5 Strategies for Hacking Stitch Fix

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I’ve been using Stitch Fix since January 2015 as one of my primary methods of shopping. It works for my lifestyle because I don’t have to go anywhere and I can tweak what I’m looking for or what works for me on my own schedule. I can have fixes arrive as rarely or as often as I want. If Stitch Fix is something you are considering, keep reading because I’m going to give you five strategies you can use to get your best fix possible and I have a way for you to receive $25 off your first fix as a new customer!

I’m lucky in that I’ve had the same stylist since summer of 2015. I received a fix about 4 or 5 months after I started subscribing that was just spot on in terms of my style, what I was looking for in a specific fix, and fit. So, I emailed Stitch Fix’s customer service and requested to keep the same stylist. Elizabeth has been magical for the last three years. Although I schedule fixes with varying frequencies, she has seen me through weight gain (and loss), pregnancy, and weight gain (and loss) again. She always does a great job of trying to accommodate my requests yet still provide me with a piece or two every now and then that push me out of my comfort zone.

So why do I use Stitch Fix? Let’s face it, unless you are keeping all five items (and getting 25% off of everything) it isn’t exactly super budget friendly. I do it because it works for my lifestyle. I don’t have a lot of close girlfriends in the town where I live. I can occasionally recruit someone to go shopping with me in a brick and mortar, but scheduling time to do it and not feeling guilty for taking evening or weekend time away from my family always leaves me feeling guilty. In addition, I really just don’t like shopping alone. Before kids, my mom and my sister and I would always go shopping together when we were together. Now, there are just too many things happening to “waste” that kind of time. Therefore, I have turned to a lot of online shopping. I try to stick to shopping from websites that allow me to return items rather than mailing things back, but because Stitch Fix includes a postage paid returns envelope that removes the challenges my work and family life presents with making it to the post office to mail a return package. For me, Stitch Fix is one of those things that helps keep my life in balance and that is super important to me as a mom who works full-time and blogs on the side. There just isn’t any extra time in the day.

That being said, I don’t want to waste my time getting fixes that don’t meet my needs. When I first started Stitch Fix I completed my style profile, I started a style board on Pinterest, and I made some general requests in my stylist note. I ended up getting some good pieces, but I didn’t end up with a lot of fixes that were spot on. But, over time, I’ve started learning some lessons through Facebook groups and blog posts I’ve cultivated 5 strategies that are helping me land some of the best fixes I’ve ever received. In fact, most months, I am having a hard time not keeping every piece that Elizabeth sends me.

So, here are my strategies:

1. Update your style profile regularly – This is super important. If you experience weight loss or gain, make sure you change your style profile so your sizes will come to you correctly the first time. There is nothing more frustrating than receiving an item that is too big or too small because you have experienced a weight change and the size you need isn’t available when you go in to request a change. In addition, if your lifestyle changes, you may wish to change the types of apparel or budget range you are requesting for your items. I touch base on this a few weeks before each fix is scheduled so that my stye profile best reflects my needs and lifestyle at that current moment.
2. Curate your Pinterest board – Your Style Profile has a place to link to a Pinterest board and I strongly suggest you use it! When I first started Stitch Fix, I had a general style board with a ton of pins that reflected my general style and that was fine to start because my stylist was getting to know my general style. Now, I curate my Pinterest to be specific to each fix. For example, a couple of fixes ago, I requested an all dresses fix because I needed some new items for work. I limited my Dresses board to less than 20 pins that really reflected the type of dresses I was looking for and Elizabeth delivered what I was requesting 100%! I really could have kept every item from this fix, but one of the dresses I received was very similar to another I already had in my closet, and one of the dresses had some fit issues that only a tailor would have resolved,so for budget reasons I kept only two of the dresses that were sent. Currently, my stylist is helping me work on a capsule wardrobe for my upcoming trip to Australia, so keep reading below to see my reveal.
3. Play the Style Game – I’m not as good at this as I should be. But, if you follow Stitch Fix on Facebook, you can use Messenger to play the Style Game. Basically, the Style Game shows you an item and you give it a thumbs up or thumbs down to reflect your style. For a while, I played it several times a week and even requested a fix from Elizabeth inspired by images I loved, took screenshots of, and pinned on a special Pinterest board. Fortunately, they limit the number of items you can rate each day, so it doesn’t become too much of a time suck. But here is my real advice on the Style Game. Only give a thumbs up to items that fit your preferences in style and that you believe will suit your body type because you will receive items from the Style Game from time to time. I love the look of a bodycon sheath dress, especially in black, but I have a nice round belly, so sheath dresses just don’t work very well on me most of the time. So, as much as I love the look of one in the Style Game, I’m not going to give it a thumbs up! Don’t waste one of your five items on something that just isn’t going to work for you as much as you love the look of it!
4. Write good stylist notes – A good stylist note strikes a balance between being somewhat general, but also specific. You are limited to the number of characters you can put into a stylist note, so be concise with your language. If you want to add more details about an item, you can always use your Pinterest to add those details to a pin. In my last note, I let my stylist know that I was working on a capsule for my trip, I listed items that I already had, I shared that I had a general pin as well as some specific items on Pinterest, and then I made one semi-specific request, a pair of stretchy black skinny pants similar to some they carried a couple of years ago. If you look at the Pinterest board I created and my photos of what she sent below, you can see how well my note worked!
5. Give good feedback – Here is where you really want to avoid being general. Feedback on your items needs to be specific as possible. For example, I decided not to keep the shoes below because while I loved the way they looked, they offered absolutely no arch support and that is something my feet desperately need. So, I said that. One time, I received a maxi dress. I am just not a maxi dress person. I’m short and I feel like they make me look squatty, but something about that dress made me keep it. But, in my note I said that I liked the stripes on the dress and the defined waist, but because I wasn’t a maxi dress person, I wasn’t sure how much I would wear it and I have never received another maxi dress in a fix.

So let’s take a look at how these strategies worked for me. As I said above, in my last note, I let my stylist know that I was working on a capsule for my trip, I listed items that I already had, I shared that I had a general pin as well as some specific items on Pinterest, and then I made one semi-specific request, a pair of stretchy black skinny pants similar to some they carried a couple of years ago.

Here is what I received:

And here is what I have decided about the items from my most recent fix:

Mix by 41 Hawthorn Arnold Raglan Knit Top: Really this item couldn’t be more perfect! It’s a lightweight sweater type of material in neutral colors, so it will work well on our cooler days and evenings in Australia. The fit is ideal and it is just my style. Verdict: KEEP

Mix by 41 Hawthorn Jessa Essential Knit Tee: The style of this top is awesome. It is simple and versatile. I also love that it is a V-neck. Unfortunately, it just hugs that round belly of mine a little more than I would like. And, since it is already pretty large in the shoulders and chest, I don’t think a size exchange will help this one out. Verdict: RETURN

Keds Studio Flash Lace Up Sneaker: OMG! These shoes are so cute! When I saw that I was receiving Keds, I had serious late 80s flashbacks and was almost dreading taking them out of the box, but these are definitely next generation Keds! Unfortunately, like the Keds of long ago, they are super flat-soled and my arches and plantar fasciitis will have none of that, so they have to go back. Verdict: RETURN

Tribal Fia Straight Trouser: This was my specific item request for this fix and Elizabeth delivered. The unfortunate thing about the pants is that they are just a little big through the rise and legs, so for the first time in a long time, I got to request a size down exchange! I’ll try on the smaller size when they arrive and hopefully they will fit perfectly. If not, I may have to hit a couple of actual stores to find exactly what I’m looking for. Verdict: Hopefully KEEP, but waiting for my size exchange.

Kensie Rubin Sleeveless Duster: This is the item that pushed me out of my comfort zone in this fix. Way out of my comfort zone. The knit was bulky and too warm for the type of weather we will have in Australia, but it also just felt oversized on me. I just really wasn’t a fan of this piece, but now that I’ve provided feedback stating such, I doubt I’ll ever receive another item like it unless I specifically request it. Verdict: RETURN

So, really this fix is a 2/5, hopefully, but you can see how well-designed this fix was for my needs and style at this time. If you want to give my strategies a try, sign up for Stitch Fix using my referral code. If you use this link to sign up and schedule your first fix, you and I will both receive a $25 credit!

In my next fix, I’m looking for a pair of skinny jeans for my trip, so that is all I’m asking for Elizabeth to send. Wish me luck finding the perfect pair!