7.25.2012

getting fixed v3.0

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it's that time again! my 3rd stitch fix post. (1st fix here, 2nd here)

i have earned some referral credit at stitch fix, and at least as long as i have it, i will definitely keep the stitches coming. when you sign up, you get your own unique referral code so you will earn $25 stitch fix credit for every person who signs up through you.

this arrived at my door on monday:


and if you read raechel (which you should), you will notice her fix arrived monday as well and she posted about it yesterday. we didnt plan that, so i just have to assume our fixes have sync'd up like our ladytimes would if we lived near each other.

you'll also notice with blinding jealousy (oh, is that just me?) that she got the exact same dress that i almost loved last time, and it was a winner for her. i have written stitchfix and asked for my dress back so that we can be twinsies, obviously.

let's open up my box!

my love-offering gift was chapstick this time! it's not just fancy on the outside, it's also really quite fine balm. manufactured in gilead, perhaps?

when i first opened my box, eyes aglitter, with visions of my soon-to-come fashion coups (like this one!) dancing in my head, i was a little crestfallen because a sea of black and brown greeted me.

i took it in stride and decided to: 1-give them a try. i wasnt going to be WEARING 5 neutrals at once, after all, so i could liven things up and 2-to update my profile with them and request bold colors and less neutrals.

first a sleeveless kimono. yes. i, too, thought this was impossible, but the scientists have finally figured out how to make a garment that has no sleeves and does not wrap up and still call it a kimono:

for $92, this kimono better come with my own personal geisha. it didnt.

on the hanger impressions:
-the pattern is dark and floral. two things i dont wear a lot.
-the sleeves (weird to find them there since this is sleeveless) were interesting and strange with how low they went. note: the black rim sleeve thing is really just decorative; the armhole opening isnt that big (aka you cant see my sideboob/bra).

i am mean. this is as close to fierce as i have in my arsenal (see also: awkward, eyes closed).
on me impressions:
-far cuter than expected.
-not a flattering color/pattern for me
-too short to help me with my hips (which i like to play down)

final verdict: it's a no for style reasons, but the price tag made the prospect of owning this pretty much fictional from the get-go.


my accessory item (i've had one in each shipment so far)

just like last week, i didnt even need to see these on to know that $28 was too much. these are a pretty basic style earring in a neutral color. i could find these somewhere else for cheaper.

i have duly updated my profile to say "interesting, statement jewelry only please."

oh, man, yall, this next one about knocked me over:

oh, it's a black and brown maxi dress with double leg slits (a la angelina at the oscars)

i would never have tried this on in a millionty billionaire's years if it wasnt for you guys.

i knew styling would make or break this dress (we are disregarding the fact that, as far as my style goes, it was already filed under "broken.") but first i wanted to style it the way i first saw it in my head when i pulled it out:

with a slouchy black cardigan, greasy hair, glasses, hippie moonstone jewelry and a camisole.

if you'll excuse my friend above, she is late for teaching divination up in the astronomy tower. now someone please accio me some mother-flipping bleach now so i can scour this image off my retinas.

and while we're doubling your pleasure, let's go ahead and double your fun.

that wasnt a real cami under the dress!

that's right!! you've been punked by my cami secret®! this delightful snap-on contraption (as seen on TV):

looks like a thong, works like a bib! finally a dickie i can wear in the summer!

and why, you might ask, do i own these? wait for it....my mother in law gave them to me!

now, in any other universe, a daughter in law might take this as a passive aggressive hint (albeit hilarious) that her MIL thought she was freaknasty and needed to cover up. but not me. because A- i love my mother in law and we are quite close. all of our aggression is handled actively, not passively. B-i had said something to her before about hating having to wear a whole extra shirt underneath things to contain inappropriate mammarial spillage and she was being so kind and loving to find these for me to help me with that.

that still doesnt mean i cant enjoy a good laugh with her (and yall) about the whole concept of these lace-trimmed modesty-keepers (which, honestly, i will probably secretly use in all seriousness, to de-vamp some of my date clothes for church or work).

here's the dress as seriously and real as i could make it:

the cami secret is out! and i am belted, wedged (shoes) and accessorized better.



in the end, it did fit me perfectly and is quite prettily cut.

but that pattern killed it for me. i am just not a lady who like mottled neutrals. and i dont think i could have pulled off a maxi that had double thigh-high slits because i'm too much of a hem-hiker (when i need to show off my moves, of course). at $95 this was basically just a fun round of dress up.

at this point i am thinking of making my requests for colors, preppy styles and classic patterns IN ALL CAPS for next time.

i was a bit discouraged when i pulled out item #4 and it was another black.

the styling suggestions almost made me not even try this on since they looked so staid and buttoned-up.

the pattern photographs like an optical illusion, but it's really just a classic white pinstripe (you can see it up close in the pic on the right)

this is a silky loose-fitting button up blouse with tab sleeves (which i LOVE because the permanently rolled up look looks sporty AND doesnt make me have to keep shoving my sleeves into place).

since it's more of a menswear silhouette with a definite menswear color/pattern, i left it pretty deeply unbuttoned to fem it up ( i would wear this on a date night in the ATL, btw):


i wanted fun, colorful shorts to pair this with, and my choices were orange (nixed due to halloween) and yellow, pictured, which i was afraid would scream "i just got off work at california pizza kitchen" when paired with black pinstriping. whatever.

i actually felt great in this shirt. i liked the cut, details and fit of this. in a medium, it is almost even too big and can be belted with success (these boutiques need to stage a size-standardization conference so that all mediums will be created equal).

and at $42 BEFORE my mandatory $20 styling fee (to have my fix sent), this was a great deal for a long sleeved button up shirt.

this was my keeper.

and to celebrate, this happened:

catch me next at the summer olympics, dominating the gold in the event of: standing

the last item was yet another black/brown piece:

they gave me another blazer! i was excited about this since the one in my last fix was an almost, but the black/camel colorblocking scared me.

i gave it a whirl:
dont be fooled by that stank face, i actually really like this look.

the rounded split-sleeve detail is awesome, and the cut really was flattering to a chick who carries her weight down south. i even think the colorblocking assisted with this.

for $70, it was in the running.

except for one little thing. it was WAAAAAAAAAAAY too small.

until i shoved my arms in this beast, i had always wondered what it might be like to stuff your own sausages. cross that one off the old bucket list, because i bet it felt just like this.

again, ALL of my coats in my closet are mediums, so this is just a freak sizing thing. i refuse to let it get me down and instead choose to spend 10 minutes in my back yard do, fat guy in a little coat, hulk, and in a van down by the river guy impressions.

for your viewing pleasure:


so yeah, another 1 for 5 situation.

ok, blog friends: hear my cry:

-color
-no neutrals/blacks
-clean lines/patterns
-statement jewelry

this is what i have asked for in my next fix. this is the first time i have been ultra-specific and i think, (based on other folks experience) that it is going to work. i was afraid of being too narrow at first and limiting potential risk-wins, but now i realize that my spectrum of what i would even consider is a little more focused than i thought.

i know the people at stitch fix listen. they have impressed my brains out repeatedly with their customer service, and they really do want to make you look good and feel happy.

so my strong advice when you sign up (no, they dont pay me at all for writing about them, it's just such a bloggably fun service) is to be really specific FIRST and then open then door on later fixes. i think my experience has been less successful partly because of sizing issues (preach, sister) but also because i was too afraid to really speak up and say what i wanted and what i like.

i do imagine the poor stylist who gets my order every time puts on coldplay's "fix you," and belt out the chorus while looking at pictures of my dressed as above. the final line i wrote in my style profile was: "i might be your everest of styling. godspeed."

until next time...


My other Stitch Fix Posts:


26 comments:

  1. I love that Maxi dress! Send it my way. :-)

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    1. dammit! i SO would have if i hadnt already shipped it back. SF's 3 day deadline for reshipping returns really amps up the type-A in me and makes me sprints to turn that mother around and get it back in in time (though i bet theres really no penalty for a few days late)

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  2. First, I LOVE reading about your stitch fixes, I am in no position to get involved, but I love looking at cute clothes and especially reading about your hijinks in borrowed clothes.

    Second, my mom bought me the cami secrets, and I think they are freakin' hilarious... watch this commercial parody because it makes me laugh out loud: http://youtu.be/tieA5wfcgH4

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    1. i have died. that's it. i'm dead. the sheer out-of-nowhere blasts that he peppers throughout are AMAZING. it took me 3/4 of the video to realize that the footage itself was REAL and not a parody too. hoo boy that was good.

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  3. I am glad you are continuing to keep your fixes coming even though you haven't had an "all keepers!" box yet. Your willingness to try on and show the www everything, is far braver than I think I'll be. But my first fix is probably at my door right now, so I can't wait to get home and see what they sent. I want that green dress you and Raechel both got! And from this fix, I like the button up you picked, but the kimono and blazer are really cute too!

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    1. have you posted yet? im dying to see your adorable self ROCK IT

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  4. I got that kimino shirt thing in my last fix too! I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt awkward in it, I felt like I had gills (and I've been secretly wondering since then if I didn't like it because I'm hopelessly unfashionable!)! :)

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    1. YES! i really couldnt come up with a good word for those, but it is SOOOOO gills. i think there is nothing wrong with us. we are the cool ones.

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    2. I got the kimono shirt too. Girls been making the rounds! I have only had one keeper per box.... And this time would have had zero, but I hate to lose $20. I actually think I got the same black tank as you and kept it too! Twins on Sunday????

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  5. i just had to stop and tell u that u look positively STUNNING in that brown/black dress with it belted. i understand why u chose to return it tho, as i think it would have to be a special occasion thing, but seriously, girlfriend. GORGEOUS!
    -kristen

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    1. wow, thanks. that means seriously a lot and i am trying not to be a vagina and immediately discard the love or undercut it with, "well, if she saw the mess underneath the dress..." and what not. THANK YOU!

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    2. well, i gotta say that print looks a little....diseased? but i mean the cut! that belt! those wedges! it really does look amazing with your figure!

      i myself have kind of given up with stitchfix. i gave it three chances, and was just plain old disappointed with each package. i have a short torso, large lady lumps, birthing (but not yet put to use ahem.) hips and pain-in-the-butt-to-shave long legs. so depending on the clothing, i can take anywhere from a small to an x large in almost anything! i also make jewelry, so when i opened a basic, run of the mill piece in every package, i was like. well. i can make that from supplies in the other room RIGHT NOW. (for $90 less....lol)

      i think the concept is so fun and exciting, but im really starting to think they could be much more successful if they were to expand their sizing, and let the customer be more specific as far as what sizes they take. just seems like a bit of a glitch in the company.

      /end rant

      anyway, so glad u read my previous comment and took it seriously, i think in general women need to be more supportive and encouraging towards each other! and just remember, the "mess underneath" is a beautiful amazing-person-creating machine created by the best artist Himself!!!

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    3. so i just typed out this long hilarious reply and computer world got made and it all went kaput.

      something along the lines of even tho the print is a bit "diseased" the cut of that dress looks amazing and accentuates all the good stuff!

      then i rambled about me three strike out experience with stitchfix, and how i think they would be super-dee duper-dee successful if they expanded their sizes, and let us be more specific about what size we take in things. I then blamed my short torso, large lady lumps, not-put-to-use-yet birthing hips, and take-too-long to shave long legs. i can take literally an xs-xl in anything depending on the cut of the piece!

      the best part of my reply though, was to say that i'm glad u took my comment seriously, (as it was meant that way) and to say that i think in general women need to be more encouraging and supportive of each other. I love reading your blog, and have been a lurker for awhile. Your hilarious, and sweet, and sometimes i read things you write and think "whaaaaat? did she just crawl out of my BRAIN?! we are brain twins!!" its so refreshing to read an honest, no sugar added blog without those shiny photos making everything look like its from a magazine. you are 100% REAL and i LOVE that!!!

      oh, and ps. remember that "mess underneath" is a beautiful, amazing-person-creating, piece created by the best artist, Himself!!!

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    4. no it's here! it's hilarious! i love you!

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  6. 1. you gave me my lol for the day (you know that's harder than it sounds). so thanks! (it was the olympic standing, of course)

    2. I want lip balm!!

    3. goodness that dress has so much pretty about it if only it weren't mottled and brown.

    4. the camp secret and the moonstone jewelry are PRICELESS!!

    5. I love your stitch fix posts. and you. period. (in sync, of course.)

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    1. 1. modelling (can what i do in these pics actually be called that) does things to my brain. i literally went from standing to falling.

      2. when in gilead...

      3.right!?!?! when did we decide that "calico" was IN?

      4. you can borrow my cami secrets anytime youre attending a nazzy function.

      5. i am actually scared to sync with you and all of your "scares"

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  7. That blazer is totally cute, too bad it didn't quite fit! Love the top you chose too!

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    1. i know! it made me a believer in the black/camel actually but sausage arm syndrome must be stopped at all costs. bum out.

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  8. Yes about the sizing! I tried out StichFix too, and it was lots of fun, but I had all medium tops and they all fix differently! Some too small, some too big. I ended up keeping one top, primarily because it was only $28 and I could make it work with the proper accessories. But, even though I wasn't totally impressed, it was a lot of fun! I've decided that my budget will allow one StitchFix per season - fall, I'm waiting for you!

    Anyway, the top you picked is super cute and I love it with the yellow shorts!

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    1. hooray for fall fixes. a $28 top is the best price i've seen or heard about yet. good on ya. let me know how your fall one goes!

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  9. Cami Secret!! Nerd that I am, I have fantasized about this very thing so many times, not knowing they actually make it. I'm always wanting it for under dresses when I lead worship because, well, that's probably not the preferred time to show off newly-enlarged nursing bosoms. And wearing full camis under dresses...less than ideal. Now if they would just make the tops with classier looking lace.

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  10. I tried to click "reply" but it doesn't seem to be working, so I'm writing a new comment - I picked the price option that said "the cheaper the better" or something like that and also stated in my comments that I was looking for budget-friendly items! It seemed to work; I only got one item over $50, and that was a jacket.

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  11. Oh I do love these posts! I wish we had something similar in the UK, as far as I'm aware we don't. So I'm letting you try the dress as a proper smart adult thing first :-)
    I love the way you styled the maxi dress, even if the dress was lacking in colour.
    Another tip you can send the stitch fix people is to let you exchange sizes so you could have kept the blazer!! You rocked it! Now a blazer (that fits properly of course) is on my shopping wish list!

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  12. oh my goodness, your "fix you" comment at the end has me sort of rolling with laughter. in STITCHES of laughter, actually.

    Also? the fit of that dress was STUNNING!!!! and the fabric def was a little meh, but dang, you looked so great in it!!!

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  13. This is freakin hilarious. My husband keeps looking at me like why are you laughing so hard?? And I'm like it would take way too much energy to explain. "Looks like a thong; works like a bib!" The Coldplay line -- killed me.

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  14. sequin dresses will never be outdated. They are so beautiful and cute that girls go crazy for them. They look so fabulous.

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