Men’s Stitch Fix Review – A Sprinkle of Life

Men’s Spring Stitch Fix Review

May 13, 2018 No Comments

With the promise of warmer temperatures around the corner, it was time for my boyfriend, Brian, to get another Stitch Fix box, with the hopes of getting some Spring attire. For his latest Fix, he simply requested a Spring wardrobe, hoping to get a variety of pieces that would help with the transition from Winter to Spring.

#1 Descendant of Thieves – Crushed Tissue Seersucker Shirt
Price: $95
The first shirt out of the box was from Descendant of Thieves. Kristin, Brian’s stylist suggested this would be a good option for a BBQ, especially paired with Sperrys. That last bit made me laugh, because Brian is not exactly “preppy” or into boat shoes.

Brian: I’ll be blunt – this shirt was made of rainbow coloured toilet paper. I really liked my last Descendant of Thieves shirt (check out our post here), but this one missed the mark, mainly in terms of comfort and fabric. I couldn’t take myself seriously wearing a shirt that had more ripples than a roll of Cottenelle.

Continue to the next item to see a combined picture of Brian’s first two items.

#2 Flag & Anthem – Ellis Slub Short
Price: $45
The name of these shorts is funny, “slub.” I keep thinking “slob.” Brian’s stylist suggests wearing these bad boys out for a round of golf with the boys. I’m not sure he’ll be doing that activity anytime soon. I really like the light blue color of the shorts, which I think would be perfect for wearing on a cruise or going to the beach, but it takes a confident man to rock a pastel.

Brian: Clearly I am not a sufficiently confident man – I don’t wear pastel colored trousers. Shirts, sure (except for salmon), but I get my pants and shorts dirty so light bottoms don’t last very long in my wardrobe. These might be great for a round of golf as the stylist indicates, but I don’t play golf with “the boys”.

#3 Original Penguin – Daddy- O Solid Polo
Price: $55
Spring has sprung, and so have the pastels. Next out of the box was another pastel, but this top for on top. I think Brian looks good in pinks, but I know it’s hard to get him to commit to actually wearing colors besides white, blue, and grey. But, let’s see what exciting commentary he has to share this time around.

Brian: Ah yes, the classic salmon colored polo. This is an item that everyone thinks a man should have in their closet, but not every man can actually pull off. Personally, pink accentuates my rosacea so it was a pass. Nice style and fit, just not the right colour for me.

With the combined pastel pants and top, Brian’s ready for a baby shower or gender reveal, hahaha. No, don’t get any ideas.

#4 Hawker Rye – Karson Spacedye Polo
Price: $38
When I spotted this next polo, I thought there was hope that Brian would find something in the box he’d like. It seemed like a classic “Brian” polo, all navy and and neutral. But, maybe I was wrong?

Brian: I was on the fence with this polo. I’m a sucker for navy blue polos (with at least 4 of them in my closet), but this one felt a tad too tight in the shoulders and armpits. I always wear an undershirt, and this shirt was a bit too snug to have another layer underneath. I considered sizing up, but with a plethora of navy polos already, it didn’t feel worth it.

We paired this top with Brian’s last Fix item, another pair of shorts from Flag & Anthem, see below.

#5 Flag & Anthem – Wingate Short
Price: $39
We finish this Fix with one last pair of Flag & Anthem shorts, this time a different cut/design and a neutral/friendly color for Brian’s particular wardrobe.

Brian: These shorts were the saving grace of the fix, finally, something I could keep and not waste my entire styling fee. There wasn’t anything special about these shorts, but they were a nice color and fit well for me to work into my summer wardrobe.

Brian’s Final Thoughts: I should have clarified that my Spring activities don’t include rounds of golf, going to the beach, or BBQs with friends. It generally felt like this fix was designed for someone living on the west coast, where Spring is a whole lot closer to summer than it is here in the east. I just ordered another fix today and tried to be a bit more descriptive about what I was looking for in hopes that I’ll keep more than 1 item.

Until next time, happy fixing!

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Reviews, Style

The Winter Blues with Stitch Fix for Men

January 15, 2018 No Comments

Disclosure: This post contains Stitch Fix Affiliate links, and I may receive compensation.

It’s time for another men’s Stitch Fix review! This week we’re looking at winter picks for the guy in your life, or yourself, depending on who is reading this.

Brian was hoping for a box that would add to his cold weather clothing options. Let’s see what Stitch Fix sent.

#1 – Grayers Athletic Tonal Garment Dye Thermal
While Brian was looking for winter clothing pieces, I’m not sure he had a thermal shirt in mind, even though it would be a good item for some of those more brutal wintry days. I really like the blue color of the shirt, and it compliments blue eyes very nicely. If you’re looking for a nice layering piece, I’d suggest adding this to your closet.

Brian’s Thoughts: Thanks, but no thanks. I can appreciate that this thermal top would help keep me warm during the winter, but I’d much rather wear a shirt with a collar than be comfortably warm.

Grayers Athletic Tonal Garment Dye Thermal from Stitch Fix

#2 – Grayers Drake Micro Stripe Lux Polo
Next up was a dark colored polo with a subtle print, that his stylist hoped would elevate a casual look. Now Brian likes a nice occasional polo, but typically only short sleeved polos. I may have seen him in one or two long sleeve polos in our 12+ years together. I knew immediately this polo wasn’t going to be a huge hit, one because the color was dark and dreary, and two the style.

Brian’s Thoughts: Eww, a long sleeve polo. In the summer I’m a big fan of polos, the short-sleeve variety is comfortable to wear and doesn’t look too casual. Their long-sleeve brethren, on the other hand, look like someone glued a collar onto a thermal top.

#3 – Descendant of Thieves Tinto Plaid Poplin Shirt
I’ve always been a fan of plaid shirts on men, when the patterns and colors aren’t too busy. This shirt ticks my boxes as a nice long sleeve plaid shirt that you can dress up or down pretty easily. Pair this shirt with some jeans for a casual look, or layer with a nice sweater or sports coat to take it up a notch.

Brian’s Thoughts: Finally, something in this box I can get behind! I very much like this shirt, it’s on the fitted side but still feels comfortable to wear. The non-standard blue tones are a nice addition to my wardrobe.

#4 – Knowledge Cotton Apparel Ludvig One Pocket Twill Shirt
More men should wear button up shirts. I always thinks it makes them look so much more put together than a casual shirt. This Knowledge Cotton Apparel shirt is a nice medium greyish blue color that is a bit textured. Most of Brian’s shirts are all the same plain old smooth cotton texture, which is totally fine, but it can be fun to spice up a wardrobe with a nice textured piece every now and then, and this shirt does it nicely.

Brian’s Thoughts: I liked the style and pattern of this short, but a medium was too short in the sleeves for me. I sent it back and got a large. The collar is on the thinner side, but the fabric is nice and warm for winter days.

#5 – Mavi Zach Straight Leg Jean
The last item included in this Fix was a nice dark washed blue jean. It can be so hard to find jeans for tall skinny guys, but Stitch Fix has done it again with this great pair from Mavi. The fit and color are perfection. I absolutely love these pants on Brian, and highly recommend them for those looking to add a more stylish pair of jeans to their wardrobe. They are definitely worth the price!

Brian’s Thoughts: My previous go-to pair of blue jeans were showing their age so these arrived at the right time. They fit comfortable, have adequate pocket space, and don’t have any of those holes or pre-stained spots that ravage modern jean suppliers. I pair these often with the Descendents of Thieves top.

Final Impressions: This Fix was full of dark colors, hence the title of the blog, but there were a few great pieces in there that have really added some great fit and style to Brian’s day to day wardrobe. Considering the items that Brian kept, I’d say he made out pretty well. He’s already got another Fix scheduled in hopes of getting some more great fitting pants.

Brian’s overall impressions: Statistically, 3/5 feels like a disappointing fix. The first two items were pretty strong misses in my book, but the jeans and blue shirt made up for it. I’ve been wearing these for a few weeks now and they seem to be solid additions to my wardrobe.

BREAKING NEWS: Haven’t tried Stitch Fix yet? Well, Stitch Fix is doing something amazing, from now until the end of January they are waiving the styling fee! That’s right, you can finally try Stitch Fix worry free because you won’t have to pay anything to give it a try. Traditionally, you have to pay $20 for each fix (a styling fee) but in spirit of the holidays, they are waiving the fee!

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Reviews, Style

Men’s Summer Wardrobe – Stitch Fix Review

August 13, 2017 No Comments

Disclosure: This post contains Stitch Fix Affiliate links, and I may receive compensation.

What’s Stitch Fix: An amazing fashion company that provides you with your own personal stylist who picks out pieces based on your style profile, requests, budget and your figure!

A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend received his second Fix from Stitch Fix, focusing on pieces for Summer. The Fix consisted of one pair of pants, three tops, and one pair of shorts. Let’s take a closer look and see what Brian had to say about the items his stylist chose.

#1 – Mavi Edward Slim Leg Pant
First up was a classic khaki colored slim legged pant from Edward. I highly recommend this type of cut for men who are tall and skinny. The slim leg is more attractive and flattering for long legs. Brian’s go to pants are cargos, so this was a bit of a style upgrade. While cargos are functional and I don’t really mind them, all the pockets have a tendency to bulk up a guy, which is why switching it up with a slim pant is always an easy way to dress up an outfit effortlessly.

Brian’s thoughts: I am afraid of white pants. When I saw the style card and saw a pair of white pants I thought to myself “well, this isn’t going to work out well”. Luckily, they turned out to be a very pleasant shade of grey (which Katie calls khaki – clearly unfamiliar with the intricacies of men’s pants). They fit well and, since they’re not actually white I’m not as worried about staining them. They’ll be a good addition to my pants lineup when the weather cools down.

We paired these Mavi pants with a Polo from this Fix below, for a cool casual Summer look. Check out item 2 for a fit pick.

Mavi Edward Slim Leg Pant – Stitch Fix for Men

#2 – Tailor Vintage Brett One Pocket Polo
You can’t go wrong with a good polo. Polos are a great staple for every guy’s wardrobe and can make you look more put together than just a t-shirt, plus it’s as easy to style and pair with other items. The light blue color of this polo is oh so dreamy and great for guys with blue eyes. Don’t mind the wrinkles in the photo, a little steaming of those bad boys and this shirt is ready to wear.

Brian’s thoughts: This polo was on the larger side for me, but with a washing or two I felt confident it would shrink down a bit. I wear polos a lot during the summer so this seemed like a smart addition to my closet.

Tailor Vintage Brett One Pocket Polo – Stitch Fix for Men

#3 – Hawker Rye Long Sleeve Button Down Shirt
I was a little surprised to see a long sleeved button down for a Summer Fix, considering how hot it is here in the New York/New Jersey area, but hey it’s always good to get a transition piece for seasons, and I’m sure this one will be a great new addition as the Summer comes to a close and Fall starts creeping in. This blue long sleeve is a nice bright color and looks great with khaki pants. We also paired this shirt with the Mavi pants to give a more dressy look. While the button down isn’t advertised as being a slim cut, it seems to be cut in a slim style, which is great for guys like Brian who are thin and long in the chest.

Brian’s thoughts: My knee-jerk reaction was that this shirt was not what I wanted with this fix. I was hoping for some summer clothes, and this shirt is more of a fall/winter/spring/anytime but summer shirt. That said, it’s a nice shirt. My last teal-like shirt expired a few years ago so I’ll hang this up and pull it out in a few months when the weather cools off since it fit well.

Hawker Rye Long Sleeve Button Down Shirt – Stitch Fix for Men

Hawker Rye Long Sleeve Button Down Shirt with Mavi Edward Slim Leg Pant

#4 – Howe Fade Away Button Down Shirt
For the guy who isn’t into shirts with prints or designs that are too bold, this Howe shirt is great since it uses faded coloring. This piece screams beach to me, which is perfect for a Summer vacation (which I have yet to take). The top also gives me a bit of a “hipster” vibe. It’s not so extreme that it’ll turn off regular guys who aren’t into dressing all fashionable or hip, which is great because it can work for a variety of men. You’ll see a fit pick in the next item review below.

Brian’s thoughts: This shirt has been sitting in my closet for a few weeks, I’m still not sure what I think of it. “Bowling shirt” keeps coming to mind whenever I see it. I’ve seen people out and about wearing shirts like this in clearly non-bowling settings, but I don’t think I’m quite there yet. Maybe I’ll get there some day, or I’ll join a bowling league.

#5 – 7 Diamonds Weekender Chino Short
As mentioned above, Brian’s a cargo pants kind of guy, and that goes for his shorts as well. I was excited to see his stylist provided something a bit more dressy and classic. The nicest part about these Chino Shorts is that they can be easily dressed up and make the wearer look more stylish just by how the short is cut and fitted. You could wear these out to dinner while off on your beach vacation and still look nice.

Brian’s thoughts: Who likes short-shorts? On men… well erm… not me. These shorts are shorter than I usually wear but they weren’t uncomfortably short, striking a few inches above the knee instead of the usual knee-length short I wear. I know shorter shorts exist, but these were a nice stepping stone to more fitted shorts than the cargo-variety I usually wear. They don’t provide the cargo assortment of pockets so I’ve noticed my keys can irritate my thighs if I don’t put them in just right; on the flip side I feel more fashionable than usual when I wear them. It feels like a good trade off during the hot summer days.

Hawker Rye Long Sleeve Button Down Shirt with 7 Diamonds Weekender Chino Short

Final Impressions: I felt the Fix was a pretty good success. I loved seeing Brian try some new pieces out of his comfort zone and see a bit more style come into his closet. Here’s hoping he joins me in requesting a Fall Fix so we can keep the fashion rolling.

Brian’s overall impressions: 3 / 5 items were suitable for summer which was exactly what I was looking for. The other 2 items were nice (I kept them), but will have to sit in my closet for a few weeks until it cools down. I was disappointed I didn’t get more summer clothes, a non-blue shirt or another pair of shorts would have been nice substitutes. Maybe if I request a summer fix a bit earlier in the season (like late spring) I’ll get a fuller selection of summer clothes.

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Reviews, Style

Stitch Fix Birthday Box

January 21, 2017 1 Comment

Stitch-Fix-Personal-Stylist-Box10 — Photo Courtesy of Stitch Fix

Disclosure: This post contains Stitch Fix Affiliate links, and I may receive compensation.

What’s Stitch Fix: An amazing fashion company that provides you with your own personal stylist who picks out pieces based on your style profile, requests, budget and your figure!

My next fix was scheduled to arrive the week of my 27th birthday so I asked my stylist to provide a surprise box of goodies to celebrate because who likes to know everything they’re getting for their birthday!

Surprise boxes from Stitch Fix can either be a hit or a miss but I wanted to have a little fun this month.

My surprise box contained a knit top, a boatneck top, a quilted vest, a pullover and a tunic. Let’s unwrap!

#1 – Papermoon Mauly Mixed Material Knit Top
Papermoon is one of my favorite Stitch Fix designers and I’ve always loved their pieces. Let’s be honest, this knit top is really a pull over sweatshirt. What I love about this Papermoon top is how cute and comfortable it is. It’s not your everyday sweatshirt thanks to the mixed materials used. The sleeves are so silky and smooth and when you slip your arms through them you’ll just want to wrap your arms around yourself. The only thing I would change about this top would be to make it a bit longer, as it cuts a little shorter on the torso than I tend to prefer, but it’s still a great piece for lounging around and running errands in.

IMG_20170116_142917 — Papermoon Mauly Mixed Material Knit Top

#2 – Market and Spruce Evella Boatneck Top
When my eyes spotted this top on Pinterest I had to pin it right away in hopes my stylist would notice, and lo and behold she did! This top is absolutely perfection from the neckline to the color combination. The best part is how it looks like you’ve layered two tops and put more effort into the look than you actually did. This is an absolutely effortless and classy style. The sleeves can be rolled down or up, but I recommend wearing them folded up so that you can get a beautiful pop of color to bring this look together. I have a feeling this is going to be my next go to top for work.

IMG_20170116_142524 — Market & Spruce Evella Boatneck Top

#3 – Market & Spruce Wilco Solid Quilted Vest
Occasionally I like to rock the preppy look and what’s more preppy than a quilted vest? What I love about this vest in particular is how lightweight it is. It hardly weighs anything but it’s got a bit of warmth to it, and would be perfect for layering under a jacket since there’s no bulk at all. The color is so cute and seems to go wonderfully with my first two pieces from this fix. Texture wise, I don’t think you could find a softer vest out there! It feels just like delectable whipped frosting (hey this is a birthday box after all). If you’re looking for a vest to wear into winter and into early spring, you need to request this one, you’ll fall in love!

#4 – Renee C Brockman Two Pocket Tunic
While I did request a surprise birthday box for this fix, I did ask for there to be a top or two that I could wear with leggings, but it had to be long enough in the front and the back. My stylist provide this Renee C Tunic, but it didn’t really have a tunic feel to it. The color is a very dark green that looks too black for my liking. Cut wise, the tunic felt very boxy and it looked like I was wearing a man’s dress shirt. Sadly, the color and fit just didn’t cut it and I decided to return this piece. I made sure to take a quick photo in the top to show you what it looked like on before I shipped it back so you can see just how masculine it appears.

#5 – Salt and Jekyll Gleana Stitch Detail Pullover
It’s winter so sweaters are always great to add to your wardrobe, and last winter I received a pretty sweet sweater from Stitch Fix so when my stylist’s note mentioned a winter white sweater was included I was excited to give it a try. The color was cute, and I don’t really have a winter white sweater in my collection, but the shape and design just didn’t stand out as something special. I feel I could buy this sweater off the rack somewhere and I tend to use Stitch Fix for the opposite of that. On top of the sweater not screaming “keep me” to me, it had a pulled thread right on the chest which is a disaster waiting to happen. Would I have kept it if it didn’t have a pulled thread? Maybe. However I already knew I was definitely going to return one piece and it made sense financially to send back two items so fate just had it out for this sweater.

Final Thoughts: Market & Spruce was on point this month. The two pieces I received from them were too cute for words and perfectly preppy. I loved how my box was randomly pinked out for my birthday box, just like my birthday cake 🙂 While it’s been awhile since I had to return items from a Fix, I’m happy with the choices I made and feel the items I returned were better off being returned or else they probably would have just sat in my closet unused.

Coming Next: Coming up I’ll be sharing my first ever Men’s Stitch Fix Review!! My boyfriend got his first Fix this month and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! Do check back in later this week 🙂

As always, suggestions for a better fix:

Be very specific. If there are certain pieces or types of clothing you really want, provide that in your styling note to your stylist.
Create a Pinterest Board. Stylists will check them out if you keep mentioning them in your style notes.
Call out designers or names of actual articles of clothing . Your stylist may not provide those exact items but they’ll start to get a better sense of what style you’re into.

Don’t forget to follow my Pinterest Boards for more Stitch Fix fun!

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