Subscription boxes

In My Humble Opinion
21

Okay, I am a few months in to this experiment, and here are my findings.

Golden Tote: First month I got the big box. The items I picked were a kind of wacky floral blazer (seemed like a good idea at the time) and an striped cardigan. Both of these items were okay, but could be higher quality. As extras, I got a blue blouse with a cool open back (very wearable), a black blouse with a big embroidered placket at the front that may be a bit too hippy for me, a pair of yoga pants that are too long, and a grey dropped waist dress that isn’t a great fit. I was excited to get SO MANY new clothes that I did it again, but I’m noticing the items aren’t getting much rotation.

My second tote, I picked a lacy cream top that looked like a good work shirt, but is a bit boxy, and a boho maxi dress that is okay, but not a great fit. As extras I got a weird boxy tee shirt (it’s cute in some ways, but tough to wear), a really neat tunic-thing that I like a lot, A striped dress with an open back that I love, and a lace bralette that I’ve put to decent use. Over, it’s okay. I like some of the items, but the quality and fit is a crap shoot.

Stitch Fix: I asked for youthful, colorful, trendy, but work-appropriate. I got a casual dress with a cute tulip skirt (kept), a black and white striped top that had a neat pattern, but didn’t fit well, a green ad grey striped top that was cute, but wasn’t really worth the money, a black open cardigan that looked like a graduation gown on me, and a complete wildcard- a pair of stretch pants with leather stripes that cost $200 (!) They looked HOT, but not for that cash, and where the heck would I wear them? I only kept the dress, and gave a ton of feedback.

My next fix was spot on. I got a youthful black blazer, a black top with a blocky beige tulip print (sounds boring, but hits the right note between professional and fun), a striped pencil skirt, and a hot pink striped work shirt that seemed terrible, but actually looked nice. Finally, I got a teal purse (I had requested a spring purse). This whole thing is a keeper!

I think Stitch Fix is going to be a better option to continue with than Golden Tote. It’s more expensive, but I love that I can get staples as well, and the fit has generally been great.

22

Okay, here is the dirt on some other totes.

Wantables Intimates and Spendies both continue to slowly update my underwear drawer. My husband, who is understandably cool on the boxes, has warmed up to the wantables box. It does feel nice to wear cute camisoles and new undies, rather than ratty cast off tee shirts and holey underpants. I probably won’t keep these subscriptions up forever, but for now they are slowly upgrading some gnarly old stuff.

I did one month of Hautelegs, liked what I got, and never heard from them again. With summer coming, I’m not going to worry about it.

Citrus Lane sent one baby box, and it was a hit. I got a little wooden board book that baby loves, some kind of baffling black and white “art cards” that seemed useless, but that baby adores, some exotic baby food (butternut squash with coconut rice?) and a pretty useless mini first aid kit. Overall, a decent value.

My Bijoux Box has been sending me big flashy costume jewelry, and it makes me so happy! I’m up to my ears in “statement necklaces,” and it’s been fun. Everyone in this box gets the same thing, so look it up to get a better idea of their items.

Whew! I may not be able to keep all these up financially, but it’s been a good injection of new stuff in to my post-baby (i.e. a couple sizes larger) wardrobe!

23

My Stitch Fix shipped today, and I’m going to track the hell out of the shipping. So excited!

24

Thanks for the review on Golden Tote, even sven. I’ve been eying them, but I really don’t need another subscription box, and yours seems to be the same lukewarm review that others give them.

Ooooh! Let us know how it goes!

25

OK, so, my first Stitch Fix arrived yesterday. Pair of jeans, 3 long-sleeved shirts, and a pair of earrings. I work from home, so seems reasonable, although I expected something more spring-like, maybe. Will probably keep the jeans and one shirt. I almost like the earrings. Two of the shirts are AWFUL.

Bloomington Pave Ball Earrings $38.00 - I swear Groupon just had these for $12 or something.

Evo Multi-Stripe Knit Henley Top $48.00 - can’t find a picture. Cute, stripey, different than what I normally wear. Might keep. Expensive for what it is, though.

Claudia Banded Dolman Sleeve Top in purple $58.00. Banded? Dolman? YUCK.

Lombard Tile Print Mix Material Blouse $88.00 that one, pictured. It’s so awful. The photo doesn’t even show how awful. The material in the sleeves is much thicker than the body. Why would anyone want that?

Melanie Straight Leg Jean $88.00 - nice, will probably keep. Pretty standard jeans.

So, not a great box. Really wanted a dress. I thought I mentioned that.

In other news, Living Social has a $5 off code good today only (TAXDAY5) so I went for the 3-month Conscious Box. Paid $23, regular price $56. Man, I think I’m addicted.

26

Me too. My husband keeps looking at me like :confused: when I get YET ANOTHER subscription box in the mail. I tell him it’s his fault because he’s had such great reactions to the clothes that Stitch Fix sends.

I do think Stitch Fix is a little expensive if you’re just looking at the cost of the clothes unless you keep everything and get the 25% discount. I’m looking at it as a whole service, and in that sense, I think it’s well worth the price; the clothes they send me are definitely not what I’d pick off the rack for myself but I’ve really liked them once I try them on. I’m very much in need of a wardrobe update so I’m going to keep getting a box every couple months until I’m sick of it.

I tried out Wantables Intimates after even sven mentioned them. They sent me an aqua cami, a pair of nifty argyle socks, a pinkish cami-style nightshirt thing, and a pair of really weird old-lady looking undies. I like everything but the undies, and those aren’t really THAT big of a deal since they fit and you can always use another pair of undies, so I kept it. I’ll probably keep getting this box as well, since socks & undies & camis are always nifty.

27

I’ve been watching this thread with interest - I get Birchbox and mostly love it.

Athena I believe I got pretty much the same box as you this month, so either we have the same things selected or its not that personalized. I know I got the pumpkin seed bar, the fragrance, the eyeliner, and the body wash.

I’ve only tried the fragrance and the eyeliner so far, both of which I love. I have been on the hunt for a great dark purple eyeliner for months and what they sent is perfectly, exactly meeting that need.

This is my 4th box I think - got the subscription as a Christmas gift so I think so. So far I mostly love it except it bugs the shit out of me how much useless box filler I end up recycling. Last month they included shampoo that I love and the month before that mascara and moisturizer that I also love.

I’m on the Ipsy waiting list, and hope I start getting boxes soon. A friend is trying to convince me on Stitchfix so hearing the reviews here is great.

28

Ok, I’ve received two of my 3 Conscious Boxes. CRAP. Do not order! I paid less than $8 a box, and it’s a total rip-off. Sample sized stuff, with a granola bar on top. Wouldn’t be worth $3.

Got sucked back into Graze with a half off offer. What the hell, sez I.

Im going to sign up for Wantables this weekend.

29

I got my second Wantables and Birchbox last week.

Birchbox was OK - some shampoo and conditioner samples (smell nice, but nothing special), gummi vitamins, a lip balm that’s sorta light pink on your lips, and some kind of foundation/sunscreen thing. I liked the first box better, but this was ok, and for $10 it’s kinda fun.

Wantables was better. I find I really like this box. A set of ten mis-matched low socks from K. Bell (fun!), another pair of normal socks (grey, with birds on 'em), a black cami that my husband really likes, a honeydew green sleeveless tank, and beige lace shoe liners. Well worth the $36. Definitely keeping it up.

Thanks for the head’s up on the Conscious boxes!

30

Bumping this to agree. I got the “Plus” size box (the larger one, vs. the smaller “Taster”) in the Vegan style, and was not impressed. Mine had:

  • a 500 ml (16.9 oz) bottle of aloe vera drink (ugh)
  • a 3 oz squeeze applesauce pouch
  • a 1.7 oz nuts-n-seeds bar
  • a single Keurig-style coffee pod
  • two Ecover dishwasher pods
  • a vegan hot chocolate pouch
  • a biodegradable lens wipe
  • a biodegradable small plastic shopping/garbage-style bag
  • one dose of vegan calcium supplement
  • one dose of liquid iron supplement
  • one sample packet each (small travel size) of shampoo and conditioner
  • a sample of sprouted ground flaxseed, maybe a tablespoon or so
31

I am an Ipsy subscriber. It’s fun to get a little surprise each month. And $10 is cheap enough, I don’t feel guilty about it.

32

I do graze and Treatsie. I lurve them both.