Online shopping certainly has its advantages. With the click of a few buttons from the comfort of home, during your lunch break or even while on-the-go through your smartphone, the dress you need or the shoes you’ve had your eyes on will be yours in three to five business days without ever having to step foot in the mall.
But, unfortunately, this convenience comes at a price; if you didn’t take the time to try it on, you run the risk of it not fitting well, having an unexpected color or material or just not liking how it looks. Aware of these disadvantages, Stitch Fix, a subscription box company, hires stylists who take into consideration your measurements, body shape and personal style to curate the perfect collection of items for you.
For just $20 a month, Stitch Fix sends its subscribers a monthly collection of five items ― a hand-picked selection clothes, shoes and accessories. To help stylists figure out what to ship, subscribers fill out a detailed survey that asks everything from sizes and measurements to which body parts the subscriber prefers to show off or conceal to which colors and styles are more attractive to the subscriber to how frequently the subscriber wears formal, casual and professional clothing.
Subscribers can also send their stylist messages like “I live in Florida, so I have no need for outerwear,” or “I have a conference coming up and would really like help picking out a sharp-looking outfit,” and the stylist will keep in mind those comments and concerns. Also, subscribers can share their Pinterest boards and social media accounts with their stylists so they can get a better feel of their clients’ personalities and preferences.
This service certainly may seem daunting to some ― myself included. Trusting someone wholeheartedly to fully grasp the complexities of all of your likes, dislikes, sizes and flattering hues can be quite the challenge. But I can attest to the stylists’ precision and perfectionism.
For example, in my box, I received a comfy and versatile gray-and-white-striped cotton button-down, a cozy, black and white marled cardigan, a tasteful turquoise, white and black paisley bodycon dress, a flowy, multi-colored, chiffon peasant dress and a long gold necklace with a feather pendant. With each box comes a letter from the stylist explaining why she made the specific choices she did, along with images of different things to pair with each of the items. When I first looked at the items, I was a little skeptical, as some deviated slightly from what I usually wear. But, when I tried everything on, I fell in love with every single item, and it all fit perfectly. Everything felt so tailor-made, and I don’t think anyone could have done a better job.
What’s the catch? Unfortunately, subscribers don’t get to keep the items unless they buy them. Subscribers can keep the items for about a week, but then they have to decide what is worth purchasing and what isn’t. Granted, subscribers get a $20 credit each month towards their purchases that adds up for each month it isn’t used, and if a subscriber decides to buy all five items, she gets 25 percent off. However, the prices are a little steep ― I think the cheapest item in my box was $28, but most of the items were worth about $50 ― and throwing out about $150 bucks in one purchase isn’t feasible for the average college student. Still, it’s tempting to keep all of the items, as I personally struggled with selecting what to keep and what to ship back with a prepaid shipping label.
Stitch Fix makes everyone fill out a survey after each box is shipped to receive detailed feedback on every item that was selected for them, so if anyone is unhappy with the items selected for them, the stylists can understand how to avoid the same mistakes.
Overall, Stitch Fix is worth every penny. Thanks to their incredible service and personalized attention, I have a new favorite dress, something to look forward to every month and, most importantly, the confidence to wear styles I previously feared.
