Who Does Stitch Fix Think I Am?

I received my first Stitch Fix in mid-March and up until I received Stitch Fix #6 last month and #7 this week, I was pretty happy with what I was receiving in my Fixes. But these last two months have me wondering exactly who Stitch Fix thinks I am.

Fix #6

I don't even have the energy to label what everything was so here are just the pictures from #6.

I would never carry this. Going back.

The stylist wrote she thought I would like these jeans since I said I wanted tight pants. No, I never said that. I like pants to fit. I said I wanted CROPPED pants, not tight ones. Going back.

Love the pattern and color of this dress.

Absolutely hate the gather at the waist.

Also, the "waist" is two-plus inches ABOVE my real waist. Going back.

Loved the color, not a fan of the sleeves and the neckline was crazy.
I had no idea what to do with it to make it look okay. Going back.

Cute chevron pattern, love the color. KEEPER. My only one of Fix #6.

Fix #7

With my first less-than-stellar Fix behind me, I had high hopes for #7. Again, I'm not even going to list all the names and prices out, just give you the pictures.

Let's start just by looking at the color palette in this box. Could it BE more drab? Am I going to prison? Ugh.

Love the color of this shirt and that was about it. Material was too...flimsy. 

I like clothes that are more structured, where collars can stand up without having to be propped up. BUT SEE THESE PANTS STITCH FIX? I WANT THEM IN ALL COLORS! (Margaret Emer cropped pants from an early successful Fix.)

It also pulled weirdly around the chest area and I am not remotely stacked!

Loved the color and some of the detailing on this shirt, which won't show up in the picture, but this was too...large. Two of me could have fit in here.

Too large.

I have a huge handful of fabric gathered behind my back. If the shirt fit more like this, I might've kept it.

Could this top make me look any wider?

Drab color, fits like an army tent. Just, no.

This is my "What the hell Stitch Fix?!" face. Am I a jailbird?
Who would look good in this? Answer: definitely not me.

And once again, the top finger is pointing at where Stitch Fix thinks my waist is, while the lower finger is pointing at where my waist really is.

Here's the face again. Seriously, who do they think I am? They have a link to my blog and my Pinterest board. Quick glances at those would not show anything like this outfit!

The pants were comfortable and fit well, but I wasn't a fan of the drab color, they were the kind of fabric which will never look ironed, and the legs were a few inches too long. Even with heels on, the pants would drag on the ground!

So, for the first time, I did not keep one single item from my Fix. I'm disappointed. I feel like the first few stylists I had found items that were cute and that I loved, but these last two months, I wonder if the stylists even looked at my Style Profile, blog and Pinterest boards, or read my feedback and notes from previous Fixes. Based on what I received and their notes (the note on this Fix was short and pretty impersonal....seemed like "Hannah" just grabbed stuff and threw it in a box), I don't think so.

Visit my previous Fix blog posts for a better review of Stitch Fix than this one. Stitch Fix back in the good old days...

Stitch Fix #4 & 5

Stitch Fix #3

Stitch Fix #2

Stitch Fix #1

Will I Stay With Stitch Fix?
I am going to give it another couple of months. I don't want to give up on it just yet. But if the next few Fixes are a bust, I'll probably stop the service.

I should say, I don't expect to keep all the items every time; however, I like to feel like even if I didn't keep items, I understood why the stylist sent them to me to try and I don't get that feeling these last two months. I'm happy with finding only one or two cool pieces to keep each time, but I want to feel like they're trying and this last Fix just seemed like a fail all the way around.

If you've tried Stitch Fix, how is it working for you? What do you love about it? (I love the convenience and it's fun!) I so hope Fix #8 is GREAT!

Stitch Fix #2

Last month, I received my first Stitch Fix (click HERE to check out my description of the Stitch Fix process, review, and pictures). Although I only kept one item from that first box (I wear it a lot!), I was really excited about the process and eagerly awaiting my next one.

Monday, I received the email that Stitch Fix #2 was on its way and would arrive Wednesday. I must have checked the FedEx tracking number so many times, but Wednesday evening, it arrived right on schedule, as expected. I had to wait until after I took Sophie to swimming lessons and got her bathed and to bed and then I dove right in.

What I Received

This month's Fix was styled by Samantha. What I loved about the note and style card explaining each selection was that in her explanation, she referenced the feedback I gave about the pieces in my last Fix! It was great to feel like they really heard my feedback and adjusted their ideas about what to send me accordingly.

Note: Sorry for the horrible selfies...you'll note I took some in the morning and some in the evening!

First Item: Mia Melon Paloma Back Jersey Cutout Top, $54

This top was...strange. From the front, it looks normal, but the back has an odd racerback design featuring a line of brown buttons. When I put it on, the Y of the racerback would not lay flat against my back, instead jutting out from my spine like a teapot handle. Also, the jersey material unflatteringly highlighted my mommy pooch in the front and I'm not a big fan of round neck tops (I prefer V or boatneck tops). The color, a deep turquoise, was nice, but that was really the only thing I liked about it. Going back.

Um...

Wha?! Had to contort myself to take this shot.

Second Item: 41Hawthorn Natasha Front Pocket Sleeveless Blouse, $54

Stitch Fix is going to have to come to terms with the fact that I do not do sleeveless. The only time I'm sleeveless is when I'm in a swimsuit (one-piece, of course). I wear blazers over tank tops and cardis over sundresses. This shirt, a deep cobalt blue, highlighted my largish, flabby upper arms while simultaneously hanging so loosely everywhere else that I'm pretty sure people would ask me if I was expecting while wearing it. Going back.

Um...

NO. I don't need people wondering if I'm pregnant.

At this point, you're thinking...I thought you said they listened to your feedback?! And they did...

Third Item: Pomelo Arcade Dot Print Chambray Top, $68

As I pulled out the third blue top of my Fix, I realized that my feedback about being obsessed with navy and that I loved the polka dot trim on the too-small blazer I returned had been remembered. I loved this structured, navy, polka dot shirt on sight and prayed it would fit well. And it is perfect! It is rolled up to three-quarter sleeves (my favorite kind, covering all the flabby bits!) and fits nicely-not too small in the shoulders, not too large everywhere else. So preppy and adorable and perfect for summer! Love, love, love. Totally keeping it!

I got several compliments on this shirt at work today!

Fourth Item: Margaret M Emer High Waisted Cropped Trouser, $98

I had specifically requested cropped pants in my feedback last month for my summer work wardrobe, so I was excited to see these pants. Then, I started looking to put them on and realized they are just pull on-no buttons or zippers. While I thought that might be a challenge, turns out they are easy to pull on, fit fantastically, and are the perfect length! They are super comfortable as well and the high waist reins in the mommy pooch and the whole style of the pant seems flattering. Love! Keeping them.

I had to put my white throw over my dark nightstand so the silhouette of the pant would show. 

I am sucking in so hard because it's the end of the day and I've eaten pasta!

Fifth Item: Kut From the Kloth Denna Colored Skinny Jean, $78

Remember the cranberry corduroy pants that fit great in my last Fix, but were not practical for South Texas in springtime? Well, I mentioned that I loved the fit of the pant, but preferably in another material and Samantha came through-sending me a white denim version of the same pant! These look really cute with the navy polka dot top and pretty much anything else for summer. Sold! Keeping them.

Love...

My Thoughts Overall

So, first Fix-one out of five keepers, second Fix-three out of five keepers! Honestly, that was more than I expected in terms of improvement. If I had decided to keep all five items, with the $20 styling fee applied and the buy all 25 percent discount, all five would cost me $249. Since I know I would absolutely not wear the two items I'm returning, I'm comfortable with that and will only have to pay $224 for the three items I chose to keep (with the $20 styling fee applied).

While that might seem high to some, the uniqueness of the items I'm receiving, coupled with the fact that I didn't have to leave the house to search for them, makes this money well spent in my eyes.

My next Fix arrives in mid-May, three days before my 41st birthday, so I really hope I get some cute stuff!

Disclaimer: The Stitch Fix links I put throughout this post are referral links. If you use my referral link to sign up for Stitch Fix, I will receive a $25 credit to my account to put toward a future Stitch Fix. However, all the opinions here are my own and I am not being reimbursed in any way to review Stitch Fix. I'm doing this for fun and paying for everything out of my own pocket!

It's a Not-So-Glam Day in the Neighborhood

Recently, I really enjoyed reading a post from Nilsa at SoMi Speaks about her typical day as a working mom. So, with her permission, I thought I'd outline my day in a similar fashion. Read on, then tell me about yours!

One of my go-to work outfits...bathroom fashion show in effect.

Wake-up. On the four days I work (Monday-Thursday), my alarm begins going off at 5:50 a.m. On a good day, I hit snooze four times and get up at 6:30. This allows me to be dressed and ready to leave the house by 7:30, which means Sophie makes it to school in time for breakfast at 8, and I get to work by 8:15. On a not-so-good day, I get up at 7, am ready to go by 8, and Sophie and I go through the Starbucks Drive-Thru for "breakfast in the car," before she arrives at school at 8:20-30, allowing me to get to the office by 8:45.

Shower. I try to keep my showers short, maybe 10 minutes. I get in, I use body wash, I shave under my arms (every day) and my legs (almost every day even in winter-can't stand going to yoga with stubble), I shampoo, then sometimes I shampoo again to give my hair more body, and then I condition.

Get ready. Once out of the shower, I brush and floss my teeth, clean and moisturize my face, put on deodorant and perfume, spray detangler on my hair and comb it, then dry my hair 75 percent of the way dry. I let the rest of it air-dry while I spend 10 minutes or so putting on makeup. My makeup routine, which I've been doing so long I can do pretty quickly, actually has quite a few steps. I put on lip balm and Neutrogena eye brightener to get rid of dark circles, then swipe on a light base and powder. Next, I use Benefit's Hello Flawless powder concealer to hide any blemishes or bags. Then, I put on lipstick, gloss, and blush. Finally, I brush and fill in my eyebrows a little, before putting on eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. I know this sounds like a lot, but the name of the blog is Glam-O-Mommy for a reason! ;) Then, I throw on clothes and jewelry. ( I usually have at least an idea of what I'm wearing nailed down the night before.)

Sophie. While I am doing my wake-up/shower/get ready routine, J gets Sophie up, gets her dressed in her school uniform, and brushes and styles her hair. All I have to do then when I am ready is inspect her (pull up socks, adjust hair things, button buttons J overlooked LOL) and grab her backpack and whatever she needs for school that day (dance clothes for ballet, money for chapel, homework), which I always have ready to go and by the door the night before. And then we are off...

First Day of Pre-K

Commute. I work downtown and it's about a 25-30 minute drive with morning traffic (15 without). Sophie's school is three blocks from my office, so I take her in and get her settled and then am at my office within minutes. It's a pretty sweet setup and I'll miss it when Sophie goes to Kindergarten next year and goes to public school closer to our house.

Breakfast. As mentioned, I strive to get Sophie to school on time for school breakfast at 8. If we are successful, then I have breakfast at work as soon as I arrive, either a protein shake I bring from home or an egg or piece of toast or something I can buy in our cafe. And usually a Coke. I don't drink coffee, so this is my morning caffeine. On the days we are not going to make school breakfast, Sophie gets very excited about "breakfast in the car" LOL. We go through Starbucks and I get myself a Peppermint Hot Chocolate and some type of breakfast sandwich and get a Horizon chocolate milk and a protein box for Sophie. Sophie happily munches on the fruit, cheese, and scone, but makes me eat the hard boiled egg.

Lunch. When I am being good and focusing on my intake of calories, I try and bring my lunch, usually a soup and sandwich and some crackers or light popcorn, and eat a quick lunch in the cafe with coworkers. I also try to drink water with lemon during the day in addition to my 1-2 Cokes a day. At other times, I go out to eat for lunch. Last week was an exceptional lunch week. Monday, I had lunch with the mom of one of Sophie's classmates who I am getting to know better. Tuesday, J, who now offices closer to our house, was downtown at our offices for meetings, so we took the opportunity to have lunch together. (We used to eat lunch together every day when he worked down here.) Wednesday, my parents had joint eye appointments close to downtown, so we met up for lunch and it was nice to have an opportunity to chat with them without Sophie, who draws all their attention when she's with us, of course! Thursday, I brought my lunch and ate in the cafe.

Pick up. I leave work promptly at 5, pick Sophie up from school, then battle afternoon traffic all the way home. The afternoon commute always seems longer to me than the morning. I usually chat with Sophie about her day for a few minutes, then call my mother and talk to her until I pull in the driveway. Sophie often falls asleep in her carseat for the rest of the ride, as she no longer naps during the day.

Dinner. I don't cook. OK, that's not totally true. A few weekends ago, I cooked a nice spaghetti dinner on a Sunday. I've got a few things I can cook, but I don't enjoy cooking and it's the last thing I want to do after I come home from work. On the days I go to yoga I don't really eat dinner myself anyway. So during the week, either: A) J decides to cook, which happens about once a week. His meals tend to be experimental in nature. B) We make something easy like sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, or macaroni and cheese. Sometimes I make chicken burgers, which are pretty healthy. Sophie also likes the kiddie Graduate meals, which are well portioned and food-group balanced, or Lunchables, which I augment with fruit. Or C) We eat out or one of us picks up food. Another option we've taken advantage of recently is the chef at Sophie's school has been making healthy dinners that you can order, pick up, and take home at the end of the day. It's $20 for a meal for four, so J usually eats the extra meal for lunch another day. The chef follows the same guidelines he does for the breakfast and lunch meals he makes for the school in terms of healthy ingredients, all food groups represented, etc. The fact that Sophie is eating well twice a day already makes me not get too hung up on what to make for dinner.

Exercise. I've been doing better at this lately. I used to Jazzercise three to four times a week pre-Sophie and do a Boot Camp class periodically, but all those classes are right after work and harder to fit in to my schedule these days. My BFF and I started going to Bikram Yoga two to three times a week about six weeks ago. We usually go at 7:30, which allows me to get home, help Sophie with pre-K homework (don't get me started), and get her something to eat. Each Bikram class is 90 minutes and we sweat and sweat and twist ourselves like pretzels and it is so hard, because I am so inflexible I might as well be a plank of wood, but it's 90 minutes where I cannot be on my cell phone and no one can talk to me except the instructor telling me how to contort myself next, so I think it's good for my mental health, if nothing else.

I am surviving...barely.

Free time. After we get Sophie to bed (around 8:30-9) or I get home from yoga (9-9:30), I usually watch whatever's stockpiled on my DVR (Castle, Modern Family, The Good Wife, Big Bang Theory, Scandal, Elementary, etc.) and check Facebook and Twitter for an hour or so, then get everything (bags, clothes, etc.) ready for the next day and go to bed.

Sleep. I usually start getting ready for bed at 10 and am at least in the bed, although maybe not asleep, by 11.

So that's my typical workday...wash, rinse, and repeat. And just to give you the idea of what the rest of my week is like...

Weekends. Since I am off every Friday, I have a lot of quality time with Sophie on the weekends. We often go to lunch and to Children's Museums or playplaces or the park or some other activity on Fridays. Saturdays, Sophie has been taking soccer for over a year, but recently switched to basketball, so we enjoy watching her in her class on Saturday mornings. Some weekends, Sophie and I have playdates with my mom friends and their kids, sometimes we go out to dinner on Saturdays as a family. We spent part of a recent Sunday at a pumpkin patch enjoying some family fun! Usually though, I spend Sunday running loads and loads of laundry, getting things ready for the work week, and going to the grocery store. I am lucky to have an understanding husband, who mostly enjoys playing games on his computer anyway, and thus doesn't mind when I want to meet my BFF out for dinner and shopping or the occasional Spurs game on a Friday or Saturday. I'm also lucky to have the Grandparentals nearby, who need a Sophie fix if they haven't seen her in awhile, and occasionally keep her overnight on a weekend, which lets J and I have date nights.

Future WNBA Player maybe?

At the Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch in Medina, Texas

Riding like the cowgirl she is out in the Hill Country!

So what does your workday/week usually look like? Do you ever feel like you are in a rut because of the routine or are your days/weeks different? What's your favorite day of the week? (Hands down, mine is Friday Funday!) Least favorite day? (Mine is Sunday. See: LAUNDRY.)

Adventures on the Road

Our vacation to go to my cousin's wedding turned out amazing. We had so much fun.

This was our first real road trip with Sophie. Prior to this, we'd only driven 2.5 hours to Corpus Christi with her and flown everywhere else. This was driving from San Antonio, Texas, to Crestview, Florida, which is a good 12-14 hours. AND Sophie was newly potty trained, so we had no idea what to expect. However, Sophie did not have any accidents on our trip and, best of all, every place we stopped was an exciting adventure for her.

Carseat, oversized sunglasses, princess blanket...just how I roll.

We left out at 6:15 a.m. and drove across town to beat San Antonio rush hour traffic, then stopped to have breakfast tacos at Taco Cabana. Sophie was excited for tacos and excited to point out all the suns on the wall! She was excited to go potty!

Then, we drove over halfway to Houston and stopped for gas in Weimar, Texas. When we walked in the door, the convenience store had a bull that you could ride for $1, so after we went potty, Sophie rode it and loved it!

Hilariously, the song "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins played
during the entire bull ride. Only in Texas.

At truck stops, she marveled at the big scales you could weigh yourself on in the restrooms. She pointed out when we were shown on the security camera TVs-"We're on TV, Mommy!" She napped a little and watched videos and played games on her Fisher-Price iXL while we drove. She never complained once. What normally would've been a long, ho-hum drive was actually fun since we saw it through her eyes. :)

We stopped in Biloxi, Mississippi, and spent the night at one of my favorite casinos, the Beau Rivage. When we went down to have dinner, Sophie saw all the slot machines and wanted to play. I told her those were "Big Girl Games." After a delicious meal, I went to play slots and J took Sophie to the Kiddie Arcade, aka the "Little Girl Games."

Amazingly, after losing almost $80 on quarter slots, I hit it big and won $1350 on one of them! It was so exciting! I've never won that big before. When I went back up to the room, I told Sophie, "I won at the Big Girl Games!" Sophie ran and got some little plastic fish and a ball and said "I won at Little Girl Games, Mommy!" LOL. We were all winners!

Sunrise, Gulf of Mexico, Biloxi, MS

The next morning we went for a swim in the beautiful pool and looked out over the ocean, then got dressed and checked out. We headed to Mobile, Alabama, about 30 minutes away, to meet my cousin Cindy for lunch. It was great to see her and catch up. Then, we drove on through Mobile ("We're in a tunnel, Mommy!") and Pensacola, Florida, and finally arrived at our destination: Crestview.

Several of my cousins and aunts and uncles live in Crestview, but the wedding was actually taking place in a little town called Florala, Alabama, which is 25 miles north. It's where my parents grew up and I'm related to most of the town on one side or the other by marriage. The only place to stay in Florala is a bed and breakfast, but that is where my cousin Caitlin was having the reception and her wedding party was staying there, so we had to drive back and forth from Crestview everyday.

Main Street, Florala...small town, big chair!

After checking in to our hotel, we drove up to Florala and checked on my dad and uncles who were putting up lights for the outdoor reception at the B&B. Then, we drove to my grandparents' farm to see my mom and aunts and the bride and her sister, who were working on wedding decor. Then, we drove back down to Crestview to have dinner at my uncle's house.

The next day, J and I had planned to take Sophie down to the beach in Ft. Walton, 25 miles south. I was born there and the beaches there are some of the prettiest in the world, but I can hardly ever break away to go when we visit. My cousin's wife, Ashley, and her four-year-old niece Kelsey, ended up coming with us, and actually directed us to the exact stretch of my beach my parents always brought me to when I was Sophie's age.

Nothing like the white sand beaches of Ft. Walton. I played here at Sophie's age.

After our fun beach excursion, we drove back up to the farm for dinner. It was fun to see Sophie playing and running around and enjoying the farm. I only wish my grandparents were alive to see it. She's more of a farm girl than I ever was, for sure. :)

Sophie runs around on the farm her Papa grew up on in Alabama.

My grandparents would've loved to see her enjoying the farm so much!

The next day, Sophie and J stayed at the hotel to swim and hang out, while I headed up to the farm to help prepare wedding decorations. My aunt does interior decorating as part of her job, so she literally made every flower arrangement, bouquet, corsage, and table decoration, with our family's help! It was A LOT of work, and I remember now why I paid someone to do all that FOR me, but it turned out beautiful. And it was fun to hang out with my cousins, my aunts and uncles, and my mom and dad and work on all of that together.

That night, we attended the wedding rehearsal. Sophie and her fellow flower girl Zoey followed directions well, but got a little bored standing up front while everyone worked out the ceremony details, so they began swinging their flower girl buckets around a little, much to my chagrin. However, when I tried to tell Sophie to please stop, my aunt, the mother of the bride, told me to let the girls do whatever they wanted to...swing their buckets, sit down, whatever. It would be cute no matter what.

Finally, the big day came. Sophie and I had to be up at the B&B at 2 p.m. to get her hair done. The wedding didn't start till 6. I was a little worried about keeping her entertained and out of trouble for four hours, especially when the lake and a playground were just down the hill from where we would be.

Getting her hair done. This was the first time she had ever had her hair curled,
a fact my cousins, former child pageant girls, couldn't believe!

I needn't have worried. Sophie was in the zone-very focused on her flower girl role! She played games while the stylist did her hair and then hung out in the B&B, either playing games or going with me to check on my cousin Caitlin's progress and see her in her dress. I ended up running around doing things for Caitlin and Kenna, her sister who was the Maid of Honor, or my aunt. Everyone was impressed with how well behaved Sophie was-frankly I was pretty impressed LOL.

Waiting to go down the aisle.

At 5:20, we got her into her dress and at 5:40, we crossed over to the church. I thought Sophie would run to J and my parents when she saw them seated in the church, but she merely waved and said, "Hi Daddy! Hi Nana and Papa!" and continued to her spot on the side of the church. In. The. Zone.

I was seriously proud of her! J, smiling at right, was too.

She waited patiently and then, when it was time, went sweetly down the aisle throwing flower petals like a pro. She got into place by Kenna and Zoey and quietly stood there holding her bucket for the first few minutes of the service, looking out at all the people who just a few months before would've made her cry from shyness.

Success!

And then, probably getting a little bored, she began to swing her bucket. One of the bridesmaids, thinking she would nip that in the bud, reached out and grabbed the bucket mid-swing, and attempted to take it away from her. In the audience, J and I froze and silently freaked, "Girl, what are you doing? If you get the bucket away from her, she will cry and ruin the wedding!"

Never fear...Sophie just looked at the girl and tugged the bucket back away from the bridesmaid without making a sound. The audience, made up of mostly our relatives, burst into laughter, totally on Sophie's side of the debacle. The bridesmaid turned red, completely embarrassed. I felt sorry for her. Sophie didn't swing her bucket again and kept one eye on that girl for the rest of the ceremony!

Zoey, the other flower girl, had her own moment of levity when she kept patting a pillar standing up behind them and knocked it over! Kenna caught it and had to stand it back up while everyone laughed. Then, Zoey sidled right up to Sophie and began pulling feathers off her dress. Sophie just stood there and looked at her silently and bore up well, considering she was besieged on all sides LOL.

Zoey, Caitlin, and Sophie

The moral of the story is, don't have little kids in your wedding if you want all the attention on you. :)

Sophie, Nana, and Papa after the ceremony.

Now that Sophie had performed her job beautifully, I could finally relax and enjoy myself (being the mother of the flower girl is kind of stressful!). We headed back to the B&B and spent the next three hours dancing up a storm! Sophie stayed out on the floor dancing with J, me, my parents, and trying to do all the line dances and everything!

Ashley (my cousin's wife), me, and my cousin Cari at the reception.

J, Sophie, and me get the party started!

My sweethearts.

Boogie-ing with my little dancing queen!

Thankfully, Sophie isn't old enough to be embarrassed by us yet. LOL.

The next day, we began the drive home. We drove all the way to Lake Charles, Louisiana, and spent the night at another fun casino, the L'Auberge du Lac. Sophie and I spent an hour at the gorgeous pool, and Sophie kept showing me her new dance moves in the shallow end until the pool closed for the night. J got her ready for bed while I stole off to the casino for a little bit (good thing I don't live close to any casinos or I might have a problem LOL), My lucky streak continued-I won $283 on quarter slots, only investing $40 to do so.

We arrived home safely the next day. The entire trip went better than I expected at every turn, especially Sophie's performance as flower girl in the wedding! Sophie continued her trend of growing up and showing us new sides of herself on every trip we take. I look forward to more adventures on the road with her and J in the future.

What has been the best road trip you've taken with your kids?