Even a Minimalist Satisficer Needs Clothing Sometimes (StitchFix review)

If you’ve read The Happiness Project, you’re familiar with the terms “maximizer versus satisficer“.

A satisficer (that’s me) has high standards but once she’s found something that works, she is satisfied with her choice. She doesn’t have to find the perfect, ideal item like a maximizer does.

And she doesn’t enjoy that kind of searching either. She generally feels happier once the choice has been made, instead of enjoying the process. (Read: I hate to shop.)

Since I also have minimalist leanings, this means that I sometimes find myself with literally nothing to wear. And I don’t mean that in the general feminine way of “I don’t have something perfect to wear” or “I don’t have anything I haven’t worn 10 times lately” or whatnot.

I mean that at times, I literally lack enough items in my closets that fit and that, put together, can make up an entire outfit.

Is it sad that I’m 37 years old and this is true?

Whatever. I chalk it up to my frequent size changes due to having several babies. And the fact that I refuse to keep a lot of clothing around that accommodates all those size changes. (There goes that minimalist thing again.)

So when fellow blogger Modern Mrs. Darcy mentioned a service called StitchFix, which has a bunch of fashionable ladies (actually I don’t know, they could be guys…) sitting around waiting to ship you nice clothing… to your home… in the mail.. so you don’t have to go out shopping (Are you getting this?), I was all, “Somebody get my purse!”.

I signed up immediately, and scheduled a “fix” that next time I had no clothing. Right now I’m about 2 dress sizes larger than my normal size. I know the weight will come off, but in the meantime I don’t want to look like a scrub, y’know?

So the nice box arrived in the mail a few days later.

It had several items in it, all of which I tried on. Which was fun. I didn’t have to stress about who was going to watch the kids while I “shopped”. I just handed the baby over to hubby and slipped into my bedroom.

The first item was this jacket which was very cute… for my Mom. And I mean nothing offensive by that, it was very Chanel-y, and Paris Hilton probably owns that jacket in powder pink, but it just wasn’t me.

So I folded it nicely and put it back into the handy-dandy prepaid shipping envelope to send back to StitchFix.

Next item was this cute but too trendy “bubble” top and what were they thinking sending this to a newly pospartum woman who already has bubble issues in the belly areas?

Back in the envelope.

Then there was a cute scarf but I already own 4 which is more than enough.

Then a cute teal top that I almost kept except I already own a couple of shirts too similar.

Then the piece de resistance, a black and blue cardigan that took me 5 minutes to figure out how to put on. I mean that. It came with instructions and I had to use them. (And the little card with pictures attached was helpful too. It has little “outfit ideas” for the fashionably clueless such as myself. Course I don’t own any of the other pieces so it’s a moot point but they get a thumbs up for trying.)

I hit pay dirt with this cardigan, because I have not taken it off for a week. Literally I have found myself waking up in the morning with the thing still on.

My cardigan is covered with baby snot at this point and smells like me (and not in a good way) and needs to be washed, but I would have to remove it in order to wash it so…

The thing is, this cardigan is not something I would ever pick up at the store and try on. But I love it! And it goes with everything I own. It’s basic without being boring. The back has a cute v-shaped cut and I can roll up the sleeves and roll the shawl part way down to change it up, or I can throw a stretchy belt on it to cinch it.

StitchFix is a keeper.

Here’s a rundown on how it works:

* Go to StitchFix and create an account (free). Fill out your “Style Profile”. It asks you a bunch of questions about what you like and don’t like, your lifestyle, sizes and such. It shows you a bunch of pictures of outfits and asks you to rate them. That kinda thing.

* When you need a ‘fix’, log in and schedule one. You can do this as often as you like, or make it automatic each month. Up to you.They charge you $20 at this point, which is refunded if you buy something.

* Box arrives in the mail with a prepaid envelope. Try stuff on. Keep what you like, send back what you don’t.

* Go back to StitchFix and pay for what you kept. That’s it!

My usual shopping routine goes like this: For kid’s clothes, Schoola and ThredUp are where it’s at. I have the kids go on and look for themselves. I login and make the final decision and buy what they need. This works great for kids who don’t have tricky lumps and bumps and curves like myself.

I also shop at my favorite thrift store every time they have half price day (every couple of months). Just last week I was there and I found a beautiful red silk Ann Taylor skirt in my size. And some nice Gymboree stuff for the baby. I like thrifting, but it’s hard to create your entire wardrobe this way because you can’t just walk into a thrift store and find exactly what you need. It’s a plan ahead or serendipitious type of strategy. StitchFix is going to be how I round out my wardrobe without having to shop. Whee!

I’m also hoping it will help me put a little more “style” into my “personal style”, kwim?

See more about my minimalist wardrobe and how to help your StitchFix stylist “nail it”.