Friday, July 1, 2016

Fix #18 from Stitch Fix - July 1, 2016

What? Back again so soon with another review?

I know. It's crazy. A new Stitch Fix Review only a couple of weeks after my last one.

If you didn't read my June 14th review to find out why I have another Fix only 2 weeks later, please take the time to read about that here:

Fix #17 - June 2016

If you are entirely new to Stitch Fix, please read up on the service here:

My Very First Stitch Delivery and Stitch Fix Explanation - Fix #1

You can also check out a whole bunch of Stitch Fix reviews below. I've been writing them since May 2014:

Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014
Fix #6 - October 1, 2014
Fix #7 - October 29, 2014
Fix #8 - November 2014
Fix #9 - December 2014 
Fix #10 - January 2015
Fix #11 - February 2015
Fix #12 - March 2015 
Fix #13 - June 2015 
Fix #14 - September 2015
Fix #15 - December 2015
Fix #16 - March 2016

Now that you understand where this Fix is coming from, let's delve in, shall we?


This time around I had a single bundle in my box. No purses or jackets in this Fix. And look at all the pretty colors and patterns!


I had a little bit of everything in this box. And no gray or black! I hoped that my beloved stylist, Sari, had found me some good pieces after the fiasco of my last box.

For those who don't know my methods, I hang up everything first and then TRY EVERYTHING ON. Yes, even the things that I believe I won't like or are 'ugly' from first appearance. I have been surprised numerous times by the clothes in the box looking different on my body than on the hanger.

Here we go, people. Keeping my fingers crossed for success!

1) The first item I hung up was the Jessica Printed Flare Skirt from Renee C for $58. I really liked the funky, boho pattern. I'd pinned a similar looking skirt to my Pinterest board, so give Sari an A+ for effort! I had high hopes for this one. The waistband was soft, which is good for aging waistlines with a bit of extra pudge on the sides. Tight waistbands make for pretty ugly silhouettes in the over-40 set.


I tried this on with a blouse I'd also received in my fix.

Not bad. But I remember feeling like the skirt made me look very wide. In the picture on the left, I look a little waistless. I am not sure why. The length was good, but in order for this to be flattering at all, I'd have to pair it with a more form fitting top, and I really didn't have one that matched the skirt. Hm, not so sure about this one.

I put it in the MAYBE pile.

2) The next item I tried was the Plato Lace Inset Blouse by Creative Commune for $54. I thought this was lovely in color and style.

A very pretty pale blue with gorgeous lace detail and a nice pearl button in the back at the neck. Very feminine. Not something I would pick out for myself. I had no idea how this would look on me.

I really did love the pretty lace on this blouse. But as you can see from the straight-on photo, it turned me into a boxy blob. I wanted to have the top half of this blouse, but a different bottom half. Also, in the side photo you can see a low armhole that reveals underclothing. Not my favorite look.

Sadly, this went in the NO pile. On a narrower figure this really would've been pretty. Or, if I was a tuck-it-in kind of person or someone who wanted to layer this under a sweater or jacket.

3) Moving on, I decided to try the next top - the Semani Drape Front Blouse by 41Hawthorn for $58.

This had a lot going for it. I love the color. This kind of vibrant, electric blue looks very good on me. I also like drapey tops, as they seem to be flattering for me. I didn't take a picture of the back, but I should have. It had a pretty split back with an interesting detail near the top. Just trust me, it was neat.


But the trying on revealed this was way too big for me. I needed a size smaller. I was lost in a puddle of blue fabric, which somehow reminded me of Violet turning into a blueberry in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the 1971 original). The sides puffed out in an unflattering blob-like way. So sad!

This was dumped into the NO pile, and I never looked back.

 4) The next item I hung up was the Carlita Knit Maxi Dress by Loveappella for $78. I just recently received a Loveappella item in my March 2016 fix that I loved, so I was hopeful this would be another winner.
Fabulous Loveappela floral top from March 2016 Fix!
This dress was hard to get a full photo of because of its length, but here we go!
 Fabulous, colorful pattern. Wide straps. I really hope this fits well...



People, I have found the clothing MOTHER LODE! This dress was incredibly flattering, fit like a glove, and was just all over awesome. The waistline hit me perfectly (hard for me because not only am I tall, I'm short-waisted) and the straps and neckline hid the bra perfectly. Hello new favorite dress, welcome to my wardrobe.

A definite KEEP!

5) Last item in the box was the Emer Printed Straight Leg Pant from Margaret M for $98. I have received two other pairs of Margaret M pants, both of which went back to Stitch Fix. One for pattern problems (the 'clown pants' of July 2014) and one for fit (green pants were a tad too tight in the rear/hip area).

I had wanted a pastel pair of cropped pants, if possible. This hit both marks. However, I have my reservations about any pants labeled "straight leg," as I have anything but straight legs, plus I've got an ample backside to boot. But, hey, stretch fabrics are miraculous, right? I tried them on....
Be glad you are only seeing the front of these pants!

You are so lucky I'm sharing the best photo with you. The other two, oh holy heck, the pantylines were just atrocious. I couldn't do that to you, my audience. This front pic is bad enough. Yes, I could get them on. Yes, they were actually comfortable. But they were TOO tight and the fabric TOO thin for me to wear these in public. Which is such a shame, because if they had fit me well, I could've used a pair of pants like this.

This was a big NO. I even wrote in the comments for this particular designer that if she sends me anything else in the future, to give me a size larger. Clearly, I am not fitting into the sizes I usually have success with when trying on Margaret M pants. This is a zero-out-of-three for Margaret M!

So that is my entire box. I thought about the skirt. I just wasn't rah-rah-rah about the skirt. The price was reasonable, but I just didn't think I'd wear it very often. The skirt turned into a "NO," and I ended up with a 1-out-of-5 box. But a VERY VERY awesome 1 item it is!

I decided to get another fix at the end of July. Then I will be back on the once-a-quarter plan. Hoping I can still end up with some capri pants. This is the 3rd summer in a row I've wanted some. We'll see what my stylist can come up with!

If you have yet to try Stitch Fix, consider using my referral link below. I will get a $25 credit when you make your first order, just to give full transparency. Even though I've been doing these reviews for over 2 years, I haven't gotten much in the way of credit (not a complaint, just honesty...I write these reviews for the fun of it...not for the $$).

stitchfix.com/referral/3587901

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear your comments on what I kept and what I sent back.

Also, if you are a reader, I just published a small collection of science fiction short stories on Amazon called SKYFALL. Check it out!