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?

It’s that time again, time for a Stitch Fix Review.  I received my January box last weekend.  I had a pretty good box in December, so I was anticipating to get a dud this time.

As a reminder, my focus for Stitch Fix is more casual clothes.  My office transitioned to a fully casual environment a few months ago and after years of building up a 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 for a few months now, with relative success.  Read more about my previous boxes here, here and here. My fix arrived this week – let’s jump in, shall we?

Anticipation and excitement. What’s in the box?

In The Box

• Red Ale – Velasquez Washed Twill Shirt – $48
  • Really liked the pattern and color, the shoulder fit was funky.  Undecided
• DL1961 – Avery Modern Straight Jean – $125
  • I do love some grey jeans.  These looked and fit great, plus the smallest amount of stretch made them move smoothly.  Keep
• Hawker Rye – Rose Bowl Hooded Sweater – $64
  • Meh, this looks like the long underwear hoodie from last month, which I kept. Do I need two?  Undecided
• Hawker Rye – 95/5 Cotton Cashmere Shawl Collar Sweater – $64
  • A great casual and warm sweater.  Keep
• Cole Haan –  Ogden Suede Chukka Boot – $130
  • Immediately loved the shoes and they fit like a glove.  Keep

Initial Impressions

Sometimes it seems like these boxes are arriving every time I turn around.  My last few boxes have been pretty good, check out December and September.  The first thing I saw was the shoes and I immediately loved them. Too bad the Chicago winters with snow, ice and salt aren’t the best to wear suede shoes.  Soon though.  Why would Stitch Fix send two light weight hoodies that look almost identical in consecutive months?

The Decision

This month, I decided to KEEP everything. I didn’t really want the hoodie – I liked last month’s version better – and the Twill Shirt had a lot going for it, but the fit was just a little off.  So why did I end up keeping everything?  It’s that damn 25% savings if you purchase everything!  Keeping EVERYTHING vs just the three items I really like cost me only $4 more this month.  Since I didn’t hate any of these items, I figured paying just $2 for the two shirts that didn’t wow me, did make sense.

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?

It’s that time again, time for a Stitch Fix Review.  I received my December box this weekend.  My excitement level wasn’t too high, considering I returned EVERYTHING from November.  I was hoping my response and reviews of that fix would guide my stylist in a better direction. As a reminder, my focus for Stitch Fix is more casual clothes.  My office transitioned to a fully casual environment a few months ago and after years of building up a 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 for a few months now, with relative success.  Read more about my previous boxes here, here and here. My fix arrived this week – let’s jump in, shall we?

Anticipation and excitement. What’s in the box?

In The Box

• Bixby Nomad – Straight Fit 5 Pocket Pant – $68
  • Liked the style, the fit and the color. Keep
• Alesbury – Denali Two Pocket Doublecloth Workshirt – $60
  • This was interesting.  Didn’t LOVE it, but I also don’t have anything like this. Undecided
• Flag and Anthem – Schenectady Dobby Shirt – $49.50
  • Loved the pattern and the fit was almost perfect.  Sleeves were a a perfect fit, but I know they will shrink a bit after the first wash. Keep
• 01Algo – Heathered Knit Blazer -$128
  • A deconstructed blazer with good weight that actually fits?  Keep
• Alesbury – Keaton Thermal Henley Hoodie  – $49.00
  • This hoodie looks like long underwear and fits like a glove, perfect for layering.  Keep

The contents of my December Stitch Fix Box

Initial Impressions

I tore into this box and was pretty impressed.  The burnt orange pants really sang to me.  I ripped them out of the box and tried them on immediately and they were perfect!  The Hoodie looked like something I’d never buy on my own, but thought it was a great layering item for a cold Chicago winter.  When I saw the blazer, I thought it was going to be another blazer from these guys that just fit poorly or fit poorly and was expensive, not at all in this case.

The Decision

This month, I decided to KEEP everything. While I wasn’t COMPLETELY sold on one shirt, I did dig it well enough to keep.  Plus keeping all five items gives you an additional 25% off the items. Basically, if I bought all the items, it was cheaper than buying four of the items.  Kooky, I know.

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?

It’s that time again, time for a Stitch Fix Review.  I received my November box this week and I was excited to see what new items may enter my wardrobe.  As a reminder, my focus for Stitch Fix is more casual clothes.  My office recently transitioned to a fully casual environment (perish the thought) and after years of building up a 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 usually come from Banana Republic, but sometimes I’ll get bespoke pants too.

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 for a few months now, with relative success.  Read more about my previous boxes here and here. My fix arrived this week – let’s jump in, shall we?

Anticipation and excitement. What’s in the box?

In The Box

• Fairlane – Ashley Suprima Cotton Dress Shirt – $74
  • Liked the style. Sleeves were too long. Return
• Fairlane – 24/7 Shirt – $68
  • Again, liked the style, sleeves were perfect, but it was just too form fitting. Return
• Save the Duck – Giga Hooded Packable Jacket – $148
  • A down alternative puffy coat that actually fit well, and seemed to be a nice late fall jacket. I just bought an equivalent jacket.  Return
• Ralph Lauren – Washable Merino Wool V-Neck Sweater – $98.50
  • Standard Merino Sweater.  Fit nicely, but the color wasn’t doing it for me. Return
• Fairlane – Refined Wool Straight Fit Chino – $98.00
  • The lower legs had such a flare, I felt like an extra from a 70s film. Otherwise the fit was perfect.  The fabric wasn’t as fine (it felt very polyester like to me). Return

Initial Impressions

As I opened the paper wrapping, I was excited. The shirts were my style and it’s nice to have a pair of pants that EVERYONE else doesn’t have.  Do you shop at Banana and find that you have the same outfit as your colleagues?  Unfortunately, the fit just wasn’t right on most of these clothes.  If I hadn’t just purchased a new light weight jacket, I’d have kept this one. Timing is everything.

POW! My fixes for November…hmmmm

The Decision

This month, I decided to return everything.  It’s a fine line between fit and style and I don’t want to compromise on either.  You shouldn’t have to.  That’s the beauty of Stitch Fix, if you don’t like the stuff, you just toss all the clothes into the USPS bag (that already has postage) and give it to your mail carrier. Easy Breezy.  You only bay the $20 styling charge (and there is a way around that too – I’ll tell you the secret next week).

While I didn’t have the greatest results this month, I’m still happy with the service and we’ll see what comes up in December.  If December turns out to be like November, I’ll probably put the service on hold until spring.

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?