A New Way to Shop: True & Co, Stitch Fix, and Trunk Club

So many people have told me about Stitch Fix that I decided to try it out on my own. And at the same time, I tried out a few other e-commerce services with personal stylists so I could share with you what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what you should try! Read on for my (sometimes brutal) honesty.

True & Co

What it is: 
I worked at Victoria’s Secret during college, and I can tell you that most women are not wearing the right bra size – which is why this company is genius. There’s a short quiz that assigns you a color (I got “violet”) and recommended bra styles. You can order a box of 4 styles to try on at home for free, and they’ll charge your card on file for whatever you keep. They also have other styles available for purchase, alongside other lingerie and sleepwear.

What I thought: 
Love. Bra shopping is not a fun chore, but True & Co makes it easy and enjoyable. Because the four items sent to me all fit my style profile, they all fit me perfectly – and then I chose what I kept based on style. The brands were some I’ve heard of before (Natori) and others I hadn’t (Bezier, which seems to be a brand created specifically for True&Co), and everything was pretty, well-made, and priced well ($64-$68 each, which is around what I typically spend on a bra).

Important info:
You have 5 days to try on items and keep them or send them back.

Would I use it again: 
Absolutely. I can see this being something I gift to my sisters and friends, too!

Stitch Fix

What it is: 
You fill out a style profile, share your Pinterest style board, and sit back and wait for a box of clothes to show up on your doorstep. Try everything on, keep what you want, and send back what you don’t want.

What I thought: 
I was so excited about the items when I saw my personal style book that they included- basically a print out of the items they sent with suggestions of what to wear with them. And then I pulled the items out of the box, and I was so disappointed. Everything felt thin, cheap, and like it was out of a bargain bin – except each item came with a $58+ price tag. The style of most of the items was just okay, and there was one blouse I would have kept, had it not felt like I was going to tear the seams just holding it. The pair of skinny jeans included in the box fit me perfectly, but I’m tall, and when I wash pants, they tend to shrink up, so those went back, too. Then there was the color block dress that I couldn’t even bring myself to try on (pictured below). It looked like something you would find on a pre-teen, not a late-twenty-something like myself. All of the items ended up going back.

Important info:
It costs $20 for your first box, and that $20 is credited toward any items you buy. But if you don’t buy anything, it is forfeited. You have 3 business days to try on items and keep or send back.

Would I use it again: 
I’d give it another try because the styles felt right for me, but only if they could promise a better experience with product quality.

Trunk Club

What it is: 
It’s basically Stitch Fix for men. You get a personal stylist (in this case, for my husband) who connects with you on a half hour phone call to talk about what you like and don’t like, what you’re looking for, and price points. Then you get a preview of what they’re sending to you, and you can accept or decline each of the items. The trunk arrives, you try everything on, and you keep what you want, sending back what you don’t want.

What I thought: 
This was a nice change of pace from going to the store with my husband for him to try clothes on. It was a little frustrating that some of my communications were ignored or lost in the shuffle:  For example, because the box had to be signed for, I had it sent to my office and asked Trunk Club to put my name on it, but because it had my husband’s name on it, my office didn’t know who it belonged to. The huge box arrived with 14 items inside, with everything from a pair of shoes to socks to jeans and sweaters. I had a preview of what was going to be in the trunk, so I already knew what to expect, but my husband didn’t. We found that some of the jeans in the same brand and size as he already owns fit completely differently, and I wish we had been able to grab another pair (like you can at the store) just in case it was that one pair. T couldn’t believe that some of the button down shirts were upwards of $200. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get a couple of items I had specifically asked for (a sport coat and sweaters with elbow patches), but we were overall pleased with the items we got… with the exception of a teal sweater that looked like I pulled it out of my mom’s closet from 1988. T ended up keeping a simple black v-neck sweater and a pair of pants to add to his closet.

Important info: 
You have 10 days to try everything on before you have to ship back what you don’t want to keep.

Would I use it again: 
Yes, I’d try it again, but I’m not sure I’d use this particular stylist again.