I love fashion and shopping. But shopping in person feels almost like a chore now that I’m settled into the adult world, working full time and spending all my free time on the couch. I have to be completely in the mood to shop in person, or the whole trip is a wash.
If I do strike up the mood to hunt for some bargains, one of three things inevitably happens:
– I can’t find any of the things I set out to buy
– I can’t find anything at all because everything that’s “in style” is super weird
– I do find things I like, but end up leaving them in the dressing room, because dressing rooms are where clothing dreams go to die
The third one is almost a given; who doesn’t have dressing room angst, between the weird lighting, extra mirrors, and always slightly stale air? Adding on to this nightmare is the fact that I’m tall, with a thin upper body and a curvy lower body. And, of course, no two stores make their sizes the same.
I recently hit a wall and was not feeling the clothes in my closet after weeding through it and donating things I don’t wear. So, when I stumbled upon the world of fashion subscription boxes, I was immediately interested (and not just because I’m obsessed with subscription boxes).
After some research, I settled on Trunk Club, because it seemed like the best fit for me.
Friends, it was life changing.
Here’s how it works
It’s super simple. I recommend you download their app, but you can also start with their website. First, you answer some questions about your style and how much you typically spend on different clothing items. You can also fill out any colors you dislike or body areas you want to conceal. Next, you put in your clothing sizes, height, weight and age. Then, you’re connected with a stylist who will work with you to build your first trunk.
You have the chance to review the items your stylist picks out for you and reject any that you know you don’t want. Your stylist will then replace those items before shipping the trunk to you. There is a $25 styling fee, which goes towards any purchase you make. You have five days to try everything on at home and decide what you want to keep. Shipping and returns are free, and there’s an option for UPS to pick up your unwanted items from your house. Seemed like a no-brainer to me.
Why I fell in love
My favorite part about the whole experience was how personalized it felt. Right after I finished filling out my profile, my stylist messaged me through their messaging feature and started pulling together my box. She asked me a few more in depth questions to figure out what style clothing I was looking for, how I felt about patterns and colors, what I do and wear to work and what style jeans I prefer. She also asked if there are any items I really wanted to see in my first box.
Then, she picked out eight items for me to take a look at. After the review, I selected two or three that weren’t my style. I left in one dress that I was pretty sure would be too short, but I decided to give it a try. After replacing the items I declined, she ended up sending me two blouses, two dresses, two cardigans, a pair of jeans, and a pair of shoes. The box shipped on a Tuesday and arrived by Wednesday, and I was very impressed with how quickly it showed up.
I felt like she really listened to what I was looking for and tried to find items that would meet my style. The biggest winner for me is that she asked what pricing I was comfortable with, and then completely stuck to that range.
Unboxing my trunk
After reading through the paperwork, I got to work trying everything on. First up: a black blouse I expected to love and keep. Unfortunately, it fit a bit more cropped than I prefer for a work top. Both dresses were too short and fit awkwardly, so I put those in the “send back” pile too. The shoes were too narrow, and at $99, were way more than I’ve ever paid for a pair of shoes. Obviously, those went back too. I was excited about the cardigans based on the photos, but ended up not keeping them. They were cute enough, I just didn’t think I’d wear them often enough.
The jeans, however, were a different story. I was extremely skeptical that a stylist could pick out a pair of jeans that would fit me, when I’ve tried in vain to find jeans at countless stores. Color me surprised, because they fit like a glove, and might be my new favorite jeans. They were an immediate yes.
Wit & Wisdom Super Smooth Stretch Denim Skinny Jeans/ $64, Nordstrom
I thought I’d send the last top back, because it wasn’t something I’d ever pick out for myself. After trying it on, I loved the fit, and it’s super soft. Even though I wouldn’t typically pay this much for a shirt like this, I decided to keep it.
Carlson © Print Crinkle Cotton Blend Top/ $45, Nordstrom
In total, I spent $109, and I don’t think that’s too much for a nice pair of jeans, a top, and a personal styling service that’s delivered to your door.
I highly recommend you give it a try if you want to spice up your wardrobe. I’m still blown away with how easy the process was, how thoughtful the recommendations were, and the quality of the clothes inside. I already can’t wait until next month to do the whole process again!