Stitch Fix #2, January 2014

Stitch Fix #2: January 2014

Many thanks to the person who signed up for Stitch Fix using my link!  I used my referral credit to schedule a fix :)

Stitch Fix #2

Stitch Fix is a clothing service that, for a $20 styling fee, sends you a box of clothing items and sometimes accessories.  You have 3 days to try everything on and return what you don't like.  You pay for what you keep, and you get a 25% discount if you buy all the items.  Your $20 styling fee is credit toward a purchase.

I filled out a profile with my sizes and style preferences and Stitch Fix did the rest.

Look Cards

The stylist includes a card for each item with a few outfit ideas, along with a little letter.  It's a nice touch, and there are some ideas on the cards that I wouldn't have thought of.

My fix!

This month was pretty good, and the stylist definitely picked items true to my tastes.  I just wish everything wasn't so expensive!  Even after the 25% discount and $25 credit, I would have had to pay $182.50 to keep everything.  I didn't like everything that much.  I'd rather get Golden Tote if I was going to spend >$150 on clothes at a time.

Sophia Skinny Jeans, $88

First item was a pair of jeans from Kensie.  The Sophia Skinny Jeans were awesome, a perfect color and fit, but my budget doesn't allow me to buy $88 jeans right now.  :(  I liked them a lot!

Not too long!

Bye bye, jeans :(

Jeans: Returned

This is the shirt that I ended up keeping!

Galway 3/4 Sleeve Button-Up Blouse, $38

It's really hard to take pictures of black clothes.  I tried.  The buttons are pearls with gold edges.  The shirt is on the sheer side, but you couldn't see the white tank I was wearing through the material. 

Not much definition to the shirt, but it drapes well

This blouse is by 41Hawthorn.

A little wrinkly from its travels

Blouse: Kept

Strasbourg Split-Neck Knit Top, $48

I had mixed feelings about this shirt from Loveappella.  I liked the purple, and that is was soft and long in the back.  I did NOT like that it was a $48 tee shirt.  Too expensive!

I'm so pale that I throw off the contrast.  Sorry!

I'm also having iPhone camera issues.  It works if I restart my phone, but it doesn't like to focus on things and sometimes will randomly close itself.   But, I digress.  I'm sorry for my shitty quality phone pictures.  It would look dumb if I took these with my iPad though!

boring

Boring Shirt: returned.

Cellar Open Front Drape Cardigan, $48

Another weird item.  The sleeves on this Sweet Rain cardigan were too short to be considered long-sleeved, but too short to be 3/4.  I kinda just pushed them up.  The back of this was gathered with an elastic band, and I would have preferred it just drape.

Again, sorry for the color balance.

I would probably wear this, but if I wasn't keeping the whole box, I wouldn't want to pay $48 out of pocket for it.

Cardigan

Cardigan: Returned

Selfridge Cowl Neck Long Sleeved Shirt, $48

UGH.  Again, it's super hard to take pictures of detailed black shirts.  This is a drape-front shirt from 41Hawthorn.  With this shirt, just like the cardigan, the sleeves were a weird length.  These hit just above my wrist bone.  Awkward.

It took me a full 5 minutes to put this shirt on.  It was needlessly complicated.

This shirt fits like a tight tee, but the the front panel folds up to make the cowl, so there are two layers with no bottom seam.  Does that make sense?  It took me a while to figure out how to wear it.

Holy cowl neck.

This wasn't really my style.  I don't really see myself wearing it.

Cowl-Necked Shirt: Returned

The merchandise total came to $270 for this fix, but if I had bought everything, the 25% off and the $25 credit would have brought the total to $182.50.  No thanks.  I kept the blouse and sent everything else back.  

I like the idea of Stitch Fix a LOT.  I really do.  I feel like this would be great for someone with a grown-up job who doesn't have time to shop, and has the money to afford an $88 pair of jeans.  That's not me right now, sadly.  

I would have loved to keep the jeans, but I'm glad that blouse I liked was the most inexpensive item in the box.

If you want to try out Stitch Fix, please use my referral link here.  I'll get $25 credit, and you will get a custom box of clothing to spare you from going to the mall.  Try it on in the privacy of your own home, see how it fits in with your current wardrobe, and send back what you don't like.  It's that simple.

This post contains items purchased by me.  No compensation or special consideration was received for this post.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains a referral link; see above for details. 

Stitch Fix November 2013

Stitch Fix

This was my first fix!  Popsugar sent a $20 gift code in October's box, so I figured I would try it out.  I didn't have anything to lose, so why not?

Stitch Fix is like a personal shopper service.  You tell them your sizes, style preferences, and price point, and they send you items that they think you will like and that will fit.

You can schedule a fix at any point, or have them automatically send one per month.  There is a $20 styling fee that will go toward any purchase you make from that fix.  If you purchase everything, you get a 25% discount on everything.  If you decide not to purchase some or all of the items, you send them back in the pre-paid envelope.


Without further ado, onto my first fix!

Pearson Dot Knit Long Sleeved Sweater

Sweater, $88

I like the color and the open knit, but this wasn't special enough.  It wasn't very soft and I wasn't crazy about the dot print.  The sleeves were a little long.

Not a keeper.


Ryan Chevron Knit Infinity Scarf

Scarf, $38

I really like this! The colors are a nice combination and it was super-soft, but I can't justify spending $40 on something I could knit for myself.  In fact, I knit myself something similar last year!
Not a keeper.



Danford Velvet-Detailed Hi-Lo Tank

Tank, $58

This was beautiful, and I really liked the style and the fit, but I wouldn't have anywhere to wear it!  It's too fancy for my everyday life as a grad student.  The front is all openwork with velvet details and is totally see-through.  Stitch fix sent a plain black cami that I'm assuming was meant to go under this, but it wasn't listed on any sheet and wasn't attached in any manner to the velvet tank.  It was kinda just folded up under everything else in the box!

I could see wearing this to a fancy dinner with a skirt and sweater, but I can't justify keeping it at the price (even with the $20 off).


Malin Bootcut Jeans

Jeans, $98

I liked the quality of these, but not the boot cut or the buttons on the pockets.  They were also a little long, I don't often wear heels with jeans.  They fit really well, which is awesome for some random person picking out jeans for me!  It always is something I find difficult to shop for, but these were spot on.

If you don't know what a $100+ pair of jeans feels like, go try some on!  It is amazing the difference in quality of the fabric.  These were so soft and felt like I had spent years breaking them in perfectly.  This is why I am a loyal fan of Lucky Brand.  They are usually just under $100 but I definitely get my money's worth!  So, I don't mind paying for expensive jeans (if they are good quality), but I didn't like the style of these enough.

I didn't keep these.


Benfield Heathered Drape Front Cardigan

Cardigan, $58

This is awesome! I loved it, and it is absolutely something I would normally wear.  Sadly, my budget is tight around the holidays and even with the styling fee, this is a little out of my range.

The dark blue fabric is a little hard to see in my pictures, but it was very soft.  This was my favorite item and I was so tempted to pay the $38 out of pocket (the price, minus the styling fee that Popsugar essentially paid).  I did not, and everything in the fix got sent back.


Had I gotten these items in Golden Tote for a flat $149, I would have been thrilled!  However, it stings a little more seeing the total price of everything at $340.  With the 25% discount, all of the items would have cost $240.  Granted, for the items I was sent, that is a bargain.  Maybe in the future I will do another fix.

If Stitch Fix interests you, here is my referral link.  I will get a $25 credit for anyone who signs up for a fix using my link.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me.  This post contains a referral link.

PopSugar Must Have Review October 2013

I can never seem to avoid spoilers for my boxes!  Try as I might, I always cave and click those spoiler links...

However, having the actual box in my hands is very different from seeing pictures online.

October 2013 Popsugar Must Have

This month, PopSugar did a Halloween/Breast Cancer Awareness theme.

First item is The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Aboslutely Terrified! by Jessica Seinfeld.  This is because, "the holidays are coming and you should cook for people,"... according to PS.

The Can't Cook Book

I love to cook.  I usually just wing it, but some of the things in this book look tasty.  I'm not sure if I'll keep this or not.  Nothing really compares to my kitchen bible: The New Best Recipe from America's Test Kitchen.  Now that is a cookbook.

This is my cookbook metric.
Photo from Amazon

The Can't Cook Book sells for about $17 on Amazon, but has a cover price of $27.99.


Next up, NYX Cosmetics Liquid Liner and Shadow Palette.. to look sexy this season.  Damn it, I try to look sexy every season.  Thanks, PS.

NYX Liquid Brown Eyeliner

The liner is from their "Collection Chocolaté" and is a non-sparkly medium brown liner.  The included brush isn't bad; if you are careful you can get a very, very thin line.  Liquid liners aren't my thing, though.  I'll see if I know anyone who wants this.

NYX Smokey Palette

Also from NYX is their Smokey Shadow Palette, with 6 eyeshadows and a useless sponge applicator.

NYX Swatches, 1

I was impressed by these shadows, they have decent pigmentation even without a primer (for the most part).  I did a quick eye look with my crappy brushes (my good ones are in the car so I can do my makeup in the parking lot at work...) and it didn't turn out that bad.  I think I will definitely need to use a primer if I want it to look good and stay longer than 2 minutes.

NYX Swatches 2: Note the very sparkly shadow on the extreme left

2 minute smokey eye on my face

Liner, $6.
Palette, $7.

NYX seems to be all over my subscription boxes lately!


Gorjana Charity Bali Bead Bracelet.

TIny Gorjana Bali Bracelet

The little insert PS sends says that this color is special, for PopSugar's signature pink color, and that all proceeds from their retail site will go to a charity called Breast Cancer Connections.

Bali Bracelet next to my Alex & Ani

This is cute and dainty.  I like it, but not enough to want to pay $45 for it... even IF all of that cost will go to charity.

Bracelet, $45.


Next up is a familiar item, that was to give you a festive season-appropriate mani:
Julep 4-Free Nail Color in Coco and Freedom Polymer Top Coat.

Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat and Julep Coco

I lucked out because I do not have this color, I like the color they sent, and I wanted to try the polymer top coat but did not want to pay what Julep charges.

Coco is an oxblood creme and goes on very smoothly in two coats.  This is an amazing fall color.  It's vampy, yet wearable, and doesn't wash me out like dark colors sometimes do.  The deep red does a great job of warming up my dead-looking hands.

Julep Coco with Freedom Polymer Top Coat over it.
I'm too lazy to clean up my nails right now.  Sorry not sorry, my couch is comfy.

The Freedom Polymer Top Coat is supposed to give a gel-like finish in 5 minutes without a UV lamp.

Coco, $14
Freedom Top Coat, $18.

If you want to sign up to be a Julep Maven ($19.99 per month, first box for free using code FREEBOX), you can do so by using my link here.  I'll get some points for referring you, and you will get Maven pricing (20% off site-wide), access to mystery boxes, and some quality polish.  You can skip a box or cancel at any time, as well as change style profiles to get whatever box you want that month.


Continuing the beauty trend (Halloween updos?), and the trend of sub boxes sending me bobby pins:

Jane Tran Thin Metallic Bobby Pins

Jane Tran Thin Metallic Bobby Pin Set.  2 sparkly green, 2 sparkly blue, and 2 sparkly gray pins (set D on their website).  These are cute, but I'm afraid they would be like all the other novelty bobby pins I've gotten recently and just rip out my hair.  These are going in the giveaway pile so one of my fine-haired friends can enjoy them.


Bobby Pins, $12.



To tie into the breast cancer awareness theme, PS sent "The Wet Brush" in a hot pink color. The company will donate 25% of its sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  This brush is supposed to allow you to break the cardinal rule of hair and brush it while it is wet.  The bristles do feel very thin and flexible to me.  I'll test it out after I shower tonight.

The Wet Brush

The Wet Brush, $14.  Also: Not only does this company make "the wet brush", they also sell little brushes they have deemed, "the squirts".  Yeah....

The Halloween theme continues with a more obvious item:

The Crispery Halloween Crispycake.

Giant hunk of marshmallow and crispy rice cereal.
SO GOOD.

This is a HUGE rice krispy treat with orange and black sprinkles on top. YUM.  Thanks!  I'll devour this once my nails dry.  I will share it though, because that much marshmallow would make me sick.  Also, their website tells you to share it because these things are big.  Seriously.  Diabetic comas await those who attempt to eat an entire crispycake in one sitting.

Crispycake, $3.95


Finally, PS included a $20 gift card (essentially, a waived styling fee) to Stitch Fix.

Blurry Stitch Fix Gift Card

Stitch Fix is a styling service that has you fill out a very detailed profile and sends you "fixes" of clothing and accessories that they think will fit you and that you will love.  You can let your stylist know what you liked and didn't, and what you would like to see more of.  There is a $20 styling fee per fix, that will get deducted from the price of an item if you buy something from them.  You get three days to evaluate everything before sending it back in a pre-paid bag.  If you buy everything they sent in that fix, you get 20% off of everything.

I think this is a great concept.  It's like Golden Tote, except you don't have to buy things before deciding if you like them or not!  I asked them to keep my prices low, and to send preppy casual items.  I'll be sure to put a review up when I get my items!


You can sign up using my link here, and I will get some credit to spend on their fixes.


Total Value (not counting stitch fix, and with a low book price): $136.95


Not bad.  I'll actually use some of this stuff this month!

PopSugar costs are increasing on the 4th of November to $39.95 per month. If you sign up before then, you can lock in the current pricing for 3,6, or 12 month subscriptions (about $32 per month) here.  If you use my referral link, I will earn free boxes for every so many people who join.

HOWEVER: even though they are increasing their prices, I still think that PS is a great deal.  You get full-sized (or very deluxe-sized) items each month.  The quality is almost always excellent, and the value always exceeds the amount paid for the box.  Even if you don't like something, they make great gifts.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me. This post contains referral links to Julep, Stitchfix, and Popsugar.  See above for details.