okay, first thing's first. what did i keep from my stitch fix last time?
yall weighed in in the comments section (after i had already made up my mind and returned the NO's...which might not have been the best situation since i do trust yall) and the overwhelming response from yall was:
red dress: KEEP!
striped skirt: great piece. but dress was better
necklace: cute but too pricey and i could possibly DIY it.
so i failed here in aligning with you guys. i kept...the necklace only! are you mad at me? do you fire me as a style client?
here are my reasons:
1. the red dress. so very bosom-y. and though i ADORED what the wrap did for my waist (which i had previously thought was thick like gimli) AND the color and versatility, the cut made it too sexy (on the north and south poles) for work or everyday wear, but the trench-coat-ish style of it made it feel too stuffy for a date night. these mutually exclusive traits kept me just out of love with it. i had to think long and hard to find a situation where i could wear this dress (answer: sexy secretary swap meet). but, oh, if i hadnt already returned it, yall might have turned the tide with your glowing reviews.
2. the skirt: just didnt like the way it made me feel. that's enough of a reason for me right there. WANTED to love it, but i felt all fidgety and self conscious in it in my bathroom and thats a fast track for misery in public.
3. so the necklace. yeah i kept this because its really well made, i couldnt think of how to DIY it myself, i didnt want to lose my $20 credit, i had enough referral credit to cover the rest, and i genuinely love it. if i had to use real money though, $58 would have very much likely nixed it for me, unless it was made from everlasting sour punch straws.
so then yesterday arrived my 5th fix.
ew. our front doorstep needs...something
you know i have to capture this moment
my free gift. my thoughts, "so help me, if this ends up being a $20 pencil..."
a first cross-sectional glimpse is...promising! good colors, no immediate revulsion.
item #1: wooden geometric statement necklace.
first thoughts: love the color and have been wanting one of these toothy-like (official trend name) necklaces for awhile now. but already thinking of how to DIY it for cheap.
i like the color and style on me, but dont love it. the wooden shapes read a little "tangrams" to me and come off a tad cheap.
think i'll hold out for this j.crew knockoff instead.
my next item was something i asked for: a versatile white or grey tank top with thick sleeves to serve as a layering base for fall or wear alone in late summer.
first impressions: love the white silk. love the overlay, love the sleeve opening detail. this could be a winner!
on me: dammit it's too small and SHEER!!!!! this was a huge WTF moment. this sheer issue keeps coming up and it's not okay with me.
#3 was this shirt that looked as queer as a $2 bill (as my grandpa used to say) on the hanger. but the styled options were promising as was the cut. the price made me nervy, but i held out for true love.
okay: again with these things making my waist look smaller than it is. i love that, and even the color combo (darker than i normally choose) made me happy. but it was pretty tight across the shoulders and under the bust. in fact, it was so tight that jesse got this text during the trying on session (while he was at work!)
that's probably a sign that your shirt is too small.
and then i noticed this detail at the waist too:
yes that's fishnetty see-through. therefore, that's my body's very skin you see there.
this would, without a doubt, turn into an unfortunate play-doh fun factory spaghetti-squirting exhibition if i dared to eat or sit down in this.
or what if the mesh busts and then a tiny, thin gut roll comes shooting out of each of those slots like so many flesh-toned DVDs that the player rejects due to scratches?!?!
the world is better without.
#4 was this cowl-neck jersey...gunny sack? is that the word? we can now call off the search for "world's most asexual garment" in the "on a hanger" category.
i feel like this obviously came out of the duggars' bible costumes drawer.
but of course, things are different on the body so i gave her a belt and a whirl:
not THAT bad. i love the color and the cut, when belted, isnt atrocious. but this was really thin (almost SHEER!!!!) jersey and was not flattering pressed up and draped over my lady lumpiness. the wrong jersey can be very unforgiving and this was of that ilk.
the finale:
my most expensive item to date. a coral-red silk dress with crazy cool lace detail. but i hesitated because the lace was all over the back, necessitating a backless bra (which i have) but also affording a viewing window to all of my squnched-up backfat and lovehandles at every turn. all this for just $99!
my heart quailed.
not terrible on. a little shapeless up top, which is usually the half i prefer to highlight, but cute in a way that i dont normally do (can you see i lost my passion for accessories a few items back? i couldnt even be bothered to rebuckle my shoe after escaping from the fishnet corset).
but, oh the back.
i have to remind myself that i am not model-sized and that maybe that factor plus my pickiness really limits the options for a styling company still in beta. so my plan is to let stitch fix grow and mature. build up more inventory (and sizes, hopefully!)
i do still have referral credit to spend, but for now, stitch fix and i are on a break. i have to be honest with yall when talking about what i think you should spend money on, and i hope i have authentically represented the fun and the risk of this service. if your style is more attracted to the things you've seen them send me, then sign up!
but for someone with my style and shape, it doesnt seem to be a great fit with this company just yet, and since things are getting further from the mark in the style/price/size categories the more fixes i receive, i dont want to just keep being disappointed, posting about it and being a downer all around. i dont want to beat a dead horse. because then i end up unhappy AND with a horse corpse to dispose of.
but because this makes for great blogging material and the monetary risk is almost nothing, i am going to give a similar company a try. they are called Tog + Porter and i found them through another blogger's post about their stitch fix experience (they preferred T+P much more).
the setup is essentially the same with a few differences:
1. you get to skype with your own personal stylist before anything is sent. tell them face to face about your style, personality and closet.
2. they asked for my measurements and a picture of me looking great. i think these a crucial and always wondered why SF didnt need these things
3. you pay for your whole box up front and get refunded for returned items (with SF you get the box sent and then pay for anything you dont return). there's no styling fee (SF was $20 per box) unless you forego the skype session.
i am really excited for my style session (though i LOATHE video chatting...onscreen, i always look like the guy that comes out of the painting in ghostbusters 2!) and the chance to have the same stylist every time and for her to really learn who i am and what makes me feel awesome.
check out more on Tog + Porter here, and if you want to go ahead sign up, tell em i sent you (just like SF, referrers get credit to use toward purchases) so that i can keep this hilarious fashion show going on the cheap! you can put my name, but my official referrer code is dukesTP12.
it was a bittersweet realization to find that the outfit i wore to work that day ,before opening my box, made me a million percent happier and more confident than what i had paid to have someone pick out for me:
purple jeans , tiered top (old) , sandals (old): LOFT. bracelet: H&M (old) and necklace: ruche.
total for these 5 pieces: $74 (sales, coupons and one freak free item because it arrived damaged).
turns out, if all else fails, i kind of do like my current stylist: me!
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