Stitch Fix Review #3

For those of you unfamiliar with the Stitch Fix shopping service, please go here first: Stitch Fix Review #1

Shortly after writing Stitch Fix Review #2, I received a really nice e-mail from Kate of Stitch Fix.  She apologized for my Fix not working out and offered tips on how to improve the next one.  It was really nice of Stitch Fix to reach out to me personally, so I decided to give them one more chance!  Here's how my third Fix turned out:

Item #1: Emperia Murphy Two-Tone Stud Detail Crossbody ($38)

Nice quality vegan purse with gold hardware, which I like. However, I recently stocked up on a bunch of bags from various Little Black Bag (now Pose) sales and really do not need another. I'll have to add a request for no purses to my profile.
Verdict: RETURNED


Item #2: Ace Swiss Dot & Floral Tie-Waist Blouse ($68)
Item #3: Pink Martini Joshua Colored Ankle Jean ($64)

I wasn't really a fan of the dot/floral pattern combinations, which seemed too busy for me. This blouse seems like it would work for a taller person since the waist basically landed on my hips. Also, it arrived with detached button, making me wonder about the quality and craftsmanship.

As for the pants, the fact that I received them in the first place was a problem because I specifically requested NO PANTS on my profile. While I liked the color, they sat way too low on my waist.  Such a huge disappointment and made me wonder if the Stitch Fix staff actually read my profile before putting together this Fix.
Verdict: BOTH RETURNED


Item #3: Ark n Co Ashlie Graphic Knit Sleeveless Cardigan ($68)

This knitted cardigan was really soft and well-constructed.  Perfect for a summer/fall transitional piece.  Unfortunately, this was way too long and billowy on me.  The high/low cut also made my hips look huge.
Verdict: RETURNED

Item #5: Under Skies Rho Mixed Chevron Sleeveless Dress ($58)

Once again, I was down to my last item.  Fortunately, this dress was super comfy and the perfect length and fit, though my mom commented that it seemed form fitting.  I may be blind, but I don't think it's form fitting at all, and my scoliosis seems masked by the pattern.  While rather expensive at $58, I decided to keep it as a work dress to avoid losing my $20 styling fee yet again.
VERDICT: KEPT

Honestly, this may be my last Stitch Fix for a while. Part of the appeal of the company was receiving products based on your personal style preferences. With the inclusion of pants in my most recent Fix, I question whether Stitch Fix even takes my requests into account.  Maybe Stitch Fix's algorithm simply doesn't work for someone like me with scoliosis and non-traditional proportions. While I did have some initial success finding clothes, I'm not sure I want to continue risking $20+ dollars a month only to settle for something I'm not completely happy with.  Sorry, Stitch Fix!

If you are interested in trying out Stitch Fix, feel free to use my referral link here:  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3203420.  No, I am not affiliated with Stitch Fix in any way, shape, or form.

Stitch Fix Review #2

If you are unfamiliar with the Stitch Fix shopping service and want an overview, please go here first: Stitch Fix Review #1

After some success with my first Stitch Fix, I was really looking forward to my second.  After saving up some money and looking at multiple reviews on the internet, I finally placed my order.  This time, I requested the 41Hawthorn 3/4 Benson Blazer in dark grey or burgundy, the Yumi: Wilhinina Polka Dot Belted Skater Dress in blue and yellow, and dresses.

When my order arrived, I was sad to see that my two requested items were not included, with no explanation as to why.  However, I was pleased that Stitch Fix honored my request for multiple dresses.  Here's how my Fix turned out:

Item #1: Brentwood Tiered Striped Sheath Dress

I really had high hopes for this dress.  In the past, I had luck with bandage style dresses flattering my figure.  I also liked the non-symmetrical design of the dress, which masks my scoliosis.  Unfortunately, this particular dress made me look at least 15 pounds heavier.  I also did not like that the front pattern did not extend all the way around the back (see below).

Verdict: RETURNED


Item #2: Yola Abstract Print Faux Wrap Dress

I also had high hopes for this dress since I'm a fan of wrap dresses.  Unfortunately, the top half of this dress was too baggy and the bottom half too long.  I also was not a fan of the print, which had a frumpy effect on me.

VERDICT: RETURNED


Item #3: 41Hawthorn Walt Striped Skirt ($68)

I normally don't wear horizontal stripes because they make me look wider.  However, I decided to give this skirt a chance.  The fit wasn't bad but, as is my problem with all pencil skirts, it started riding up after taking a few steps (see below).  Not worth the $68 price tag.

Skirt after a few steps

 Verdict:  RETURNED


Item #4: Harriet Aztec Print Fit and Flare Dress

Down to my last two items, I was hoping to find something to keep so I didn't lose my $20 styling fee.  Unfortunately, this dress just didn't work for me.  The top half is made of a stretchy polyester which seemed to accentuate my scoliosis and chest size.  The bottom half was way too long and full, making me look pregnant.

Verdict:  RETURNED


Item #5: Abigail Colorblock Lace Trim Top

I actually really liked the color of this last item.  Unfortunately, as a friend pointed out, the blouse was cut such that it looked really narrow up top and made my hips look bigger.  Not worth the $58 price tag.

Verdict: RETURNED

After the luck I had with my first Stitch Fix, I was really disappointed that this one was such an utter failure.  I'll probably update my profile again and give Stitch Fix one more chance to see if things improve with my next Fix.  It's a promising service, but if the clothes don't work for my body I'm just going to lose $20 with each order.  For my next Fix, I'll ask them to dress me up for Generation Beauty, a fashion and cosmetics convention which takes place in June!  Wish me luck!

If you are interested in trying out Stitch Fix, feel free to use my referral link here:  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3203420.  No, I am not affiliated with Stitch Fix in any way, shape, or form. 

Stitch Fix Review #1

Seeing that part of this blog is about how I save/spend my money, I figured I should start posting reviews on the various shopping services I use.  Currently, I use Stitch Fix and Birchbox.  If anyone has recommendations for other awesome sites, let me know and I'll look into them!  For now, here's my Stitch Fix review!

About Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix is an online personal styling service based out of San Francisco.  The way it works is pretty simple:  Sign up, then complete an online profile with your clothing sizes and style preferences.  After paying a $20 non-refundable "styling fee", Stitch Fix will send you a box with 5 articles of clothing/accessories on a date you select.  You'll have three days to try everything out and ship back unwanted items in a prepaid envelope!

Stitch Fix is not cheap, with pieces of clothing starting at around $58.  You do get a 25% discount it you keep all 5 items, but that's still much higher than I'm used to paying for clothes.  However, I decided to give it a shot because I frequently have trouble finding clothes that fit me and wanted someone to pick out flattering, high quality clothes based on my measurements.  It also helped that a friend gave me a coupon that waived the $20 styling fee!

Stitch Fix Box #1
I actually ordered my first Stitch Fix back in October, but due to a backlog of orders had to pick a shipment date in early November.  In my profile, I requested no pants, accessories, or maxi dresses.  I also requested that the stylist focus on getting me work clothes and a cute dress to wear for the holidays.  After several weeks of anticipation I received my box a day early!  Here's what I got and my thoughts on each:

Item #1: 41Hawthorn Calafia Jersey Wrap Dress ($58)

41Hawthorn is a brand exclusive to Stitch Fix.  This particular dress is one I saw in numerous blog reviews and the main reason I finally decided to place an order.  While the jersey fabric is a little thin, I really liked the fit and the color of the dress.
Verdict: KEPT


Item #2: Kut From The Kloth Michael Faux Leather Jacket ($78)

I've never been into leather - faux or real - and never though I would ever own a leather jacket. A trip to New Orleans last October changed that, as I found a flattering brown faux leather jacket in a boutique shop that soon ended up in my souvenir stash.  I liked the quality of this black jacket and really wanted to keep it.  Sadly, it was too long and too narrow as I couldn't get it to close.  Fortunately, I ended up finding a great fitting black faux leather jacket at Forever 21 of all places.
Verdict: RETURNED


Item #3: Kensie Vince Swiss Dot Cap Sleeve Dress

When I filled out my Stitch Fix profile, I wrote that I really liked polka dots.  Rather risky since own at least 5 polka dot sweaters and do not need another one.  Fortunately, they sent me this lovely black dress with a subtle Swiss dot pattern.  Loved the fabric, the length, and the fit.  The only problem was that the back zipper wasn't straight, but that's because I have scoliosis and so nothing ever fits me right.  Stitch Fix has helped me get pretty close, though.
Verdict: KEPT
 

My crooked back

Close-up of the Swiss dot pattern (click)

Item #4: 41Hawthorn Mission 3/4 Sleeve V-Neck Blouse ($68)
Item #5: Lasome Pacific Chevron Print Skirt ($58)

Sadly, the last two items didn't work out for me.  While the blouse fit alright, I generally can't justify paying $68 for a top.  As for the skirt, it was way too long and went halfway down my calves.
Verdict: RETURNED


Stitch Fix Pros
-You can conveniently try on clothes from the comfort of your own home.
-You receive clothing both customized to you tastes and outside your normal comfort zone so you can experiment with new styles.  I definitely would have bypassed the black faux leather jacket if I saw it in stores.
-The stylists actually take the time to read through your profile and accommodate requests.  If there's a specific Stitch Fix item you want then you simply ask for it, just like I did with the Hawthorn41 dress.
-You get a 25% discount if you keep all 5 items.
-Easy returns!  Just drop unwanted clothing in the provided pre-paid envelope and drop it in the mailbox within 3 days of receiving your Stitch Fix.

Stitch Fix Cons
-Stitch Fix is not cheap, and with some work you can probably find most of these clothes for much cheaper.
-The $20 styling fee is non-refundable if you decide to send everything back.


Overall, I was very pleased with my first Stitch Fix, despite only keeping two of the five items.  I especially enjoyed being able to try out clothes I would have skipped over at the mall.  However, the price is definitely a deterrent, so I will have to limit my future orders to several times a year.  After waiting several months, I finally ordered my second Stitch Fix which is scheduled to arrive in mid-March.  Can't wait!

If you are interested in trying out Stitch Fix, feel free to use my referral link here:  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3203420.  No, I am not affiliated with Stitch Fix in any way, shape, or form.

New Printer!

Happy Saturday! Work this week was extremely exhausting, so I'm glad I have a few days off to catch up on sleep! Here's a quick post before I go to bed.

When I was in grad school, I used a bubblejet printer. While I didn't think much about it initially, I started to notice that I was spending a considerable amount of money replacing my printer cartridges every 2-3 months. Eventually, I stopped using my printer altogether because I realized that 1) the ink was really expensive, 2) the printer wasted color ink every time I turned it off and on (even though I typically only used black ink), and 3) the printer had a mechanism that prevented it from working if either the black or color cartridge was empty. Since then, I've printed documents at work, asked my boyfriend to print things for me, or showed people files on my smartphone.

Today, my boyfriend was browsing FatWallet and found a deal on a Brother Printer. Looking at prices for corresponding ink replacements on Amazon.com, I figured I could probably buy 50 ink cartridges for the price of one black and one color cartridge for my old printer. Hey, even the current price of the printer ($54.99) is cheaper than what I spend replacing ink.

I went ahead and purchased a new printer for myself! As long as it provides semi-decent quality printing I'll be happy. Can't wait to be able to print from home again!

The Body Shop Deal

This past year, I've probably purchased more products at The Body Shop than anywhere else. If you open my bathroom drawers, you'll find a small collection of body washes, hand soaps, lotions, room sprays, and reed diffusers. The Body Shop appeals to me because I like the assortment of scents they carry. It also helps that the company promotes a number of social causes I support.

While I did purchase a ton of stuff from The Body Shop this past year, not once did I pay full price for a single item. In fact, I typically paid less than 50% of full price after accounting for deal of the day vouchers, sales, and discounts from the Love Your Body Club. The great thing was that this left me with extra money to spend on food, or sale items at Bath and Body Works.

For two days, Living Social is offering a $20 voucher to The Body Shop for $10. This may be a great time to stock up if you think you'll need bathroom stuff in the coming months. The Body Shop has sales throughout the year, so make sure to use your voucher then for extra savings! I already purchased mine, so it looks like I might be going shopping sometime soon!

(not so) Cheap St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Similar to how I typically only eat roasted turkey during Thanksgiving, St. Patrick's Day is the one day out of the year I eat corned beef and cabbage! In past years, I've gone to restaurants to enjoy this dish. Since I'm currently living at home, I decided to modify a corned beef and cabbage recipe
and make it in my parent's kitchen.

When I've eaten at restaurants on St. Patrick's Day in past years, a plate of corned beef and cabbage cost me upwards of $12. A pint of green beer or Guinness usually cost about $4. Add in (California) tax and tip and you have a St. Patrick's Day meal that sets you back roughly $20.

For my St. Patrick's Day meal, I decided to take advantage of the weekly deals on corned beef, cabbage, beef broth, and Guinness at Safeway. Here's my cost breakdown:

3.06 pounds corned beef brisket * $3.99/pound = $12.21
32 oz. box of beef broth = $2
2.26 pounds cabbage head * $0.39/pound = $0.88
1.06 pounds of baby red potatoes * $0.99/pound = $1.05
0.70 pound of carrots * $0.99/pound = $0.69
FOOD TOTAL: $16.83

After a cash register mishap, I purchased a 4 pack of Guinness for $6.77 with tax included.

GRAND TOTAL: $23.60

$23.60 for a St. Patrick's Day meal for 4 to 6 people seems like a pretty good deal compared to paying $20 per person at a restaurant. Since there are only three people in my household, there will be plenty of leftovers. Maybe I should start cooking every year!

How to Make the Most of Birthday Freebies

I recently celebrated my birthday, which is not only a great excuse to have fun with friends, but my favorite time a year to receive free stuff! In this post, I will share how I go about maximizing my annual freebies. My view is that all my meals should be free or have a freebie the week of my birthday!

Step 1: Start preparing for your birthday several weeks in advance. Many freebies can be used as soon as two weeks before your birthday up to two weeks after.

Step 2: Scour websites/blogs/forums for lists of birthday freebies. The main ones I use are on slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com

Step 3: Sign up for websites that offer birthday freebies! If want, you can even open a new e-mail address so your inbox doesn't get cluttered by a barrage of e-mails when your birthday hits. Remember to sign up early, for these e-mails can start coming as soon as two weeks before your birthday. The year I started, several restaurants gave me freebies for just signing up for their mailing lists, making for extra free stuff on my birthday!

Step 4: Wait and watch as you start receiving birthday freebies in your e-mail. When printing out/writing down your freebies, organize them by expiration date. One year, I missed out on a free meal because the coupon expired sooner than I expected.

Step 5: Enjoy your birthday freebies!

A few side notes:
-Don't try to cheat the system! Many restaurants check ID to make sure it's your birthday. At Denny's, they actually wrote down my driver's license number.
-Make sure to tip for the amount before discount! Restaurant employees deserve full tips for good service!
-Offer to split the cost of buy one/get one free meals with your friend. You can also get your friend to sign up for birthday freebies and pay the full priced meal then.
-Have fun and make the most of your special day!

Black Friday!

Apparently my last post was roughly a month ago. My hospital has been offering pretty generous hours lately, and while I've been making decent money, the work coupled with my long commute leaves me pretty drained by the end of the day. Hopefully, I'll be able to alleviate this situation once I have a permanent job and move out of my parents' house.

Anyway, if I haven't mentioned this before, the period between the beginning of October to the end of January is my favorite time of year. This is because all my favorite holidays and my birthday fall during this four month period. Last Thursday, I had a relaxing Thanksgiving filled with family time and food. Yesterday was Black Friday, signaling the beginning of my favorite time of year to shop.

While I do like to save money, I'm not hardcore enough to do something like pitch a tent in front of Best Buy in order to get a cheap television (which I saw on the way home from breakfast Thanksgiving morning). I have nothing against these people, and in fact wish I could actually wake up that early enough on Black Friday morning. This year, my dad somehow managed to get up at 5am to get a deal on a Christmas tree. While I may try braving the cold and crowds someday, for now I'd rather stay under my warm sheets on Black Friday morning. There's always Cyber Monday and the new Small Business Saturday.

As has been the case for several years now, I spent Black Friday in San Francisco to watch the Union Square tree lighting ceremony and do a little Christmas shopping. While the deals usually aren't as good on Black Friday afternoon, I usually go to the city for the holiday shopping experience. In the end I got some makeup items for myself and some giftcards, though I ended up returning the giftcards after my cheap boyfriend kindly told me I could get up to a 10% discount online (more on that in a future entry). I also got some basics from Old Navy after the obscenely long checkout lines finally thinned at 10pm. Here's a tip for shopping at Old Navy: If you can't find your size in a certain item, just buy a different size at sale price. You can exchange it for the correct size once they restock!

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to update this more frequently since I probably won't be working as many hours this month. Happy Holidays!

Sephora Friends and Family

Sephora is one of my favorite stores. Despite the fact that my cheap boyfriend prefers a natural look on me, I visit Sephora regularly to shop, play with make up, and pick up free samples to test on my sensitive face before buying.

Word on Slickdeals is that Sephora is having its Friends and Family sale from 10/21-11/3. Now would be a great time to stock up on make up, face and body products, and Christmas presents as everything will be 20% off with the code FF2010. If you want to save more money, shop through Ebates.com for 4% cash back! Buy now while the sale is happening, because when the sale is over and your eye cream runs out you'll be paying full price!

Cast iron skillet

Hello! It seems like things are going to be busy for the next few weeks. Next week, I have a literature review due for my thesis class. I also have a number of other papers, presentation, and exams coming up. On top of that, my supervisor is going to start assigning patients to me at practicum. Exciting times!

Now, to go on a major tangent. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but one of my hobbies is cooking. While I don't claim to be a good cook by any means, I like to pull up random recipes of foods I enjoy and make them at home. Some of my favorite dishes to make are desserts such as cookies, cobblers, and brownies.

Anyway, on the subject of cooking, several people have been telling me of the joys of cooking with a cast iron pan. These include great heat distribution, easy cleaning, a nice non-stick surface (granted you season your pan properly), and a sturdy pan that lasts you a lifetime. Wanting to try out one of these pans myself, I took advantage this past weekend's 25% off friends and family sale at Cost Plus World Market and bought a 10 1/4 inch pre-seasoned skillet by Lodge Logic.

When I got home, the first thing I cooked on my pan was some bacon to add an additional layer of seasoning. The next day, I decided to try making an egg over easy, which cooked evenly and did not stick. Today, I made pancakes, which also did not stick. Later this week I hope to try my luck making steak. I hope it turns out as well as the other things I've cooked so far. So far, I can certainly see why my friends enjoy cooking with cast iron cookware.

When they came for a visit this past weekend, my parents told me that they had an entire set of unused cast iron cookware at home that has been sitting in the garage since 1990. I might ask if I could borrow it (on a permanent basis) the next time I go home.

A new beginning...

Hello, and welcome to my blog! This blog is project I have been putting off for a while now, but how that I've started I hope that I can keep up with regular updates and practice my writing!

The main purpose of this blog will be to document by various exploits as a social work student and ultimately as social worker. Additionally, I hope to incorporate a number about different ways I save money. Given that I am entering a profession that is notoriously underpaid, buying things I want at the cheapest price possible has conveniently become a new hobby of mine. While the majority of my posts will pertain to these social work and money issues, I'm probably end up posting other random things as well. I like to keep my options open.

Anyway, I suppose I should talk a little bit about myself. I am currently in my final year of a two year MSW program. My subject emphasis is mental health, with a research interest in mental health issues among college aged students. My practicum is at a local hospital's inpatient rehab facility, where I do discharge planning for victims of stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other illnesses/accidents. I hope to work for a hospital or the federal government when I graduate next May.

In the little free time I have these days I pursue my other passion in life - music. I currently play percussion in a local wind ensemble and maintain participation in various musical ensembles from my undergraduate alma mater. During my lunchbreaks at practicum, I sneak into the patient dining area to practice piano or play for patients. When I have more free time, I hope to start taking music lessons again!

Well, I guess I'll leave it at that for now. Hope to post more updates soon!