Back-to-school season involves a lot of shopping and errands—school supplies, backpacks, lunch boxes, haircuts, paperwork, and check-ins that your kids will need before their first day on the bus. No late summer to-do list is complete without buying some fall clothes and shoes for your growing kids, who somehow have almost no spring clothes and shoes in their closets. To put it simply: it is a lot of.
So when a few Scary Mommy editors got the chance to try out Stitch Fix’s online styling service for kids, it seemed well worth exploring whether this back-to-school shopping strategy was worth the extra cost in exchange for convenience and happy kids.
Here’s our experience using the service with three different kids of different ages (and different personalities).
Vera, 11 years old
To be honest, I was almost convinced that things were going to be terrible. My almost 12 year old daughter has just entered middle school and she seems to be at the height of her 1) desire to fit in and 2) brand obsession. Just as I wanted those Guess jeans most when I was in sixth grade, Willa wanted them too exactly What she wants to buy for fall, a lot of which are way out of our budget and/or a little ridiculous (I’m looking at you, Lululemon). Although she reluctantly filled out Stitch Fix’s online survey to better understand her tastes, there were plenty of sighs. Simply put, I don’t think she would get some random clothes mailed to her from an unknown adult.
However, we were all pleasantly surprised. Willa told her stylist that she likes loose, comfortable clothes like sweatshirts and hoodies, as well as athleisure wear like Nike and Lululemon. she most I was excited to find a pair of sweatshirts with fun cowboy emojis printed on the thighs, which the stylist paired with two boxy T-shirts. She suddenly bought a white puffy tank top and immediately put on a tie-dyed sweatshirt she found in a box.
The most surprising thing is that my Alpha generation children never, once Wearing denim, tried on two pairs of wide-leg jeans (yes, after a struggle) and found she loved them. I’ve never had her try them on at the store, I thought having them at home would make a difference.
The only thing she didn’t like was a cardigan that didn’t fit her style – or so her sister claimed. 9/10 Hit!
Overall, I’m amazed at how well the stylists seem to understand current tween styles. Willa really enjoyed the mailing of this cute box and every item fit perfectly. I didn’t think I’d say this, but spending a little more than I did at Target and getting nine really great curated items (without leaving home) is a huge win.
We did have to go to the Nike store to get the shoes she wanted, plus some sweatshirts and hoodies to supplement the contents of the box, but we did it in one go. Not bad at all.
—Sarah Aswell, associate editor for news and community
Joey, 9 years old
My daughter Joy is perhaps the complete opposite of Willa, as sisters often are. Joy couldn’t care less about fashion, what other people think, or how she looks. But she does have some sensory issues that make shopping challenging for her. She is very sensitive to certain fabrics, hems, and labels, and getting annoyed with her clothes can really ruin her day. Joey is 100% focused on comfort and feeling at home. They were a barrier between her and the noisy, dirty world outside.
Joy is also very creative and loves color, pattern and fun – she always makes a point of not appearing childish. What she hates most is buying clothes.
When her Stitch Fix box arrived, she wasn’t at all excited to try it on, but once she put on a few pieces, she perked up. Our lovely stylist received our notes on Joey’s sensory sensitivities and packed a box of the softest, most comfortable garments I have ever seen. Unlike many of the soft items we find in department stores, these are more stylish and look put together.
Joy loves the three pairs of joggers she received, as well as a super soft cardigan and wool jumper. Also included in the box is a fall jacket and a pair of classic Van sneakers.
Most surprising project? My athletic kid would never try on dresses, but she tried on a cute, comfy skirt and cardigan that her stylist had put together and loved it so much that she wore it on her first day of school. Of course, it must be paired with a pair of jogging pants underneath.
—Sarah
Ella, 5 years old
When I filled out my daughter’s profile, adding her favorite colors, clothing styles, and patterns, I couldn’t imagine how well Stitch Fix could do that…but they fit Eila’s style perfectly. i mentioned my girl loved Pink and a dress, and her stylist was like, “Stop it!”
I could tell right away that the Stitch Fix stylist who hand-picked Eila’s items was really paying attention to what I mentioned in her profile. Her box was filled with dresses and all things pink, including a cute pink and white striped Barbie T-shirt that she wore all the time. I also mentioned how important Eila’s comfort is, including the softest (pink!) shirt I’ve ever touched in my life.
Eila loves clothes (and receiving packages) so this was a very exciting experience for her. She and I opened the box together and we oohed and ahhed at each item. I thought the price of everything was very reasonable, especially the quality of the clothes and shoes. To be honest, the experience of opening the box with her and seeing the surprise inside was worth it!
—Katie Garrity, senior editor, news and social
Our final thoughts
Honestly, I thought this would be a fun experiment, but it ended up being too expensive for me to use on a regular basis. However, both orders came to just over $200, which isn’t a bad price at all for 10 quality garments—especially considering I never have to leave the house. I feel like I can be sure that my kids will have some assorted new items before the new year starts, even if it doesn’t cover all of their fall needs.
I also worry that my kids will be pickier than they are. They’re more willing to try things that their stylists suggest, and I really think it broadens their horizons.
I was impressed that all 20 items my kids tried on fit perfectly.
In the end, I was touched by how carefully the stylists considered my girls’ opinions of their needs and helped them get something they were comfortable with while still putting them a little outside of their comfort zone. I think shopping for both of my kids is hard, but stylists make it so easy.
I would totally use this service again!
—Sarah
