Fix #6 from Stitch Fix - October 1, 2014

Up for another Stitch Fix review? I've got number six on tap today...although I received it yesterday (Sept. 30th), I am labeling it as an 'October' fix. I will be getting a 2nd fix this month (around October 28th), since they ship every 4 weeks. Inevitably you get to the point where you have 2 fixes in one month!

Since I've done several of these reviews already, I don't go over the basics of the service any longer. If you want to read up on my other fixes, here are some easy links:

Fix #1 - May 2014
Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014

After last month's dreadful pants fail, I requested that Stitch Fix send me no more pants unless they are trouser-style or true curvy fit jeans. I asked for 'patterned' or 'colorful' cardigans, long-sleeved dresses (since those are really hard to come by for some reason), skirts, long-sleeved tops or sweaters, and scarves. I also specifically asked for a new stylist who would dress 'a hard to fit woman in her 40s.'

The box arrived, and it was much smaller than my mega-box from last month. I expected I would have an accessory and a lot of tops based on the size. Here's what it looked like when I cracked it open,  and what the stack of stuff looked like piled on my bed.

Some good patterns in there, I thought. Looked like a multitude of tops. I was okay with that, since I've had very good success with Stitch Fix finding me cute blouses and shirts. As I pulled out each item, however, I was happily surprised to find out that I had more than just tops!

1) The first item was a dress: the Cecil 3/4 Sleeve Aline Dress by Papermoon for $68.00. I hung this one up on the back of my bedroom door and really, really liked it--the pattern was unique, the color was something that could work well with my wardrobe, and it was close to be long-sleeved. I was excited to try it on. The only thing that worried me was the length....

I am a lady in my early 40s. Above-the-knee skirts seem too 'young' for someone in my age group, plus my legs ain't what they used to be! I first tried this on all by itself. I am almost 5'10" so it might've been close to knee-length on another woman, but on me, it was way too short. I had a picture of me in this dress bare-legged, but knew I would not wear it this way in real life, so I will not be posting it. I have a pair of dark gray leggings that I thought might look good with the dress, so I grabbed them out of my drawer (this is one of the benefits of Stitch Fix...you can try on clothing items with pieces you already have in your wardrobe) and gave the dress a second look.

So super cute!  I loved it. The shape was flattering. The tie around the waist was a great detail that emphasized my waist (very important for the kind of figure I have). I also liked that the neckline was more conservative...not only does that help in cold weather to have more skin covered up, sometimes you need something that works for all occasions without fear: work, church, etc. The styling card also had a cute idea to wear this paired with a jean jacket...I don't have a jean jacket, but I do have other cardigans that would definitely work with this dress. This was a definite YES. In fact, I am going to wear it today!!!!

2) The next item I hung up on the door display area was the Courtney Printed Knit Back Blouse by Collective Concepts for $58.00. I took a picture of both the front and back because the back was a different fabric.

I was a little surprised to see such a sheer, summery blouse in my box. I told them in my notes for the next fix that I live in IDAHO, and it is getting COLD, so no more summer stuff. I suppose they were hoping to rid themselves of a summer item and thought they'd toss it in there to see if I'd take the bait. However, I was a little annoyed that they wasted one item in my box on something I specifically DID NOT WANT. Oh, well. I try on everything they send, so I kept to my word and put it on.

First, I want to mention that this blouse was very sheer. Weirdly, this time they did not send a nude tank like they did in a previous fix that contained sheer blouses (August Fix). I was pretty dumbfounded by that one. Second, I actually did like the blouse. It was pretty cute. The front was a little short for me (it is one of those blouses that is longer in back than in front), but overall it was something I could see myself wearing. However, I was not interested in paying $58 for a blouse I could not wear until next May or June. My assumption was that next spring they would send me something I'd like just as well that would be more suited for the season. I voted a big NO on this one. I mentioned in the notes, by the way, that I would've appreciated a nude tank, such as the one they sent me in my August fix.

3) The next item in my stack was the Sia Floral Embroidery Peasant Blouse by Skies Are Blue for $58.00. I was wary of this particular item for two reasons: it was off-white, which looks terrible with my skin tone, and it was a blousy, shapeless style, which bodes badly for my curvier body.

I liked the embroidered detail, though, and thought it could possibly look okay depending on the fall of the fabric. Once I put it on, however, I knew my original fears were correct. Hello, dumpy and shapeless:

I actually think I look pregnant in this top. Even the bust area looks horrible. In addition, the 3/4 length sleeves were weirdly tight on my forearms. I do have areas of my body where there is some extra padding, but it is NOT on my forearms. I thought that was a strange place for a tight fit. I know it does not appear that way in my photo, but when my arm is extended, the sleeve rides up higher on my forearm. Overall, pretty terrible. I quickly took this off and tossed it on the 'NO' pile.

4) Item number 4 turned out to be a maxi skirt - the Livvy Multi Color Maxi Skirt by Gilli for $68.00. It was quite a wild pattern, but I am not afraid of patterns when it comes to skirts. The waistband looked to be very forgiving, so I had high hopes for this one.

I grabbed a red tank top out of my drawer and put it on. The first thing I noticed was, yes, the waistband was really nice. It wasn't too tight, and it folded down, so I could fill in the uneven areas around my waist to make for a smoother look. However, the fabric was quite thin and clingy. It gave me dimpling on the side of my thighs and around my hips that was just terrible. You can't really see the horror in the picture, but trust me, it was there. Also, the pattern was pretty busy and ended up making me look too wide.

Once again, I was a victim of the curvy lower half. The waist was perfect, but I needed more fabric below to allow for the fabric to fall in a more flattering way. Plus, the pattern started to give me a headache. Big old NO.

5) The final item in my box turned out to be a cardigan! Thank goodness! I was really worried my request for a cardigan had gone unheard. They sent me the Margerie Stripe & Dot Open Cardigan by Market and Spruce for $68.00.

I really liked this one. I loved that it had a polka dot lining inside the whole cardigan. Very cute. I was a little disappointed that it was another navy striped cardigan, as Stitch Fix send me one in my very first fix that I kept. However, navy is a neutral for me, so I didn't see a huge problem adding another navy cardigan to my wardrobe. This one was also a fall cardigan made of heavier fabric. I tried it on:

Hello! I did not notice when I first hung up this cardigan that it had an elastic piece in the back that added this really flattering shape to the whole thing. In fact, the cardigan was constructed much like a tailored jacket, so the side and back view of this was really, really cute. The stripes were a tad dizzying, but I loved the fit of this item so much, I knew I had to keep it. Plus, the polka dot lining was so much fun!! I couldn't wait to figure out what else I could pair this with in my wardrobe. I wore this sucker straight out of the box with a light gray top I have. Loved it! KEEP!!

So, overall I was pleased with my 6th box. I still have yet to hit the Magic 5 to receive the whole box discount. I'm wondering if I'll ever get there. My typical result is keeping 1 or 2 pieces a month. Even with the steady pace of returned items, I still love the Stitch Fix service. I think my new stylist did a pretty good job this time around, so I asked to keep her for another box. Hopefully, she will get a better picture of my style and get me closer to a full keeper box!

If you haven't tried Stitch Fix yet, but would like to give it a whirl, I'd love for you to use my link below. FYI, I do get a $25 credit if you order, just to be on the up-and-up.

Referral Link to Stitch Fix

I write these reviews merely because I love reading other people's Stitch Fix reviews...so there is nothing, really, beyond that inspiring me to post. Please feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you think of my choices or your experiences with Stitch Fix.