Girl’s Got Style

i wish i could say that my kiddo dressed herself in this get up…but i think i have to take full credit.  it didn’t happen all at once.  we started with the romper (which, i should mention, has a cut-out back…) but then we headed outside to play with bubbles and her kiddie pool and so we needed our lime green water shoes.  followed by a tie-dyed hat and some cat-eyed sunglasses and this is where we ended up.

if this is how i dress my kid, you can only imagine what my outfits have looked like recently.  in an effort to save some money i’ve been making an effort to buy on the cheap but as we all know, that’s not always for the best.  i recently returned a bunch of clothes i had purchased (without trying on) that were on super sale at OLD NAVY.  those sale items add up quick and my returned haul added up to almost $100.  and as much as i love soft tshirts and boyfriend sweaters – it doesn’t always make the cutest outfit.

enter STITCH FIX.  it’s a personal shopper for a girl on a budget and with little time.  let me break it down for you: for $20 per shipment (and you can get your shipments as frequently or infrequently as you like), you get 5 items that fit your style – or, what you’d like your style to be.  after taking an EXTENSIVE questionnaire (think eharmony…or so i’ve been told) the stylists get to you know (and your budget – yep, you can let them know how much you are comfortable spending and they stick too it) and send you 5 items that might meet your needs.

here are my favorite parts:

1. trying on the clothes in the privacy of your own home – not only are dressing rooms no fun but try shopping with a kid – not going to happen.  in moments of extreme weakness i’ve been known to buy it all and then try on at home only to make a return visit to dump whatever is not wanted.  with STITCH FIX you get to try things on at home, in good lighting with your favorite shoes and a pair of spanx – and you don’t have to go back to the store.  you don’t even have to go to the store to begin with.

2. budget friendly – these stylists stick to my budget way better than i ever have.  feel comfortable spending $150 on a special dress? great – let STITCH FIX know.  want to keep it closer to $80, no problem.  not only that but, i’m more comfortable spending on something like outerwear but want to keep my budget super tight on tank tops.  STITCH FIX understands.

3. thinking outside the (insert your equivalent to white tshirt here) box – as i mentioned before, i like a good tshirt and when i walk into a store, regardless of what store, i’m drawn to the rack of the softest tshirts.  it’s a hard habit to quit – enter,  STITCH FIX.  my stylists (i’m assuming there is a whole team working for me…i like that) understands my love of tshirts but pushes me a bit further.  they send me things that i would never pick out myself, and sometimes it’s not right, but sometimes, i’m pleasantly surprised.  but that’s not all – each item comes with a “style” tag attached – with a couple of photos with ideas of how to style up the item.

4. looking for something specific – you can let your stylist know!  need a dress to wear to your BFFAE’s wedding next month?  you can constantly update your settings so that your package contains what you need shipment to shipment.  also, after receiving a shipment, you complete a quick questionnaire to let your stylists know how they did and so they can get it even better next time.

alright, do you guys want to see what came in my last box?

check it out:

first, i got this adorable, light weight, short, pale pink dress.  it was pretty much love at first sight.  the fit was great, the color was different for me, i could wear a bra. but, wait for it, i sent it back.  aren’t you proud of me?  my sticking points were that i couldn’t quite figure out where i would wear it (it felt a bit to light in color for a wedding and it was on the dressy side for regular life) and it was a bit expensive ($121).  i can totally see myself spending that much on a dress for a specific occasion but as a dress just to have – that doesn’t fit the pacifica LBN lifestyle.

this dress, which i know, you can’t really see, was just all wrong.  sure, i love a great maxi, but this was not a great maxi.  the shape was wrong (long and lean), the pattern was wonky – it was just all kinds of awful.  back it went.

now the fun part – here’s what i kept:

two great tops – a red and white, color blocked, silk, sleeveless blouse and this fun, woven tank top.  i love the blouse – i rarely wear red but like red and think this will be great for date nights.  i can also see myself dressing it up with a blazer (remind of that the next time i need to go to a work event).  and the peach tank top – i literally have nothing like this.  i’ve wanted a lace something for a while and this seems to fit that hole in my closet.  i actually wore this on saturday for cinco de mahj – over a white tank top and with cut-off jean shorts.  so fun, so easy.  love.

this is my 2nd shipment and both times, the 5th item has been an accessory.  the first time i sent them back – pretty earrings but just not something i could see myself wearing.  this time, i tried to resist but these gold and turquoise drops made my hear skip a beat.

the order comes with an already addressed envelope (and a love note from your team) to return whatever you don’t want to keep.  if you do decide to keep something, the first $20 comes directly out of that styling payment.

so far, i’m loving STITCH FIX.  i have set things up so that i automatically receive a package at the start of the month and, as i’m embracing my WWPLD lifestyle, i’m trying super hard to limit my personal shopping to only STITCH FIX.  so far, so good.

Edit: if you are interested in checking out STITCH FIX for yourself, be sure to use this link: http://stitchfix.com/users/signup?referrer_id=3005923

help a mama (and her style needs) out