How Stitch Fix helped take the work out of shopping for me
This personalized styling service made updating my wardrobe a less stressful experience.
My main criticism of Stitch Fix is that most of the items are a little pricey for my budget; though I work full-time, I’m a part-time graduate student, so most of my income goes towards tuition. A $50-60+ dollar shirt can be a stretch for me, but with Stitch Fix, what you lose in money you gain in time, considering all the items are shipped right to your door. I’m also a picky shopper, so when I do decide to invest in a pricier item, I trust that it will last me several years.
With a Stitch Fix account, you can also shop their “Freestyle” section which features Stitch Fix garments and clothes from other brands, instead of a curated box. Instead of having a stylist put a box together, you can just shop and order what you like.
Stitch Fix also offers a feature called “Style Shuffle” where you can log into your account and a prompt will present you with an outfit and ask “Would you wear this?” A simple yes or no will teach Stitch Fix’s algorithm what you like, which will help your stylist when it comes time for them to put your box together. There is also a space that presents you with full outfits that you can “pin” to your profile like a Pinterest board. With each outfit you pin, Stitch Fix gives you space to write a quick blurb for your stylist about what you liked about the outfit.
The time I used to spend “window shopping” online, I now spend engaging with these playful prompts. The curated experience has shown me that I gravitate towards simplicity — tame patterns, clothes with more of a timeless feel, and practical bags and shoes — something I would not have learned browsing through thousands of options at a mall or online.
If you’re looking to try out a styling service or clothing subscription box to take the work out of shopping, we’ve rounded up a few other options for you to consider before making your first order.
Wantable offers multiple plan options for subscriptions, like the Style Edit for day-to-day wear, the athleisure-oriented Active Edit (which is the only one that offers a men’s edition), and the Sleep and Body Edit. For whichever “edit” or plan you prefer, Wantable requires you to take a 10-minute style quiz so they can get to know your preferences before curating the seven pieces in your box. Each box costs $20, and similar to StitchFix, the subscription price goes toward any items you end up keeping. You have five days to try on your items and ship your returns back. Wantable also offers an online store within its subscription model, where you can request specific items for your stylist to include in your box.
If you prefer to try out the latest trends, but don’t want a closet full of clothes you’ll only wear once or twice, you might be better suited for a clothing rental subscription. Rent The Runway offers a monthly subscription or one-off rental shipments at a time, depending on your needs and interests. You can subscribe to a 4, 8, or 16-item per month plan, though each plan comes in shipments of four items at a time, so the 8 and 16-item plans mean you will receive multiple boxes per month. Rent The Runway will take care of minor damage (stains and tears) for you. You can keep your rentals for as long as you want, and you can purchase an item if you fall in love with it.
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