Dressing Professionally
(It's me! Both shirt and suit jacket are from Stitch Fix. So are my pants, but you can't see those. White stuff sold separately. Same with the glasses. )
Please note that we are compensated by Stitch Fix for every person that uses our link and makes a purchase.
You work hard. Take care of your living space. Perhaps you have pets and/or children. You pay your bills on time. Maybe volunteer on the weekends. You have a busy life; there's a reason that services like Stitch Fix are on the rise.
As a mother of three, my "business professional" look meant whatever didn't have a food stain on it and happened to be clean that day. This was unacceptable, but I didn't have time for shopping and trying on clothes while parenting and holding down a full time job. As any other mother can tell you, trying on clothes with more than one child makes you think more people should be allowed to wear yoga pants to work.
I do not adapt to new things well, so when someone told me to try Stitch Fix, I ignored them. I assumed that if I tried it, I would get stuck in some sort of contract and charged monthly fees. I couldn't afford that, not with a teenager in the house who just discovered the wonder that is Food.
Here's what Stitch Fix actually is: I created a profile with my likes, dislikes, and measurements. I mentioned which parts of my body I wanted to cover up and which parts I was okay with flaunting. Since I used someone's link, they waved the $20 "styling fee" (basically a deposit that they put toward your purchase). This means I got a box of five items sent to my house for free, I tried them on for free, and sent back anything I didn't like for free, and exchanged anything I wanted for a different size for free. I only had to pay if I kept something.
I kept them all.
Comfortable clothes in my price range that looked business professional, clothes I could try on after my kids were in bed or when I could sneak a few minutes? Yes, please! Now, my kids expect my Fix, and I put on a little fashion show for them, and they get to be little judges. Fun all around!
I chose to receive one box every season, but I sometimes request an extra box if I've earned some extra money or have an important function coming up. I get compliments constantly. The t-shirt-and-jeans girl is gone (well, except for Saturdays. I have a garden.)
Remember my mentioning the stains my clothes tend to get? (Did I mention my oldest two are boys?) Stitch Fix clothing has kept the shape and color of everything I've ordered (I've been using them for over a year) but they've also been stain-free this entire time!
Business professional not for you? They do casual as well! You can also request intimate items be added, and they do not count toward your five items.
When you're ready to pay, you can give detailed feedback on each item. How was the fit? Style? Price? Quality? Any other notes? If you liked the selection, you can request the same stylist. If you didn't, they promise you'll never have that stylist again. How do you know which stylist you had? They send you a personalized note, along with styling suggestions! My current stylist has been with me for quite some time, so she leaves notes for my kids, which they like. She knows I like jewel tones and silver over gold jewelry, but she also knows I don't mind something outside of my comfort zone once in a while and will include something I would never try on if I saw it on the rack, but since it's in the box, I try it. Sometimes I love it; sometimes I don't.
To help your stylist, you can create a board on Pinterest of outfits you love (here's mine, if you want to see what I mean) and/or pictures of you in various outfits (including Stitch Fix items!) This way, she can see your preferences and things like your hair color and skin tone. There is also a messenger bot through Facebook that lets you take "Style Quizzes" three times a day. Each "quiz" shows you an item they offer, and you give it a thumbs up or down. These get relayed to your stylist. How great!
If you choose to keep everything in your box, they give you a discount. You can also choose to pay for everything, but send back some items to be donated to people in hard situations. Speaking of which, they are based in California. When California got hit a little while back, Stitch Fix sent out clothing to those affected, at no charge. Houston flooding? Same thing. Just let them know and update your profile for wherever they can send it.
As a woman, I have referenced it a lot, but this service is for any gender. I signed my husband up, and he (mostly) no longer wears paint-splattered shorts and ripped t-shirts. He has cerebral palsy, so we request clothing that is comfortable, breathes, and is easy for him to get into and out of. They have yet to let us down.
Now that our oldest is reaching manhood (now accepting donations of food), looking good is becoming important to him, and we may start an account for him as well.
But wait! You say. If I cancel, will I be charged from now until Ragnarok? My mother tried Stitch Fix, didn't like it (she doesn't like much of anything, to be fair) and canceled her account. Never got charged for anything. She's the only person I know who canceled their account so I can't say for sure, but so far, no charge!
Also, you can pause the Fixes, so if you go on vacation or if your situation becomes unstable, you can pause and resume them whenever you are ready.
Bottom line, I love Stitch Fix. I got the boys at On Time Capital into it. If you're looking to spend less time (and money) shopping and more time looking great, this is one service I highly recommend. Click here to use our link and get started, and they'll wave the deposit so you literally try it for free, and you can send it back for free. Likely not that last one, though. Seriously, the clothes are great.
