The Love All Around Me: Stitch Fix #2: The One Where Details Matter

Before we begin, you should actually understand Stitch Fix and how it works.

Stitch Fix is a monthly subscription box which sends hand-picked clothing right to your door. No awkward wandering around a store looking for someone to open the dressing room. No passing up items that you think you'll hate, but end up loving once you try it on. (You know it happens). The clothes come right to your door.

Intrigued? You should be. You go to the Stitch Fix website and create a profile. Answer some basic questions about what types of clothes you are looking for, what you feel most comfortable in, what you are trying to avoid, your price points, etc. Basically questions to get to know you and your style. Which is great, especially for someone like me, who has no sense of what their style is. I kind of like to rock the pencil skirt, but I'm BFFs with my yoga pants. Never fear. Based on your style profile, Stitch Fix assigns you a personal stylist who checks out your style and chooses 5 items to send you.

After receiving the box, you have three days to decide what you want to keep and what you want to send back. Want to send something back? No problem. Put it in the included (and pre-paid) return package and drop it in the mail. Easy. Want to keep something? Great! Each box costs a flat rate of $20 for the styling fee-- no questions asked. If you keep something, you can deduct that $20 from the total. If you keep all 5 things, you deduct the $20 styling fee AND get a 25% discount. Nice, right?

(Oh, and if you sign up, you'll get a referral code. If you share your referral code and someone uses it, you get a discount on your next box-- so share the love! If you click the link above, you'll be using MY referral code.)

I may be a little bit obsessed. I had my first Stitch Fix waiting for me when I arrived home from Rio. Instead of waiting a month to receive Fix #2, I promptly scheduled it for the first available date. I rationalize this madness by telling myself that since I'm only in the States one month out of the year, I'll only be able to receive Fixes twice a year and I need to make the most out of it while I can.

For my second fix, I asked my stylist for more bright colors and patterns as well as fabrics that won't make me melt in the Rio de Janeiro summers. I hinted at the fact that I would love more colored Emers as well as a funky kimono and the Roscoe top. As much as I would love to receive these specific items, I really just want more patterns and colors in my life.

So what did I receive?

Brixon Ivy Steph Dress ($58)

Verdict: Returned

Living in Rio, I wanted to love this dress. It's lightweight, summer-y, and sooooo soft. The reality, though, is that I didn't love it. And for $58, I better love it. I wish that it had been a little more fitted as the style card suggests; shift dresses just don't look great on me. I liked the criss-cross back, but it was droopy, which I didn't love.

Tart Shaina Maxi Dress ($98)

Verdict: Returned

Another piece that I wanted to love, but just didn't. I want to be a maxi dress person in the same way that I want to be a shift dress person. The length was PERFECT and the fabric was soft as butter. I also really liked the colors and the pattern-- it was a pink, orange, and white chevron. But the v-neck with the empire waist just made me feel like I was breast-feeding. I also struggle with paying $40 for a maxi dress that I like, so I wasn't going to pay $98 for one that I didn't love.

Kut From The Kloth Iriss Twill Short ($58)

Verdict: Returned

I didn't ask for shorts in my profile because shopping for pants is a bit of a nightmare for me, but I do like having a list of brands/ sizes that I can buy from as needed. Unfortunately, I had just stocked up on shorts from Loft and NY&Co, so I was set on shorts. Not only did I not need any more shorts, I felt as though these were way tighter on me than I am comfortable with. They do have a bit of stretch and they did fit really well around the waist, but I knew that I would never reach for these.

THML Thornton Spaghetti Strap Top ($48)

Verdict: Kept

I just bought a shirt in this same style from someone else in the Stitch Fix BST group on Facebook so I was pleased to see this in my fix. I pretty much knew that I was keeping this from the moment I peeked at what was coming. The pattern is funky, the teal is awesome. Summer in Rio is quickly approaching and this is just the shirt I need in my wardrobe.

And lastly...

Renee C Bali Keyhole Detail Blouse ($44)

Verdict: Kept

I really wasn't sold on this when I peeked at my Fix OR when I pulled it out of the box, but as I wore it, I liked it more and more. It's VERY flowly and it's cut shorter on the sides than it is in the front or the back. I don't know if I would make this a work option, but I do really like it for a casual, weekend shirt. I also saw that it was price matched somewhere online, which is always a bonus.

As a recap, I received five items and ended up keeping two (the spaghetti strap and the keyhole blouses). Both of which have a shade of blue (which I'm trying to get away from-- I have SO much blue), but also have great patterns on them as well. Both of them are flowy and lightweight which is key in my wardrobe right now. My stylist, Tamara, did an awesome job of meeting my requests, despite the fact that I didn't keep everything.

Which brings me to my stylist for this fix. I didn't request a new stylist for this fix, but I also didn't ask to keep the one from the original fix. In this fix, I received a very personal note and it was obvious that she read the notes that I had left and the requests that I made. While Stitch Fix has many amazing pieces of clothing, I think one of my favorite pieces about it is having a personal stylist. I feel so chic just saying that. I realize that my stylist probably had many other clients to style, but she took care to listen to my requests and mention these details in her note to me. In my opinion, these details set Stitch Fix apart from regular online shopping. Way to go, Tamara!