The idea of having a personal stylist is, let’s be honest, every woman’s dream. Someone to tell you what suits your shape, choose items for you and generally make the whole shopping process easier… it sounds perfect, doesn’t it?
Rather than taking 16 frocks you’re not sure on into a boiling hot, badly lit changing room and coming out feeling worse than when you went in, you could have a professional to do the work for you - it is their area of expertise, after all.
Without the pay packet of a Kardashian, however, it’s unlikely any of us will be able to afford a stylist any time soon, but that dream doesn’t have to die completely. Since subscription services hit the mainstream, we have access to more shopping opportunities than ever before. Whether it’s makeup, plants, snacks or books, you can sign up to a monthly subscription for pretty much anything these days, including clothing.
By filling in a short quiz online, stylists from these services claim to be able to style you based on your preferences, body shape and fashion needs; be it transforming your work wardrobe, finding the perfect wedding outfit or just giving you more choice for day to day life.
So, will letting a relative stranger handpick items for you based on a quiz actually work, or is it too good to be true? I decided to put a couple of subscription boxes to the test to see if it really is the future of fashion, or whether we’re bound to the dreaded changing room trauma for life. Here’s how I got on…
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Initial Thoughts
I decided to try out two different services, to get a good feel for the experience as a whole. These boxes were not gifted - I paid for them with my hard-earned cash to make it as fair as possible. Stitch Fix and Lookiero are two of the leading brands in the sector, and their offerings looked like they’d suit me.
Stitch Fix carries women's sizes 6-18 and also caters for men and Lookiero stocks size 6-20. They aren’t as inclusive as they could be, although both brands state they’re constantly looking to increase the number of women they can provide for. Each subscription service charges a £10 styling fee, which is deducted from any items you keep. What’s more, if you keep all of your items, you get a discount off the total amount.
The subscription options are flexible, with options of monthly, every other month and on-demand. Whether you’re building up a work wardrobe for a new job and need things in quick succession, just want a refresh every few months or have specific occasions to dress for, they’ve got you covered.
What’s more, you can skip a delivery if you’re a bit skint, change your delivery date and update your style profile quickly from their website. I chose bi-monthly as every couple of months is when I usually tend to buy new clothes, and I didn’t want to be tempted to overspend every month. So far, so good.
The style quizzes are straightforward and easy to complete, featuring questions like “what sizes do you typically wear?”, “how do you prefer clothes to fit your bottom half?”, “how do you dress for work” and “what type of items would you like to avoid?”. They’re pretty thorough, covering all bases. Once you’ve filled out all the fields, you simply wait for your box to arrive, which for me, was about 4-5 days. With Stitch Fix, you then have three days to decide what you’d like to keep and with Lookiero, five days. Returns are free - bonus.
Box Arrival Day
You have no idea how excited I was to get home and tear open those boxes. It felt like Christmas! I sometimes find that buying things online can be an anxiety-inducing affair - what if it doesn’t fit? What if I don’t like it? This experience, however, was totally different.
Rather than spending hours meticulously traipsing through the ahem sale section, I was able to sit back and let someone else do the work for me. This, if all went well, would be the easiest shopping trip of my life.
Once I’d got home that evening (ignored the boyfriend, ran straight upstairs, boxes in tow), I jumped in front of the big mirror and prepared for a nice, relaxing try-on session. No queues, no arm ache and no changing room fear.
Upon opening, I was surprised by some items, swore I’d hate a couple of pieces and that I’d love others - but when it came to actually wear them, it was a different story.
Try-On Time
As a size 12/14 with big boobs and thighs, finding things to fit me can be difficult. I usually have to go for size 16 tops and dresses and can rarely find a pair of trousers to fit both my waist and my thighs. I’m sure many of you understand the struggle! I tried to detail this as accurately as possible in my profile, praying to the fashion gods that the stylists would understand.
With both services, I asked for some new work clothes and explained that I’d love to build up my wardrobe staples - here’s what I received and what I decided to do:
Stitch Fix
Closet Princess Seam Wrap Dress, Black, £65
I really struggled with this one. The dress was BEAUTIFUL. So flattering, so well-made and it suited me really well. It's the LBD that every woman needs. However, I didn't think I'd get enough wear out of it (it's a bit too posh for my workplace) to warrant purchasing it there and then. I'm currently on a health kick and I would love to buy it once I've lost a bit of weight.
Result: Send back
Selected Femme Minna O Neck Jumper, £45
I loved everything about this jumper except from the colour. I'm far too clumsy to wear something as gorgeous as this in white, so it had to go back. Sob.
Result: Send back
All Saints Shrug, £78
It's highly likely I was being a bit dim, but I couldn't find a flattering way to wear this shrug. I think I would've only worn it as loungewear and I definitely wasn't paying £78 to wear it around the house.
Result: Send back
Mint Velvet Naomi Print Midi Skirt, £89
Ladies and gents, let me introduce you to the skirt of my dreams. It. Is. Perfect. The most gorgeous style, fit and pattern, I didn't even wince at the £89 price tag. I had to have it.
Result: Keep
Mauvette Mia Plisse Floral Mini Wrap Dress, £45
This dress was a lovely shape, a comfortable price for me and a nice pattern, but the material was just a little too clingy around my middle, which I wasn't keen on.
Result: Send back
Lookiero
Oasis Avery Dress Dots, £55
When I first pulled this dress out of the box and gasped at its beauty, I was sure I would love it, but sadly that wasn't the case. The pattern and cut was gorgeous, but it didn't work for me as a busty woman.
Result: Send back
CKS Ezhou Tshirt Melee, £33.30
This t-shirt fit well, but it wasn't really to my taste. It's another one I probably would've worn around the house and with a £33.30 price tag, I passed.
Result: Send back
B.Young Byrizetta Skirt Leo, £24.99
I liked this skirt but it was a little too big. As explained previously, I find it tough to source items that fit my waist as well as my thighs. The pattern and colour were great, but I didn't love it enough to order it in a smaller size.
Result: Send back
B.Young Bydanta Pant Belt, £54.95
These trousers have changed my life. Seriously. If you haven't worn a paper bag trouser yet, do it - you won't regret it. These are perfect for work, which is exactly what I wanted from my box. Bravo!
Result: Keep
ICHI Ihinger Shirt Noir, £29.99
I really liked this shirt, but again, not enough to part with my hard-earned cash. It fit perfectly, which was surprising as I often struggle with button-up shirts that fit well everywhere.
Result: Send back
All in all, a couple of the items weren’t to my taste, there was one or two I thought I’d love but didn’t get the vibe upon trying them on, and one or two suited me so well that I was flabbergasted. Shockingly, almost everything in my deliveries fit perfectly and there was a nice mixture of on-trend pieces and classic staples. I was pleased with what the stylists put together and although I would have kept more (damn bank balance), I was happy with my selections, even if they were a bit pricier than I’d usually go for.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I’m struggling to figure out why I didn’t do this sooner. It was great to be introduced to some new brands, the clothes were all really high quality and the styling notes helped me to feel inspired (and like I half knew what I was doing). The whole process was easy, stress-free and enjoyable.
Considering the boxes were based on a ten-minute quiz and I’d only received one of each so far, I was shook. This was so easy. Plus, the more feedback I give to my stylist, the more suitable my boxes will be.
The payment for the skirt and trousers I’d decided to keep came out swiftly, avoiding any awkward oops-I-forgot-about-that-payment moments, and returning the items was as easy as could be. I am very lucky to have a Hermes drop off point and post office around the corner from my house, though.
If I’m honest, these boxes probably won’t stop me from going on a bit of a shopping spree every now and then, which might mean I’ll spend more money on clothes over a 12 month period. However, the stylists listened to my requests and provided me with some potential wardrobe staples and new workwear - exactly what I’d asked for. I learnt more about what styles suit my shape and will take this knowledge with me when I’m purchasing in future. I also feel confident putting my faith in them to dress me for a special event or if I need more casual wear.
Most importantly for me, it took the stress out of shopping and injected some fun into it. Anything that stops me from leaving the changing room feeling sweaty, depressed and stressed is A-OK by me. I’m sold. Bring on the next box.
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