I Have Found Something That's Like Shopping With A Really Fashionable Friend, But You Don't Have To Feel Bad If You Order Wine With Lunch And They Get An Iced Tea.

So I've been hearing a lot about StitchFix lately.  It's a personal shopping company based out of San Francisco and basically they help you find cute things to wear.   When you sign up, you give them all sorts of information about yourself - how you live, how old your are, what your style preferences are, budget, what you do, sizes, etc.  Then they send you five pieces of clothing or accessories that they think you'd like based on your profiled information.  You try it all on (they even give you suggestions of what to pair with each piece) and decide what you'd like to keep.  You can keep all of it, none of it, or as many pieces as you wish.  You pay online and give your opinions about each piece in the process, then mail back the pieces you're not keeping within three days.  It's amazing.

Really, who doesn't love coming home to a box of goodies you scored during an online shopping session?  Especially if you get to the box before any family members notice you've been shopping again, right?  StitchFix is even better though, because it's a surprise - it almost feels like you're getting a present and when you have to cook dinner every single night, you deserve a present from time to time.

Plus, they make it really easy to return what you don't want to keep.  A weird chair (still in a box) and a floorlamp (also still in a box) from Ikea have taken up a permanent residence by our snowblower, simply because making the return was such a hassle that when I finally decided to do it, it was too late.  Maybe someone will ask for a cheap floorlamp for Christmas!  StitchFix actually sends a postage paid envelope with the clothes and you just stuff whatever doesn't work for you into it, seal it up, and drop it off at the post office.  I did it on the way to a lacrosse game and was still there in time for the first face-off.

This is another thing I really appreciate, it forces me to look at things I wouldn't normally consider for myself.  While I dearly love clothing and style, I do find I get into a bit of a pattern when shopping for moi.  StitchFix is like when the salesperson at a clothing store brings by an item for you to try on that they just got in or she thinks would look great on you, and you think she must be high to even think for a moment this is something you'd like, then you try it on and realize you absolutely love it and wonder if you could just wear it out of the store.

So here is what I received.  First this:

I love this top.  I'd been looking at a similar piece by Free People at Nordstrom Rack for a while, and this one is way better.  It's so much more versatile than the one I had my eye on and actually has a bit more visual interest to it.  I wore this with a pair of dark boot cut jeans and some new gladiator sandals that have gold detailing on them to a lacrosse game this weekend and was very, very happy.

I also like this:

I love a tribal print, but I probably wouldn't have been drawn to one in these colors.  Turns out though, these colors go with so much and really pack a stylish punch.  It's just what my highly neutral wardrobe needed.

This one was a surprise.

While I love the Mary Tyler Moore aspect a wrap dress brings with it,  I'm not a huge fan of anything in a minty green color.  But this was so incredibly comfortable - and the mint color made my pasty winter skin almost look okay.  Plus, I liked the shorter length and the fact that it's machine washable.

I did send back two things, a pair of dark skinny jeans (because those pants have multiplied like rabbits in my closet) and a coral colored knit shirt (felt a little too 'office' to for a free-wheeling stay-at-home mom/unpaid blogger like me).  When you return things you get to explain why you didn't like certain pieces so they can better select things for you the next time.  And by the next time, I mean next month.  You can get monthly 'Fixes' or schedule them farther apart.  I'm going for monthly because it's been some time since I've had a bit of a wardrobe refresh, but I'll spread them out after a while because, you know, money.

Give it a try!  You can click on this code and it'll take you right there.   https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3560892

For Meatless Monday we're having a salad with a creamy lemon dressing and a poached egg on top.  With a baguette and the end of the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc we opened last night.  What about you?

gratitude:  melting snow, decor inspiration, wardrobe enhancements, the massage chair JD picked up at our neighbor's garage sale

thanks and love.