I am in month six of IF (Intermittent Fasting) and as a treat, I decided to put some of the subscriptions I’ve been paying for to use and dress myself from head to toe for my holiday Zoom parties!  Given my recent luck with Stitch Fix, I figured I didn’t have much to lose.  Well, Ladies you are my tribe, so I will not lie to you, so I am going to tell you the real about my personal experience both the good and bad.

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Because every good outfit begins with a great foundation, the first stop on my journey had to be my shoes.  I reset my long-forgotten password and signed into my JustFab account, because if you can get a foundation on a budget, all the better. JustFab offers an ever-changing inventory thanks to trends and celebrity sponsors. With an introductory offer of $49 for their VIP access and $10 shoes, it’s hard not to fill your cart with tons of JF pink boxes.  I bagged a few pairs for holiday Zoom parties and when my doorbell rang, I was in shoe heaven.  The shoes met my expectation for the price; trendy and sturdy enough, but I don’t expect them all to make it through another season.  It’s like IKEA, but for shoes. Most items are good enough for now but look elsewhere if you want longevity.

Shoes done I turned to Rocksbox for some bling. I was really excited about this box, as I hate shopping for trendy jewelry. Too many options.  Rocksbox took on the heavy lifting and delivered a box in trend and on par with my style choices.  I played my way through the box, but most of the baubles didn’t justify their price point. I opted to keep a classic pair and send the rest back. They will find a home with someone who loves them.

For my face, hair and nails I turned to Birchbox.  A monthly subscription offering makeup and grooming options curated for you based on your enrollment quiz. It’s a great way to be introduced to new products without a large initial investment. The only drawback is that most, if not all, items are trial size, so if you love the item you will need to purchase a full size from Birchbox or an alternate provider.  I found a few items that made it into my travel bag, but unfortunately nothing wowed me enough to keep the membership. But if YOU love the options, keep them!

With my hair done, nails done, everything did – I needed an outfit, so I turned to Amazon hoping to avoid the in-store holiday mania and USPS shipping delays.  Amazon has long been my go-to for options I’ve found on social media via #founditonamazon so I’ve seen the option to Try On-at-Home before while casually shopping, but I never tried it. This time I decided to give Amazon Prime Wardrobe a chance so I enrolled for a 30-day trial, selected a few options (you get 8) and I waited…and waited.  Nothing came.

What I didn’t know is, unlike the many Amazon items that arrive via courier, Amazon Prime Wardrobe is mostly shipped via USPS.  The holiday timelines were going to play a part despite my best efforts.  I spent over a week watching my box be routed and re-routed through neighboring states while my “try-on” week whittled away.  When my box finally arrived, I was scheduled to leave town, so I just returned the box unopened.  The shipping had taken up my time to review and I didn’t want to pay for clothes I hadn’t seen or used.  The return process was also via USPS and weeks later I received an email from Amazon asking if I’d returned the box. It was lost in transit. Luckily, I was able to remedy the issue because I had my tracking information.  Keep in mind if you decide to give this a try, be sure to keep you receipts. For now, I think I will stick with Stitch Fix for my major clothing items and add some Amazon picks in on occasion.

All in all, I find that these subscription companies have something to offer. Depending on your needs as a customer you might find them to be permanent additions or temporary fixes.  I hope to give one or two a second chance in this new year, perhaps without the pressure of holiday timelines. Until then, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

Happy shopping!

xoxo, Marissa