My First Stitch Fix

Everybody in the world has jumped on this bandwagon already, I'm amazed I made it this long tbh! In case you've been living under a rock though, Stitch Fix is a personal styling service that sends you clothes in the mail. Items are hand picked by a stylist for you based on your profile and notes/requests. The styling fee is $20 per box and that cost is applied to any items you choose to purchase. They make it super easy to return any items you don't love by including a pre-paid envelope. I always thought it was a monthly subscription but it turns out you can choose to have boxes - or Fixes - sent less often depending on your needs. You can even choose just one shipment like I did if money is tight and/or inconsistent.

I went back and forth quite a bit, trying to decide whether I could really justify paying for a Fix right now. I signed up for an account but didn't schedule my shipment. A few days later I received an email promo code to waive the $20 styling fee. I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and used that code to get this box for free, planning to only buy an item if I really, truly loved it.

Have I mentioned before how much I love getting mail? Packages, letters, cards. So long as it's not a bill, I'm happy. When my Stitch Fix box arrived, I was beyond happy! I think you can peek ahead of time with your tracking code but I didn't do that. In fact I don't think I ever got a tracking code... Anyway, when it arrived I tore it open and saw this:

I'm a sucker for cute packaging and I have to admit, I just love that blue geometric theme they've got going on. You can see the return envelope there on top. Folded up inside it I found a note from my stylist, Harley, a price list for each of my pieces, and a little styling inspiration: 

Before we get to these photos, I need to apologize upfront - I'm in no way, shape, or form a fashion blogger. I didn't style cute outfits for you. I didn't even think far enough ahead to polish the mirror. So, sorry if you're offended by my yoga pants and Target tee, or the spots randomly floating in some of these pics... But if you are, you're on the wrong blog buster! Okay, onward.

Steve Madden Donndi Sandal - $60.00

I'm pretty meh about these. They're cute in a very basic way and if I didn't already own some basic brown sandals I might have been more enthused, but at $60 they were a no-go for me. I tried them on to be able to give feedback about the fit but didn't even bother to snap a picture.

Gilli Adalea Knit Dress - $64.00

I knew right off the bat this was not for me. I'm not a big fan of short sleeve dresses and I don't like my flowy skirts to be any shorter than maxi length. Trying it on proved me right, I hate what it does to my waist and stomach... Maybe if I were in the early stages of pregnancy this would be something I'd go for, but I don't need clothes that make me look pregnant when I'm not.

Papermoon Kalan Woven Detail Knit Top - $54.00

This top was also underwhelming on the hanger, but I liked it quite a bit when I put it on. There's a cute detail ribbon and black panel on the back - sorry for not getting a better shot of that - but the black was not jersey knit like the rest of the top. I don't know my fabrics well, but it was crepey and a little scratchy and kinda ruined the vibe for me. Had it been jersey knit, I think I would have had a harder time sending this one back, but $54 for a tee is a little beyond me these days.



41Hawthorn Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan - $48.00

Now this is my jam! I love cardigans and this is one of those cozy, drapey styles that's also office-appropriate. This color is great, a beautiful burnt orange/red that really makes me long for fall. I agonized over this a bit... As much as I love it, I don't think I can justify spending money on it when I have no less than three nearly identical items in my closet right now. I don't think $48 is a bad price for this and with the $20 styling fee applied, it's a steal but I returned it anyway. I'm definitely keeping the info on this one though, when I do have more clothes money to spend I'm gonna find it and make it mine!

Kut From The Kloth Dayna Colored Skinny Jean - $78.00

I also really had a hard time sending these back. I sold a ton of Kut jeans when I was working at Nordstrom and I love their products. This teal color is beautiful and although they are "Toothpick Skinny" they are surprisingly comfortable. I know that photo makes my thighs look massive but trust me, it's camera angle. In person these jeans are very flattering. But with a few pair of blue denim skinnies in my closet I just couldn't see spending $78 (or even $58) on these. However, I did mention that I'd love to see them in a warmer or bolder color in the future. I'm all about colored skinnies and loose tops right now!

So there you have it. Even though I didn't purchase any items, I really liked my Fix and I cannot wait to schedule another one in the future. If you want to check it out for yourself, you can use my referral link. Let me know in the comments what you thought of this Fix, and if you subscribe to Stitch Fix already tell me some of your favorite items you've received!

Til next time, my friends...

Craftiness

2016 has already been a year for big changes. I've moved a few hundred miles and plan to do it again in a few months, I'll be welcoming my niece to the world soon, and *hopefully* starting adventures in graduate school. So, I decided I need an epic project to help me chronicle this year. Enter the 2016 Temperature Blanket! Each day I will crochet a row reflecting the temperature of the day and at the end of the year I'll have a map of sorts of my year.

I didn’t decide to do this until March so I had quite a bit of catching up to do! I’ve chosen the Big Twist Value yarns at Joann's Fabrics because I know I’ll be needing a lot of yarn and it it the most affordable option with colors I like. I’m using wunderground.com for daily temperatures and because I’ll be spending the majority of the year in northern states, I’m using the daily high. After looking at averages, I’ve broken down the temps from 40 to 89 in increments of 5. I don’t expect to see much 90+ this summer but if I do, I may have to find some more red and pink options. I found the pattern on Ravelry.com, a Granny Ripple that I just love!! 

I'm almost at the end of March and the blanket is almost big enough to cover my queen sized bed... I'm debating whether to make a few different blankets for every three or four months or to just let it be and end up with one very loooonnggg blanket... we'll see!

Color Breakdown

January and February finished!

A Fresh-ish Start

Well, I've been away from it a while, huh? In May, I ended up having to put my precious Stella to sleep after she was diagnosed with cancer and honestly I just couldn't bear to look at this blog and see her name all over the place.

But, life goes on. I finished school, did a few awesome shows, and moved a few hundred miles. And now I find myself missing blogging. So, I've decided to get back into it. Who knows how regularly... who even knows what I'll blog about. I keep trying to pin it down, I thought maybe I'd start totally fresh with a whole new blog on a different platform. But I just feel like I want to write about anything and so Runs 'n Stuff seems appropriate for now.

So, dear reader, thank you for being here. Thank you for sticking around or for popping by, I hope you'll be back again!