This is my fourth pregnancy. Which means that my maternity clothes have seen better days. At this point my entire maternity collection is a mismatch of 5 year old clothes that are worn out, hand me downs that are also worn out, pants that are not a cut I wear anymore, baggy ill-fitting clothes from my Lularoe obsession days, and a few ultra cheap pieces I bought recently because I hate everything else. My birthday is coming up, and I’ve seen Stitch Fix mentioned here and there but I’m cheap and I didn’t want to spend the styling fee on a maybe. So I filled out the style profile and left it there. What do you know but they sent me an email waiving the styling fee! With literally zero commitment I decided to go ahead and give Stitch Fix Maternity a go!
In case you haven’t heard of Stitch Fix, it’s a fashion box service where you answer lot of questions, and then a personal stylist chooses 5 brand new items just for you. While this obviously includes clothes, it can also be accessories, shoes, and handbags. They even have services for men and kids, in addition to women! The allure is that it’s a personalized service, which kinda makes you feel like a rockstar. So let’s talk about all the ins and outs of my experience with Stitch Fix Maternity!
I mentioned the style profile. This is a serious of questions about everything from your sizes, to personal style preferences, clothing cuts, color families, etc. I felt this was very comprehensive. As an added bonus, you can add a link to a Pinterest board curated with things you love so they get to know you better. You can also leave a note to your stylist with anything you specifically want in your box. I desperately needed a pair of skinny maternity jeans, so I made sure to put that in the comments. I also prefer to wear soft jersey type tops when I’m pregnant instead of tailored shirts, so I specified that request. Upon completing my request I was given a date about a week later to expect my box.
Fast forward to the day of my Stitch Fix Maternity delivery, and the doorbell rang. I had honestly forgotten about it, but I was excited when I opened the door. It was a workout day and I was a bit disappointed that I had to wait to shower before I could try everything on. I was *really* shocked at how small the box was. I couldn’t fathom that 5 pieces of clothing fit in there, but it somehow did. I went ahead and opened the box because I couldn’t stand the suspense. The clothes were wrapped in tissue paper with a sticker, and on top was a packet including a marketing brochure, the price list (ouch), and this note and styling guide.
I studied this sheet a bit and had some initial thoughts. Of course the pictures grabbed my attention. I immediately loved the jewel tones of the scarf! The floral top looked purple on the paper so I was also excited about that. I was happy to have jeans to try, bored about the seemingly white shirt, and liked the navy stripe but knew I likely wouldn’t pay a fortune for a basic striped shirt. The note from my stylist said the following:
Hi Stacey! Welcome to the StitchFix Family! I hope are you feeling well and doing great! The 1822 Denim skinny jean in the dark wash will be a fantastic staple to have in your closet that you can pair with the Full Moon top in the deep cabernet floral print for a feminine feel and romantic look! Wear the jeans with the Loveappella short sleeve knit top in the navy and white striped print for a classic and polished look! The Ink Love & Peace button back knit top in heather grey is a nice basic to have that will give you a timeless style! Add the Accessory Collective paisley infinity scarf in the jewel toned colors to this top for a fun look and lightweight feel! Enjoy and have fun! XO, Ashley.
Now let’s talk about what happened when I actually opened the box. The previously considered boring white shirt was on top. LOVE.AT.FIRST.SIGHT. The white with gray pattern was amazing, and as soon as I touched it I wanted to rub it against my face. It was knit, but so soft, while also being sturdy. I love the button back accent because it elevated it beyond basic tee. I really struggled with this top because it was the highest priced item at $54. More on that below.
The next item was the jeans. I pulled these out of the bag, glanced at the tag, and thought, “no way are these going to fit.” I liked the fabric, they are over the belly which is my preferred pant style, and the belly band didn’t seem to be an annoying fabric. They looked way too tiny, so I felt sad that I would probably not keep them. The next item was the scarf. It was still beautiful, and although a lightweight gauze fabric, I recognized almost immediately that it wasn’t likely practical for our climate. <–We live in Houston and get approximately 3 days of “winter” weather.
The final two shirts I didn’t have much interest in: the stripe because of the reason mentioned previously, and the floral because it was very warm toned with burgundy and salmon colors. Those aren’t exactly colors I gravitate towards, as I tend to prefer cool tones. As per all the other reviews I’ve read, I decided to try everything on to solidify my impressions.
I apologize in advance for the quality of these photos. Apparently it’s time to teach my 5 year old some basic DSLR skills because my iPhone did a terrible job! Even after major tweaks in Photoshop. I’m also not really into fashion or modeling generally and felt really uncomfortable posing for pictures.
1822 Denim Maternity Winter Skinny Jean ($48) – The jeans fit!!!! How is it possible that I am skinny enough for what seemed to be a size down than I requested??? Perhaps its the current 0lb weight change I’m boasting past 20 weeks. They are so soft, super stretchy, and the perfect length as I’m 5’2″. I sincerely hope they don’t become crop length upon washing. I immediately decided to keep them as that price point is consistent with a quality pair of maternity jeans and I currently have NONE. I’m wearing them in all the pictures, although you can only see them fully in one.
Full Moon Peppy Knit Maternity Top ($44) – As expected I didn’t adore this top. It was a bit thinner than I would expect at the price. The color was off for me and I have plenty of V-neck tops.
Loveappella Maternity Charlote Maternity Short Sleeve Boatneck Knit Top ($44) – This shirt grew on me as I touched it and noticed the high cut of the neckline. As soon as I put it on and actually realized the neckline was boatneck I immediately moved on. My shoulders aren’t wide enough (or something) to wear a boatneck cut and my bra straps always show. It was very soft, seemed very flattering when viewing the images, and was a great pick from the stylist.
Ink Love & Peace Tarani Maternity Button Back Knit Top ($54) – Unfortunately I fell even more in love with this shirt once I put it on. It was high cut – seriously what is with all the maternity clothes exposing way too much bosom? I honestly don’t want to be on full display just because I’m pregnant. I adored how the sleeves were fitted, as it seems so many 3/4 sleeve tops have baggy arms. After talking with a few people I decided to send it back, under the main argument that is wasn’t breastfeeding friendly (and the price, obviously!).
The Accessory Collective Coen Paisley Infinity Scarf ($28) – This scarf continued to be beautiful. But I put it on and it felt bulky. I used to love to wear scarves regardless of climate, but this one just didn’t find a place in my heart.
The next step was to complete checkout and prepare to return the items I didn’t want to keep. I found the checkout process simple and I completed it in a few minutes on day 2. The items are supposed to be returned on day 3, but as day 2 progressed I began to have a problem. It was that gray and white shirt I couldn’t stop thinking of. So let me tell you what I did. I googled the item, and surpringly could not find it anywhere. I searched every maternity store online that I could looking for a top that brought me the same level of joy (a little KonMari concept there!). As the day wore on I began to realize that I was smitten with this top. I even lost a bit of sleep debating on whether or not I should keep it. I finally realized that if I sent it back I would feel deep remorse.. To be sure, the next morning as I packed away the other items, I tried it on once again. I looked in the mirror, I doubled checked for breastfeeding access (it will do, actually!), and I quickly sealed the return package without it. I figured at least now I have one high quality maternity shirt in a neutral color that will work throughout the rest of my fall and winter pregnancy. Plus, birthday gift to me!
Now, comes a part that I couldn’t find info on anywhere. As mentioned, I had already completed the checkout process, and once done you have no option to modify anything. In the end I decided to write a note on the invoice and place it in the packaging that I had decided to keep another item. I’ll update once Stitch Fix receives the package and responds. I assume they’ll simply charge my card for that item.
So what you’re really probably wondering now is, will I do it again? I think it’s a definite yes! Granted, I tend to be frugal about clothes…why I don’t actually know, as I tend to be unhappy with cheap clothes within a couple months. Hopefully by receiving boxes on demand a couple times a year I can begin to find quality pieces that will last longer. It was definitely a splurge! If you decide to keep the whole box you get 25% off, which would have made everything much more reasonable in my opinion. But since this is my first box, it would be unusual for the stylist to have hit 5 home runs. As you repeat the process and give feedback they begin to better understand your desires and the success rate seems to go up! I can’t wait for a day when I can buy the whole box for a discount!
Would you like to try Stitch Fix for yourself (or even your kids or husband)? If you follow this link you’ll receive a $25 credit when you order your first box! Sounds like a win-win to me!!!!
