Stitch Fix #4 - December 2015

Stitch Fix #4 - December 2015

Before I begin, remember Stitch fix requires a $20 styling fee that will be deducted from any purchases and a 25% discount if you buy all five items.  Anything you do not wish to keep, you send back in a prepaid shipping bag.  So far I am 1 in 4 for purchasing all 5 items. If you are inspired by my blog or if I help you in any way, please use my stitch fix referral code when you sign up! Thanks! :)

What I requested:  For this fix, I again requested jeans.  I really wanted to see if they would learn from my feedback on the too small jeans from fix #3.  I also requested a jean jacket. I've always wanted one and love how denim jackets can be paired with a variety of outfits.  I must say that my stylist delivered!

My Stylist for this fix:
This time around, my stylist was Brian.  I am all for a male stylist.  Brian really did an awesome job with 4 out of the 5 items.  I will discuss why I think one was a dud in a bit.  His note gave me great advice on how to pair the items he sent.  He also mentioned my Stitch Fix blog.  I am not sure if he has found this site or was referring to something else. I am rather new to social media and blogging, so I have very few followers right now.

The box - Stitch Fix #4 - I love the thrill of getting the box! Opening it is very exciting and I can't wait to see the colors and fabrics chosen.  I must say, I am one to begin searching for the items in my box online as soon as the box ships.  I usually can find reviews on 2-3 items each time.  I really enjoy getting pieces that not many others out there have, or at least have reviewed.

When I opened and began unpacking the box, I loved the colors. They are colors I would choose and are perfect for Christmas. As requested my items included a pair of jeans and a denim jacket.


Now for the review!



Skies are Blue Davies Crew Neck Blouse Size L ($48)

The pattern of this blouse is really different than anything I own.  I like the holiday feel to it, but I can see myself wearing it through fall and winter.  It is looks better paired with a cardigan.  In general, I really wish I had more items on the style cards. My card showed it paired with a grey pencil skirt and mustard cardigan (both of which I do not own). However, the other pairing was with dark jeans and a brown cardigan! Finally something on a style card that I actually own.  Although in my style profile, I did say to stray away from polyester tabbed sleeve shirts, this is different enough that I seriously gave it a shot.  The shirt is very comfortable and has a good loose fit.  It is not long enough for me to wear with my tighter Emer trousers, but it goes well with black or grey bottoms and jeans.  I like this shirt with a cardigan.  It is fun addition to my winter attire.  Status: Kept!

Just USA Anjuli Dark Wash Denim Jacket Size L ($58)

In the note from my stylist Brian said

"You asked for a denim jacket and you have received.  Try this jacket with a nice black pant and pair it with a light blouse.  I wouldn't wear them with these jeans because they are so close in color that they aren't really good to pair together."  

Boy did he deliver!  I love this jacket. It fits great, the arm length is perfect, and I love the look.  I think it looks good with my dress (from fix #3) but will be looking to wear it with lighter blouses too.  The only thing I realized is that it is winter, so how do I wear it out?  Not really a concern as this will be a staple in my wardrobe for years to come. Status: Kept instantly!

Look by M Alpine Plaid Wrap Scarf ($44)

The moment I saw the color and pattern I was in love. The texture is so soft and warm too.  It is a perfect long scarf for the winter, once winter arrives. (It has been record warm lately.)  I do feel it is a bit bulky to wear in the suggested way (top left picture), but scarves can be worn in so many ways. I'm sure I could find a blanket scarf at BJ's (I've seen some there) among many other actual clothing stores for much less.  However, I have yet to see a pattern like this and the texture is unbelievably soft.  This also reminds me of why I love Stitch Fix - I do not have to go shopping.  I love this scarf and can't wait to use it!  Verdict: Kept

Just Black Shaylee Straight Leg Jean Size 12 ($78)

The moment I had been waiting for, the jeans!  I requested to try a pair of jeans again, since last time they were much too small.  I also know that it can take many fixes until they stylists understand what fits well and what does not.  It must be difficult to dress someone they cannot not see. Although, you can upload a profile picture through their Apple Iphone App. Holding up the jeans, I could see that they are larger than the pair from fix #3.  This made me hopeful.  I of course then tried the jeans on. Honestly, they looked pretty good.  However, the waist for me was too tight. I just couldn't get 100% comfortable. What I loved about this pair was the color and texture.  The length is a little long, but I don't mind jeans that need a roll once in awhile.  These jeans are also an example of how Stitch Fix sends me clothes that if I saw at a store I would never think to try on.  I usually stray away from slim fitting straight or skinny jeans.  I was at clothing store over that weekend, and I randomly saw some jeans that looked very similar to these.  I tried them on, and they fit perfect!  I ended up purchasing those for $20 (pictured above with the Skies are Blue Davies Blouse).  Regardless, returning this pair was a hard decision. My husband even told me it would be ok to keep all five items this time.  The discount basically gives you the fifth item free.  Verdict: I sent the Just Black jeans back and weeks later, I have no regrets.

Dee Elle Nadie Pullover Sweater Size L ($68)

This sweater can be seen in the images above with the jeans.  What I liked about this sweater was the color.  It is very similar in color and the same material, acrylic, as a sweater I kept from my last fix.  Knowing that, I was disappointed. As much as I would love more cranberry or deep red sweaters, I was hoping Stitch Fix would mix up my wardrobe more.  Maybe I need to revisit my style profile?  The fit of the sweater was perfect and it would be warm for the winter weather.  The feature that solidified this sweaters return was the fish net type crochet at the neckline and over the shoulders. I would be self conscious wearing this too work at a high school and I did not have any camisoles that seemed to work under it.  The theme of this fix was holiday attire, so for a party, this might be good. I am just not a person to buy an item for one or two occasions. Since I knew I was returning the jeans, this was an easy decision.  Returned.  

When will my next fix be?  

I decided to lengthen the time between this fix and the next for several reasons.  I was feeling ill for three weeks through the holidays and unable to exercise and eat healthy.  I would like to give myself some time to recover and want to receive my fixes when I am feeling good about myself.  Until then, I have many new great winter pieces to enjoy!  Thanks for reading! Please use my stitch fix referral code when you sign up! Thanks!

Are you interested in my other fixes?
September 2015 - Fix #1
October 2015 - Fix #2
November 2015 - Fix #3

Our Kindness Elves - Day 2

Our Kindness Elves Day 2

I was prepared for Day 2 for awhile.  I knew that the elves were going to bring the Advent chocolate Calendar from Trader Joe's.  We previously purchased one for each child a couple weeks ago.  I should also say that not everyone's elves have to be out the entire month of December. Some elves come around for 12 days of kindness before, or some other variation.

I decided to relocate the elves to the top of our Poinsettia on the buffet cabinet located in our kitchen.  A high traffic area, where the kids (and us) tend to through our junk, papers, etc... is a fine place for the elves to make their debut.  I included the calendars, the note from Day 1, and a photo showing where they were on Day 1.  I typed a short note and taped it to the back of the Day 1 photo.  I am not going to include an exact replica of each notes, as I want some of what we do to be special only to our children.  But here is recap:

The note mentioned how they were not seen and mentioned some good things they say the kids to yesterday.  They also reminded the kids to pick out names for them.

This day was almost awkward for us.  Our kids were not sure what to do.  Never before have we done something like this.  Part of me feels bad for the white lies, but we might as well have fun while the kids are young and reinforce good behavior, right?   My kids were so unsure that it took all day to name them.  I finally looked up a list of elf names and read some off to help the decision.  Although our kids are young, we let them name them.  Needless to say, the name of one elf is very funny and makes little sense to anyone but our family.

Throughout the day, the kids did not mention the elves much.  I was yet again wondering if I made a mistake and the Kindness Elves were a lost cause for my kids this year.

To be continued...


This blog is an independent account of our Kindness Elves only.  This is not an endorsed site for any other websites mentioned. 

Our Kindness Elves - How we got started

Our Kindness Elves 

We bought our elves from etsy.com (link directly to them).  They have others, but these looked so adorable and fit our budget, only $12!  I found the idea of the Kindness Elf when searching for nice Elf on the shelf idea.  We do own an Elf on the Shelf, but have never really done anything with it.  My husband and I discussed that we wanted to reinforce the good our children do and reinforce kind acts rather than having a naughty elf in our house.  Our kids are toddlers, so I know going into this that they may not even understand much this year.  I am not against Elf on the Shelf for everyone. In fact, I have friends whose elf does wonderfully nice things too.  For us, we wanted something different. 

There are other blogs and websites devoted to Kindness Elves.  A quick search and you'll find them.  However, there is not as much out there as there is for the Elf on the Shelf.  My conviction for Kindness Elves was further solidified today when I was at a local store and there was the adoption center and merchandise galore for the Elf on the Shelf.  I didn't want my kids going to a store and seeing their elves.  

I wanted to take pictures of our elves every day, but with the daily business of life, I forgot a day a here and there.  Also note that our elves do not do something special every day.  Some nights they just move around the house to a new location for the kids to find in the morning.  This brings me to how it works.  The elves of course can only move around at night when everyone is sleeping.  They report back to Santa each night and tell him about all the good the kids do each day, no matter how small that kindness or positive behavior may be.  Sometimes the elves do small fun things like decorate, leave a nice note, or ask the kids to spread kindness in a specific way.  As my kids grow, the kindness acts will get easier to carry-out.   The elves can come with names, or have your children name them.  Regardless, on the first morning, the elves should come with a note (see below).  

Day 1:  The Reveal (or so I hoped...)

I was so excited for the reveal of the Elves.  We chose the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Mostly because we were really busy over the weekend and our elves arrived that Friday.  We had just decorated our tree and hung up our new Mickey Mouse shaped wreath.  (We are a Disney family).  I thought that kids would notice the elves right away since they bugged me all weekend to hang up the wreath.  Well, I was wrong!  I checked in with my husband all day, "did the kids find the elves?"  I am a teacher and my husband works from home and cares for our kids. I came home and proceeded to keep quiet about their reveal. I had piece of paper hanging off the wreath and it was lit all day! Granted the kids had no idea that they elves were even going to become a daily part of their routine now.  Long story short, the kids never noticed the elves!  After they went to bed, I took a picture of the elves and decided to print it and include it with a note on our kindness elf day 2.  Needless to say, I was moving around 2 elves without names and unsure of where to put them so the kids would notice!  I did feel a tad bit defeated, but Day 2 seemed promising.

Day 1 Letter from the Elves 

I use A780-Deco Font since it is fun and whimsical.  I borrowed much of the wording from other Kindness Elve websites with notes from the elves ideas.

"Hello insert children's name(s)!

Merry Christmas!  Santa sent us from the North Pole to be your family elves.  We are not your regular elves for children who need help being good.  We are special KINDNESS ELVES because Santa knows you are always trying to be good. We are here to help spread Christmas cheer and love...  and we know  you both can help us.

Each night when you sleep we will try to think you ways we all can be kind.  Sometimes we'll be silly and sometimes sweet.   You'll have to find us each morning (because we freeze when daytime comes).  Please do not touch us or pick us up.  If you do, we'll lose our Christmas magic and get lost and confused. 

To spread Kindness today, please give us each a name.  After you name use, please have your Mom or Dad write our names here:

Boy Elf:______________________

Girl Elf:_____________________ 

We can't wait to report to Santa all the good you have done this Christmas Season!  Thanks for your kindness! 

Love, The Kindness Elves from the North Pole"

To continue reading see "Our Kindness Elves Day 2" blog.

This blog is an independent account of our Kindness Elves only.  This is not an endorsed site for any other websites mentioned.