how to get the most out of your fix: a guide to a Stitch Fix

I'm just going to come out and say it, Stitch Fix mail day is like Christmas morning for adults!  

What is this magical thing you ask? It's an online service that pairs you with a stylist (not necessarily the same one every time) who styles five articles of clothing and accessories for you and then ships them to your doorstep.  No monthly subscription but you do pay $20 upfront that gets credited towards whatever you purchase.  If you don't buy anything you lose your $20, buy everything and not only is your $20 applied, but you get an additional 25% off also.  The stuff you don't like gets shipped back for free--just make sure you do it within the allocated time frame.  That's it, easy-peasy.

I was turned on to this service by one of my best friends who swears by it.  She hates shopping, never makes time for it, and typically gets the same things when she shops.  She said the best part of this service is that she gets sent pieces that she typically would pass over in stores.  I, on the other hand, love to shop and am pretty in-trend for the seasons.  But there was something about the process that appealed to me, so I decided to give it a whirl.  Besides, who can really resist Christmas morning every month?!  Whenever I request a Fix I can barely wait for it to come and sometimes my Fix totally slays me and other times it's a total dud.  After reading complaints, as well as raves, about the service, I have decided to compile a list to help you get the most out of your monthly Fix.

1. As with all things, communication is key.  I have found the best way to be pleased with my Fixes is to maintain an open line of communication.  Fill out the survey completely, let your stylist know what style and types of items you want to see or you want to avoid in your Fix.  You may feel like you are oversharing information but if you love neon green, mention it. Short-waisted or long-legged?  Make a note of it.  Being a designer jean snob, I always knew what inseam of jeans I was looking for so you bet in my profile it is noted what my inseams are for ankle length, floor length, and heel length.  Might I be going overboard?  Sure, but I always get a pair of pants in the right length. 

2. Your Pinterest Board.  I have about a bazillion things pinned on my Pinterest style board, but I try to make sure when I pin clothing I make my own note and not just Pin the previous person's comments.  You could Pin an outfit because you love the red glossy Hunter rain boots or the blanket scarf but how is your stylist going to know that you hate the distressed skinny jeans and chunky cardigan in the same photo?

3. Keep your disappointment in check.  Speaking of Pinterest, if you have something pinned that you love, most likely hundreds of other girls have it pinned too.  Do you have any idea how bad I want that navy blue & burgundy floral pencil skirt and matching navy striped top?  Pretty damn bad. Am I slightly disappointed when my Fix comes and that damn skirt is not in my box, yes, but I don't let it take away from the experience. 

4. Remember what Stitch Fix is all about.  There is a fine line between wanting a few items on your Pinterest board & requesting them and demanding a list of items from your stylist, OR ELSE.  Like I mentioned in the preface to this list, Stitch Fix is about that element of surprise and receiving things that you normally wouldn't pick.  It's okay to ask if you could receive an item or two but if you are giving a list of what you want then you probably are better off shopping for yourself.  

5. When you don't get what you want, be nice.  At the end of the day, your stylist is a person just like you and I.  I have read of people who leave scathing, down-right nasty, comments when they don't get what they want.  This is a service that YOU sign up for, it's not a necessity and it's supposed to be fun.  Maybe your stylist is having an off day, maybe the inventory wasn't there, or maybe your stylist just completely missed the mark, it doesn't give anyone the right to be mean.  Constructive criticism yields far better results than telling someone they absolutely suck at life.

6. Have realistic price expectations.  Again, remember this is a service; a fun luxury that you sign up for.  There is definitely a premium for having someone else style you, plus, if you buy everything you are getting five pieces of clothing and accessories.  If you are expecting $10 tops and $25 jeans this may not be the service for you.  To put it in perspective, I kept two things in my last Fix: a dress and a pair of pants and I think I spent around $200.  My price points are set high because I don't want to miss out on something and I am will to pay the price for a coveted item.

7. Lastly, have fun.  I've said it several times throughout this list, just have fun with it! This service is meant to be fun--remember, monthly Christmas mornings!  If you try it and it's not for you, that's okay.  Just have fun with it! 

Here is my lovely dress from my last Fix, the Kensie Jet Dress.  I haven't worn it yet, but i'm smitten with it and its lovely lace hem details. 

(If you haven't tried Stitch Fix yet but want to and enjoyed my guide, please feel free to use my referral link.) 

a few of our favorite things... the six month old baby edition.

In honor of baby C turning six months old this week I figured I could share some of our favorite things at the moment. C always loves something that is soft and cuddly and teething toys are all the rage in our house right now.  All of these things are items that we use on a daily basis lately and are oh-so-adorable!

                                         

1. Lucy Owl- When I first saw these I knew C had to have one, or three... They are super soft and you can have your child's initials or name embroidered on any of the animal's chests. 

2. Muslin Swaddles- We have at least 20 muslin swaddles in our house. I use them for EVERYTHING-for laying on the floor, for wiping up spit up, and to put in the crib with C when she sleeps as she likes to snuggle with it.  Plus they are super breathable so I don't worry about her suffocating. We have all sorts of brands but this print is oh-so-pretty.

3. Sophie the Giraffe and her cheaper but equally adorable sister Kiki the Elephant- Sophie was B's when he was a baby. B didn't like her too much but C loves her. We also have Kiki which is a great alternative if you don't want to shell out the cash for Sophie!

                                    

4. Matryoshka Doll Teethers- I came across these and bought them because they were cheap and cute.  I was pleasantly surprised when they arrived, they are perfect for holding on to and all the raised designs probably feel good to chew on.
5. Baby Links- Another favorite from the first time around. I love these because of their versatility- they can be interlinked like in the picture to be a toy or, as I like to use them, as a toy leash! I link them to things like the matryoshka teethers and then to the stroller or car seat.

6. Sit-Me-Up Seat- This thing was all the rage on one of my mommy boards so I decided to give it a whirl. It's an awesome substitute for the Bumbo! C can't sit up unassisted yet but loves to "play" with her brother, so I put her in it, throw a few toys on the tray, and put her next to her brother! (This comes with or without the tray.)

the newest member of the pack

Once again, it has been an awfully long time since I last posted. School and life often gets the best of me and if we are being brutally honest I am the worst at trying to maintain balance.  There have been some big changes in our household since I last posted as we welcomed baby C to the pack! This may be a long post but I want to share my trying to conceive (TTC) experience to give hope to others who may be struggling with trying to have a baby.

First, let me back track a little bit.  From the get go I knew I was not going to be able to conceive B without a little assistance. It took about a year to get knocked up with B with the help of injectable infertility meds. 

{It was only appropriate to add an adorable Baby B photo here}

Already going through the whole having-a-baby thing, when the hubs and I decided to try for baby #2 we thought it was going to be easy peasy like B.  Well, what happens when you have that kind of mindset? Yup, it doesn't exactly go as planned.  We did about six rounds of injectable meds with no success and ended up doing an IVF cycle. Our cycle went about as good as it can possibly go and I ended up pregnant on the first go around with eight more embryos to spare.

I'll skip over the pregnancy part. All I will say is once again pregnancy is so not my thing. I was sick for the first 27 weeks with C, then became a wild, starving, bottomless pit for the remaining 14 weeks. If you noticed, 27+14 does not equal 40... That would be because I was a week overdue with C and had to be induced.  I think that the powers-that-be do me a solid when it comes to labor and delivery because both of my kids were pretty similar. About six hours of active labor and a whole whopping five minutes of pushing.

And now I shall introduce you to our newest member of the pack, hound terrorizer in training, and little love of our life: 

Claire Lily

{Born 01/12/2015, 8:05 PM, 8 lbs & 4 oz, and 21.5" long}

And now let me inundate you with ridiculously cute C pics....

{Lily honestly believes she is human}

{and just for good measure here is B & Big Tim... Only because these might be the cutest pictures of a boy and his dog EVER.}

[Disclaimer: I understand that not everybody's IVF experience is like mine and while some might find it insensitive of me to talk about my relatively 'easy' IVF process. You have to remember that everyone's experiences are different, however we are all in the same boat.]