Stitch Fix Review: 4 Things To Know Before Signing Up

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Shopping for new clothes can be time-consuming, tedious and expensive. Fortunately, there are now online services, such as Stitch Fix, that aim to simplify the process. I recently signed up for Stitch Fix to try it out myself.

In this article, I’ll detail four things you should know before signing up for an online personal styling service as well as what to expect from Stitch Fix specifically.

This article was updated in January 2024 and I review it every six months.

What Is Stitch Fix?

Whether you’re looking to expand your wardrobe or save time shopping, Stitch Fix may be the solution. Stitch Fix is an online personal styling service that lets you try on specially selected clothes at home without having to commit to a subscription.

In 2020, Team Clark member Chelsea Glass tried out Stitch Fix to get an idea of how the process works. 

“First, let me start off by saying I don’t like to shop. Period. But if I have to, I usually go into the store, grab what I need and get out,” said Chelsea. “While I was practicing quarantine during the pandemic, I thought there was no better time to give one of the clothing delivery services a try. After a little research, I decided to go with Stitch Fix.”

More recently, I decided to try out Stitch Fix as well. My credit card had an offer for $8 off the $20 styling fee, and I’d been wanting to try it out anyway. In each section below, I’ll take a close look at the process from getting your first Stitch Fix order, what you’ll receive, how much the clothing items cost and more.

Table of Contents:

  1. How Does Stitch Fix Work?
  2. How Much Does Stitch Fix Cost?
  3. What’s Available at Stitch Fix?
  4. How To Cancel Stitch Fix

1. How Does Stitch Fix Work?

Stitch Fix is available online or as an app for iPhone and Android users. You can get started by visiting the website or downloading the mobile app.

When you sign up for Stitch Fix, stylists will analyze your responses to a style quiz and pick out clothing items in your size that they think you’ll like. You’ll receive the clothes in the mail, try them on and decide what to keep and what to send back. 

You can sign up for automatic recurring shipments or simply request a box whenever you like. In addition to a small styling fee, you’ll pay only for the clothes you choose to keep, and there are no shipping, return or exchange charges.

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When you place your first Stitch Fix order, here’s the process you can expect.

1. Take the Style Quiz

When you first visit Stitch Fix, you’ll be able to create an account, and then you’ll have the option to take a style quiz. You’ll be asked a few introductory questions including how you feel about shopping, how much time and effort you put into your look and how often you try out the latest styles.

Once you’ve answered these initial questions, you’ll be asked to create an account and continue filling out your style profile. 

Chelsea’s Experience: “Filling out the style profile was very easy and only took a few minutes! I selected my sizing for dresses, shirts, bottoms, shoes, etc. but also my proportions. I have broad shoulders and have trouble finding jackets and blouses that fit correctly, so being able to accurately describe my body type was a welcome perk!”

Filling out the style profile in the Stitch Fix app including proportions and fit preferences.
Screenshot from Stitch Fix

The style profile also lets you customize your fit preferences, choose places where you typically shop and describe your preferred style/typical usage of clothes.

Chelsea’s Experience: “I’m a practical person, so I really just need casual clothes that can withstand three small kids, which I was able to point out in my profile.”

Stitch Fix app showing the style profile category pricing range for tops, bottoms, dresses, outer layers, jewelry, shoes and accessories.
Screenshot from Stitch Fix

Lastly, you’ll be asked to set your price ranges for each category. You can choose how much you expect to spend on tops, bottoms, outer layers, shoes, etc., including an option indicating “the cheaper the better.”

Chelsea’s Experience: “I was pleasantly surprised when I got to the pricing category! I didn’t expect to be able to customize my price range.”

When I signed up for Stitch Fix recently, I found that I was also able to leave a note for my stylist about my upcoming fix. I was able to include the fact that I was about to take a trip to the beach, so my stylist included pieces that would work for that. You’re encouraged to share any upcoming events or occasions as well as specific needs for each upcoming fix.

2. Choose When To Get the “Fix”

Stitch Fix sends you a selection of clothing items when you request a “fix.” You’ll pay a $20 styling fee for each order, which covers your stylist’s expertise and time. If you buy anything from the shipment, Stitch Fix will credit that $20 toward your purchase. 

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You can sign up for automatic deliveries, but this is completely optional. You don’t have to commit to a subscription in order to use Stitch Fix. Instead, you can just log in to your account and indicate when you’re ready for a new shipment.

If you do want to sign up for automatic deliveries, you can choose to receive a men’s or women’s shipment every 2-3 weeks, every month, every other month or every three months. Kids’ shipments are available every month, every other month or every three months. 

For more information on automatic deliveries, check out the Stitch Fix FAQ page.

3. Get Your Fix and Try On the Clothes

Stitch Fix hasn’t always offered a Style Preview, but now you have the option to choose which five pieces you’ll receive. Here’s how it works: Your stylist will select around 20 pieces for your fix and then you’ll have the option to preview the choices. If you want to be completely surprised, you can ignore the email that lets you know your preview is ready. However, I really wanted to receive clothes I’d likely keep, so I chose to view my Style Preview each time.

Stitch Fix Style Preview
Screenshot from Stitch Fix

If you do choose to see your preview, you can check out the different pieces your stylist has selected and each piece’s price; you can immediately eliminate pieces you don’t like. If you find 1-5 pieces that you really like, you can choose to receive them in your upcoming fix. If you don’t choose five pieces, your stylist will choose new pieces to include in your fix. If you choose to skip the Style Preview altogether, your stylist will simply send five of their favorite picks for you.

Once you receive your fix, it’s time to try on the clothes your stylist has chosen for you. In the box, you’ll find clothing items in your indicated size and a pre-labeled USPS return bag. 

You’ll also find a set of instructions and a style card to show how to incorporate the clothing items into your wardrobe. 

Stitch Fix clothing including three shirts, a pair of jeans, a pair of shoes and a set of instructions.
Chelsea’s first fix

When Chelsea received her first box, it contained three shirts and a pair of jeans neatly folded and wrapped in tissue paper as well as a pair of shoes in a zipped mesh bag.

“I tried everything on and felt like the stylist did a pretty good job picking clothes I would like,” she said. “The fit was surprisingly accurate too!”

Dallas’ second fix

I was so pleased with the first fix I received that I ordered a second one. Above, you’ll see the contents of my second fix: two pairs of shorts and three shirts. Fortunately, these were all pieces that I’d selected during my Style Preview, so I was very happy with them.

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4. Send Back Unwanted Items

If you do need to return or exchange anything, you’ll have three days to try on the clothes and complete the return process. Fortunately, it’s very easy to do.

You can log in to your account online or in the app to check out.

Screenshot from Stitch Fix

You’ll be asked to rate each item in terms of the size, style, fit/cut, quality and price. Then, you can choose to exchange the item, keep it or return it. 

With my second fix, I received a pair of shorts that didn’t fit right. They were the size I’d requested for shorts, but I still needed a different size for the style. I was able to choose a new size, send the shorts back using the priority mail envelope included with my fix, and I received the correct size a few days later.

The last checkout step before you pay for the things you’re keeping is a review of your stylist’s picks. If you’re not happy with what they chose for you, you can ask for a new stylist.

Stitch Fix ratings
Screenshot from Stitch Fix

Then, when you’re ready, simply place the unwanted items in the pre-labeled USPS return bag and send them on their way. 

2. How Much Does Stitch Fix Cost?

With Stitch Fix, there is no required membership or subscription. You’ll pay a $20 styling fee for each “fix” that you order to cover your stylist’s time and expertise. If you choose to keep any of the items in your shipment, the $20 payment will go toward that total.

Again, other than the styling fee, you’ll pay only for the clothes you choose to keep. If you do keep everything in your fix, you’ll get a 25% “Keep Everything” discount, which makes a huge difference. Shipping and returns are always free.

As far as the actual clothes, prices will vary based on what your stylist has chosen for you. When Chelsea placed her order, here’s how much each piece she received would cost to keep:

Clothing ItemPrice
Market & Spruce Shirt$58
Market & Spruce Shirt$54
Pink Clover Shirt$54
Judy Blue Jeans$58
Keds Shoes$50

“I would say these items cost a bit more than what I would normally spend,” said Chelsea. “As price is usually the first thing I consider when it comes to buying clothes, I was curious to know if the clothes they sent were marked up or cheaper somewhere else.”

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Two of the shirts Chelsea got were from Market & Spruce, which is a label exclusive to Stitch Fix. The Pink Clover top and Judy Blue jeans were available only through online resale stores like Poshmark and ThredUp, but they were cheaper on those sites. The Keds shoes were $50 with Stitch Fix, but Chelsea found them for $44.99 with free shipping on Zappos.com

Keds shoes price comparison between Stitch Fix ($50) and Zappos.com ($44.99).
Screenshots from Stitch Fix and Zappos

I had the same experience with each of my fixes. The clothes were pricier than I’d normally spend, but with the keep everything discount, the quality of the clothes and the convenience of the whole process, I thought it was fair. Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for my second fix:

Stitch Fix pricing breakdown

For me, $74 for one pair of shorts is pretty expensive. However, with the 25% discount to keep everything, the $20 styling fee already paid, and a $10 credit that Stitch Fix mailed me after my first fix, the remaining total for five pieces came out to $154.50. That works out to $30 per piece.

Ultimately, the clothing prices seem to be similar to competitors’ but most likely won’t be the absolute best deal. It’s up to you to determine if the convenience of an online stylist is worth the possible difference in price.

3. What’s Available at Stitch Fix?

Stitch Fix’s customized selections are available in women’s, men’s and children’s sizes/styles. Your box may include a mix of tops, bottoms, dresses, outer layers, jewelry, shoes and/or accessories. 

The company currently carries the following sizes

  • Women’s: 0-24W and XS-3X
  • Men’s: XS-3XL
  • Kids: 2T-14

When it comes to brands, there’s no shortage of variety at Stitch Fix. You’ll find a constantly rotating selection of more than 1,000 popular brands and exclusive labels.

You can learn more about Stitch Fix’s clothing on the company’s website.

4. How To Cancel Stitch Fix

You can cancel an automatically-renewing Stitch Fix subscription at any time by logging into your account. You can also cancel a single delivery online. You’ll have to log in for either option. Note that, once you’ve been charged the styling fee for a shipment, you’ll need to contact Stitch Fix for cancellation options.

If you’re signed up for automatic fixes, you can change how often you receive a shipment or switch to on-demand scheduling. If you haven’t signed up for recurring shipments, there’s no cancellation necessary! Simply log in and indicate that you’re ready for a “fix” when you’d like your next shipment.

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For more information on canceling, visit Stitch Fix’s FAQ section.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Stitch Fix may be a service to try if you’re looking to expand your wardrobe, try new styles or reduce time spent shopping. However, you may be disappointed if you’re looking for the lowest possible prices on clothes.

Since there are no membership, shipping or return fees, the $20 styling fee seems like a small price to pay in order to try out the service. It’s especially worth it if you choose to keep something your stylist sends!

When I asked Chelsea about her experience, she said she was pretty happy with the whole process and even kept the shoes. After receiving two fixes myself, I ended up keeping everything and reducing my fix frequency to every three months. I hardly ever shop for myself, so this was a great way for me to introduce new pieces into my wardrobe without having to shop for them myself. Plus, with the 25% “keep everything” discount, the total for each piece was around $30 on average.

While this certainly isn’t the cheapest deal on clothes, it seemed fair to me for the quality and convenience. Plus, it was honestly fun to see what my stylist would pick out!

To get started, visit Stitch Fix online or download the app and create an account to fill out your styling profile. If you decide that you like the service once you try it, you can choose to receive “fixes” on demand or sign up for automatic shipments. 

Have you tried a styling service in the past? Tell us about your experience in the Clark.com Community!

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