Ok, the verdict is in … and I’m now calling this Fix #4 just so I match SF’s records and don’t confuse myself. Continue reading Stitch Fix #4 Results
Stitch Fix Review #3: Getting Warmer
You might be surprised that I got another Stitch Fix package after my disappointment last time. I ended up having an extended email conversation with a stylist who answered my service complaint. My original stylist was no longer with them, but the stylist (Kate) assigned to my ticket suggested that she be my stylist since she could use all the information from our conversation in addition to my style profile to choose my next fix. Continue reading Stitch Fix Review #3: Getting Warmer
Couch Time
Since we don’t use it much, the den has been a fairly neglected room in our house. If it weren’t for my grandfather’s generosity, it would only have a bookcase and some dog beds in it. Heck, it wouldn’t even have had dog beds in it but we’ve begun to use the wood stove for supplemental heat, which my single-coated critters appreciate. Continue reading Couch Time
Stitch Fix Review #2 Part Deux-Over
After my disappointing last Fix and frustrating initial follow up emails, I received an email from Stitch Fix informing me that they were going to send me a do-over. I would be comped the $20 styling fee and they would have a Senior Stylist review my profile and all my notes to prepare my fix. I was given a chance to give more detail and did so. I even went so far as to take a photo of my long sleeved work shirts and sweaters so they could get a sense of my winter work options. I won’t copy the entire email – it was long – but I will note a couple of key items:
I made sure to put in red bold letters No Dry Clean Only or Lay Flat to Dry.
I noted, after reviewing what I had for sweaters “If you couldn’t already tell, what I really need is a work-friendly shirt that isn’t a boring, collared button down.”
They used the notes from my previous fix, which specifically requested fall to winter transition pieces and twill pants or thin wale cords that were office-appropriate (fitted, NOT skin tight).
The fix arrived last night and I opened it with a mix of excitement and trepidation. It turns out that dread was a correct reaction because this fix was an even bigger stinker than the last one. Not because any one item was awful, but because they didn’t listen to most of the things I said in my original stylist note OR the extra information I sent in the customer service emails. When they were trying to make up for not listening last time! Hello?? McFly??
So, to the nitty gritty… which is a fitting term because the photos look a bit gritty. Aaron got quite the look on his face when I asked him to take these photos, no way I was bugging him for a reshoot.
Item #1: Holland Zipper Detail Ombre Sweater by RD Style ($74)
Ok, so part of this is my fault. When I describe my sweater needs, I said I could use a basic light v-neck… I followed that with a mention of gray and black, but it appears the stylist took “light” to mean color when I meant lightweight. The color is eh for me. I’m pale, I tend to avoid clothing that might accidentally blend with my skin tone. But then there are two things that are not on me and make this a no-go. #1: The zippers don’t have any backing, so if you are someone like me who doesn’t wear layers (and stated such in multiple places), that means cold zippers against both sides of my stomach. Sure, they’d warm up after wearing them, but one strong breeze … or just a strong draft in my frigid office … and brrrrrr. #2: The clincher, Lay Flat to Dry. Seriously?
Item #2: Mauna Border Print Fringe Detail Scarf by Look by M ($38)
Ok, so I asked for a scarf. But almost every scarf I’ve seen in a Stitch Fix review has been an infinity scarf so that’s what I was expecting. Probably my fault again because I mentioned having a pashmina. I didn’t want another one, but I didn’t say that. I said doesn’t have to be neutral but needs to go with a wide variety of things. I would pair it with mothballs and sensible shoes…
This was supposed to be a “let me pinch your cheeks” little babushka pose but came off more mysterious Middle Eastern. Whoops. Anyways… the scarf is another pale blah item. And this thing is huge. The styling card showed a suggested way of wearing the scarf and when I did it, I had a wad of cloth up to my chin and about 6″ of fabric hanging.
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| Caution: Scarfs may be fatter than they appear. |
Item #3: Roman Slub Knit Colorblock Sweater by Ellison ($64)
Ok, not something I would wear to work, but I don’t mind the pattern. The knit is a problem though. Do you see that color variation in the green? The bright parts are my skin, the dark parts are my bra. Um, no. I don’t do show through sweaters. Something I mentioned after the hooded sweater in original Fix #2. Sigh…Care instructions? Hand Wash Cold, no instructions for drying but I bet you they want me to lay it flat.
Item #4: Will Mixed Material Knit Top by Loveappella ($58)
So the stylist made a big point of saying how he thought I’d love this one. Great color for fall and hey, it’s machine washable! Dude, don’t pat yourself on the back too much. You sent a woman in Maine a short sleeved shirt when she requested fall to winter pieces. The shirt is OK, I might have even considered it as a Spring item. But I’m COLD, I want SLEEVES.
Item #5: Jonathan Corduroy Skinny Pants ($68)
These are the pants I’m wearing in every picture. They are actually a dark brown, the lighting issues make them look black. Remember what I said at the beginning about pants? Thin wale cords? Check. Fitted but not skin tight? FAIL. These are like the black jeans I got in my first fix, so tight that they wrinkle and stay wrinkled under the knees. Again, in concept, not awful. I’m open to skinny pants. Too tight on the lower legs, but a good fit otherwise. But once again, it is NOT what I asked for.
Final Verdict:
I’m sooooo disappointed. I am giving so much specific feedback and getting a complete mismatch to my requests. I emphasized needing work friendly shirts that aren’t a boring button down. I tell them repeatedly my office is freezing. I get sent two sweaters and what is essentially a short sleeved t-shirt. I tell them fitted not skin tight, I get sent skinny pants. I ask for a versatile scarf to help me stay warm and I get a big, clumsy, granny-looking sheet. I was comped the styling fee so I have that $20 credit to use against any purchase and I’m not keeping anything.
Oh and to top it off, when I logged in to the website, it said that my checkout was due on October 27th. News flash, that’s yesterday. The day the package arrived. I’ve already sent two emails to customer service – one when I was bummed about the contents, another when I discovered the checkout error – and unlike last time I haven’t received any response. Maybe they are cutting their losses since their algorithm doesn’t seem to work for me.
IF I use this service again (and that’s a big if), I will definitely be requesting my original stylist. What she sent wasn’t a home run but (besides the red pants) everything was outside my norm but something I would consider and that worked for my request.
David, Dedicated
On October 17th, friends and family came together in honor of my stepfather’s retirement which concluded with a roast. I had not planned on speaking but I am my mother’s daughter. After hearing a couple of folks gently prod at some of David’s well-known habits, I had some gems that I just had to share. What follows here is my best recollection of the impromptu speech. It may not be that amusing to strangers, but it hits the funny bone of those who know him well.
Several years ago, my wonderful and patient husband spent 7 months living with my parents while he started his job here in Maine and I stayed in New York to sell the house. In that time, he came to realize where I’d gotten many of my habits. Sometimes, he would see something in my mother and say “Oh, that’s where you get it!” but many times it was David’s influence that became clear.
He understood why I’d always been very particular about my tools. When I moved in to my first apartment, David gave me the requisite toolbox including a prybar he’d found in a crazy pink/purple color. I borrowed his etching tool and etched my initials into the various wrenches and screwdrivers. Early in our relationship, Aaron borrowed a screwdriver from me and didn’t get why I was so upset when he threw it in the trunk of his car and it got a little rusty. Aaron also knew why I always asked where I might find the tool I wanted before I went into our garage, where his “organizational” system was a little more fluid than David’s.
He finally knew why he’d suddenly find himself in a dark room. When I was a child, David had a jar and we had to put in a quarter every time we left a light on. I got very good at turning lights on when I was done with them, though that didn’t always mean that everyone was done with them.
He realized why I was so smitten with our bank’s budget tracking features and sometimes spend hours making a spreadsheet to estimate the month’s spending. Unlike David, my spreadsheet is never accurate to what we really end up spending. Also, mine is a Google worksheet. I’ve forgotten about Lotus and moved on from Excel.
After 7 months of living with my parents alone, I was finally able to join Aaron. Unfortunately for him, it took us another 7 months to find a house. In that time, much to his chagrin, he could not help but pick up some habits of his own. When we got our first cast iron pan, he took charge of caring for it and always made sure it spent the required number of minutes on a burner to dry after washing. I leave it to him, since I have my mother’s unfortunate habit of leaving things on the stove too long. Occasionally Aaron remarks that it would be good to have hooks above the sink for drying our cutting boards. When I point out where he got these ideas from, he laments “I know but… he’s right!”
Sensible button down and LL Bean coffee cup? Check.
When he and Mom were close to their retirement date, I kept asking Mom “What can I get David? What can I get him?” I knew how excited he was for that day – I’d seen the spreadsheet with the automatic countdown. She told me that what he wanted most was for everyone to attend his retirement party. It was really important to him that his friends and family were there to share in his celebration. He’s very hard to buy gifts for because he’s always valued presence over presents, something that he’s modeled for us kids.
His love and support have been better than any physical gift that he’s ever given me… including that really righteous pink prybar.
Stitch Fix Review #2: New Duds
After an underwhelming first fix, I was really hoping for a win the second time around. My first fix had some pieces headed in the right direction, so I figured things would improve after my detailed feedback (I even shared my review link with them).
Mown Away!
Apparently we were due for some good contractor experiences. First the fence project was faster than expected, and now our latest (and smallest scale) contractor experience was just as good or better – we finally had the field thoroughly bush hogged. Continue reading Mown Away!
Let’s Go, De-Fence, Let’s Go!
Fall has arrived. Football is back, there is a chill in the air and best of all… there is a fence in our yard! After weeks of frustrating or boring maintenance projects, we finally got something obvious, fabulous, and new.
And after weeks of on leash potty walks and two years of a cramped temporary yard, this is really really exciting for me. I might be as excited as Dash and I’m almost more excited than Delta.
Expertinent
Part of what we are paying for when we hire contractors is their expertise. We try to know the basics about the work so that we are informed consumers, but we expect the experts to know some facts and tricks that we don’t. What is infuriating is when these experts share their opinions after the fact and phrase it as though we should have known or argued against it.
Giving Me Contract-ions…
I recently remarked to Aaron that hiring contractors means spending thousands of dollars to be disappointed…
I really wish I could post something entirely positive about the contractors we’ve hired for work at the house. I know the frustration of projects and communications between layperson and expert exist on both sides of the equation. That said, working with them is often a “bang head against wall” kind of experience.
Continue reading Giving Me Contract-ions…