October Stitch Fix and The Best Booties Ever

October has come and gone and I'm just now getting to writing this. Again, life. Sorry you guys.

This box was everything I'd hoped for. Just with a really high price tag. I couldn't hang with this box, as lovely as it was. I kept choking on dollar signs and wanting to cry. Why do I always want the things that are A MILLION DOLLARS???

Ok, it wasn't that much, but still.

The first item I received was this dress. Fine, whatever. It's a striped knit swing dress. It was comfortable, but not very flattering. And not for almost $70. (I lost my style card and can't find this exact dress online, so I don't remember what this is called, but it was about $68)

But, see the shoes? Those are the Seychelles Snare Bootie in tan suede, and they will forever haunt me. I wanted to keep them so badly. But $140. I just couldn't pull the trigger. It was a terrible month to be sent the perfect booties. I really agonized, connived all kinds of deals and rationalizations, maybe I could have them... But that little part of me that is responsible and feels guilt made me send them back. I hate that chick. She's no fun at all.

Oh, and I changed my hair. I spent 5 hours getting it bleached and then dyed a light gray violet. This is another reason why I can't buy this Stitch Fix box. My hair is worth it. I'm sorry I didn't actually style it for this photo shoot, though. I don't have a good reason, I'm just lazy.

Oversized mustard yellow cable knit sweater. Yes, please!! This is the Glamorous Jelston Cable Knit Pullover Sweater $68. Spoiler alert, I kept this, it's the only item I kept. And I love it. I don't regret this at all.

I was also sent these light wash distressed skinny jeans by Vigoss and they were around $65. I wasn't sad about these. I already have a pair of light washed distressed jeans that I love (a Joe's Jeans find at TJMaxx), and these were also super low rise. Not cute. I do like the color with the yellow sweater though, so good choice from my stylist. 

Another view of the sweater, the jeans, and the boots. 

The last item I got in this box was the Market & Spruce Chaplin Hooded Anorak Cargo Jacket $88. I have been looking for an amazing anorak, but this wasn't it. It's cute, and seems well made, but I can't wear this tan color, it makes me look even paler than I am, and it's not worth $88 to me.

I have a very similar one in army green that I bought at Marshall's for around $20, so I don't need this. I have to admit, I did like it with the sweater and jeans. And the twill was soft and broken-in.

So that's it, folks! Sorry I haven't been doing the beer reviews lately. I will try to get back to that for November. I have a box coming just in time for Thanksgiving!

AND....

I might have convinced Daniel to order a Stitch Fix for Men so I can do a little "Guest Box" blog! He also likes beer. So maybe we will drink beer and open boxes together. 

He's going to love me for this. 

If you'd like to try Stitch Fix (for men too!!!), consider using my referral link and I will get $25 credit when your first box ships. Just click the icon below to sign up and start filling out your style profile! Have fun!

August/September Stitch Fix: If the Shoes Don't Fit

First of all, please forgive me. I'm so behind on my Stitch Fix reviews. If you didn't know, I started teaching more yoga and Pilates classes, and the fall has been a whirlwind of 4th grade math, raising daughters, teaching, and trying to keep up with a 2 year old boy and our giant Shepherd pup, Gus.

I do still look forward to getting Stitch Fix boxes, however lately, I've been making more shopping trips to TJMaxx and also going a little crazy with Lululemon, so when a Fix comes in the mail, my bank account gasps and sputters and then glares at me with disdain.

Sorrynotsorry.

I kept 2 things out of my August/September box, but I wish I could have kept the whole lot. I would have, if the shoes had fit. Dammit. I loved them. It was very sad.

So here's the pretty stuff, all laid out....

In this box I got (from L to R):

Pistola Audrey Moto Detail Skinny Pant $88

Laila Jayde Cordi Button Cuff Knit Top $58

Hailee C Morwen Button Up Top $58

Brixon Ivy Lawley Cable Knit Open Cardigan $68

And the shoes...

Diba Lea Bow Bootie $90

First, the shoes were the wrong size. That was my fault. I'm between a 8.5-9, and for some reason decided to set my sizing on the smaller end of the scale, and that didn't work well for me. They were an 8.5 and way too small. I could hardly stand in them, so while I tried to get a picture of them on, I could only stand to put one on one foot. 

But here's a close up. I recommend these. They are very soft suede leather, the color (mustard) is rich and perfect for fall, and I love the tie detail. They are edgy but still feminine. I looked into exchanging the size since SF has the feature to automatically exchange your item on their app... But my size (9) was sold out. 

The next item, the long sleeve burgundy top, was so very soft. I loved it. I just didn't love how long it was on me. There was just so much extra fabric, even in the sleeves. Great top if you're tall, however. The button details on the sleeves were adorable and I loved the color too.

Here's the one shot of the boot(s) as well. (Pictured with jeans I already own)

The next top, the plaid button up, didn't seem like anything special, but it had some really nice details and it was well made. I would have liked it better in a richer color, so I didn't end up keeping this one:

I put it on with the Pistola Moto skinnies in olive green... I loved them. They fit perfectly and I've wanted this style pant for a while now. They're so ugly they pass as adorable. Like pugs. They're pugly.

Keepers. I kept them. 

The last item was this amazing and warm and lovely cabled gray cardigan sweater. It has deep pockets that transition from the folded collar, and I just really like the design. I love a good staple sweater.

And that's it, guys! I kept the sweater and the pants in this box. I really wish I could have kept it all this time, but maybe next time.... Fall is my favorite and I'm looking forward to my October Stitch Fix already!

If you're interested in trying out this service for yourself, consider using my referral link and I will get a $25 credit when your box ships! Just click on the icon below and start filling out your style profile! 

July Stitch Fix (i.e., Fabulous Distraction from Real World Problems)

Help!!!!

I can't decide, you guys. I got my Stitch Fix box today, and it's mostly great. I'm really tempted to keep the whole thing... I'm just not sure I love it all. Please help me decide! (Plus, isn't this a fun little distraction from real life?? You're welcome!)

Oh, first, let me begin by saying I did not have a beer while trying on this Fix. However, right before I checked the mail, and after a long morning of driving my girls around and getting in some yoga practice hours, I did partake in a nice Hell or High Watermelon by 21st Amendment. Perfect for a sweltering day like today. I get in in cans at Trader Joe, but I highly recommend you find somewhere that serves it on tap. Deee-lish.

Ok, on to the clothes. 

The top here is mine, but the jeans are the Warp + Weft Noah Distressed Boyfiend Jeans $98 and they are comfy like butter. Love love love these jeans!! 

I was also sent the Romolo Genevieve Stacked Chevron Pendant Necklace $28, and I have to admit I've wanted this necklace for a very long time. I'm keeping this. It's strange that it even showed up in my box, because I have all jewelry removed from my style profile. But I'm not really complaining... This time.

My next favorite piece is this top, the THML Kaleigh Tank Top $48. Its precious and fun and also pretty sexy. 

Closer view... The stripes are navy I think, and the bodice has beautiful embroidery. The fit is perfect.

Although it does have a ton of space...for if I overeat, I suppose. Food-baby space. Not real baby space. Let's be clear about that.

Next is this top by Pixley $54. I don't love it. It's a stretchy gray knit with this black lace paneling in the front, and also on the back neckline. It has this obtuse gold exposed zipper at the back, and I dislike that. 

A dress! This cute floral number is the Crescent (Designed for Stitch Fix) Arian Dress $68. And this one is the "wild wango card" of the lot. I can't decide if it's me. I can't decide if it's cute and "vintage" like my stylist said, or if it's just "elderly." No offense to the elderly.

Side view...it has an elastic waist (not my fave). It does fit well and is a good length. Maybe for fall with cute booties??

Close-up of the colors and pattern...

So these are the items I really want, and the totally price:

But this is the total if I buy everything, with the 25% discount:

So, basically the dress would be free... 

But do I need or want it? What would I then do with that obnoxious and overpriced gray top?

Let me know, people!

~ Char

Stitch Fix, A Wedding, and A Getaway

My baby brother got married last month, and it was sweet and beautiful, and I cried like I was his mama.

And also, I got a Stitch Fix box, literally on his wedding day. We were supposed to leave at 3:30 that day, and the mail comes at 3. And I had requested a specific dress for the wedding. I did not plan ahead well for this.

So the box came, and I tried stuff on, and (spoiler alert!!) I kept the dress. But I know you want to see everything, and I will show you...

However, I lost the style card and invoice because it's been the longest month and I'm pretty sure I tossed it. So I'm going to fake my way through this. 

The first items I tried on were this black and white pencil skirt, and a black asymmetrical sleeveless top. I told my stylist that I was going away with my husband for a couple days, and Crystal sent some cute and feminine items, including these.

I didn't keep these, though. I liked them, but my budget didn't love them.

I also got this super cute gauzy off-shoulder dress, in navy blue:

I loved this. It just wouldn't stay "off" the shoulder... It kept wanting to be very much on my shoulder, like this:

Which really wasn't bad, but once again, budget issues. Husband really liked this too, so I've been on the look out for cute dresses in a similar style.

Next I got this adorable embroidered sleeveless top. It was loose and flowy, but those armholes were just a little snug. My stylist suggested I wear this with my flares that I got in a previous fix, which I loved the idea of! I ended up trying it on with some cuffed jeans I already had on that day:

Also, there's a clingy baby in this photo, sorry; as well as a massive bruise on my arm. It was a bruised vein and I'm still not sure how that happened.

And last but not least, my favorite dress, and the item that I kept (thus, the budget issues):

This is the Kit Swing Dress, and it was so much fun. It was a little short, but absolutely worth the anxiety of a "show" at the wedding. 

And here's my brother, Stephen, and his beautiful wife Rebecca:

These two are some of my favorite people. 

Not long after the wedding, my hubby and I were able to escape for 3 days of childless bliss, thanks to my sister and my husband's sister! 

Also, if you thought beer would not be a part of this blog, think again folks.

Beer-tasting in the foothills at Jack Russel Brewery in the rain. I had the most delicious Mexican vanilla stout and we cuddled under a blanket under an awning, and I'm still dreaming about some of the food we ate, a picnic at a winery, and a late night after-dinner movie -- just because we could.

Happy anniversary to him and me.

Beer and A Birthday Fix

My birthday was Friday this week, and so I scheduled my Stitch Fix to come that day. It so happened my box arrived on Thursday, and it made me happy. As you can see below, I was even wearing my "Happy" shirt. And after school pick-up, I delved into my box, as well as a Sam Adams. This beer is called "Got to Gose" and it's probably my favorite ever. Close second to Hell or High Watermelon on tap. Pretty sure it's seasonal, so go get some. You got to gose. Get it? This is where my husband would roll his eyes because I think I'm super funny. Because I am.

So here's the contents of my box. This month I got a dress, 3 tops, and a pair of jeans. No shoes; I actually removed them from my profile... I tend to be really picky about shoes and have weird feet so I'm not sure I like having "surprise" shoes in my fixes. We'll see. I may change my mind later.

This fix was okay. It didn't blow my mind, but I did get some really pretty pieces to try, and I always try everything on, just in case. The first thing I got was this Pixley Jesa Shirt Dress $78. I didn't love it, especially right out of the box. I think it's the pattern, it looked like an abstract animal print, and I don't think it's really my style. Typically, I do enjoy a good shift, and maybe a t-shirt dress, but something about this just wasn't quite right.

My amazing stylist, Crystal, suggested I could pair this with Birks for a casual look, and dress it up with a belt and wedges for a night out. Although I can totally see where she was going with this look, it didn't quite make the mark for me.

Next I tried on the See U Soon Kegan Lace Detail Top $48 and the Mavi Angie Skinny Jean $88. 

First, the top, was adorable. I love how light it was, without being sheer; love the straps and the lace detail on the front. I just wasn't in love with how it fit my body, or the navy color. 

Closer view of the top detailing. 

The Mavi jeans were nice. I just wasn't needing another light wash, distressed pair of jeans. I would have loved shorts, or jeans that were a darker or medium wash, since that's the hole I need to fill in my wardrobe right now. Like the holes in my jeans. Holes in my wardrobe. See the parallels? 

This next top was so pretty. It's the Collective Concepts Amis Lace Detail Top $58 and if I didn't have four kids and a wedding ring that snags all my nice clothes, I would have seriously considered this. It's white, with a really soft stretchy lace fabric for the sleeves and yoke. The body of the top is a lightweight and VERY sheer fabric. I had anxiety just trying this on. I was sure I would either get makeup on it, or I would put a hole in it without even trying. $58 is just too much to pay for a panic attack.

So nice, but I had to layer another top underneath, and I dislike doing that, especially in the summer. Also, below, you can see how it's kind of a boxy fit, and not very flattering to the figure...

Ok, last but not least, the Alice Blue Jolanda Embroidered Tunic $58 was my absolute favorite out of this box. And surprise, I kept this one. I felt like it wanted to be paired with shorts, so I broke out my summer wear and I think this motivates me to embrace the hot weather that I typically dread. 

This top is lightweight, without being sheer, it billows comfortably without being unflattering, and the sleeves are super fun. They bell out like this, but there's a panel of fabric that goes up the side under the arm, so that there's not a bra-peek-a-boo situation. And I ADORE the embroidery. Sold. 

And that's all, folks. I have another fix coming in May in about 3 weeks, just in time for an anniversary trip with my hubby, and I'm hoping for some fun new things in that one. Until then, if you'd like to give this service a try, you can click the icon below to sign up, and I will get a little credit when your first box ships! 

Stitch Fix au Café

The long awaited amazing Stitch Fix box arrived! I really need to stop looking at the checkout page on the Stitch Fix website...

Isn't (one of) the reason(s) I'm doing this for the surprise factor? And yet, I look. 

In prior fixes, when I looked to see what was coming, I was mostly disappointed. Somehow a lengthy garment name and a pricey invoice are not conducive to "delight." 

This time, however, it looked like a dream. It was everything I would have pinned to my Pinterest Board. It was all that I'd hoped for. I would, for sure, be keeping the entire fix.

And then it arrived. My husband was working from home that day, and had made me a yummy espresso drink. It went well with opening the box from heaven. 

I got shoes, you guys. I was super excited, but then when I saw them, and tried them on, I was just "eh, whatever shoes." They were awkward fitting and I didn't love the shiny bronzy gold color. And, is it ever flattering to anyone to have those ankle straps? Don't they just cut you off at the foot and make you look shorter? Also, these were $89. No, thank you.

But the clothes. YES. A thousand yeses. I immediately pulled out my 4 inch wedges and a long pendant necklace from my closet, and tried on the jeans and this top. The jeans are the DRD Aliana Released Hem Side Zipper Flare Jean $88. Best flares ever. They are long, but I don't care. They are soft, and stretchy, and unique, and I want to dance to ABBA in them. 

The top is the Papermoon Huelva Crochet Detail Top $44, and it was really cute. It had this really pretty detailing on the front and the upper back, and the material was a nice weight without being see through. I would have kept it, but the arm holes seemed kind of small, and it wasn't comfortable. Otherwise, very pretty top.

Just wanted to show you the waist on these jeans. There are zippers on either hip, and it's a flat front, and VERY high waisted.

Side view of my outfit. I really loved this. You may not be able to tell, but I have two different shoes on.

I threw on the Papermoon Naz Crochet Kimono $48 over the jeans and olive top. Love it. It's quite long, but flattering, and I love pieces like this. It's perfect for covering up in the summer, especially when it's hotter than hell and all you want to wear is short shorts and a tank top. Kimonos turn trashy shorty-shorts into fashion statements. You can quote me directly on that. 

So nice... Love the black crochet detail on the sleeves.

And then this dress... This is the Gentle Fawn Alesia V-Neck Dress $78. At first I was sold. And I'm really happy that my stylist understood that I love shift-style dresses, and florals are always okay by me. However, something about it was off. It was a nice shifty shape, but it had no shape. Does that even makes sense? It was snug in the rear, and loose everywhere else. The sleeves were also VERY long, and it was about 2 inches too long for my height. I think it would look amazing on a woman a little taller than me. I informed my stylist accordingly, and with sadness sent it back.

Oh, and the above photo includes the shoes from my box. They are super weird looking. Like shiny clown shoes...

Below, much better with my clogs, but still not as fun and springy and fitting-right as I'd hoped.

I must have loved this, I couldn't stop taking pictures... But you can kind of see how long and odd the shoulders and arms fit. It did have a really pretty crochet detail all down the arms, and around the hem as well.

And that's all, folks. I don't really have a clever ending to this one. I'm still recovering from "Spring Break," or otherwise referred to as "Longest week ever with 4 children and a dog all whining for attention, food, and entertainment." And then the time-change over the weekend sealed the deal. 

And now -- now I drink Chardonnay, and thank the Lord above for the gift that is school, and time on the couch with my 2-year-old who still needs to sleep on me for his naps, and pre-made chicken curry that I'm planning to plop in a pan in a few minutes and heat through, no real cooking involved.

And also, it's Pi Day. 3/14. You know.

So I got a pie for that. Of course. 

Happy Pie/Pi Day, everyone! And if you would like to sign up for Stitch Fix and give it a try, I recommend it! It's actually fun to schedule a box for something special, like Mother's Day, or your birthday, because presents.

If you order a fix through the icon link below, I will get a little credit when your box ships!