Stitch Fix #13 Review: Breaking Up?

Posted in Fashion, Review, Stitch Fix by Girl Friday

Hi, lovelies!

It’s spring! It’s SPRING! While it’s been a crazy few weeks for the weather in New England (ie, mid-70s in early March, but then 4 inches of snow on April 5th!), I think the warmer weather is here to stay.

With that in mind, I scheduled a Stitch Fix for early April and requested spring-y attire, specifically asking for and pinning a green dress, a white blazer and black lace skirt (for colder, tight-wearing days). Despite pulling images directly from SF’s Pinterest page that they’d just put up themselves, I received the items below. For the most part, they’re springy, warm weather pieces, but not what I wanted. Le sigh.

Items 1, 2 and 3: Renee C Roseanne Faux Saude Swing Skirt ($64), Market & Spruce Lauderdale Knit Cardigan ($48), and Pixley Yelvert Lace Detail Blouse ($48)

I liked all of the pieces, but none of them were right…

The blouse has a lace yolk AND buttons down the back (both features I love; no photos because, well, back fat), but was thin, scratchy and boxy. It pulled at my bust AND hips, but was way too loose at the waist. The only way I could wear it would be as shown — tucked in and covered up: lame.

The cardigan was all right: nice weight for spring, but I had just purchased a blazer in the same shade, so I couldn’t justify a sweater too.

And the skirt: this was the only thing I considered keeping. Because of the a-line faux suede, it was soft and flowy. Plus — look how tan my pale legs look against it! But it was $64 and I really couldn’t justify that for a skirt that was nice, but nice swoon-worthy.

All returned.

Item 4: Loveappella Celso Mesh Detail Knit Top ($54)

“HA!” That was my first reaction when I pulled this out. I wanted spring, so I instead received a 90s-era black floral top? Curious.

The size was all right, as it had sufficient elasticity. And I realized as I was packing it up that the shoulder seams actually have mesh insets, which was supposed to be… edgy? I dunno. Inevitably, there was no way to sell me on this one. Returned.

Item 5: Skies are Blue Capaldi Surplice Cross Front Fitted Knit Top ($54)

This hot mess. Oh. Boy.

The photo doesn’t truly show how this blouse had no idea what it meant to do. It was super fitted, but also had some rucheing to hide the chub that it highlighted? And the neckline twisted around for added drama, but then needed to be sewn down at the bust, which meant that pulled awkwardly. Pretty much, this was made for ladies who do not have breasts — which is so not me.

There are a number of photos of me pulling and tugging, but I really couldn’t put all of them on the internet. (I mean, I have a professional life to preserve, right?) And if I can’t put images of on the internet, how can I wear this to work? Returned.

Final verdict: 0/5.

I’m debating if this is the last Stitch Fix I receive. While I’ve received some GREAT pieces over the past couple of years, I also have a number of things I’ve kept but don’t love so my $20 fee isn’t wasted. I’ve really taken to scouring TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack sites for pieces because I can generally find items that (1) I love (2) are in my size and (3) are on sale. While it’s not as exciting and takes A LOT more effort, I’m not as disappointed consistently, nor am I breaking the bank on stuff that I only like.

What do y’all think? Should I give up Stitch Fix one more shot? Are you breaking up with subscription boxes?

10Apr2016

God Save the Queen

Posted in Fashion by Girl Friday

After my bout of bad luck a couple of weeks ago, I was trying to overcompensate by dressing like a professional human and prove that I could “adult” despite some bad days.

Blazer: H&M

Blouse: Ann Taylor

Pants: Gap

Shoes: TOMS

Necklace: Old Navy

Watch: FOSSIL

The blazer is a new acquisition from H&M. While I don’t normally wear blazers because they’re so structured and grown-up and I don’t feel like myself in them, I couldn’t resist the spring pastel pink. It’s a nice weight — jersey outer, but still heavy enough for a slightly mild morning.

I paired it with a cream blouse from Ann Taylor, (despite not looking like it) grey colored dress pants from the Gap, and a pretty pearl-and-jewel necklace, all pieces I’ve had for years. I bought these items in an alternate life, when I worked my first real job after college and was trying to figure out who I am and how I dressed! They somehow have lasted 5+ years each!

There were a few moments that I felt like I was dressed just right, like having a a working lunch with a friend at a nice restaurant downtown where other professionals were in similar attire. But there were other times I felt out of place and more “serious” than needed, especially at the theatre. While I dress casually professional there, my job isn’t a blazer-and-slacks position, mainly because I sometimes get grossly sweaty or need to clean up after people. (Not in the job description when I was hired: cleaning up others’ bodily functions. No joke.)

Best moment of the day though: driving through a local college campus with the windows down, singing along at the top of my lungs to “God Save the Queen” by the Sex Pistols. I definitely had a couple of double-looks as people were surprised to see me rocking out to ’70s punk music in a pink blazer.

1Apr2016

Quick Survey

Posted in Fashion, Stitch Fix by Girl Friday

Happy April, friends!

With the warmer weather (hopefully!) comes some spring cleaning! Would y’all answer a quick question for me?

I’ve been looking at my closet full of clothes and really not feeling them. Maybe it’s springtime and I’m pining — or maybe it’s time to cut the pieces I’ve had for a while. Either way, I’d love to send them off to good homes and make a little extra too. If there’s some interest, I’ll definitely pursue it!

Thanks!

28Mar2016

Bad Luck. Also, Stitch Fix Finds.

Posted in Fashion, Stitch Fix, Stitch Fix Finds by Girl Friday

When I was a child, I remember my mom telling me that it was bad luck to put your shoes on a table. I don’t necessarily subscribe to superstitions, but this one always stuck with me. I mean, it makes sense: the dirtiest items that we wear shouldn’t go on the place from which we eat. While I do a lot of things inconsistently (call friends, floss, sleep, etc.), I never, ever put shoes — either by themselves or in bags or boxes — on the table. I just don’t. Until…

I was feeling a little cavalier last week, I put my giant Timbuk2 on a table in my office. I knew that it had a back-up pair of flats in there, but I thought, “eh, it’s just an old wives’ tale — nothing will happen!”

And nothing happened. That day.

Then I get a text from my aunt saying that my grandmother fell and was in the ER.

And then I dropped my iPhone and cracked the screen — when I’ve never damaged a phone in 15 years of having one.

And then I got not one, but two of those automated tickets from a traffic camera.

And then I lost money at work.

Phew. It’s been a long week.

Dress: Taylor via TJ Maxx

Cardigan: LOFT

Shoes: TOMS

Necklace: ModCloth

Watch: Fossil

These photos are actually from before my bout of bad luck — when I found this dress that Stitch Fix was sending out last year on sale on the TJ Maxx website and when I wore said dress to work and didn’t get a spot of stage blood on it. Amazing feat, right?!

As you know, I love a good deal — which it why I peruse the TJ Maxx website often. And lately, I’ve located a few dresses that were featured in Stitch Fix ads/reviews at great prices. Want some examples?

Obviously, there’s the dress pictured above, which I originally read about on the Crazy Together blog. TJ Maxx has it in both grey and blue right now; originally it was $98, while I found it for $40. (Also: if you’re looking for a similiar, but not exact match, to Maria’s red lacy dress, here’s one at $35 from London Times.)

I also discovered this Donna Morgan beauty too: Stitch Fix featured it on Instagram sometime in February I guess. SF sold it for $118, it’s for sale at $40.

Here’s another Donna Morgan featured on IG for $50.

Or a Taylor dress for $60 on Nordstrom Rack that was featured on IG.

Finally, there’s one size 10 Taylor “Two-fer” on Nordstrom Rack, also featured on IG.

Holy rabbit-hole!

Good luck to any ladies looking for some Stitch Fix dresses on the cheap. And, if you order shoes to go with your new frocks, don’t put the box on a table, lest you want a slew of bad karma.

11Feb2016

Grey Days

Posted in Fashion, Life Lessons, Personal by Girl Friday

Ooph. Winter.

B took these photos of me probably a couple of weeks ago (I know, I know! I’m late!) and I’ve been meaning to put up a post but lost track of time. Then — snow. Ugh. Snow.

I wanted to write about how I’d been doing on my gym-going endeavor, including the fact that I ran three miles before these photos were taken at 10am! I wanted to share the trials of finding the right weight to lift. Or how I was starting to feel pulled together and healthy again. Or how I was trying out some new heels that day at work because I felt spunky. Then — snow. Ugh. Snow.

Shirt: LOFT

Jeans: Gap

Shoes: TOMS

I look at these photos now — taken on a sunny, fairly mild January morning — and I think about how volatile my moods are in the winter. Once we hit late January/early February, with those first few substantial snowfalls and grey, murky days, and my mindset explodes. I always think of the first line of Tony Hoagland’s “Reasons to Survive November”: “November like a train wreck.” Except November is February, in this case.

I’ve spent the past week or so unable to truly focus — maybe enough to muster reading a couple of pages of a book or folding half my laundry — but I find things of substance so hard to deal with. Answering emails with thoughtful, timely responses? Debilitatingly difficult. Buying and sending birthday and Valentine’s Day cards? Probably not this year. Making a simple phone call to, say, the bank? Maybe I’ll feel better and less worn out tomorrow.

And sleep? Any days I’ve had off — hell, if I get home early enough from work — I spend upwards of 12 hours sleeping, only to wake up still headachy, tired and sore. And it’s not that I’ve slept too much and it’s a vicious cycle, it’s much more of a pseudo-hibernation state.

But I plow through. I take my vitamins and drink water. I let myself eat an extra cookie or cuddle next to B for an extra 9 minutes in the morning. From going through this for so many years before, I know this won’t last forever. It’ll be spring in eight weeks, then summer and I’ll feel like myself again.

(But still, despite the forced optimism, I really do hate this time of year.)