It's Stitch Fix time again! I was waiting until I'd lost some more of the baby weight, but the tricky thing about losing baby weight is that 1. the baby has to let me actually put her down in order for me to exercise and 2. I really should stop eating so much chocolate if I ever want to lose this extra weight... So I did stop buying chocolate (because I'm incapable of pacing myself right now, apparently) but did not start exercising (because the baby still doesn't really allow herself to be put down), and ended up with some credit in my account anyway, so why not try a Fix?

First, here is the outfit I happened to be wearing when my box arrived (none of these are Stitch Fix items):
 

Stitch Fix Post Partum Edition #2

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It's Stitch Fix time! It's warmed up a TON since my last box, and I had some credit waiting for me so I figured I'd give it a try and hopefully find a cute dress to wear to Mass. However, it ended up being CRAZY hot the week that the box came, the air conditioning is (still) broken, the baby is sleep regressing, and I've basically been a frazzled mess. SO I took pictures, but I didn't like, center the camera, crop anything, edit, straighten, or heck, even fix my hair or put on makeup. But you get the idea!

Stitch Fix: Post Partum Edition

Oh you guys. On Monday my Stitch Fix box arrived, on Tuesday I actually had the chance to open it, and every single night I tried to get pictures of the items but this baby is NOT one to cooperate. There were a couple days this week when she nursed, I kid you not, for 16 out of 24 hours.

But then Friday came along and, exhausted and about ready to snap, I swaddled her and she took such an epic nap that I got dishes done, dinner prepped, swept the kitchen, and folded and put away three loads of laundry!!! And I figured I'd press my luck and get one of the kids to take some quick pictures of me with the clothes thrown on... It worked! Miracle of miracles!

But enough about my crazy life. Here's what my stylist sent:

Stitch Fix Kids Review: Cecilia's Birthday Fix {7QT}

Cecilia just turned 8 and didn't ask for a ton for her birthday, since Christmas just passed and she mostly just wanted art supplies. So I thought it would be a fun surprise to order a Stitch Fix Kids box and let her give that a spin. She was SO excited to try on all the items from her fix! Here's a full reveal, if you're curious. And if you'd like to try it for one of your kids (or for you, or for your husband...), you can use my referral link and get $25 credit, which more than covers the styling fee!

A kids' fix will generally have 8-12 items, and the price point is lower than adult fixes, starting at $10. I selected the lowest price range for all the categories I requested for Cecilia, and I generally thought that the items were priced fairly for the quality.

Friday Night Musings {7QT}

Well, the kids are in bed, Andrew and John Paul are at a baseball game, and I've done all the gardening I can manage for the night... How about some quick takes?

My Sunday Best, Volume 80: Hair Ribbons and Praising Babies

Fun fact: I didn't know how to properly tie a bow (so that it actually lies nicely) until... This week. I think I finally have it, though! So the girls all happily wore hair ribbons today, then complained when they slipped out because ribbon is slippery and so is their hair. You win some, you lose some.

Stitch Fix #10: Hits & Misses

I just got my 10th Stitch Fix box in the mail! 

(10?? I suppose it *has* been more than two years since my first fix. Wow, time flies.)

My trusty assistant helped me set up the outfit shots - got this outtake before I started, which I had to include because of the "quality swine feed" in the background!

May 2017 Stitch Fix: My Best Box Ever!

Well hey there! It's been ages since I did a Stitch Fix review, and I just got myself a box as a birthday present and had to share because my stylist, Alexandra, nailed it.

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Affiliate links included below

Loveappella Junniper Knit Maxi Dress (size small, $74, similar, similar, similar)

You saw me in this dress already, but here it is again! I was skeptical right out of the box because maxi dresses are generally too long on me, but this was perfect. I'm a shorty (5'2") and hiked it up a little to tie it higher around my waist, which helped with the length - I think it would still work on someone as tall as 5'6" or 5'7" as well. SO comfy, belly-hiding, nursing-friendly (stretchy neckline), and sleeves? Sold!

Verdict: Keep

Morse Code, Cyrillics, and Baby Bruises {7 Quick Takes}

--1--

The very best Valentine I received was made completely unprompted by John Paul:

Nobody has ever said they love me in Morse code before!

--2--

I might like the one he made for Andrew better:

--3--

I used some thredUp credit to get John Paul a sweater vest to wear to Mass, and the kids were so excited that there were valentines in the package!

Turns out it's a shopping credit - I don't know if you can combine it with the usual $10 credit for first-time customers, but it's worth a shot! Click through here and use the code 20FORPUN - let me know if it lets you use the $10 AND $20 credit? I'm curious...

--4--

If you've been waiting to try Stitch Fix, now is the perfect time!! Now they're offering men's clothing AND plus sizes if you have a friend or a husband who's interested! Here's my referral link 😊:

--5--

Do you follow Zelie and Co. on Instagram? They're having a craft retreat in April and it looks so, so fun! If you're in the Michigan area (or willing to travel) you've gotta check it out so I can live vicariously through you!

--6--

Can you tell that these takes are entirely composed from my phone? Edith is currently sitting on my lap sucking on her fingers and refusing to fall asleep, so I might as well get something done, right?  There's only so much you can just gaze at your adorable baby...

Plus gazing is dangerous! I had her on the floor earlier and Peter tripped over a pillow and whacked her in the forehead with a toy phone! 

So she's sporting a nice large bruise, even though I was literally hovering RIGHT over her while she smiled and cooed at me! We'll just call it a badge of honor...

--7--

I'm going to call it quits - check out more takes at Kelly's!

Stitch Fix, 2nd Trimester Edition

I know it seems like almost no time has passed since my last Stitch Fix post! It's only been a couple of weeks, but about 3 months has passed since I actually received my last fix... I've been pretty excited to receive a maternity Stitch Fix box, partially in the hopes that they'd nail it and I could just buy it all, and partially because I just need inspiration. And when I opened the box? I loved it all!!!

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Misimu Maternity Ravenscroft Split Neck Blouse ($48)

First Trimester Stitch Fix

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So I got this Stitch Fix months ago, but it took me a while to get around to posting it because I hadn't announced my pregnancy yet and thought some of these pictures might give it away!

I scheduled my fix for April and then found out I was pregnant shortly afterwards, so I shot my stylist a note asking for roomy, stretchy styles that would accommodate a growing belly. She did really well, and was so sweet in her note!

December 2015 Stitch Fix

I received a note from Stitch Fix a while back waiving my styling fee as a "holiday gift" - fine by me! After several fixes I felt like they finally "got" me, but I didn't want to shell out for the styling fee so I figured I'd wait to see if there was a promotion. 

You can read my other Stitch Fix review posts here - 1, 2, 3 (FAIL!), and 4.

The package arrived and I really liked the look of everything, plus my stylist Krista really seemed to have though things through, and I greatly appreciated the fact that she actually put together outfits for everything including skirts, not just skinny jeans.

I was still annoyed by how high the prices were, though... I'm used to shopping sales and secondhand, so new retail prices always shock me! I was hoping to find at least one item to keep, though.

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Up first? Market & Spruce Patsy Dress ($58)

Stitch Fix #4 - Finally!

After my very cranky previous Stitch Fix post, one of their senior stylists got back to me and offered to style my most recent fix if I gave them one more try (otherwise I could have a refund, but since I had used referral credit to get the fix, there would still have been unused credit sitting in my account). 

And the fix? 

Oh, it was perfect. She got me. The best thing was, a lot of these were things that are just my style but that I wouldn't have picked out for myself because I'm just not that daring... 

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Now, I'm going to be annoying because I don't have any details for the clothes - the kids tore up the styling cards and Andrew recycled the packing slip so... All I remember is that everything was between $44 and $58, some was hand-wash (but apparently that doesn't really matter, and washing on delicate or hand washing with this soap is no problem!), and some was machine washable. 

Anyway, I was pretty psyched to try stuff on, so I tossed Peter in his high chair with cheerios because he's Mr. Clingy these days (please please please be teething please please please because otherwise I don't know WHAT it is!!!) and tried things on as quickly as I could while pulling faces at him, hence the awkward poses:

I love sleeveless button-downs, and this was so nice and drapey! I loooooved the print, but the material wasn't my favorite - I can't remember, it was either polyester or rayon, and there were threads pulling at the seams and I have a tendency to pick at those so I knew I would probably ruin it before long...

Verdict: No.

Similar items: 

This mixed print top was really cute (polka dots on the back, which I thought was really fun), but very see-through in the front. I can do somewhat sheer, but this was pretty obvious, which I wasn't a fan of.

Verdict: No.

Montgomery Cross Front Knit Top: $48

This one was a little out of my comfort zone because it's definitely on the clingy side, but the ruching really hides the tummy and it's soooo easy nurse in! It doesn't look great in this picture, but it's pretty slimming as well, and I really liked the print.

Verdict: Yes.

I had seen this top on another review and really liked it, so I was excited that my stylist sent it! The fabric was nice and thick and I liked the style a lot, but it fit strangely at the armholes (you can see some of the gapping in the picture below) so I decided against it.

Verdict: No.

I was really excited for this skirt! The length was perfect, silhouette was great, fit was good but... It looked too much like a skirt I had *just* bought on my own!

Verdict: No.

Want to shop some similar looks? I rounded some up that I found around the internet:

Will I try it again?

At this point I'm out of credit - if somebody signs up through my link and gets a Fix sent to them, I get $25 of credit so I'll definitely try it again if that happens, because then I wouldn't be losing the $20 styling fee if nothing works out. Would I spend my own money at the risk of nothing working again? Probably not. I've figured out what works for my body & season in life, and if I'm patient and shop around I can find better quality at better prices than Stitch Fix can send. 

Who SHOULD use it?

I know women who don't like to shop! I think that if spending hours browsing online trying to find something that might work sounds horrible to you, Stitch Fix might be a good idea. 

If you have NO clue what looks good on your body, Stitch Fix might be a good idea. 

If you really like the idea of receiving a surprise package every month (or however often you want to receive one, you can even just get one and be done!), Stitch Fix might be a good idea.

If you don't have time to shop for yourself and can figure out how to make current trends work for you, Stitch Fix might be a good idea.

Interested? 

If you found this post helpful, I'd love it if you used my referral code if you're planning on scheduling a fix for yourself! That way I can bring you more posts just like this!

Stitch Fix #3: What the Heck?

Okay, I'm going to annoy some people here... I know some of you LOVE Stitch Fix. But after three tries? I'm more frustrated than ever with the service!

My first try I kept one item and sent the others back.

My second try I didn't keep anything, and made a special request NOT to have any dry clean or hand wash items sent to me.

So I was hopeful for my third try this month. And I was pretty disappointed.

First:

I made sure to try pinning specific Stitch Fix items I liked on my Pinterest Style Board, at the suggestion of others.

I didn't receive any of them.

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Second: 

Here's my original style note on my style profile, which I spent a rather long time filling out the first time I got a Stitch Fix to make sure I got items I liked:

"I don't wear pants or jeans at all - only dresses and skirts! I'm also nursing my 5-month-old, so tops and dresses MUST have nursing access or there's no way I'll ever wear them - this means tops with enough stretch or drape to be lifted up easily, or tops & dresses that button down the front. Faux-wrap, shirt-dresses, crossover necklines all work as well. Machine washable only, please!"

Third:

I made this note to my stylist for this try:

And I gave detailed and explicit feedback on the surveys following my first and second fixes, so I was hopeful.

Clearly I shouldn't have been.

Here's what I got:

Three long-sleeved shirts. One pair of jeans. One maxi skirt in a kind of weird print.

And the style cards that came with it made me think my stylist wasn't really paying attention to what I actually like to wear:

7 out of 10 of those outfits include pants. Which I don't wear. Not exactly helpful.

So I tried everything on and took pictures, because that's what I do. Peter helped by encouraging me to smile!

Pixley Tracy Dot Print Cross Back Knit Top - $58

This one would be really good for a post partum mom in the first few months, or as a maternity top. Stretchy neckline that can be pulled down for nursing, blousy enough to be pulled up easily for nursing.

But it made me look MUCH larger than I am, and the sleeves were making me sweat in my air conditioned house. That's why I requested sleeveless tops!

I do really like polka dots though - these two tops are more like something I'd actually wear:

Verdict: Returned.

Kut From The Kloth Kate Distressed Boyfriend Jean - $78 (similar)

Oh these were bad. They were my requested size but they were HUGE on me - you see how I'm pulling out the waist band? There were probably 4 extra inches there, and they were falling down and also far too long. Plus my toe got caught in the stupid distressing when I was pulling them on.

Verdict: Returned

Loveappella Tavares Knit Top - $48

This one reminded me of another shirt I had like it:

Oh wait, no. That was Peter, back in December.

Too hot for Virginia in July, unflattering on me, too reminiscent of baby clothing. Any one of these would have been a better option, and they're all cheaper:

Verdict: Returned.

Pixley Edmond Chevron Print Henley Shirt - $54

Nursing-friendly, similar to a style I had pinned but again with the sleeves!!! I specifically requested sleeveless tops and I got NONE. How much more specific can I be? I really disliked this print, and thought the fabric felt really cheap.

Verdict: Returned.

Loveappella Cheyanne Printed Maxi Skirt - $58

I was worried this would end up fitting like the maxi skirt I really loved in my first fix, but it was actually short enough! Unfortunately, I really didn't like the print, and the fabric was so thin and cheap-feeling that it was see-through and stretching awkwardly at my hips. I'm considering getting this maxi skirt from Ann Taylor instead, since it's on sale right now.

Verdict: Returned.

I just don't know what else to do - I saw on another blog that it's helpful to request the same stylist but none of mine have really "gotten" my style. I also read that it's helpful to tell your stylist what styles you particularly like - I tend to be a J.Crew/Gap/Ann Taylor sort of person, so maybe if I tell my stylist that, it'll help? I'm just so frustrated. I'm going to email customer service AGAIN and see if they can do anything to help me - I have enough credit to try one more time, so maybe the 4th time will be the charm? 

Or maybe I should just start offering to shop online for other people... Think anyone would pay me $20 to send them a bunch of links to stuff they should wear?

If you found this post helpful and want to try Stitch Fix, I'd love it if you signed up through my referral link - that way I can continue writing these depressing posts about how everything was awful! (But seriously, I know SO many people who love it - it must just be me!)

Stitch Fix #2 - June 2015 {7QT}

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--1--

I'll say this right now: 

Getting a Stitch Fix box is like Christmas.

I got my fix on Wednesday and was pretty excited to try things out during nap time! The black skirt was perfect to fill in a gap in my wardrobe, the blue skirt is adorable with the crochet detail, and I was reserving judgment on the others.

--2--

This Loveappella Elise Crochet Detailed Swing Skirt (S, $58) was SO cute, but in order to wear it at my natural waist, it was just too short for me.

And pulling it down lower (elastic waist, yay!) didn't help - just made an awkward muffin top!

Verdict: No.

--3--

This Mavi Rue Denim Dress (S, $54) was tempting - I would have styled it with a belt and it's a really versatile piece, but I already have a denim shirt dress. This dress is also Mavi and looks exactly the same, but is $98 on Amazon, which I thought was interesting. Looks like Stitch Fix cuts you a deal sometimes!

Verdict: No.

--4--

The Skies are Blue Barnet Button Down Top (S, $44) was... Odd.

Good, in theory. But just looked bad bad bad on me.

Verdict: No.

--5--

In the picture above and in this picture, I'm wearing the Pixley Blakely Cargo Skirt (S, $68). I was excited about this because it looked like a really convenient basic skirt, but the waist was small enough that I had to wear it at my natural waist and then it was too short. I considered exchanging it for a larger size, but for $68 it was an insubstantial enough fabric that I didn't think it was worth it.

Verdict: No.

--6--

My absolute favorite item in the fix was the Pixley Digby Embroidered Halter Top (S, $58). The drape was perfect and while I don't normally go for a boho look, I really liked the embroidery. But... 

Hand wash only. (Okay yes I know, you all wash it on delicate and it's fine. But that's STILL a lot of work for me for something so much more expensive than anything I ever buy!)

And the neckline was such that even wearing a racerback bra didn't guarantee my straps wouldn't show. 

The clincher here for me was when Abbey reminded me that Peter would suck on the tassels and then they'd leave drool marks all over my shirt...

Verdict: No.

So I sadly sent this one back also, and went hunting online for a suitable replacement and found some good ones:

I'm leaning towards the top left - never thought I'd like this sort of top because I'm so NOT boho, but it's perfect for summer!

--7--

So maybe Stitch Fix isn't for me? I left very detailed notes (well, as detailed as possible - they cut you off after a certain number of characters) about why things didn't work, and I emailed their customer service about the whole hand wash issue - I know a lot of moms who've had the same issue, way too many "hand wash only" or "dry clean only" items in their fixes and ain't nobody got time for that!

I'm going to try it one more time (because I have a little bit of credit from a really nice person who clicked through my referral link, thank you!!!) and see if we can make it work. I want to - I think it's a really fun way to get exposed to trends that I wouldn't otherwise have tried.

Want to try your own fix? I'd love it if you click through my referral link! I get a little credit towards getting another fix to blog about :)

Linking up with Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum, right at midnight because THIS BABY WILL NOT GO TO SLEEP!!!

My First Stitch Fix! {7QT)

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--1--

I know, I know, I'm the last one on the internet to try Stitch Fix...  And I wasn't going to try it at all, because I feel like I know what I like and what works for me already! But sometimes it feels like I spend waaaaaay too much time browsing clothes online, so why not let somebody else do the work for me for once?

I ordered a really cute dress for my birthday that ended up looking AWFUL on me. So I sent it back and earmarked those funds for a Stitch Fix experiment!

I got 5 items (2 dresses, a skirt, a sweater, and a shirt), and immediately LOVED two of them and figured those would be the two that I would keep. However, after trying them on and taking pictures, my mind was completely changed!

--2--

I was VERY specific about my likes & dislikes, since I'm nursing Peter and generally know what works on my body. My stylist did an AWESOME job - every single item was nursing-friendly and something I'd potentially wear.  I also specified no pants (since I don't really wear them) and no jewelry (also don't really wear it), and my stylist listened!

This is the Pixley Ohara Faux Wrap Tie-Waist Dress in Small. I wasn't a big fan of the print, and after trying it on I didn't think it looked so great on my body... It was also a little shorter than I'm comfortable with, so I figured it was a no.

But after looking at the pictures again... I kind of love it?

I think it would make a great date night dress - not the kind of thing I would wear during the day in the spring and summer because the length is short enough I'd need to wear leggings to be comfortable. But honestly? I don't have ANY date night clothes, and I think it might be nice to have something a little fun! Plus the price was right - Stitch Fix lets you choose a price point you're comfortable with, and this was right in my price range.

Verdict: YES.

--3--

This Daniel Rainn Tessa Pleated Blouse was great in theory - I'm exaggerating the back opening so you can see it... It adds a little fun touch, but the top ended up being pretty unflattering on me.

I think that if it had been straight at the bottom instead of a gathered hem, it would have worked a lot better. The proportions just didn't work for a shortie like me.

Verdict: NO.

--4--

I loooooved this Pixley Char Geo Printed Maxi Skirt in Small right out of the box. I was so excited for it!!!

But then I tried it on and it was waaaaaay too long. And I can't count on myself to hem jersey properly yet. Sadly, I couldn't find a way to make it work - I'm wearing my highest heels in the picture and it was still trailing on the floor behind me!

Verdict: NO.

--5--

This RD Style Jennika Open Cardigan was really cute and I almost got it as well - it's a really versatile piece, perfect for layering.

But I already have an open-weave cardigan that's pretty similar, and Peter is SUPER-grabby with tops like this, so I knew he'd take it as a challenge to ruin it in no time.

Verdict:  NO.

--6--

This Gilli Nikky Striped Faux Wrap Jersey Dress was my favorite right out of the box! Perfect for nursing, right length, forgiving material...

But then I looked at this first picture and thought... Maybe not so much?

So I took some more pictures at a better angle - I like it, I think it's flattering, it's perfect for nursing...

I was still on the fence, and then I checked the tag: hand-wash only.

Well, that was the clincher - I've had things I really like in this material before, and they've ended up getting pilly REALLY quicky, even when hand-washed. Sadly, I sent it back as well.

Verdict: NO.

--7--

So I ended up only keeping the least-expensive item, but I'm happy with the experience - it was really fun to be surprised with these items, with no pressure to buy. If you're not familiar with Stitch Fix, you're charged $20 for a "styling fee" which is deducted from any item you keep, so if you don't like anything you lose that $20. Since I kept one item, I'm being charged the remainder of the cost, and everything else ships back for free!

If you're interested in trying Stitch Fix (a great idea for Mother's Day!), I'd love it if you used my referral link!  That way I get to try it again, although I might anyway once I've figured out what gaps in my wardrobe need to be filled.

Linking up with the funniest on the internet, Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes!