Shopping for clothes can be a stressful experience no matter where you go. The dressing rooms are cramped, the lights are too bright and that dress you picked out somehow looks a lot less appealing than it did on the rack. Clothing continues to evolve and luckily, so does the buying experience. Personally, I went through an entire style change during the pandemic and stopped putting so much pressure on myself to dress how I think I should and started to dress how I want. Now, it’s all about comfort for me. But everyone is different, and that’s where online styling services shine.
Wantable and Stitch Fix are two of the many websites you can consult if you’re looking to avoid the anxiety of shopping in-store and have outfits truly tailored to your taste. We’re breaking down each service in terms of clothing selection, cost, try-on windows and so much more–keep reading to discover which is your perfect fit.
First, let’s go over the benefits of using a styling service to keep your closet fresh and full.
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Benefits of a Styling Service
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You can do everything from the comfort of your home–you don’t need to get off the couch. This means no in-person trips, no worrying about whether stores will have the styles or sizes you need, and no parking hassles. It’s peace of mind.
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Both of the services in this article ship their boxes for free, so you won’t be bombarded with extra costs alongside the clothes you’re purchasing.
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Today’s technology allows you to input exactly what measurements you are, and trained stylists know which items will likely fit.
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It’s just plain fun! You get to pick out what you want and be spoiled by an expert whose job is to make you look your best, whether that’s a new professional work blazer for the office or a pair of uber-soft leggings to lounge around in.
CLOTHING SELECTION
Wantable offers different categories of clothing in specially-designed “edits.” The classic Style Edit has florals, denim, dresses, pastels and light layers. The Sleep & Body Edit includes bras, panties, bodysuits, pajamas, robes and loungewear, while the Active Edit offers leggings, running shorts, sports bras, tank tops and tees. The Men’s Active Edit has golf and sportswear items. Lastly, the Themed Edit follows–you guessed it–a specific theme within one of the other edits. Some of the themes include Desk to Drinks, the Bestsellers, Spring Preview and Men’s Golf.
You’ll find women’s sizes in XS-3X (0-24W) and men’s Active Edits in S-XXL.
Stitch Fix offers a wide variety of clothing for men and women like jeans, sweaters, shoes, tops, workwear, flannels and outerwear. For the tots, you’ll find items that fit them at every stage like skirts, shorts, T-shirts, sweatpants and more. They offer over 1,000 brands including some exclusive labels that you can’t buy anywhere else. Those items are developed in-house with vendor partners and made to best fit clients based on feedback.
Stitch Fix carries women’s sizes 0-24W & XS-3X in plus, maternity and petite. Men’s sizes come in XS-3XL and can be ordered in Big & Tall. The kids clothing is available in 2T-14.
CLOTHING COSTS
Items from the Style Edit typically run anywhere from $50-$100. The active items for both men and women are around $40-$70. Sleep & Body Items start as low as $20 and can be up to $150 for luxury items like robes. It all depends on what fits your taste and how many items you’re keeping.
Women and men’s clothing from Stitch Fix range anywhere from $25-$500. Kids clothes start at $10 each. Upon completing your style profile, you’ll input how much you’re comfortable paying for each item and the stylist will do their best to stick to the price range.
THE TRY-ON PROCESS
For Wantable, you’ll first pick a category based on what Edit appeals to you the most. Then take the style quiz and pay a $20 styling fee that will be credited towards the items you end up keeping. Each box you order will require the $20 fee. Next, a stylist will pick out 7 pieces just for you based on your sizing, taste and budget. Your box will arrive and you’ll have 5 days to try everything out and see how you like it. You keep and pay for what you love. Have a few items that don’t work and want to return them? No problem! Wantable sends a shipping envelope so you can send things back for free.
Like Wantable, the first step for Stitch Fix is taking a style quiz to curate your personal preferences and tastes. You’ll pay a $20 fee up front that will go toward whatever goodies you end up keeping, and that will be the case for every other box you receive. After you receive your 5 items, you’ll have 3 days to test them out and see if they fit into your lifestyle. Keep and pay for the things you love, and if you keep all of them, you’ll even get a 25% discount. Anything you don’t like you can mail back in a prepaid envelope that arrives with your box.
SHIPPING AND CANCELLATION POLICY
Each Wantable Edit generally takes about 7-14 business days for stylists to piece together and ship out. You can cancel an edit that’s in progress, but you cannot cancel once it’s been shipped. Wantable offers automatic shipments if you’d rather not place individual orders for boxes, and this plan can be canceled at any time.
Stitch Fix works to deliver your box by the date you request, and the company says they’ll try their best to have it on your doorstep within a few days—either before or after—your scheduled date. Once you’ve paid your styling fee up front, you’ll no longer be able to cancel that Fix. You have complete control over what you’re getting, whether it’s individual boxes or an automatic plan that sends them out regularly. You cancel at any time.
