Back to School with Stitch Fix

By Heather Hollands

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to 
thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, 
some humor, and some style." ~Maya Angelou 

With a new school year starting, I’ve been thinking a lot about what units I’m going to teach now that I have 11th and 12th graders, how I’m going to organize my classroom, and what I’m going to wear. I’ve had the wardrobe blahs, so when I recently heard about Stitch Fix — an online personal styling service — I became curious.

The first step I took was to fill out a Stitch Fix Style Profile. I like casual clothes, and I also am drawn to some of the boho trends. It costs $20 to have a personal stylist handpick five clothing items and accessories to match your unique style. That $20 is applied to your first purchase. I also filled out some information about what upcoming events I will be attending. I have lots of get-togethers this month, but mostly I am looking for clothes to wear for the start of school.

Another step I took to help my stylist Kristie get to know my tastes was to start a style board on Pinterest. Searching for and pinning fashion pics helped me to see what styles I gravitate toward and to become more aware of what types of pieces I would like to add to my wardrobe.

When my box arrived […did I mention I love getting surprises in the mail?…]  I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture of the package before I opened it. The items inside were neatly wrapped with white tissue paper secured with a Stitch Fix sticker, but…yeah…I tore through that before snapping pictures, too!

 

 

My stylist chose a maxi dress, a blazer, a short sleeve blouse, a sleeveless blouse, and a necklace. Included in the fix are style cards, which offer ideas on how to wear the clothing. Let’s peek at my fix!

 The Maxi Dress

I was excited to receive the maxi dress, which can be worn in the summer but also transitions to other seasons by adding a blazer, denim jacket, or cardigan. I thought it might work well for a writing marathon I will be participating in with my Writing Project friends. We will be traveling to different locations in our county to write and to share in celebration of the retirement of three of our teacher friends. The dress suits my casual style and features colors that I like. It also fits.

The Blazer

Kristie added this blazer for me to layer for the start of school. I like the stripe detail on the cuffs. While I like the style, the blazer is too tight on the sleeves for me. I wouldn’t be able to lift my arms comfortably to write on the dry erase board.

The Short Sleeve Blouse

I love the ikat pattern and the versatility of this blouse, which can be paired with denim shorts in the summer and dressed up with a blazer during the school year. I really want this top to fit, but I have a long torso. When I lift up my arms, the blouse is a tad short. Darn!

The Sleeveless Blouse

What I like about this top is that it is the perfect length for me.  Some might say chevron is overdone, but I am drawn to the crisp colors and lines. I like the pairing of the orange necklace with this top in the style card. The problem is that the blouse doesn’t fit right across the chest. It wants to bunch up, and then the liner hangs lower than the outer layer. Another sizing fail.

I know what the problem is … I’ve gained weight over the summer. The sizes that would have fit me in the past are snug now. Oh, the challenges of being in my 40s. I see Facebook posts of my friends kayaking and running and finding other calorie-burning ways of enjoying life outdoors, and I know I need to get more active. But I digress…

 The Necklace

The good news about getting accessories in your fix is that they will fit. I requested not to receive earrings because my ears are sensitive. I also requested no handbags because I have enough for now. This necklace doesn’t have the ‘wow’ factor I was hoping for, but then again it is fun and goes with many outfits.

Decision Time

I get three days to decide what to keep and what to return. If I were to keep all five items, I would get a 25 percent discount. The total would be $193.50. Any items that I decide to return can be placed in the enclosed pre-paid shipping bag. Also, I can schedule my next fix if I decide to get one, or I can choose to have them shipped automatically every 2-3 weeks, every month, or every other month.

Overall, I thought it was a lot of fun to have a stylist pick out items for me. Kristie did a great job choosing styles that I love. I just wish I would fit into the sizes that I said I wear! I’d like to slim down a bit before I try Stitch Fix again. Also, the prices were higher than I usually pay for my clothing … I admit, I love to find a clearance rack bargain! Most teachers I know like to stretch the clothing dollars. When filling out the Style Profile and when providing feedback on the items which were sent, you do have the opportunity to specify your budget and to say whether the prices are in line with that.

What Do You Think?

Do you think it would be fun to receive a Stitch Fix box in the mail? What is your favorite item from my fix? I would love if you left a comment below. Also, if you are interested in trying out Stitch Fix, please use my referral link:

http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3950928

I can receive a $25 Stitch Fix credit for each friend who gets her first fix, so *pretty* please remember to use the referral link. Yes, more clothes! Here’s to thriving this school year and to having a stylish start.