Thursday, June 29, 2017

Fix #23 - June 21, 2017

Oh, Glorious Day of Stitch Fix!
Praise the morn when colorful and fashionable vestments arrive at my domicile as if from Heaven itself.

Yes, Stitch Fix review fans, it's time for another! For the last 2 years, I think, I have reduced my Stitch Fix deliveries to once a quarter. Then, I had a disaster box last year around this time and was so bummed out, I immediately signed up for a July delivery (which went much better, thank you).

This kind of messed up the seasonal delivery I was going for. I liked getting a box at the beginning of every season: June, September, December and March. So, instead I am on an 'every other month' delivery for now.

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 (more than 3 years!?):

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
Fix #17 - June 2016
Fix #18 - July 2016 
Fix #19 - August 2016
Fix #20 - October 2016
Fix #21 - January 2017
Fix #22 - April 2017

For this fix I had asked my stylist for shorts or a shorts jumper that would be suited for a woman in her 40s. I needed shorts that weren't too short and that fit a 'healthy' thigh. Nothing sadder than trying on a cute pair of shorts that fit around my thighs like a sausage casing. I also requested a light cardigan and no sleeveless items - I don't have the best arms and like a bit of sleeve. I always ask for fun patterns and colors, as I have an unhealthy obsession with buying black clothing or one-color items.

My box was incredibly slim. But it's summer, so I wasn't that worried about it.


When I opened it up, look what goodness awaited me. Colors and patterns galore!

The note that came with my fix explained that my usual stylist was on vacation, so I got a replacement stylist and that she hoped she'd picked some good things for me. Now, I adore my stylist, so I was a little wary of what may be in the box. However, I did my usual: hung everything up and got ready to TRY IT ALL ON.

I have repeated this in all of my Stitch Fix reviews. You must try on the items. Do not make judgment based on looks alone. Seriously. Sometimes I will eye a dress or blouse and think, "Hm, not so sure about this one." Then I am pleasantly surprised by the fit and/or look of these garments and they end up as 'keepers.'

So, don't be a clothing judger. Trust your stylist. Sure, she might fail once in awhile, but if you don't try it on you won't be able to give a full detailing of WHAT went wrong when you check out. Your stylist will learn over time that this brand of pants doesn't fit well or this top was too tight across the chest, etc. Information is like gold to Stitch Fix for making your fixes even better, so help them out!

1) The first item I hung up were the Lela Released Hem Skinny Pant from Kut From the Kloth for $78.00.


I loved the color of these pants. I got a GREAT olive-colored vest from Stitch Fix this past winter that is FAB and goes with so many things. It's a fantastic neutral shade. I believe I asked for some olive pants at one point...either for this fix or another. Can't remember. So I was pleased to see them. They also were clearly a longer capri style, so they could be worn on the cooler summer days in Idaho.

Although the word 'skinny' worried me, and they looked a bit narrow, I have had great luck with Kut From the Kloth pants. So I tried them on.
Okay, so these fit very very well at the waist. But the 'skinny' part of the pants did me no favors. I have incredibly 'athletic calves' as they call them nowadays. My husband can tell you I'm a very hard fit for ski boots because of that. These pants, well, let's just say I had to yank them on to even get them up all the way. There was a generous amount of stretch to the fabric, but this kind of 'skinny' was WAY too skinny for my not-so-skinny legs.  Uncomfortably tight. The worst part was, I liked them. I liked the color, the style, etc. And, even though you can now do exchanges for clothes you like, I knew if I exchanged this for the next larger size, the waist would be too big. BUMMER. 

These pants were a NO.

2) Although the first item I tried was a 'no' item, I was stalwart. I did not let disappointment cave in on me. No, not I! I put the next item up on the hanger: The Sachs Tape Yarn Striped Pullover by Mystree for $54.00.


I love me a good cardigan. Even in June. Why? Because where I live, summer comes late and is short. So having a light, cute cardi like this one lets me wear my summer stuff with a bit a warmth. I loved the colors...a pretty shell pink and off white. I could imagine how this would spruce up some things in my wardrobe and how it could go with some dresses I had, etc. So I tried it on with high hopes.

At this point, I'd removed the offending pants and put on some jeans and a gray t-shirt (Stitch Fix from 2 years ago) to see how it would look. It was cute! And had very long sleeves for my very long arms. A big plus. The weave was light, so I knew it would be a perfect cardigan for the warmer months. This went in the YES pile.

3) I was having a pretty decent box so far - one hit, one miss. Not bad. I hoped for the best when I hung up the next item: Genna Split Neck Top by Fun2Fun for $44.00.


I liked the print very much. It was fun and sassy for summer. I also appreciated that the stylist had stuck to my 'no sleeveless please' request. I had good feelings about this blouse. It was made of a lighter material, breezy. Just what I'd need for the hotter days coming up. So I tried it on:
This pic is not the best - a little blurry - sorry about that. And it is a bit hard to see why this didn't end up working for me. The split neckline was a bit high up so that the bust line ended up looking really unflattering. The neck needed to be a little lower to make a more attractive appearance overall. Or maybe the gathering needed to come down further. Not sure. It just didn't look good. And, in this pic, you can see something odd going on with my chest. That's all I will say there.

I also had trouble with the shoulder area.
 The seam for the shoulder was too narrow for me. I needed another inch or so to get the sleeve to fall properly. Instead, the sleeve appears to be tight, when it really wasn't. Just too far up my shoulder to sit correctly. Bugger.

Another NO, and I was very very hopeful about this one!

4) My next item was a pair of very cute shorts in a gorgeous turquoise blue - Cindie Linen Short by Level 99 for $78.00.
I'd asked for some shorts that a 40-something could wear. I didn't want anything too short or too tight. I wanted comfortable and flattering. I LOVE linen, but was worried it may not work well due to an absence of stretch power.

My worries were unfounded, however, when I tried them on:
 Eek! My bare legs. They don't look too terrible, I think. But let's focus on the shorts, why don't we? The glorious shorts! The color! The fit! The length! Divine in all ways. The waist fit perfectly. The linen material made them hang in a very flattering way. Holy moley, I loved these shorts! And the construction of these shorts was fantastic. Very solid closures on the waist, the stitching and pockets were fab. I have never spent this much on a pair of shorts before, but maybe I will from now on. I mean, check it out!
Really cute. Once again, ignore leg and notice shorts! I love these so very very very much. I wore them the other day and just adored them all day long.

KEEP, 100 times, KEEP!

5) The last item in my box was this lovely dress - Augustina Knit Maxi Dress by Skies Are Blue for $68.00.

I love me a good maxi dress. I have a couple from Stitch Fix, and I was ready to add another if it worked out. The top of it looked cute, but I'd have to wear with my strapless bra, so that was a bit of a bummer to me. However, I tried it on.
Not bad overall. I didn't necessarily love the gathered waist. A bit bulky, and I need all the help I can get minimizing the lower half. The fabric was a bit heavier, so the bulk was unavoidable really. The keyhole neckline was super cute. But then I did a bra check (as we girls always do when we are trying something on like this)...
Ooh, not good. This is the only strapless bra I have. Not inclined to buy another just for one dress. And, too bad, because the side angle is pretty good with this one. But, not interested in worrying about shopping for a bra for a single dress in my wardrobe. So this was a NO.

Overall, a 2-out-of-5 box made me very happy. I added a couple of things to my summer wardrobe that were very wanted...the shorts especially! LOVE THEM.  I have decided to go back to an every-other-month fix for now, so my reviews should come more often.

Hope you all enjoy them. Would love to hear your feedback about what I kept and what I sent back. I think my fill-in stylist did an excellent job. After 3+ years of using their service, I still adore Stitch Fix!

And if you like my reviews, I bet you'll like my novels. Here's one that you might enjoy, a romance called ACAPULCO NIGHTS!