When the personal style gurus at Stitch Fix revealed they'd be adding 90 plus-size brands to their subscription box offerings, I was all ears — and so was every other woman over a size 14.
Immediately after the plus-size expansion news dropped, more than 75,000 women joined the wait list to try it out. Now, a few months later, I've finally got my hands on a Stitch Fix box.
Stitch Fix is a $20 subscription service that sends you a box of clothes handpicked by a personal stylist.
For a $20 per-box-fee, members receive five items based on budget, size, style, and even weight. Whether you choose to get a new box every couple weeks, every month, or every three months is up to you. If you decide to buy any of the items in your box, the $20 fee goes toward your purchase. Sizes range from 14 to 24 and 1X to 3X.
Once you sign up, you are hit with a very detailed survey.
In addition to height and weight, you can also share how much you are willing to spend on specific items like denim, dresses, shirts, accessories, etc. And a style quiz takes care of best/worst colors, whether you're bohemian, edgy, and or something else entirely.
Like most subscription boxes, you don't know exactly what you're getting until the box arrives — just like Christmas morning.
Stitch Fix gives you three days to try things on and decide if you want to keep anything.
The first item I tried was this size 2X polka dot dress that made me feel like a 50s housewife.
At first sight, the dress didn't seem like my style. I like to be daring and the dress was too safe.
It was also too tight. My boobs were suffocated and the skirt wasn't as flowy as I would prefer.
Knit dress by Gilli, $64
The next two pieces were extremely casual. It's actually been a while since I wore something as classic as jeans and a black top.
Top by Cyrus, $40; jeans by Judy Blue, $68
The shirt is basic black in the front and peekaboo grommets in the back.
I love little details like this.
These Judy Blue skinny jeans are among the comfiest pairs of jeans I've ever put on my body!
Regardless of size, comfortable jeans are hard to find.
They even passed the booty shaking test.
The next item I tried on was this sleeveless top in a 2X.
The fit wasn't perfect, but I still liked it.
The lace detail and overall vibe of this top makes it feel very office appropriate.
The fifth and final item I received from Stitch Fix was this statement necklace.
Necklace by Berry Jewelry, $38
Personally, I don't think this necklace goes with anything that was in my box, which makes the whole thing seem less curated and more hodgepodge.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The thrill of getting a surprise box of clothes is definitely fun, but paying the $20 styling fee if you don't get any keepers is a bummer.
When I took the style quiz, I emphasized the exact edgy vibe that I like to go for, but the clothes didn't really reflect that. So the styling didn't seem all that personal to me.
However, I only received one box. As you keep/return things and provide feedback, things may start to feel more personalized. The more you try and experiment, the easier and sooner it will understand your style.
It all depends on how willing you are to sacrifice $20 on trial and error.
