Review: Stitch Fix

Twelve years of rocking the Catholic school uniform and this grown-up girl is taking back her wardrobe. Every Sunday I glance at the 5-day forecast and pick out my outfits for the workweek. It's a task I enjoy; it feels creative and curatorial. I have a penchant for putting unlikely pieces together in my outfit selections. Y'all know how I love my gig styling for Keaton Row. (Click the button on the right sidebar if you want a custom styled lookbook just for you, beauty!). Sometimes a gal wants someone to style her, though. Sometimes she wants to be Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" after the Rodeo Retail Snobbers make a Big Mistake. Huge.

Enter: Stitch Fix. On the remote chance you're not already familiar, here's my review of the process. My blog idol Jami Nato pointed me to this service a few months ago. I filled out the very thorough survey which makes a gal think about all the decisions and non-decisions she makes re: purchasing clothes.

Once you fill out the survey/profile thing, you input your credit card info. The service itself costs $20, but you can put that styling fee toward the purchase of the curated clothes sent your way, at a time that you designate. Brilliant, eh?

I scheduled a fix for my birthday week because, oh hai birthday cake. Maybe if I buy some new clothes I won't eat you all. The box arrived promptly and I was so excited because how often does a box arrive that we picked out for ourselves but that is full of surprise? Oh, the 12th of never, right?

The box's contents included the following:

Separate #1: white shirtdress $28 - although not petite, it is 100% cotton which is my preference. Separate #2: Red skinny pants $68 - not petite but I would wear these with boots anyways. Verdict: KEEPING 'EM.

Separate #3: Heart sweater - $68. The fact that this struck me as something I would have begged my mom to buy me in 1986 so I could wear it to a birthday party at the rollerskating rink made me decide, probably not. When I put this sweater on, it was snug in all the wrong places. Verdict: Sending it back.

Separate #4: Flowy skirt $68- this skirt is dry clean only which is not my preference but the fit was excellent and the piece is unique.

Verdict: Keeping it.

Item #5: My fix also contained these sweet earrings - $28. I have no need for earrings (and you can specify your needs on your survey) but I am always on the lookout for unique gifts for the lady relatives in my life. Verdict: Sending 'em back.

Clients of Stitch Fix get 3 days to try on and decide on what to keep, what to send back with no penalty. After 3 days, I believe anything you keep, you buy. All in all, I think this is a huge merit of the service. I always feel bad that I'm cutting into someone's commission when I buy something to take home and try on at regular retail establishments. Or I hem and haw for too long about the price. Stitch Fix forces you to try and decide swiftly, which is good for a deliberative gal like self.

Shipping of all items is free, which is a win-win. Actually, it's probably more of a win for the client.

And to our right is the original Stitch Fixer, Baby Girl, the fashion maven herself. Even if she is on track to have 7 years of bad luck.

What to do with all those leftover calendars

I have a heaping helping of paper lust and an equal helping of garbage guilt and therefore this craft is for me. I love paper. I hate waste. So when the end of the year comes and I have to recycle ye olde calendar of yore, I feel a little bit tentative. These beautiful calendars that some photographer/artist labored over, probably losing sleep as to which pug puppy was going to be Miss September or was the poodle looking more October? They are so beautiful. A multi-page masterpiece even. I visited a cute local boutique that is probably as dedicated to paper lust as am I, and lookit! Look what they did to absolve their garbage guilt! Is this garland made entirely of upcycled Lilly Pulitzer calendars not lovely and clever? I am absolutely going to copy this idea. Too bad I have to wait four-ish more months to do so. Haha. And I kid....

I got all of a twitter about this garland that I started snapping pictures from every angle, and the lady clerks who were attending to the temple of paper were totes cool about it, mercifully so.

[showmyads]

Which is why I'm going to give them a shout out. Southern Niceties, a darling cottage boutique in the Riverview 'hood of Chattanooga, did not in any way subsidize this blog post, but everyone should visit this shop owned by Victoria Adams Bordelon and ogle her pretty wares and probably buy something like the macaron and hot air balloon papers I scored. Hot diggety!

Be well today, darlings. And you should probably send a handwritten letter to your grandmother. You know, just because.

GIVEAWAY: Easy Canvas Print!

We are blessed to have a very lovely mantle in our living room that I like to decorate through the seasons. I finally got the mantle assembled for summer but I felt it was missing something... ...something that represented our family as it is today.

Goodness of goodie gumballs, I became connected to Easy Canvas Prints through my friend Meg over at The Caffeinated Critic, who offered a free 11x14 canvas print in exchange for this review.

Fast forward to last week when I received the print, I promptly placed it on the mantle and decided it was exactly the element that the mantle menagerie needed. A cheerful gleam of our family as we are in this season of life.

As for Easy Canvas Prints, here is what I found: The website: - The site is very user-friendly, with bright, easy navigation. - The prices seem reasonable, based on what I see user-generated print services charge, e.g. Shutterfly, etc. - The extras, e.g. borders and so forth are not sneakily added. You definitely know up front what you are paying for and why.

The shipping: - Shipping was swift. I got my print within 2 days of ordering it. - The canvas arrived by UPS, covered in plastic and sandwiched between cardboard. It was perfectly in tact. If you live in an apartment building, I would be sure to request UPS signature confirmation because the canvas could easily be stepped on if your building is high traffic.

The print: - The print came with a hook on the back if I want to hang on the wall--lovely touch. - The canvas fabric itself feels heavy-duty to me. - The colors are a little more muted than a photograph printed on paper might be. My best advice would be to pick a very vibrant, color rich picture for printing on these canvases.

The company: - Easy Canvas Prints has been fabulous to work with: friendly, efficient, and offering step-by-step instructions. - Let me know if you are a blogger and you'd like to participate in a similar contest!

The offer:

To enter for a FREE 8x10" canvas, click here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will announce the winner next week!

Thanks, Easy Canvas Prints!