StitchFix Vacay Part III

I�m excited to share with y�all my third and final post about my StitchFix Vacay! Day three was a free day for us--- some of the girls left late Thursday night and a few of us weren�t leaving until Friday evening or Saturday morning. I booked a 7 p.m. flight on Friday so I could spend a few hours enjoying beautiful San Francisco before I had to head to the airport.

I spent my last day in SF with Erin and Natalia and I really enjoyed having the opportunity to spend some extra time with them and get to know them a little better. 

After we got ready for the day, we headed to go and see the Painted Ladies�and I just had to stop in front of this gorgeous house before we got there!

top- banana republic (similar, similar)  |  vest- nordstrom (almost identical) |  shoes- gap (love these, similar) |  tights- lululemon

I was a huge Full House fan growing up (I have almost every season on VHS tape�lol). So this was a special moment for me. I was just a picnic blanket, one Olsen twin and an uncle Jesse away from the opening scene of the show...

 So pretty, so painted...

After seeing the Painted Ladies, we headed downtown to StitchFix HQ so I could drop off my luggage while we checked out the city. We walked around a bit near HQ and decided to pop in to some shops. I couldn't resist being an immature tourist and posing with this chess board.

We started to get hungry and we all wanted to see Pier 39, so we headed over there and Natalia insisted we get chili in a bread bowl at Boudin. It was DELICIOUS. Best recommendation ever.

Then I posed for an obligatory photo at the carousel and checked out the seals basking in the sun. 

I know I've said it 100 times, but this was such a fun trip and it was really nice to get away for a few days. Work has been crazy for the past couple of weeks and it was nice going into that super-busy period after having had a few days of relaxation and new experiences and memories.

With my next fix around the corner, I wanted to share with you my first fix that I received before the trip. I mentioned in my last post that I had to go and tweak some things in my profile so that my next fix would be more in line with what I was looking for and I hope this post will be helpful for those of you building or adjusting your profiles.

I think the reason I never pulled the trigger on StitchFix in the past (I created an account a couple of years ago when Anh posted about it, but never scheduled one) was because I loved to go out to the mall and shop, try things on, etc. Nowadays, I hardly ever go to the mall or brick-and-mortar stores. I buy 90% of my clothing and accessories online and only visit the actual store if I have to return something or exchange it for another size. It's easier, more convenient, and I feel less rushed trying things on in the comfort of my home. 

Every time I have gone to the mall in the last year, it's like a race against time. I went a couple of Fridays ago and I got there at 8 p.m. and had until 9 to get out of there. I'm very efficient these days! I have also gone during Harper's nap time before, which is usually about 2-2.5 hours, but I just don't enjoy it like I used to and I would rather use that time to get a pedicure, take a barre class or take a nap myself! I would rather just order things online, try them on at home, and send back or return what I don't like.

StitchFix is kind of like surprise online shopping. A stylist selects items based on your style profile and when they arrive, you have three days to try things on and return what you don't like. There is a $20 styling fee (that goes towards any item you keep) and if you buy all five items, there is a 25% discount. StitchFix is definitely not a discount retailer. The prices for clothing items are typically between $50 and $88. Some denim and jackets are priced a little higher, like you'd expect from a department store. I just wanted to mention that because I think a lot of people perceive it as similar to other monthly subscription services which tend to be very inexpensive. But you do get what you pay for. The quality of the jeans I kept is what I would expect from a department store brand. I think it varies item to item and that's what's so great about getting to try it all on at home and really having the time to evaluate how the items fits into your current wardrobe---all without the rush and unflattering fitting-room lights.

I only kept one item from my first fix--- the Connely skinny jean. They are the perfect black jeans. They're a great fit (a lower rise and super long) and have just the right amount of stretch, which means they're very comfortable. They were also an item I was lacking in my closet. I actually wore them on day 2 of the trip:

In every fix, in addition to the items you receive, there is a card that outlines each item in your fix, as well as ideas on how you can wear it and mix and match it with pieces you might already own.

As you can see, my first fix consisted of one pair of jeans, three tops and one sweater. I decided to sent back all of the tops for various reasons--- the black halter was just not my style, the turquoise and cream ikat print blouses were both cute but too large on me and the gray sweater was also a little large and I own a really similar one already from Banana Republic so I couldn't justify adding another.

After I received this fix, I logged into my account and left very specific comments about how each item fit and why I was sending them back. I felt it was important that my stylist get that feedback so they know what to send the next time around. I also adjusted my sizes so that my next tops would fit better and I left a very specific note about items I was looking to add to my closet as well as notes on fit that would help my stylist select the best pieces for me.

I'm really eager to get my next fix so I can share it with you all!  I have a few co-workers who have been subscribers for at least six months and I know they've adjusted their profiles and given specific notes to their stylist and that has really been beneficial for them. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my StitchFix Vacay adventures and I want to thank you all again for reading and supporting me. Thank you again to StitchFix for hosting us and giving us this incredible experience! 

Wishing you all a wonderful night!

FTC disclosure: I was invited on an all-expenses-paid trip via StitchFix, but was not compensated monetarily to attend, nor am I being compensated monetarily to write this post. All future fixes will be paid for with my own money. 

StitchFix Vacay Part II

Welcome to part II of my StitchFix Vacay! You can read part one here.

We started our day with delicious coffee and breakfast at the house and then we headed to StitchFix's warehouse "the hizzie," which is huge---like, massive department store huge, with racks upon racks of clothing, all neatly and strategically organized.

 From L-R: Kilee from One Little Momma  |  Natalia from Ma Nouvelle Mode  |  Jill from Baby Rabies  |  Molly from Still Being Molly  |  Jen from Jen Loves Kev  |  Me  |  Erin from Living in Yellow

This was beyond-a-doubt my absolute favorite part of the trip. I really enjoyed seeing how it all works and getting the hands-on experience of actually putting a fix together. We enjoyed meeting all of the warehouse employees and learning what their different roles were. Let's just say that there are a lot of moving people and parts involved in making these fixes happen--- especially since the company has grown so immensely during the last couple of years.

Justin (below) was the best tour guide. He and his wife also just had a baby and he was so sweet showing us pictures on his phone! I just loved his enthusiasm and passion for what he does. He also knew each and every employee so well and told us unique traits and characteristics about them (like one dude who has the #2 rap single on the Russian iTunes charts right now---what?! I love it). You could just tell that he was such a great manager and really cares about the people who work on his team.

Just like StitchFix's headquarters downtown, the warehouse is full of all kinds of awesome, like this wall.

and this robot�

We loved getting to see all of the different styles available. I'm pretty sure we all asked if we can just assemble our next fix ourselves, haha. There were so many cute styles and I was able to snap a few pictures of items I loved to add to my Pinterest board to give my stylist ideas for my next fix!

Later during our tour, we met Thomas, who took us through the process of getting a "fix" together. He even timed us and it was quite fun racing around the warehouse trying to find the items we needed. They really made it a great experience for us.

We learned to fold and assemble a fix correctly, too--Thomas (below) is a pro! He also had on pink patent leather Doc Martens. He may be my spirit animal, for real.

All done packing our fixes!

and down the conveyor belt they go!

Seeing all of the clothes at the warehouse and talking to the staff, we learned some tricks to get the most out of your fix, so I thought I'd share those here in case you are a subscriber or are thinking about it.

1. Make sure your StitchFix profile is linked to a Pinterest board with your favorite styles--- this will give your stylist the most accurate representation of your style or pieces you are looking for.

2. If you see a blogger or friend get a certain item and you want it in your fix--- pin it to your Pinterest board- if they have the item in your size they will do their best to send it!

3. Give very specific feedback when you return items that didn't work--- tell your stylist why it didn't work, what you didn't like about it, details about the fit, etc.

4. Tweak your profile--- after my first fix, I went back and changed my sizes and some other preferences.

5. Ask for what you need--- if you need say, a blue pencil skirt or something leopard print, leave a note for your stylist--- if they have something in stock that fits what you're looking for, they'll send it!

After our visit to the warehouse, the StitchFix gals surprised us with appointments at The Dry Bar. It was my first time going there and it was so fun getting pampered. I asked for a combo of the comso (big, voluminous curls) and the southern comfort (very big, blown-out). The higher the hair, the closer to God, y'all.

There was so much teasing involved, thank goodness. My hair did lose its curl a bit during the shoot, but it was such a fun experience to have my hair styled. I may have to try it here in Houston too!

Onto the photo shoot! We all had our makeup touched up by a makeup artist and then we checked out some outfits the style team picked for us. The best part was that we also got to explore the racks and pick out our own looks. I love that everyone was so open to letting us choose what made us comfortable and was a true representation of our personal style. All of the photos from the shoot were taken by StitchFix's in-house photographer. As you can see, we had a lot of fun!

Natalia, Erin, Jen and me

My first dress was picked by one of the stylists and it couldn't have been more perfect. Navy? Check. Lace? Check. I just loved it!

Molly photobombing me. She is the funniest and sweetest gal. Check out her blog!

so much confetti!

more confetti�kinda wish I had a gif of this!

We just had such an incredible time! I'm so grateful to StitchFix for giving us the full experience from headquarters to the warehouse--- and then all of the fun things we got to do in between, like this shoot. I said this in my first post, but they really went above and beyond and made this experience so special for us.

After the shoot, we headed out for dinner and had our last night with the StitchFix team. Dinner was delicious and I slept like a baby that night from having such a busy day. My final StitchFix vacay post will be highlights from our last day there--- it was a free day and I got to explore the city a little bit before my flight.

Hope you have a great week and thanks for reading! If you are curious and would like to try StitchFix, you can sign up here. My next fix comes October 29th, and I will be posting a review then!

FTC disclosure: I was invited on an all-expenses-paid trip via StitchFix, but was not compensated monetarily to attend, nor am I being compensated monetarily to write this post. All future fixes will be paid for with my own money.