I’m not entirely against subscriptions, but I don’t really get them often. One subscription that I did end up getting is Stitch Fix. I’ve always been very intrigued about the concept of Stitch Fix, and before I get into this Stitch Fix review, I wanted to give my backstory.
Why I Joined Stitch Fix
When I was in college, I was very into fashion but developed a shopping problem.
I would buy so many clothes, shoes and accessories that I had my debit card number, expiration date, and CCV code memorized. Crazy, I know! When I started out on my debt repayment journey, I became very frugal and super strict with my budget. Several years went by when I didn’t really buy anything and had sold a lot of the excess stuff I owned.
In January of 2021, I realized that I had nothing ‘nice’ to wear outside of t-shirts I received at conferences for free and black leggings. Seriously, this was all I owned in terms of clothes and I got stressed out whenever I wanted to go somewhere or do something nice.
Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was really motivated to start doing more of the things I enjoyed, traveling, meeting new friends, etc. While nearing the end of my 20s, I started to reflect on the fact that I was no longer addicted to shopping and buying new clothes constantly.
However, your girl still needed some decent outfits and there was nothing wrong with that.
I decided to sign up for Stitch Fix to rebuild my wardrobe, and I actually kept my subscription up for two years. I really enjoyed using Stitch Fix, but don’t recommend it for everyone. I’ll explain more in this Stitch Fix review.
What Is Stitch Fix and How Does It Work?
Stitch Fix is an online personal styling service that’s available in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. How it works if you sign up and take a style quiz to identify which clothing items you like and dislike. Stitch Fix then pairs you with a stylist (real person) who handpicks items to send you.
Stitch Fix is available for women, men, and kids. They also now offer plus size and maternity options. You can choose how often you’d like to receive a ‘fix’ which is just a collection of the pieces your stylist picks out. To manage costs, I chose to receive my fix every other month.
When your items are shipped, you’re charged $20. Then, you just pay for whatever you decide to keep, and the $20 styling fee gets deducted from your final price. Stitch Fix sends you a bag with a return label to send back anything you don’t want, and you don’t have to pay for those items.
What Does the Average Order Include?
I ordered my first fix from Stitch Fix in January 2021. I left a note for my stylist that my birthday was in January, and I wanted something nice to wear. A fix usually includes about 5 items which can be anything from shirts, sweaters, jeans, pants, shoes, jewelry, and more.
Stitch Fix also gives you details on the brands you receive and you can leave notes as feedback for your stylist. I rarely ever selected every item I was sent with my order. But, I did leave notes and feedback for the stylist.
Stitch Fix also emails you before your fix is sent out if you’d like to review the items and give feedback. I also liked how my order came with guides and recommendations on how to style my items and match them up with other clothing.
Slowly with time, I was able to rebuild my wardrobe with high-quality, sustainable pieces that have lasted a long time.
How Much Stitch Fix Costs
How much you spend on Stitch Fix will vary depending on the frequency of your orders and what you choose to by. You can choose to receive a fix every:
- 2-3 weeks
- month
- other month
- 3 months
So at minimum, you could receive a fix 4 times a year or as often as twice a month. Whenever it’s time to receive your fix, you’ll be automatically charged a $20 styling fee.
I noticed right away that the clothes did cost more than what I was used to spending. But the quality was also there. Usually, I bought the cheapest pair of jeans or tops from discount stores like Ross, Burlington, and Marshalls. There’s nothing wrong with shopping at these stores and I still do occasionally.
But I noticed right away that the sweaters I received from Stitch Fix were super soft and the material seemed very quality. That said, I’d spend around $150 to $175 per order. Stitch Fix gives you a discount for 25% off if you decide to buy each item that comes in your fix. This is in addition to the $20 style fee deduction.
Here’s an example of some of the items I ordered. I love these shoes and wear them often during the warmer months. And this sweater is so soft and cozy.
Stitch Fix Review: Pros and Cons
This Stitch Fix review wouldn’t be complete without going over the pros and cons. As with anything, you have to carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks to decide if it would be best for you.
Pros:
- Outsource shopping: The biggest perk of using Stitch Fix is that you don’t have to do the shopping yourself. If you’re not familiar with the best brands or just don’t have the time, Stitch Fix makes it easy to add to your wardrobe with your own personalized stylist.
- Quality and discounts: I really liked the quality of the items I received from Stitch Fix and the fact that you can get a discount of 25% off when you purchase all the items. Even though the clothes cost more, they last longer than other clothing I’ve purchased that was cheaper.
- Flexible order options: If you’re on a budget or just want to use Stitch Fix occasionally, you can choose to receive your fix every other month or even every 3 months.
Cons:
- $20 styling fee: While this fee is small, it would be better to just receive your clothing options in the mail for free whenever you’re due for a fix. However, it is nice that the styling fee goes toward your purchase. You also have to be very timely with sending your items back and returning the ones you don’t want. Luckily, Stitch Fix gives you a few days to do this and I’ve never had an issue with sending unwanted items back even if I was out of town when my fix arrived.
- Cost: I won’t argue that Stitch Fix is more expensive. I probably would never pay $80 to $90 for pants on my own. But the tradeoff is that you’re doing less of the work. You can definitely do all the shopping on your own, visit thrift stores, take advantage of clearance sales, and maintain your wardrobe without Stitch Fix. However, some people may not be willing to do all this on their own but it’s a personal decision.
- Some limits for customizing: While you can give feedback on some of the items before your fix is sent out, you can’t handpick your own fix. This would defeat the purpose of having a personal stylist select the items for you. That said, you always run the risk of not liking what you end up getting.
Stitch Fix Review on Trustpilot
Trustpilot is a trustworthy review site that is worth considering whenever you want to weigh additional opinions. While I’ve kept this Stitch Fix review completely honest and transparent, I can only speak to my personal experience. It’s always interesting to see what other people have to say.
Stitch Fix has a 2.3 rating on Trustpilot which is not so great. Several users have complained about the styling fee which is understandable. Still, it’s hard to realistically expect a company to send you a large order consistently with free shipping before you pay for anything.
I’ve always seen the ‘styling fee’ as a shipping fee. Plus, if you buy just one thing, the money goes toward that purchase.
Another complaint I saw on Trustpilot was someone’s frustration with not getting the styles they recommended. This sounds super frustrating, but luckily, I haven’t personally experienced this.
Other customers seem to really like the service so it really comes down to following the specific rules like:
- Specifying your style preferences and giving the stylist feedback
- Sending back your unwanted items on-time
I saw that some people say they were charged for clothes they didn’t keep, or that Stitch Fix never received the package. I’ve never had this issue in the two years that I’ve used the service. I always tried to try on the items as soon as I got them and sent the package back with what I didn’t buy within about 5 days or sooner. Stitch Fix also lets you check out online so you can confirm what you’re keeping and what you’re sending back.
Should You Try Stitch Fix?
If you’d like to check out Stitch Fix, you can use my referral link and receive a credit with money off your first fix.
If you have room in your budget right now and need new clothes but have limited time or motivation to do your own shopping, I’d say Stitch Fix is worth a try. It’s fun to receive a fix in the mail and get to choose what you want. The service isn’t perfect, but it delivers everything it promises.
Ultimately, joining Stitch Fix is up to you as it’s not a necessity and can get costly. I just knew I really needed some new clothes that looked nice and had no idea where to start. You can always pause and take a break whenever you want.
If you have any other questions about this service or about my experience in general, feel free to leave a comment. Or you can sign up for your first fix here and check it out for yourself. Be sure to let me know what you think!
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