gathered sides that were more awkward than they were cute.

A bracelet they called a bangle, but had a tricky clasp and looked like it had been spray painted gold. With wired on “crystals.” I specifically marked that I don’t wear gold. Ever.

Grey boat neck sweater with horizontal navy? Stripes and 3/4 sleeves. This one was just okay. But after the previous shirt mishap, and knowing that I’d never be able to wear it to work (need full sleeves) it would have spent most of the year tucked away for cooler weather.

What I kept:

A Pair of work pants. Plain black. Again, basically thick leggings. They’re slim cut and they work great with my ballet flats and whatever random shirt I grab down.

How they fared:

A month later, I still like them, though they roll oddly at the tummy. They’re just pants. Nothing special about them.

 

Stitch #4

So before this stitch, I rearranged my style profile and sent a very detailed note asking for two things. Firstly, we’re going to a wedding at the end of the month and I was hoping they’d come up with an awesome new dress (I was really hoping for something like the first dress they’d sent me) and secondly, I wanted something out of my normal color palate.

What I got:

A gray, cropped “moto” jacket that looked like someone had tried to mix preppy, punk, & business casual and wound up with that ugly color you get when you mix all the colors of paint (not quite brown….). On top of the fact that I’ll never wear something as lacking in function as a cropped coat, the zippers for the pockets… yeah the pulls hung down like nipple tassels on me. WTF.

A black and gray 3/4 sleeve shirt. T-shirt style fabric for the sleeves and lower part of the shirt, a weird quilted type for the top 2inches? I put it on and immediately said “No.” the shoulder seems were half way between my neck and shoulders creating a LOVELY puff look that made me want to call the stylist and ask her if she thought I was a twelve year old girl.

A “navy” shirt made of a see through material that looked inside out, had a crooked neckline, and hung like another burlap sack. This was the point I knew that nothing in the box was going to work.

The first of the dresses they sent me was a navy, lace, body-con style that had the neckline where everything is a triangle down from a collar. In the style profile, I marked that I wanted to show off my cleavage and hide my shoulders. This did the exact opposite. The fit was fine from the neck through waist, but it took a crazy dive inward at my thighs and I was fairly certain it would cut my circulation off if I kept it on any longer. Also, the thing was covered in snags and loose threads. It was difficult to see how they expected anyone to pay $78 for the damn thing. As far as whether or not I’d wear it to a wedding…. The tightness of the hem made the whole thing ride up and after two steps, it was at “clubbing” length. So, no.

A black and navy color-blocked business dress. While I liked the length, the thing made me look like a 45 year old corporate secretary… not a 28 year old headed for a friend’s wedding. The long zipper bunched at the back and the blocking made me look like I had a wide torso while somehow completely masking my boobs. It was disconcerting and all around disappointing.

What I kept:

Nothing. The fix was an exercise in disappointment, from the moment I opened it to see nothing but dark colors (unlike my request) to the fact that even though I’m extremely thorough in my feedback, they just can’t seem to get it right.

 

Why I’m not getting “fixed” again:

I feel like by the fourth try a fix where they get nothing write is a pretty clear death stroke. There should be something in each box that the stylist KNOWS I’m going to keep. I have a feeling they switched me to a different stylist between 3 & 4. That was a mistake. Clothing is tied to personality so strongly that there’s no way you’re going to hit pay-dirt on a first go (especially when no one seems to be referencing my style profile.)

I know a lot of other people who use stitch fix and have gotten great results. I envy them.

For now, I’ll go back to having boring clothes, because clearly whatever fashion is, I’m not a fan.

A Modcloth Dress Moment

I've ordered several dresses over the last week. But one thing is abundantly clear. I need to broaden my dress palette, since I would like to get in the habit of wearing a dress or skirt at least once a week.

Here's a few dresses I'd like to consider buying from Modcloth that aren't in the pink/purple/white realm!

Too Much Fun Dress in Red Anchors - I love the retro feel of this dress as well as the fact that I think it would be super simple to dress up or down.
Mermaid to Measure - Oddly enough, I do not have a LBD, and while I'm not certain this would be as versatile as I might want, I love the details of it (there's even a bow on the back!).
It Mustard been You - (is mysteriously missing from the website atm) I like the hit of sunshine in this dress that could easily have been more brown. I really love the delicate dot pattern, and love the idea of pairing this with a grey cardi-type sweater, an awesome pair of burgundy tights and tall brown boots.

Teal Tuesday - I love the brightness of this dress and while I think the sleves are too long for summer wear here in Phoenix... I do think it would be a fun, 3 season, addition to my current wardrobe.
Windy Day Date - I already have a yellow dress in on this list, but I love the shape, and pattern of this one. It reminds me of an old set of throw pillows my grandmother had that I always thought would have made a wonderful dress. It seemed such a waste of fabric.
Romance Holiday -  This dress is just too sweet for words (and that's undoubtedly why its sold out)
Flow Motion - There's something fun about this flowy frock. It would be great with a sparkly belt and some fun pumps.

Silt the One - I love the color orange. It's all over the place in my house. But it does strange things to my face - coloring wise - so this is a perfect option! I love the band of blue, and how the orange portion almost appears to be a pinafore!
Lining Up to See - There's something so wonderfully Marcel Marceau about this dress. I wouldn't wear it with a beret and pretend I was some crazy Parisian (or maybe I might), but I do love the possibility of pairing this with so many different color options!
Let's Polka Dot -  I know, I know, this last one is purple and thereby defeats the purpose of looking for dresses in other colors.... but it has LONG SLEEVES! and its at a length I don't find terribly skimpy!

F&D: Dresses

There is one article of clothing that I don’t own many of… and I’m sure you’ve gathered that it’s dresses (unless maybe you didn’t read the title or see the picture above this…).

 

The problem with me and Dresses: There is an appalling lack of them that are a length I’m willing to wear.

What’s most depressing about that is that I’m not what you would call tall. The opposite in fact, so it’s rather depressing just how short dresses are anymore. I can’t imagine how much irritation I’d have if I was Amazonian.

Occasionally, however, I do find a gem out there, and this is my small collection of gems.

 

I own four Casual Dresses and two more formal.

 

The casual dresses - oddly, all have white in them somewhere.

• The Purple Kimono dress is from Target (I wore it at the tea party back in July). I really enjoy this dress – though it’s a little short, so I’ll pretty much always wear leggings with it. It’s like wearing a really long t-shirt, and heaven knows I love my t-shirts.

• The White Maxi is from Utility Skate shop (I wore it at the Clue party last October). I almost always pair this with a light blue cardigan, but I have yet to find a pair of shoes I’m in love with to go with it. There’s something rather fun about a floor length dress… makes me feel like I’m a little kid playing dress up again.
• The Rockabilly Roses is from Pinupgirlclothing.com. I absolutely love the whimsy of the roses and the full circle skirt. The halter top-ness of it can be a little ungainly, as it was designed with someone of a bigger bust to ribcage ratio in mind (also, I believe a longer torso).
• and the Floral Sun Dress is from Aeropostal (I have no pictures of myself in this dress… how odd.) I bought this back when I was young and foolish thought I could convince myself to wear sundresses all summer long (WRONG). I do still really enjoy it, and though it's shorter than all the others, that's fine for hanging around the house.

 

The not-so-casual dresses were both purchased for Weddings, and as of right now, both need to be altered before I should wear them again.

• The Purple Taffeta is from David’s Bridal, it is absolute heaven to wear (When it fits propperly, as it did for the first wedding I wore it to), but now that I've lost weight, it's heavy fabric kind of makes it feel like I'm wearing a sack. So It's on the list of things to take to the tailor. 
• The Teal Form-hugger is from Modcloth (Toastess with the Mostest) I absolutely adore it... but haven't been able to wear it anywhere yet. Sadly, while it fits like a glove and is the perfect color on me, the straps are about a half inch too long. and they're not the sort of thing I'll be able to fix on my own. So it too must head to the tailor.

 

Overall, what I'm getting at with this is that I need to think about putting more dresses in my wardrobe... and if you're still hanging around after all this jabbering about Dresses... well, I guess you must really care about my clothes, or you were bored enough to listen to be prattle on.

Fash & Dash: Shoes... (I might have a squidge of a problem)

It's an interesting thing to pull all your shoes out and line them up. I keep mine neatly stacked in my closet in their boxes - well, most of them. There are five pairs up there that don't end up in boxes and live beneath the lower bar holding my work slacks.

I do love shoes, maybe it's a part of my female genetic make-up? Maybe not. Either way, I have a lot of shoes (imo, I realize I'm no Imelda - we're talking "for a girl who spend half her childhood on a farm")

Let's start from the top and go counter clock-wise, shall we?
1: My unsensible heels - They're pretty, they sparkle... but, their heels are 4" or higher... which means they're not the best option most of the time.
2: BOOTS! A pair of flats that are fabulous for usual tomfoolery and a pair with a minimal heel, just for fun! (Somehow, my hiking boots didn't make it into the picture here...)
3: Flats! I don't have any work pants that work with these right now, but flats are by far my favorite option for the office.
4: My sensible heels - even if the middle pair is Purple Faux Aligator, they're less than 4" which makes them a little more foot-friendly (though the black pair is an odd height and I almost always find myself with calf cramps when I wear them.)
5: Sneakers - these are the things I wear most often out of work. I love my purple polka-dotted chucks and the sketchers are pretty comfortable for long walks around downtown.
6: Sandals - Notice this is the same pair of shoes just in two colors? I wear the black pair almost every day to work because I love them (You can't see it in the photos but they're wedges and I lurve them.


But here's the thing. That's seventeen pairs of shoes - I think we can all agree I do not have seventeen pairs of feet... and still, I can think of several reasons why I need to be on the lookout for other pairs.

I need a pair of flip flops, since I killed my last pair about 6 months ago... I need a better pair of running shoes - ones that were, you know, designed for running...  and it goes on. And at the same time I look at my list of shoe "wants" and think... I really should wait... and it's just a vicious battle in my brain.

How can you not love shoes with embellishments like these!?!