I'm picky. My mom hates buying me clothes (I always return them), and I'm horrible at receiving gifts; basically I don't trust other people when it comes to my style. But I'm also short on time to actually go shopping. So when I got an offer to try out a clothing delivery service, I decided to fight my aversion and give it a try.
The company I would be working with is Trunk Club, an online personal styling service that while once was only for men has now added women's clothing to its straight-to-your-door delivery. I was connected with my stylist, Chelsea Brown, and we hopped on a quick call. Yes, I was skeptical; "how could someone know what I like in just 10 minutes?" I wondered.
Chelsea got down to business, asking about my sizing, brands I like, and if I was shopping for anything in particular. This time around I focused on the basics: jeans and work-appropriate tops, along with a few party looks for the holidays. After we wrapped up, Chelsea emailed me a preview of what would be coming my way: 15 pieces all hand-selected to fit my personal style. Then, the wait began . . . and ended almost immediately (the package arrived within a few days).
Opening the box felt a little bit like Christmas came early: inside was a collection of goodies for me to choose from, only while gifts happen to cost the receiver nothing at all, whatever I picked would go on my credit card bill (terrifying, I know). As I pulled out each piece, I was genuinely surprised and pleased to find that everything was pretty much up my alley. Chelsea clearly had a great idea of what I was into . . . win! Along with the box was also a list of the pieces and their prices, which leads me to my one and only hang-up: the cost.
Prices ranged from $38 for a turtleneck tank all the way up to $498 for a DVF dress. Most items fell in the $150-$350 range, which for some may be totally workable, but for me proved a bit pricey. I could definitely afford to pick and choose an item or two, but with the whole box totaling $3,700, I would be giving up a few months' rent for all the items – not really an option. I know that other styling services like Stitch Fix offer affordable alternatives, but Trunk Club's request-as-you-need-it model (as opposed to other services' monthly subscriptions) matched what I was looking for. Also, I'll admit it, I have expensive taste, so I would rather pick one nice thing for myself anyways.
Just scroll for a look at what arrived at my doorstep, along with a few major takeaways to consider before trying something similar yourself.