One glimpse at the sidebar to the right and I can see that the most popular posts I have written recently have been my reviews of the personal styling service Stitch Fix. Now, my purpose in blogging has always been to write about whatever the heck I want to write about with a commitment to authenticity. I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not by picking and choosing only the impressive things to share on here. Quite the opposite, in fact. I want to be honest enough to admit when I've had a bad day, when I'm struggling, when I spend three days straight in my pajama pants, when I've plucked out my fifth grey hair.
Not that I'm counting.
It dawned on me that my Stitch Fix reviews may have been creating an impression among my readers that is not entirely accurate. If someone were to read those posts and nothing else, they would think that I'm a really style-conscious woman with a hefty disposable income to spend on a brand new box of clothes every month. I would argue that these posts alone might indicate a certain level of self indulgence, vanity, and disregard for living frugally or perhaps even a sense of superiority over the clearance tag or Goodwill shoppers.
Friends, nothing could be further from the truth. Truth be told, I definitely fight prideful tendencies every single day and I don't even try to kid myself into thinking that every "selfie" I take isn't a symptom of vanity, but I would like to take this chance to set the record straight about this whole Stitch Fix thing and explain a few "behind the scenes" facts that I hope will clear up my motivations behind my enthusiasm for this service.
Myth #1 - I am blowing a crapload of money on this stuff.
Why beat around the bush? I am fully aware that this is the top assumption that people make when they see my posts and ask me about Stitch Fix. It makes perfect sense, after all. These clothes are not cheap - they aren't made cheaply, the fabric and cuts are on another tier than you would find in the local store where you also buy your tampons and Goldfish crackers, and they were hand-selected for you by a stylist. The price tag of a typical Stitch Fix box for me runs anywhere from $180 to $300, depending on what items I receive. Obviously a box with a pair of jeans and a blazer is going to cost more than the box with a pair of earrings and a tank top.
There are three primary ways that I keep Stitch Fix budget-friendly.
First, the "whole box discount." When you choose to keep every single thing in your box, a 25% discount is applied to each item. Many times the math works out so that one of the items ends up being free.
Second, keep at least one thing. Remember, you pay a $20 "styling fee" just to have that box of goodies land on your doorstep. Find something to keep in each box so you aren't throwing your money away. I had a couple fixes early on where I only kept the jewelry item I was sent because I wasn't loving any of the clothes enough to drop the coin on them.
Finally, it is primarily the referral credit that allows me to enjoy Stitch Fix as much as I do. What that means is that I have YOU to thank for helping me stock my closet with nice clothes without even leaving the house. Every time I try on a box full of clothes, I share the experience with you here on the blog and I make sure to let you know each time I write a post that I use a referral link. Every time a new person uses my unique referral link to give Stitch Fix a try, I get a $25 credit to my account. Friends, those add up.
Make no mistake about it. It is thanks to all of YOU that I get to have as much fun with Stitch Fix as I do.
So if you are a blogger, write about it! If you have Facebook, share your referral link on your wall! If you are on Twitter, tweet your referral link when you share the photo of the cute skirt you just scored in your fix. ONE referral credit pays for the styling fee for your next Fix and two more will likely get you a free item.
Myth #2 - I'm in cahoots with Stitch Fix and they are compensating me for singing their praises.
Nope. False. Straight up wrong.
There is a small contingent of bloggers who were the lucky few who got to be the faces and voices of Stitch Fix when they first launched and I was not among them. Even those gals weren't "perked" to write about their experience with Stitch Fix other than the referral credits I just mentioned. To be fair, those bloggers did just get to go visit the Stitch Fix HQ out in San Francisco a few months ago, but that was only after their initial efforts helped create the momentum to make Stitch Fix insanely popular.
Myth #3 - My Fixes are always fantastic.
Do I love it every time my doorbell rings and I see that beautiful teal seal on the box? You betcha. I enjoy the heck out of opening the box like it's Christmas morning and the opportunity to shop these beautiful items from the comfort of my own home. But it's not always perfect. I would direct your attention to the Tarzan Sack Dress and Ugly Shirt of Fix #4, the Tribal Bathrobe of Fix #10, and the Funnel Coat of Fix #8 to name a few. They aren't always perfect, but they are always a blast!
Myth #4 - Modeling Stitch Fix clothes is the perfect excuse to take self-indulgent selfies.
Well, yeah. Part of showing you all the clothes I get in each Fix is taking pictures of how they look on me, but believe me when I tell you that I am an awkward freak every time I get ready for these pictures. I have been known to answer the door in my dirty PJ pants I've been wearing for the last two days straight, wipe the crusties out of the corners of my eyes so I can focus enough to see that my latest Stitch Fix box has arrived. Usually I get the baby down for a nap and then plunk the four year old down either in front of a movie or with the iPad in his lap so I can shower, put on makeup and do my hair so I feel like slightly less of a lunatic when I set up the tripod on my back porch to take photos of myself where I squirm around like an idiot trying to figure out why I keep turning my leg at a goofy angle or why I can't seem to put my arm in the right place.
And let's face it - cellphone selfies open up a whole new world of problems.
I'm not a Big Blogger, you guys. I'm nothing special. I'm just a mom who rarely gets to go pee by herself, let alone go shopping for clothes. I still drop my son off for preschool in pajama pants 80% of the time and a good deal of the time I still default to the jeans I found at Plato's Closet and my favorite Target t-shirt.
I'm also an authentic believer in Stitch Fix. Thanks to this service, the referral program, and this blog my clothing budget has been relieved of a significant burden. I will never know who the wonderful folks are who clicked my link and got their Fix on, but I am grateful to each and every one of them for continuing to support me and my attempts to live life on a budget, but with enough style that I don't embarrass my children too badly in public.
Please laugh with me as I continue to snap awkward selfies and share my Stitch Fix story. I love reading your comments and critiques of the items I receive and I cheer with you every time I hear that someone just got the Holy Grail in their latest box. It's awesome.
Ready to give Stitch Fix a try? I'd love to hear about it and thank you so much for using my link. One of my favorite parts is that it is NOT a subscription service where you are charged every month. You can get one Fix and be done or not get another one for several months if you choose. Or....you can choose to get a box of goodies every month. It's your call! CLICK HERE to get started!
Disclosure: I was not paid by Stitch Fix to write this or any of my other reviews and all opinions are my own. I do use a referral link so I get a credit to my Stitch Fix account when new folks get their Fix on! Thank you for supporting this blog (and for helping keep my clothing budget under control)!
