Style – A Sprinkle of Life

Giving Stitch Fix another try – February 2023

February 26, 2023 No Comments

If you read my last post, you know I decided to request a fix, after quite some time away from the company, to get some pieces for my first business trip since Covid began. Well, my fix arrived, although it did come a couple days later than I had requested, so I was worried we were already off to a bad start.

What I asked for:
– Flare jeans (no distressing – dark color)
– Possibly a dress with short sleeves
– Some tops for work
– A resort set that I saw advertised in a Facebook ad

I also mentioned I was up for some pieces that were more fashion forward that could expand my style, continuing to reference the ads that the company is displaying on Facebook, which looked like great Fixes compared to some I’ve gotten before.

In my last post, you also know that I decided to give the “preview your fix” feature a try this go around, and picked 3 items from the stylist’s initial pull and left 2 items to be a mystery. Let’s dig into my box and start with the items I already knew were coming from the preview email I received before shipment.

Kaileigh – Jaylee Jumpsuit
This jumpsuit that screams spring with its green and floral details retails for $58. It’s meant to be a cropped leg look, similar to a length you’d expect with capris.

The jumpsuit itself was fairly comfortable, but it was a bit big on me. I probably could have gone down a size since the fabric is so loose and stretchy. The chest opening was also in desperate need of a hook and eye closure. The wrap section around the chest wasn’t very form fitting or had any elastic to hold it in place, which led to it being pretty revealing at times.

Monday Fun – Kearny Henley Top
This flowy top in light blue retails for $44.

This style of top is nothing new from Stitch Fix. I’ve seen this cut and style dozens of times, and have kept some of the tops over the years. What drew me to choosing this from my preview was the color. I love light blue and I thought the accents of white drops of color were pretty. I wasn’t too sure from the photos of the item what the pleating on the front would look like. When I pulled this out of the box, it was super wrinkly, so I steamed it in order to take pictures and to try to get it looking somewhat decent. This is definitely not a top to pack in a suitcase.

What bothered me about this top was that it doesn’t do anything for your body. It literally makes you look boxy and heavy. It’s not flattering and just hangs there. Now I love a loose top, especially in warmer weather or for commuting, but this top just didn’t scream “young” or “fashionable.” It didn’t give me the vibe I was looking for.

Nine Britton – Billie Tie Front Brushed Knit Top
For $40, this was the cheapest item in my fix this go around.

This top stood out in my preview since it was a great neutral color, and it looks like it’d be pretty comfy. The fabric on the outside of this top, or what I’d call a lightweight sweater, is super duper soft and creamy. Probably one of the softest pieces of clothing I’ve tried on. The inside of the top isn’t as soft as the outside, but that’s probably because it’d heat you up and make you sweat based on how decadent the fabric feels. I also liked the little knot detail at the bottom, giving it a little something different from a regular long sleeve top.

Heatherly – Loretta Tiered Blouse
You can make this hot pink number yours for $46. This top was also the first of two mystery pieces in my fix.

In your Stitch Fix profile, you’re able to dictate what colors you don’t like or want items to be in. I’m pretty sure hot pink is one that I’ve said is a no go for me, but alas, here we are. Immediately when I pulled this out of the box, I knew I wasn’t going to be in love. The chest area has a weird detail where it outlines each breast and it just looked horrible holding it up. When I tried it on, I wasn’t surprised how unflattering it was. I had to pull the top up a bit in the photo above, because a large amount of my bra would otherwise be exposed. You can see some of my bra is still poking out after I hiked it up a bit. I don’t know how you’re supposed to wear this, but either your bra is going to be on full display, or if you go braless, this is going to look even worse than it does. The fabric was also super cheap. I don’t know if I’ve had a worse piece in a fix before. This is certainly not worth the price, and is not something I could wear to work.

Democracy – Kathryn Ab Solution HIgh Rise Itty Bitty Bootcut
Our last item was something I requested, a dark wash jean. This pair retails for $88.

When I requested a dark pair of jeans, I asked for a flare pant. I was thinking more of a traditional bell bottom type pant, so when I saw the word “bootcut” I was worried that it wasn’t going to give me the look I wanted. First off the bat, the color is great. Dark washed jeans like this can go with anything. The flare of the jean wasn’t too large, and wasn’t too small, so I felt it was pretty close to what I was hoping for. The jeans also feel an itty bitty loose around the waist line, which I don’t mind. They are comfortable, and while a smidge on the long side, I think they’ll work fine with sneakers. Also, side note, why do jeans need some a crazy long name?!

Now that I’ve tried everything on, it’s time to decide what stays and what goes. Overall, I have to say I was disappointed in this fix and the quality of the items. Some things weren’t super terrible, both nothing blew me away either.

In the end, I decided to keep the jeans and the comfy tan tie front top. I could easily pair these two items together, and wear them with other pieces. The top would look great with a white pant, and the pants will look great with everything from sweaters to t-shirts and tanks.

I was originally on the fence with the jumpsuit, since I love a romper and jumpsuit for ease of packing and comfortability, but it was too big and I didn’t feel like trying my hand at sewing in a snap or hook and eye closure to make it workable.

The other two tops were cheap in feel and design, especially the disco sleeved full expose hot pink piece.

When I saw the recent Facebook ads, I thought Stitch was looking more fun and elevated than ever before. In the second picture you can see the resort wear set I fell in love with that led me here.

I didn’t get anything as fun or fashionable in my box, and when I went to review my fix on the site, I felt kind of let down. I used to love Stitch Fix, and it made my life easy, but after this box, I’m not sure I’d rush back anytime soon. Maybe there’s something else out there worth checking out instead…

If you have any suggestions of companies worth checking out, or brands that are great for those of us in our 30s, let me know!

Reviews, Style

A Stitch Fix Preview – Choosing Items Before Delivery

February 12, 2023 No Comments

It has been quite a while since I ordered a fix from Stitch Fix. With my first work trip coming up since Covid began, I’ll be traveling to a new office and seeing some of my team members in person for the first time. It seemed like a great time to see what Stitch Fix has to offer nowadays.

I decided to try something new this time, and give the “Preview Your Fix” feature a go. Stitch Fix didn’t always offer this functionality, so when I first started getting fixes this wasn’t a thing, making me accustomed to a surprise every box. When I got the email this time around, I figured “what the heck,” let’s see if I can help make my fix as successful as possible since it’s been a hot minute.

If you still want to be surprised, like I usually do, just archive or delete the email, and wait for your fix day.

For those of us feeling a bit curious or impatient, when you click “select your pieces” you’re brought to what I would call a little curated shop just for you. You can see your stylist’s name, and several pieces they thought would be a good fit based on your fix note when you scheduled your box.

You don’t have to choose 5 pieces, which is super helpful because I wasn’t in love with most of the items in my fix preview. The nice thing is you can either like an item, dislike it, or just ignore it. When you like an item it’s included automatically in your fix, but what about the things I didn’t dislike or like, do they go off into oblivion?

My fix preview included 10 items for me to review and select from. A range of dresses, tops, two bottoms, one bag and a romper.

Nothing stood out as super amazing or exciting to me in the fix, but there were a few pieces that I thought could possibly be my style. I figured I’d do a mix of trying some of the items from my preview, selecting less than 5, to see what happens with the rest of my box.

I wonder what the 2 mystery items will be!? Will they be brand new items I didn’t see in my preview? Will they be the items I didn’t click “dislike it” for? Thankfully, I only have a few days to wait before I find out.

Stay tuned for my fix review!

Try it out for yourself in the meantime.

Reviews, Style

Saying Goodbye to Infinitely Loft

April 17, 2021 No Comments

For the past ~2 years I’ve been using the rental service Infinitely Loft on and off. I took a several month long break for quite a while during the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic and in the midst of us moving into our first house. I figured I could save a little bit of money while I spent a bucket load setting up my new home, buying furniture, and working from home that I didn’t really need to get all dressed up for the time being.

Fast forward to a couple months ago when I resubscribed. I had been working from home for almost a year and decided why not do something for myself and get some cute outfits here and there to spice things up a bit.

It worked out well until a month or so ago when the announcement came that Loft would be shutting down the service due to Covid-19 difficulties. To this day I’m still not sure if that means Infinitely Loft is done for good, or just for a few months or so until they figure out what’s going on in the country pandemic wise. The good news is that vaccines have been rolling out more and more so maybe that will make things come back to life?

When I got the news I was saddened since I had just gotten back into the groove and excitement of getting new items every week or so. Knowing that my time with the program was limited, and seeing that they were giving more discounts off if you wanted to buy an item, I decided to use this time to my advantage and request items I really loved the look of and wanted to possibly buy.

I threw in items for Spring and Summer, even though it was still in the 40s around here, thinking why not see if I can get some of my favorited items for really cheap!? In the past, I’ve had really great success buying some of the items I’ve rented. I’ve never had a problem with the articles of clothing being damaged, looking used, etc.

Here’s just a sampling of some of the items I snagged for 85% off during my last month on the service.

Trellis Garden Ruffle Jumpsuit In Whisper White – Infinitely Loft
$15.00

Tortoiseshell Print Belt Strappy Romper In Black – Infinitely Loft
$13.50

Flutter Romper In Whisper White – Infinitely Loft
$13.50

Summary:
In total, I rented 123 items throughout my time on the program.
Of the 123, I purchased 17 items.

What I enjoyed most about Infinitely Loft was that I was able to try a variety of new styles that I might not have otherwise. From jumpsuits to maxi dresses, there was something new and exciting always available to rent. I also got to play around with colors that I typically don’t purchase or wear because of my coloring as a redhead, but found some colors I really enjoyed (burnt yellow/mustard).

I’ll be crossing my fingers for the program to return in the near future. I know I’ll be happy to sign back up, especially as life starts coming back to normal and return to the office will be coming soon.

Reviews, Style

Shopping my Stitch Fix Looks

June 27, 2020 No Comments

Not too long ago, Stitch Fix introduced a new feature in their app and site called “Shop Your Looks.” It seemed really intriguing, you can finally order pieces without getting a whole fix, which could be a huge toss up.

Their first launch was around completing your looks you already had. I wasn’t really interested in that feature, since I was looking for brand new looks and pieces, rather than something to dress up or down my current dresses or tops. So when I saw the new tab that allowed you to shop unique looks pulled for you based on your style quizzes, and past purchases, I figured it was worth giving a shot.

I’m still disappointed to see it’s not advertising any rompers to me, but I did notice a couple of items that stood out. One of the items that caught my eye was a cute flowy faux wrap dress. As you’ve heard me say before, there’s nothing more universally flattering than a wrap dress. It’s perfect for all shapes and sizes, and really flatters your body shape. I made the selection via the app, and within a couple of days it arrived at my door step.

When I pulled it out of the bag, I immediately loved everything about it, from the fabric, to the print, to the color. The blue is gorgeous and the pattern is fun and bright. I also really love how soft, flowy, and comfortable this dress feels. It’s simply an effortless choice. I noticed when I checked the app again they had some other colors in the same dress, but they weren’t my style, but if they create other colors, I might just have to splurge one day!

The last item I was looking for, just for the heck of it, was to see what kind of shorts were available to me. My last fix did have some nice dark jean shorts, but they did have distressing, which I didn’t want. So when I found a great dark pair, I wondered why my stylist hadn’t picked them out for me? I’m thinking they were in limited quality because I can’t find them in the “Buy it again” section like I can for the dress I purchased.

The shorts are very dark, cute, and fit well. A perfect staple for my quarantine summer I suppose 🙂

Feedback about the experience: I don’t like how you can’t check out and purchase more than one item at a time. You literally have to make individual purchases, which means different shipments being sent your way. It doesn’t seem like the most efficient, and Stitch Fix probably missed out on a few extra bucks from me since I wasn’t feeling like going back in the app and purchasing that second dress I had my eye on since I couldn’t add it to a cart and checkout with the other item I wanted. Maybe they’ll fix this in a future update?

In the end, it was a neat experience. I appreciate being able to buy individual pieces now that suit my needs or peek my interests.

Stitch Fix referral code here.

Reviews, Style

Stitch Fix Summer Review – 2020

June 21, 2020 No Comments

It has been a long time since I’ve done a Stitch Fix review. I took a break from the company for a while for a few reasons. First, I kept getting bounced between stylists and it just didn’t seem like I was finding my match like I had a couple of years ago. Second, I didn’t really need a ton of new clothes, and three I just kind of fell out of it after the Affiliation program seemed to disappear without mention.

I substituted Stitch Fix with a rental service, Infinitely Loft, which I’m still using today. However a few weeks back I decided hey, I’m stuck at home, Summer is just about here, why not see if I can get some items from Stitch Fix to update my warm weather wardrobe.

My request this time around was for rompers, a dark washed non-distressed pair of jean shorts, and a dress or two. When I received my box however, what I had originally hoped to receive was not provided. Reading the stylist note I was a little disappointed to hear they didn’t have any summer rompers available, and hearing about the items pulled for me left me wondering if this box was worth it or not. Thankfully, I was fairly surprised by the items I received once I tried them on and gave them a chance.

Item #1 – Skies are Blue Pavlina Embroidered Cactus Knit Tee
Price: $44.00

I don’t own a ton of tshirts or short sleeved tops, unless they are free ones I’ve gotten from work as swag or are branded for my company. So, it’s always good to find an option here and there that is a bit more coverage than my beloved tank tops and I can wear on those warm but not dreadfully hot summer days.

What I liked about this top was the fun stitched cactus pattern. The pattern is only the front, which is ok, but the top might be cuter if the pattern went all the way around. I also enjoy that the color combo with this shirt is one of my favorites, navy blue with white. To me, that color combo says summer since I’m really into nautical or preppy styles like that. The fit is ok, not tight, slightly loose, and the neckline cut is flattering.

Item #2 – Just Black Romeo Distressed Cuffed Frayed Hem Denim Short
Price: $58.00

This item is pictured above on me in the first item review.

Just reading that title and I’m already thinking there are two words in there that do not go with what I requested in this fix – Distressed and Frayed. Taking a closer look, the distressing and fraying isn’t too terrible. There’s no actual holes cut out of the shorts, and they don’t look that bad. The wash is dark, which does fit with what I was looking for.

In terms of how they fit, they are a larger size than I would have purchased in store, and they are a bit looser than most of my shorts I own. I figure they might tighten up in the wash. But at least the looseness is comfortable and not drooping off of me, but still I probably would have prefered a size down to be my regular pants size.

Item #3 – Threads 4 Thought Arias Twist Back Knit Top
Price: $54.00

At first look, I’m not the biggest fan of this print or top. It’s nothing special, doesn’t do anything great for me or my body, and I feel the floral is a bit frumpy, maybe better for someone who’s a little older. The colors aren’t bad, but overall it isn’t a top I’m super thrilled or excited about. However, like I said earlier, it’s good to have a few short sleeved tops in one’s wardrobe. I decided to keep this top because it was cheaper to keep it than return it. The fabric is a little unique, it doesn’t feel like a usual knit fabric, it’s kind of silky and almost like a wicking material. Overall, it’s ok, but not really my cup of tea.

Item #4 – Market and Spruce Britta T-shirt Dress
Price: $64.00

T-shirt dresses can make me a little nervous. The cuts aren’t the most exciting or flattering, and I’m always worried it’ll cling to my stomach or make me look a little strange.

What I like about this dress though is the coloring, it’s a white with blackish blue stripes that once again make me think of a preppy or nautical style. The dress itself is also really comfortable. I could definitely see bringing this on a beach vacation, or just going around in the summer. It’s cute and fun. The best part is that it doesn’t cling to anything, and while t-shirt dresses look boxy, and it does look a bit like that in some photos, I don’t actually mind. It’s a really easy dress to just throw on and head out the door in, and who doesn’t need that during quarantine or the summer months?

Item #5 – Kaleigh Rochelle Knit Jumpsuit
Price: $58.00

I’ve never owned a jumpsuit, at least in the past 20 year I haven’t, but a jumpsuit is basically a romper just less summer heat and humidity friendly with pants instead of shorts. When I pulled it out of the box I was worried about what the length of it would be, and how it would sit on my body. Would the proportions work? Would I look silly?

Well, let me tell you, this jumpsuit might give me the disco fever and feels, but I actually kind of love it. I definitely didn’t expect to like it, but I fell in love. Perhaps because it’s so different from things I wear, and that it’s kind of a little out there. What’s wrong with spicing it up a little with something a little unique and flashy, haha.

My boyfriend may think I look a little silly, and I came out of the bedroom from trying it on doing a disco dance, but it made me smile and that’s what you look for in clothes, isn’t it?

I should note, this jumpsuit is appropriately long, but not drag under your feet long. My style card showed wedges as the perfect shoe for this outfit, and I recommend them too. You’ll get just enough lift to make this length work great. I should note I am 5 foot 5, so if you’re shorter than that, this might be a hard sell for you since the pants are full length.

Review Summary: While I didn’t get all the items I wanted, and it wasn’t my most favorite fix of all time, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the items in this box, and decided to keep everything since it was cheaper that way with the discount for buying everything. I still wish I got an actual sleeveless romper or flowy dress for the Summer, but maybe next time it’ll be meant to be.

Next up: I’ll be reviewing some of the “shop your looks” options that you can now get from the Stitch Fix app. I’m looking forward to trying this option out instead of requesting a full on fix. Let’s see how it goes!

Until next time, stay healthy, happy, and safe out there! Happy Summer!

Want to give it a try, use my referral code for $25 off!

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