The email notifying me of my February box hit my inbox more than a week ago, but the box itself didn’t show up on schedule.  I assume the awful weather we were having in Chicago had something to do with it.   I wasn’t sitting on the edge of my seat this month. Despite having kept everything from my past two boxes, I was feeling a little blasé this month. Remember, I returned EVERYTHING from November, but kept everything in December and January.  While I wasn’t in LOVE with the January items, the 25% savings you get by keeping EVERYTHING made it worthwhile. 

Unlike in the past, I didn’t take the time to properly comment on my fixes. I was busy and I just wanted to move on to something else.  Well, let me tell you, that was a mistake. 

As a reminder, my focus for Stitch Fix is more casual clothes.  My office transitioned to a fully casual environment last year and after years of building up a solid business and business-casual closet, I needed some help.  I get all of my dress shirts custom made from a tailor in Hong Kong and they are perfect.  My pants are mostly from Banana Republic.

With a much more casual dress code now, I need to revamp my closet.  Enter Stitch Fix.  I’ve been using the service off and on since last summer, with relative success.  Read more about my previous boxes here, here and here. My fix arrived this week – let’s jump in, shall we?

In The Box

• Boconi – Barstow Casual Vegan Leather Belt – $38
  • First off, what’s a Vegan Leather Belt?  Secondly, the belt wasn’t sized right, it said it was a 36, which is the perfect size for my 33-34″ waist.  This belt was a bit tight, but I really was diggin’ the color and style — and the price.  Undecided
• 01ALGO – Interval Stretch Poplin Shirt – $64
  • I love this shirt.  The sleeves and the waist fit perfectly. I loved this shirt when they sent it to me over the summer, just in a different color.  I don’t need the exact same shirt in purple. Return
• GRAYERS – Falmer Vintage Flannel Workshirt – $88
  • This shirt reminds me of growing up in rural Oregon. I dig a warm flannel.  This one fit very well too.  The colors and the pattern were really rough though.  This was actually the first thing I saw in the box and I knew I’d be returning it immediately.  WOWZER. Return
• 7 Diamonds – Siena Pique Patch Pocket Blazer – $150
  • This blazer was quite nice and fit very well.  The problem, I have a ton of blue blazers, plus, Stitch Fix just sent me a blue blazer last month.  Return
• Mavi – Zach Straight Leg Pant  – $98
  • These pants fit great and the color is not like anything I’ve got in my closet now.  Keep

Initial Impressions

I wasn’t impressed initially.  So much of the same stuff. You’ll remember last month I got a hoodie that looked almost identical to the hoodie from the previous month.  I always say, you can’t have too many blue blazers, but I think I’m at the point where I have too many blue blazers!  Plus, sending me a shirt that I love in just a different color seems a little lazy.  The belt and pants really sang to me though and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have selected those pants on my own. 

The Decision

This month, I decided to KEEP the belt and pants while returning the shirt, blazer and that flannel that I find to be just plain ugly.   I’m not getting the 25% discount this month, but I’m OK with that.  I wasn’t digging several of the items this month and while I can imagine them working into my wardrobe (except that flannel), my goal with Stitch Fix isn’t to provide slightly different versions of things I like.

My results aren’t all that consistent with StichFix, but I’m still digging this whole process.  I was offered free styling for a year for $49.  Without this offer, each month, you must pay $20 styling fee, even if you return everything.

Do you use Stitch Fix?  Give me your Stitch Fix Review. Guys – what other services like this do you use and recommend?  Or do you just prefer to walk into your local Banana Republic and grab stuff off the racks?