This week, Debbie asks my thoughts on Stitch Fix, and whether or not she should give it a try. I’m glad she asked this question, because I’ve been wanting to share my thoughts on services like this for quite some time!
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Try a Fix and get a $75 Stitch Fix credit using our referral link
ThredUp’s Goody Boxes
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Read the full episode transcript below! – Ep 58 Office Hours Is Stitch Fix a Good Idea?
Today’s episode of Office Hours is sponsored by Living Wonder. I’ve told you how important collagen is for your skin, but did you know that your hair and nails benefit from collagen as well? Yep, supplementing with collagen can help your hair and nails grow thicker, be less brittle, and there are even studies that show collagen may help with hair thinning due to age. I’m not saying its a miracle drug, but I am saying its worth a try if you’re looking for younger looking hair, nails and skin. I take Living Wonder’s Collagen boost plus every single day and love it. I hope you will too
Everyday Style listeners can take 15% off their purchase by going to mylivingwonder.com/style and using code STYLE15. As always you can visit our show notes for the link.
Welcome back to Office Hours–the weekly show of the Everyday Style School podcast, where we answer one question, submitted by you fabulous listeners to help make style easier, and getting dressed more fun.
Today’s question comes from Debbie, who asked
What do you think of Stitch Fix? A lot of my friends do it and wonder if you think it’s worth it to try.
Fabulous question Debbie.
I have a love/hate relationship with Stitch Fix, and I’ll share my reasoning for each, as well as give you my overall opinion, but let’s start with what stitch Fix is for those not in the know.
Stitch Fix is a styling service where you get items that are hand chosen for you, sent to you to try on at home. You keep, and pay for, what you like, and send back the rest.
When you sign up, you fill out a profile about your style, your body, all that good stuff that helps Stitch Fix stylists make selections for you. You can sign up to get a Stitch Fix box on a schedule, like once month or just on demand when you need a wardrobe refresh.
For each box you receive, you pay a $20 styling fee. If you keep anything from the box, the styling fee gets applied. If you keep nothing you pay the $20. Stitch Fix is just one service like this.
Nordstrom offers Trunk Club, and thredUp offers the same thing, but with second hand clothing. You can find subscription styling boxes in all price and size ranges.
Stitch Fix does offer mens and kids as well, but we’re just focusing on their women’s service.
Let’s start with the positive. Here’s what I love about Stitch Fix.
First, it lets you try new things. When you fill out your profile, you can say how adventurous you want to be. If you choose ‘not at all” you’re going to miss out on some things that make you say “I never would have tried this, but I love it”.
The flip side of this is you might be returning more than if you stayed in your style wheelhouse, but it’s a good way to branch out. It’s nice to have other eyes on your wardrobe, sometimes.
Your Stitch Fix stylists won’t be sending you 4 of the same top in different colors–it’s a good way to get out of a rut. This question actually inspired me to try stitch fix again, and I said I wanted to be adventurous–we’ll see what I end up with!
Another thing I love is that You also get exposed to new brands. Stitch Fix works with some brands you know–like Kut from the Kloth, Splendid and Paige, but they also have a brand you’ve probably never heard of, as well as their house brands, like 41 Hawthorne that you can’t get anywhere else.
Trying new brands is a good way to get out of a style rut, and often we just default to the brands we know if left to our own devices.
I also love that Stitch Fix makes it easy to refresh your wardrobe. If its difficult to get to stores, either because of proximity, or your kids are tough to handle in a mall, or everything is closed, It’s nice to know you don’t have to settle for what you can find at your local CVS–and yes, my local CVS carries clothes.
So that’s the good stuff about Stitch Fix, and those things are important. Here’s what I don’t love.
First and foremost, buying a couple of pieces at a time is the best way to build a closet full of nothing to wear. When you build your wardrobe in a slow drip fashion, you never have the right things to wear, and you’re never done shopping.
You always feel like you’re missing something. A better way is to shop less often, but buy more each time. Spend the same amount of money that you would in 3 months on a piece here and there shopping in one trip.
I guarantee you’ll have more to wear, and you won’t feel like you need to keep shopping. This is one of the biggest reasons Capsule wardrobes work, You check the items off the list, and then you’re done for the season.
But all season long, you can get dressed, quickly, easily and stylishly. Even if you’re not a Capsule follower, shopping less often, but buying more each time is a better strategy.
The second thing I don’t love about Stitch Fix is that it encourages you to throw good money after bad. I can’t tell you how many clients have kept a $68 blouse they don’t love so they wouldn’t be “out” the $20 styling fee.
That doesn’t make any sense. Call the $20 a convenience fee, and don’t spend more money, to keep things you’re not going to wear. This is a waste of two of your wardrobe resources–money and closet space.
The only one it doesn’t waste is time.
Another issue I have with Stitch Fix is that it encourages users to settle for less than perfect. I know, when I was shopping with clients, we’d try on a lot of jeans, to find a pair that was perfect..
We’d even try on multiple pairs of the same size of the same jean to find the one that fits best. And yes, there will be one that fits best. Stitch fix sends you one pair, and if it’s close, you go “eh, good enough”.
If you’ve listened to this show, you should know by now that good enough is never good enough. It might work for a while, but you’ll be back, wanting something better in no time.
In my time with clients, I saw a whole lot of close, but not quite, pieces from stitch fix in their closets. They were never like “oh, those are my favorites and I wear them all the time.
Going along with that, One challenge I see is people using Stitch Fix before their wardrobes are ready.
I think services like these are great for fun, interesting, unique things. But until your basics are nailed, those pieces aren’t going to help you as much.
Stitch Fix could send me any jacket, any skirt, any top, and weird pants, and I’d have something to go with them. Focus on building your basics first, and then let a service like Stitch Fix add in those unique pieces to give your wardrobe extra personality.
Another Stitch Fix gripe I have is that I think they’re a little overpriced. They’ve gotten better over the years about offering more budget friendly options, but some of the brands they send can be found cheaper in the real world.
Of course, they change the style names, so unless you’re a shopping ninja, you likely wouldn’t know that the Kut from the Kloth Dana style is really the Diana style–Im just made that up–and can be found at Nordstrom Rack. I guess it’s a little like instacart–you pay more for each item just for the convenience.
My final Stitch Fix complaint–and this could just be that I look at clothes, and people in clothes for a living, is that Stitch Fix is big enough, and enough people do it, that you see the same Stitch Fix things on a lot of people.
The problem with unique, stand out pieces is that they become pretty noticeable if lots of people are wearing them. Again, that could just be a me thing, or maybe you’ve noticed it too.
Those are a few things I don’t love about Stitch Fix.
My overall opinion is that it can help women have more fun with style, but you have to use it correctly, and have tough standards, even if it means losing $20.
Don’t use it as a wardrobe builder–if you struggle to get dressed, go shopping, or do a big online shopping spree to get your essentials. Use Stitch Fix as the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.
So Debbie, my answer to your question is it worth it to give Stitch Fix a try…sure! If you’ve got the basics nailed, and you’re looking for some variety, go for it. The worst that can happen is that you lose $20 having fun trying something new.
Great question, Debbie–thanks for asking it! I’d love to hear your thoughts on Stitch Fix–share your thoughts on Facebook and Instagram. You can find us on both by searching Everyday Style with Jen, or again, head to to our website for the links.
If you’ve got a question you’d like me to cover in Office Hours, email it to podcast@youreverydaystyle.com.
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That’s all for today–see you next week!
