Stitch Fix #2- June 2014

So my first Stich Fix was last month and I was SO excited to be getting another box. I was hoping for some cute summer tops to round out my wardrobe.  My first Stitch Fix was great- I kept 3 of the 5 items sent to me and the 2 I sent back was my fault because I said I liked Boho and guess what...I do! (Just not on me!).  

 

I updated my profile this time around and requested capris instead of jeans (since I got them last time) and a skirt instead of a dress (same reason).  I got a notification that my stitch had shipped and I resisted all urges to peak in my account to see what was coming.

 

For those of you not sure how Stitch Fix works, here's a shortened verison:

-Go online and fill out an extensive style profile, including linking up style boards from pinterest, etc.

-Pay a $20 styling fee (that is applied to anything you keep in the box) 

-Receive 5 items handpicked for you from a stylist

-try everything on and keep what you like, send anything else back in the prepaid envelope within 3 days

-Check out online and make sure to leave feedback for your next fix!

 

For a more detailed review on how it works, read my first Stich Fix review here!

 

So, onto this months' fix!  I came home from work on Wednesday and was very happy to see my box sitting on my bed (thanks for bringing in the mail kids!).

 

 

 

Upon opening I saw everything all wrapped up nicely:)

 

 

 

 

At the bottom of the box you get your invoice.  It lists the prices of each item, subtracts the $20 styling fee and shows you the discount you would get if you keep all 5 items (25%!).

 

 

 

You also get a styling card.  It tears apart into handy index cards and shows different ways you can wear the pieces they sent you.  It also has a cute little note at the top from your stylist.  I got a different stylist this time around and it shows!  My first stylist, while I loved what she chose for me- she clearly didn't read too much of my profile. I had said I am a nanny and do NOT want work pieces and she mentioned in her note I could dress up the dress she sent me for a work event lol.  This stylist was on it though- she sent me 3 items I had pinned on Pinterest and 2 others she said  she thought I would like for casual date nights (which I said I wanted).  Going forward I will request this stylist since she seems to read and do great research!

 

 

 

Ok, onto the outfits!!

 

 

Item #1

Promesa Alexandreia mixed media maxi skirt in light blue   $58

I paired this skirt with a simple white tank and a chevron necklace.  I also would've put my denim jacket with it but it was in my car and I didn't want to go get it lol. 

 

 

 

 

Pros: love the light color (I have other maxi skirts but they are variations of black/grey). I like the striped design and the foldover waist. Good length as well.

Cons:  a little sheer- I could see my panties through it but if I wear a nude thong then it wouldn't be too bad.

 

 

 

Item #2

41 Hawthorn Filbert popover blouse in orange  $58

I paired this with the skinny jeans I received in my last fix (but I cuffed them), gold bangle and earrings and crocheted cream Toms.  Cute!  This was an item I had pinned in my style boards for them to see.

 

 

 

 

Pros: I obviously liked this blouse since I had pinned it:)  Love the bright color and it wasn't as sheer as I was expecting (I'm not wearing a cami in these pics).  Great fit as well.

Cons: came out of the box REALLY wrinkly.  I don't have a lot of time to iron so that's a little annoying to have to do every time I want to wear it.

 

 

 

 

Item #3

TCEC Roxanna Chevron open knit cardigan in black $58

I styled this sweater for summer but it's great transition to fall piece!  I paired it with a nude Henley tank, denim shorts, a simple beaded necklace and black sandals.  This was the 2nd item I had pinned for my stylist to get inspired by. 

 

 

 

 

Pros: I liked the crossover for other seasons and the subtle chevron print.  The lightweight open (but chunky) weave is also really nice.  It hits at the right length and can go with many things!

Cons: It is a little dark for summer (I tend to wear brights) and it looks like it will easily snag (I have 2 cats that like to climb on me).

 

 

 

 

Item #4

Liverpool JoJo polka dot capri jeans $58

I put a simple white tee, a turquoise pendant necklace and white toms with these capris.

 

 

 

 

Pros: hits right at the right length and was the perfect size.  They are also SUPER soft:) I don't have any capris (just short-shorts and jeans) so another length in my closet would be nice.

Cons: I have to say I was REALLY skeptical about these.  My daughter has a similar pair of shorts and also a denim jacket like this too (denim with bleached out shapes).  Was I too old to pull these off??  Not sure.

 

 

 

 

Item #5

19 Cooper Blanchette tie neck peasant blouse in green $64

I styled this blouse with a nude tank underneath, distressed denim shorts, mixed tone drop earrings and strappy sandals:)  This was the third item I had put on my pinterest board.

 

 

 

 

Pros: I liked the breeziness of the blouse and even though it said it was a "peasant blouse" it wasn't super bohemian.  I liked that it was a little darker and could be taken into fall.

Cons: a little wrinkly but not too bad. 

 

 

 

 

Final verdict... what did I keep??

So after trying everything on with jewelry and shoes (something I did NOT do last time), I got a good sense of what I liked and what I could make work in my own closet.

In the end I decided to keep:

ALL 5 ITEMS:)

 

I was on the fence with the capris but seeing pics of me in them, they really grew on me.  Plus if I didn't keep them I would lose my 25% discount that I would get if I kept all the items (which is substantial!).

 

Are you interested in trying stitch fix for yourself?  Click on my referral link HERE :)

 

-I did not receive any compensation or free items for reviewing this style service-

 

 

 

Julep Maven welcome box! (It girl)

This was my second Julep account (I signed my daughter up for this one).  Interestingly, I didn't get as much stuff as my first welcome box.  Maybe I forgot to enter a code or something?  Hmm...not sure:/

 

While I didn't get any makeup products in this one (only polish), I really loved the colors in this box! Much more then the "classic with a twist" box.

 

To rehash how Julep Maven works, it's a $24.99 monthly subscription box that includes over $40 worth of full size items.  What you get depends on the style profile you are (and you can switch easily between them so you aren't stuck with one style for your account).  Your first box is free (you pay s/h which is under $4). 

 

I will prob cancel my daughters account (this one) and keep my Julep account, however change my style profile to "it girl", as I liked the items better then the "classic with a twist" style.

 

Here is what came in this box:

 

 

 

3 nail colors:

Thoughts: love every single color here and am wearing 2 of them now!  I feel like this made up for the fact that my daughter took 2 of mine from my first Julep box:)

 

 

(I did not receive any compensation or free products for reviewing Julep)

 

want to try Julep?  Become a Julep Maven now!

 

 

 

IBbeautiful box #1- tween box!

The day finally came- my daughter finally got her own subscription box!  I signed her up for a 3 month gift subscription the same time that I signed my son up for his 3 month Loot Box.  This box is $20 a month (or $30 if you add a shirt- which we did not-) and you can do monthly OR a gift subscription that doesn't auto renew.  You can pick between tween or teen.  Since my daughter is 9 (going on 19) we did the tween box hoping for some cute items that she can use so she stops trying to steal things out of my birchbox!

 

Packaging was super cute:

 

Like most boxes it tells you what you got (and the retail value of the items)

 

 

 

Body Butter:

Thoughts: My daughter loved this and has been using it daily!  It is sweet (but not overly so) with a hint of mint.  It was also full size which was really nice.

 

 

 

Journal and pen:

Thoughts:  The little blank journal was cute (came with suggestions for a summer bucket list theme) and my daughter LOVED the pen with the little kitty face on top.  This was a hit!

 

 

 

Bow Anklet:

Thoughts:  my daughter kinda hates anklets (she is sporty and often in sneakers so they rub weird) but this was adjustable enough to wear as a bracelet so that made her happy:)  it did break really quickly but I was able to repair it!

 

 

 

Summer Scarf:

Thoughts:  This was a great value!  My daughter paired this with a cute top and denim jacket the day after it came.  It is a little big but in a way that's good- she can grow into it and I can borrow it;)

 

 

Final thoughts: The value for this box was awesome and my daughter was super happy!  I will definitely be giving these out as gifts in the future for her!

 

 

(I received no compensation or free items for reviewing this service)

 

Click here to join IBbeautiful for tweens or teens!

 

 

 

 

 

Julep Maven welcome box! (Classic with a twist)

I finally decided to try Julep (after many many facebook suggested posts)!  To be honest I went into it not thinking I would continue my subscription after the first box, as it is a little pricey and I have SO many things I subscribe to!  But you get your first box free so I signed on up.

 

Julep is $24.99 a month and comes monthly like most boxes. It says it is filled with $40+ of product.   You can log in during your preview window each month and decide if you would like to keep your box, or you can send it to someone else.  There is no option to decline it altogether which is the catch.  Also if you decide to cancel you have to call (no online option) so they make it a little hard to get out of the membership. 

 

You take a style profile to see what kind of Julep maven you are (however if you don't like it you can switch to another profile with a click of a button).  I was "classic with a twist".  My first box I found a promo code on their site which gave me a larger welcome box (3 nail colors and 2 full size products).

 

Shipping was VERY quick (in a couple days) and that is the only thing I paid for (so it was about $3.50 total).

 

Here is what I got in my welcome box (note that each welcome box is a little different as a neighbor got hers a week later, same style profile and got different things!).

 

The box was packaged very nicely:)

 

 

 

 

3 nail colors:

Thoughts:  my daughter took the pink and purple right away which honestly I was ok with.  They were a little bright for my taste and had a hint of sparkle in them that I felt I was a little old for. But I loved the orange for summer!

 

 

 

Lip gloss:

Thoughts: I hate lipstick but love lip gloss and this was in a great summer shade.  It doesn't feel sticky either which is really nice.

 

 

Double sided eyeliner and sharpener:

Thoughts: Love!  I own a million eyeliners and they are all black (except a great eggplant color I got in my birchbox in April).  I don't own a brown so having a brown and black pencil was something simple that I was missing in my makeup bag:)

 

 

 

Final thoughts: I really liked this box but it was bigger then a normal box would be.  I am keeping the subscription for the moment because I had a couple referrals so my next box will be free.  After that I am not sure.  With birchbox and my ipsy box coming that's $40 in boxes!  I do love that these are full size though so I may end up cancelling the others and keeping this.  Hmm... to be decided!

 

 

(I received no compensation or free items for reviewing Julep).

 

Do you want to be a julep Maven (you will get a free welcome box in an email if you sign up!)

Join Julep Maven!

 

Bombshell (men's clothing subscription) box #1

With all my boxes coming in (especially Stitch Fix!) my husband was getting a little jealous and decided to try out his own subscription clothing service.  We looked around at some different ones and decided to try Bombshell. 

 

Bombshell is a monthly clothing box that is completely free of charge for the service (unlike Stitch Fix that charges a styling fee).  They come once a month and you get an email with a preview of what you will be receiving so if you are not impressed you can decline the box before it is even shipped.  The prices are in the $50-$100 range and my husband filled out a very limited style profile. 

 

I was a little skeptical honestly on the whole thing being worth my husbands time, as he is mostly a jeans a tee shirts guy and wears a polo or button down only on the odd date night.  He works at a bank with provided clothing and he's not allowed to deviate from that so he has no need for work clothes.  I was on the fence with our money being spent on basic hoodies and tees in that price range when we could get the same thing at Target or Old Navy (he is not a brand name or style kinda guy).

 

In the end it was "eh".  He is open to trying it again in the fall or winter to hopefully get some nice sweaters or jeans.  He is also slightly  heavier then he would like so he isn't in the best mindset to be getting new clothes (I think we have all been there!).

 

He didn't want to pose with any of the clothes on but I did take pics of them:) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item #1- Diamonds long sleeve shirt in blue china print

$89

Thoughts: Was slim in the arms (my husband has big biceps though) and really similar to his work shirts he is required to wear at his bank.  High price for a dress shirt that is kinda blah. He was in the market for more casual wear.

 

 

 

 

 

Item #2- General Assembly hooded sweater

$59

Thoughts: At first glance this was something my husband really liked!  It was casual but was nicer then a hoodie.  Unfortunately it was ITCHY!  It was wool and even with an undershirt it was really scratchy.  Also, it is June and this was heavier then anything he wanted right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item #3- Howe striped blazer

$179

Thoughts: the price was really high so he didn't even want to try it on.  Once he did we both had to laugh- it was very hipster and not my husband's sporty causal style at all. 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts:  The service is great in that it doesn't charge a fee and I think someone looking for dressier items would have better luck.   Also, you have a full week or so to return the items which is nice.  My husband said he will definitely give it another chance since it doesn't cost anything.  He wants to lose just a little more weight and wait until the weather changes a little since he has so many summer clothes.

 

(we received no compensation or gifts of any kind for reviewing this service).

 

Want to try bombfell?   Click here to try it for free!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loot Crate! May 2014

Around my house any time the mail comes, my husband and kids all just assume it is for me.  I started to notice my kids (ok mostly my daughter but sometimes my son!) really getting jealous of all my monthly goodies that come for me. 

 

I did some digging around and came across Loot Crate.  They advertise it as "a epic monthly subscription box for geeks and gamers for under $20".  Each box is themed- for instance past boxes had themes such as Launch, Warrior, Titan, Animate and Console Wars.

 

I looked at reviews and realized my now 13 year old would prob love this coming in the mail each month.  He's all about gaming but also into classic nerdy things and watches Star trek and Big bang Theory, etc.  All around geek:)  Love that about him!

 

I signed up for the 3 month package.  Just because its only 3 months though, its is auto billed, so after his July box comes I need to make sure to cancel (this is a special treat for 3 months since it is a little pricey).

 

I signed up at the beginning of May and was in time to get this month's box- themed "Adventure"!

 

It comes in the mail in a very simple black box. And inside no frills or tissue- it gets right to the good stuff.

 

 

Here are the things that came in the box:

 

Minecraft Hanger:

My son loves Minecraft so I saw this and knew he would love it.  These little hanger toys clip onto anything really- but my guess is that he will use it as a keychain.  I didn't open it to see what character was in it yet (I took these pics before he got his hands on it).

 

 

Legend of Zelda bottle opener:

Definitely not for kids (unless your kid drinks soda out of bottles)- but my husband will LOVE this.  He's a huge lover of Zelda and beer lol.  I can see my son trying to keep it for the keychain but I have a feeling my husband will steal it away.

 

 

 

Loot Crate May theme button:

This is a small 1" button themed to this month's Loot Crate.  I am going to guess they give one away every month?  I can see my son putting these on his backpack or luggage.  Cute but not super useful.

 

 

 

Misc stickers and tattoos:

So these are some misc sticker sheets and tattoos.  Not too sure what these all are about (brands, etc) but my son prob knows:)  if nothing else he likes decorating his notebooks for school.

 

 

 

 

Friend Zone cd:

So apparently this is a show...the more I write this the more I realize I am old lol.  I feel very out of touch on what is "in" for boys.  I guess that's what you get when you have a teenage boy who doesn't talk a ton!  I do think this is a weird thing though- who owns CDs anymore?

 

 

 

Adventure time tin and toy:

So I couldn't tell you the names of these little guys but I do know they are from Adventure Time.  The little yellow dog guy came in the robot tin.  They are pretty cool and I think my son will like both:)

 

 

 

 

Loot Crate exclusive tee shirt:

I think it's pretty cool that Loot Crate makes their own tees!  This ties nicely in with the "adventure" theme of the month. Its a really cool Zelda tee shirt that is made up of a bunch of adventure/Zelda type words.  Aidan likes Zelda (I bet my husband is wishing this was in his size though!) and I think this is def worth the price of the box right here.

 

 

 

 

In all this was a cool box.  A few "filler" type items but I think the shirt, the Minecraft hanger and the Adventure Time toy make the price worth it!

 

(I received no compensation in any way for reviewing Loot Crate)

 

Want to try it for yourself?  Try Loot crate now!