The Busy Mom Style Solution: Yes, You Can Be a Mom and Still Be Stylish!

Although I originally heard of Stitch Fix through some friends, I didn’t totally get the concept at the time, and I didn’t dig deeper to find out more about it. Then, when I was in Las Vegas for Hoopla, the Stella & Dot national conference, I met a few other Stylists who highly recommended it, so I decided to check it out. As I discovered, Stitch fix is basically a styling service. You fill out an extensive style profile, a stylist hand picks five items for you; when it arrives, you keep what you want and send the rest back.

Having searched for clothing with peacock tones to wear with the new fall collection for my trunk shows, I just hadn’t had any luck. I’ve attempted clothes shopping with Kingsley multiple times, but it usually ends in disaster or I really don’t get anything done. Plus, let’s be honest–it’s just not enjoyable to shop for yourself with children. I do enjoy shopping online, but you never know if anything is going to fit right. I hate scouring the Internet looking for specific items, coming up empty, and inevitably wasting valuable time. That’s why I was excited about trying Stitch Fix. Maybe they could find what I was looking for!

I filled out my style profile honestly and included specific comments about what I wanted. Stitch Fix also asks for the client’s Twitter profile, Pinterest style board (if you have one), and LinkedIn profile to get a sense of the person. You also let them know exactly what you are used to paying or expect to pay for clothes. You then pay $20 to have the box of items shipped to you and schedule the date by which you want your fix. I was so excited the day my box came and even more ecstatic when I opened it!

Much to my surprise, I found exactly the type of things I had been searching for; I felt as if my stylist, Alexandra, actually knew me. While I was trying things on, I first fell in love with this gorgeous blue dress. Then, when I tried on a teal top that fit perfectly, I thought, “How did they do this? I like everything!” Grabbing my iPad, I FaceTimed my sister, Liza, and when I started trying things on for her, she said, “What the hell, Megan? How does everything look so good on you and fit so well?”

It was so much fun trying everything on at home, according to my own schedule, and with my own accessories. At first I couldn’t decide what to get. Should I keep it all? NO! That’s too much. I can’t spend all of that. But, if you do like all 5 items and want to keep them, guess what?–They give you 25% off; plus, they subtract the $20 styling fee from what you keep! So I decided to take advantage of the savings and keep everything. Obviously this may not be the case on every Fix, but if I don’t like any of the clothes they ship, I will be out only $20. When checking out online, you provide your Stylist with feedback on each piece so that  subsequent “fixes” will improve each time as they learn what you like and don’t like.

Some key takeaways:

1. You definitely need to take the time to thoroughly and honestly fill out the style profile.

2. Actually tell them what you want. If you want to be surprised and have them choose at random, don’t be surprised if you don’t like some things. But it’s fun to have a professional picking out items for you, and maybe it will help you break out of your comfort zone.

3. If you know there is something you don’t like as much or don’t want, tell them. Since I’m a Stella & Dot Stylist, I don’t really need accessories, so I asked that they leave them out. I also tend to wear more dresses than anything, because for me, it’s an easy, mindless outfit that I can dress up or down. Plus, I feel like I wear a range of sizes in pants, and I’m short. Since I’m hard to please in the pants department, I just decided to steer clear of those for now.

4. Unlike some other businesses based on a similar concept, Stitch Fix is not a monthly subscription service. You can opt-in to monthly Fixes if you choose to, or you can just have one sent whenever you want. You pay $20 to have a fix sent to you (free shipping). If you decide to keep some of the items, the $20 Stylist fee is taken off of your total cost. If you don’t want to keep anything, you are only out the $20 Stylist fee and you send everything back in a prepaid mailing envelope.

5. On a regular basis, I’m definitely more of a bargain shopper, but I think Stitch Fix is a helpful source for finding more specialty items that you can incorporate into your everyday wardrobe. I received 3 dresses and 2 tops and each piece was under $100 each. With the discount I received for keeping all 5, it came out to right under $50 each.

So what are you waiting for? Go try it out! It’s only $20 and it could help you go from frumpy mother to cool mom; I can’t wait to share my next Fix with you!

*Yes, I know that I sound like a total commercial for Stitch Fix, but I was genuinely impressed by the company, the service, and the selection, so I wanted to share my experience with you. This post does contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the Stitch Fix link, I’ll receive a $25 credit when you get your first fix. You can then use your referrer link to tell friends all about Stitch Fix and get a credit.