Stitch Fix

Shopping for new clothing can be tedious, especially if you don’t have a clear sense of what you’re looking for.

Stitch Fix promises to deliver “personal style for everybody” through customized selections based on your online quiz results and notes you leave for a personal stylist. The company promises to give shoppers five hand-selected articles of clothing and/or accessories tailored to your size and style.

You get the comfort and convenience of trying each item on at home and can then send back any that don’t you don’t love. Plan to pay for only what you keep, and the company will credit your $20 styling fee to the purchase.

In this way, Stitch Fix is striving to make shopping easier for anyone who doesn’t have the time or inclination to frequent traditional retailers, and for those who want to get out of a fashion rut and experiment with outfits they might not otherwise pick out.

For these kinds of shoppers, Stitch Fix has a definite appeal. Does it deliver on its promises? Here, we’ll discuss how Stitch Fix works, what you can expect to spend, and what previous shoppers think of the service.

How Does a Stitch Fix Delivery Work?

The Stitch Fix signup process begins with a short online quiz. You’ll browse through a variety of outfits and select the ones that match your style.

Then you’ll share whether you are interested in specific types of clothing such as business, formal, casual, and date night. There are also prompts to share your accessory preferences.

Next, you will specify your clothing sizes, share your favorite clothing brands, and note whether there are any colors or styles that you would never wear. Finally, you can share any specifics that you want your stylist to know.

Pregnant women can opt for maternity clothing as well.

Once signed up, you can schedule a clothing delivery for any point. You can make a one-time purchase or choose the frequency of these deliveries from every two weeks to once every three months.

A Stitch Fix stylist will review your profile and ship your first order of five pieces. It’s possible to leave notes to your stylist (you will work with the same one for every order) about any specific items that you want.

The company won’t guarantee that you will receive these exact pieces, so it’s best to specify your requests to a particular category, such as a blue button-down shirt.

All Stitch Fix deliveries include a $20 styling fee. If you keep any clothes, that fee is credited towards the purchase, but it’s not refundable if you return each item you receive. In addition, the styling fee does not roll over for future orders.

This often makes it in your best financial interest to keep at least one article in every delivery, even if you might not have chosen it otherwise.

Upon delivery, you have three days to decide if you want to keep anything. Once decided, you can specify online which items you are keeping and returning, and then you need to send the rejects back to Stitch Fix in the included pre-paid envelope. If you keep everything in your order, the total order gets a 25% discount.

You can then leave feedback on the clothes to help your stylist improve their selection for the next order.

It’s possible to complete this whole process online or through the Stitch Fix app for Apple (an Android app is in the works).

Any automatic delivery membership can be paused or canceled without penalty through your online account. Reach out to customer service for further details through the company support page or hello@stitchfix.com.

About Stitch Fix Clothing

Stitch Fix claims to work with more than 250 women’s, 30 men’s, and 45 kids clothing brands and clothing labels. A large percentage of these are up-and-coming, meaning that you might not have heard of them before you get your clothes.

The company also offers clothing created and developed in-house with vendor partners. These pieces are exclusively Stitch Fix offerings.

Common women’s brands include Kut From The Kloth, Eloquii, Joie, Gorjana, and Citizens for Humanity.

Men’s options range from Ben Sherman to Original Penguin, Scotch & Soda, 7 For All Mankind, Mavi or Converse.

The company carries women’s sizes 0-24W and XS-3X, men’s sizes XS-3XL, and kids sizes 2T-14.

Many Stitch Fix pieces are dry clean only, so you should specify on your style notes whether you want to exclude those items.

Extras

Beyond the items selected for you by your Stitch Fix stylist, it’s also possible to add extra items to your order, including socks, undergarments, and other items available on a limited basis.

You can select your preferred extras through your account before an order is shipped, and they will arrive in the same box as your regular delivery.

Like the other items in your delivery, Extras can be returned without cost, and your $20 styling fee can be applied to them.

What Does Stitch Fix Clothing Cost?

The amount you pay for Stitch Fix clothing depends on a lot of variables, including your preferred brands, price limit, clothing style, and whether you keep all the items in your order.

Individual pieces on the site range in price from $25 to $600, with an average cost of $55 per article ($275 per order). Kid’s clothing starts at $10.

Some of the listed prices for individual items include the following:

• Women’s ruffled top: $64
• Women’s dress: $88
• Women’s sweater: $44
• Women’s jeans: 58
• Women’s scarf: $38
• Women’s winter coat: $98
• Men’s jeans: $68
• Men’s shoes: $74
• Men’s jacket: $59
• Men’s sweatshirt: $40
• Men’s belt: $38
• Men’s button-down: $48

Some clothing options will cost more, including $300 jackets, $250 purses, and $150 pairs of pants.

Analysis of Customer Reviews of Stitch Fix

More than 30 Stich Fix customers have left reviews on HighYa, and they average 2.5 stars. The brand earned a two-star rating on Consumer Affairs after close to 50 reviews, and three stars after almost 250 reviews on MySubscriptionAddiction. Here’s a summary of what customers shared:

Most Clothes Are Winners for Some Subscribers

A large number of Stitch Fix reviewers wrote that they love this service. Many signed up with low expectations and were surprised by how many items they wanted to keep from each order.

Lots of reviewers found the clothing to be unique compared to what they could find in stores, and that the clothing was a good value for the quality.

One thing we noticed repeatedly was that while reviewers often received clothing they would never have picked out for themselves, they were surprised by how much they loved it.

Poor Customer Service

Many Stitch Fix reviewers complained of poor customer service. Some struggled with the return process or never got reimbursed for the clothing that they sent back. A few wrote that they were billed for items that they never received.

These reviewers wrote that they struggled to get in touch with Stitch Fix’s support team and that they couldn’t find ways to contact the company directly by phone, even though they repeatedly asked for a number.

Note: Stitch Fix’s support page lets you share your phone number and then promises to call you within an hour.

Stylist Notes Aren’t Always Personalized

Though many reviewers wrote that they appreciated the comments they received from Stitch Fix stylist, others wrote that the remarks were generic and even able to be found word-for-word on the company website.

They felt upset that they felt like they were paying a premium for professional style help but weren’t receiving any personalized feedback.

Appreciated the Help from Stylists

Numerous Stitch Fix reviewers praised the help they received from their stylist. Some wrote that they received pants that fit better than anything else they owned.

In one instance, a reviewer requested early fall clothing that was appropriate for visiting their child at university, and their stylist sent them a stylish outfit that was coordinated with the school’s colors.

Too Expensive for the Quality

Not all Stitch Fix shoppers were happy with their clothing selections. Some wrote that the clothing’s quality matched what they could find at local retailers for a fraction of the price.

Many wrote that the full cost of the items sent to them was well over $400, even when they requested the lowest cost items.

Key Takeaways

Stitch Fix users seem to have polarizing experiences with this curated clothing company.

Some loved their experience with their stylist and ended up with clothes they would never have found otherwise. Others thought the clothing was too expensive and not customized enough to be worth it.

Stitch Fix vs. Trunk Club and Gwynnie Bee

There are multiple clothing style services available that tailor to a variety of tastes and specifications. Two alternatives to Stitch Fix include Trunk Club and Gwynnie Bee. The following chart compares the three.

Each of these brands has a different strategy and target audience. The Trunk Club (previously offered only for men) is the most high-end, as you can expect to $200 or more per item for work-appropriate attire.

At this higher price point, Trunk Club offers more control over the selection process, as you can veto an item that isn’t your preference. Likewise, the styling fee is waived for Nordstrom members, making it a cost-effective way to have clothing shipped directly to you.

Gwynnie Bee differs from these other two companies as it operates as a rental model. This means you pay a flat rate every month for a set number of articles of clothing that you can rent at a time.

Each pre-washed item comes with a pre-paid shipping bag, so you can return it whenever you want something new. If desired, you can also choose to purchase any clothes you are renting.

This makes Gwynnie Bee a unique option for anyone looking to try out lots of styles without committing to any clothing long-term. However, the plan might get expensive if you are continually purchasing items that you first paid to rent.

You also need to be aware that the company may bill you if you return an item in worse condition than you received it.

Key Takeaways

Stitch Fix is a relatively budget-friendly clothing style service for anyone looking to save time on shopping or get out of their fashion rut. If you’re looking for higher-end options or would prefer to rent clothing without purchasing it, there are better options available.

The Bottom Line

Stitch Fix offers a quick way to receive a curated collection of clothing at home. You can share as much or as little information about your style preferences as you like, and the company will send you clothing shipments as frequently as you wish.

As the company incentives purchasing your entire order with a 25% discount, this service makes sense for anyone looking for a major wardrobe overhaul or who needs some fashion guidance.

If you’re only looking to purchase a few statement pieces, you might do better shopping for yourself and getting precisely what you want.

It’s also smart to keep in mind that your first order isn’t likely to be perfect. Your stylist won’t have a clear sense of your preferences until you’ve shared some feedback on what you liked and didn’t like about their selections. The longer you order from Stitch Fix, the more likely each subsequent order will match your preferences.

For the best chance of success with Stitch Fix, be as specific as possible about what you want. Some customers recommend creating a Pinterest board for your favorite looks that you share with your style guide.

However, if you’re going through this much effort, you might find it a better use of your time to head to the store yourself and try on some clothes there. That way you can ensure you only buy what you know you’ll love.