Getting Boxy

For the last 10+ years, I've shared my life with two very special men: Ben & Jerry.  No, not the ice cream guys, these guys:

Ben - Always adorable, even upside down

Jerry - Debonair doesn't even begin to explain it

But, the hubby is not what you'd call a "cat person".  They are my cats...  He tolerates them (and sometimes cuddles with Benny), but I am the caregiver, cleaner, feeder, etc.

He would definitely prefer a dog.  So, when we were looking to buy a house, one of our "nice to haves" was a puppy yard.  This meant a sizable space, preferable fenced-in (literally or invisibly).  Our current home has almost 1/2 acre of land, the back of which is completely fenced in.  A beautiful, lush puppy yard.

But, until this weekend, there was no puppy.

Then, there was this:

Our new puppy!

Needless to say, it's been an eventful weekend.  Friday afternoon, before leaving work, I did my weekly scan of the animal shelter websites.  I came across this beautiful boxer mix named Brittany.  She was located at the Animal Rescue League.  I quickly filled out the request info form and sent the link to the hubby.

Then, I went home and didn't really think much about it.  Anthony got home a little later, around 6:30.  I asked what he thought about the puppy.  Since I hadn't heard back from the shelter yet, we both assumed she was already adopted.  But, we called.  She was still there but they were only open until 7:30 (and stopped doing adoptions at 7:00).

We immediately got into the car and headed over to meet Brittany.  She was as adorable as expected.  So sweet and happy.  There was a lot of licking (from her) and cooing (from me).  Soon after, we were putting down a small deposit to hold her adoption for a day.

The next morning, after some serious name brainstorms and a thorough basement puppy proofing, we were driving back to pick her up.

A day later, she seemed to have settled in nicely:

Lana "Danger Zone" R., watching golf with Anthony

Now, how in the world do we train this puppy properly?  And, how in the world do I make it through this week with her alone, while Anthony travels for work?

A Quickie - My 2nd Stitch Fix

My second Stitch Fix box arrived while I was out of town for Easter... So, I didn't take a ton of pictures for a review.  Plus, I only kept one thing.  But, these pants are so cute, I couldn't help but share:

Margaret M Cropped Trousers in Kelly Green

(please note that I've found the secret to selfies: cut off the head... lol... no really)

 

This is a great example of what makes Stitch Fix so great - there is NO WAY I would have picked these up from a rack in the store.  Skinny pants on my body?  No thank you!

 

But they work so well.  So comfortable and (magically) flattering.  But, what in the world do I wear with these?  I had nothing in my closet that resembled the styling ideas from my SF card.  I wanted something blousy and fun.  So, I stopped at Marshall's early this week to find something to pair them with.  I ended up with a thin, grey Tahari tee and a lightly patterned Cynthia Crowley blouse.  So cute and Spring-y.

 

Now, I just have to find the courage to wear something this bright to work!

My First Stitch Fix - A Review

Yesterday, when I got home from work, this was waiting for me:

My first Stitch Fix!

I ordered this 'fix' specifically for our upcoming vacation to Jamaica.  I wanted some items that would travel well and might work for the vow renewal ceremony we'll be attending while there.  I filled out the initial questions on the website and started a Pinterest board with some of the beach stuff that I liked.  I gave a brief description of what I was looking for and scheduled my delivery.

All of this is pretty typical for what I've seen in other reviews of Stitch Fix...  But, I was kind of skeptical about this whole thing.  Why?  Most of the other reviews I've seen are written by women who are much smaller than me.  I currently wearing a size 14 pant and XL shirts.  I usually can't wear button downs because I'm super top heavy.  Trying on clothes is generally a painful experience.  Item after item after item...  Many times with not a single thing that works.

All that aside, I was hopeful.  Oh so hopeful.  Maybe I'd end up with one piece that I liked enough to buy.

So, now, I'm going to skip all the other details about how Stitch Fix works (mostly because it's all been said before... and, if you're searching for reviews, you probably already have a good idea on it)...  Instead, I'm going to dig into the box and show you what came out.

A reminder of how it works...  Nice packaging.

There they are...  My five pieces.

An envelope with all the details and the style card...

A note from my stylist and 

some ideas for each of the pieces.

At this point, I was getting more and more excited.  It's always hard to picture things on me when I see them this way.  A flat picture is hard to translate.  Heck, even a mannequin doesn't work for me most of the time.  I need to see the clothes on my body.

Now, before we get to the next section (the one in which I post pictures of myself in the clothes), I'd like to make a disclaimer: I do not take selfies...  pretty much ever.  I suck at it.  I couldn't get the lighting right.  The flash did not work (ha, cause of the mirror, I learn quickly).  My poses are stiff and I'm usually looking at the phone to make sure I'm in focus.  But, I got a couple that at least show the pieces and how they fit.  

Without further ado, here we go.

Item 1: Dovette Draped Detail Dress

I LOVE this dress!  The fabric is perfect for travel.  The color is fantastic.  And, bonus, it fits wonderfully.  I'm definitely keeping this one.

Items 2 & 3:  Jayla Front Twist Sweater & Calla Solid Swing Skirt

Skirt - more LOVE!  This has a gorgeous color.  The fabric is great.  And, it has a wonderful weight to it.  I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it works.  Plus, its lined, which I really appreciate for a day skirt (no seeing through my legs, thank you very much).

Sweater...  When I first tried it on, I wasn't sold.  Then, I went back and re-read my stylist's note, suggesting pairing it with the skirt and a cami.  Out came a dark blue tank, and voila, my mind was changed.

Keeping both pieces.

Item 4: Alan Cowl Neck Asymmetrical Cardigan
This is a fun, unique piece.  Might be a little heavy considering the warming temps, but I really like it.  Additionally, this was my husband's favorite piece (he patiently watched the entire fashion show).  It's a keeper.

Item 5: Fiona Embroidery Detail Striped Maxi Dress
As soon as I pulled this from the box, I loved it.  I so wanted it to be perfect.  I slipped it on and it fit.  It felt great...  And, then, my husband said "the lines don't match at the seams, it makes it look cheap."  Boo.  Hiss.  I still loved the way I felt/looked in the dress; but now all I could see was the mis-matched lines.

This was the only item I really, really debated keeping.  Then, I did some math (see below the picture).

My Math

Option 1 - Buy everything:

Dovette Draped Detail Dress	$58.00
Jayla Front Twist Sweater	$78.00
Calla Solid Swing Skirt	$58.00
Alan Cowl Neck Asymmetrical Cardigan	$58.00
Fiona Embroidery Detail Striped Maxi Dress	$78.00
Total	$330.00
Minus $20 Stylist fee	$310.00
Minus 25% Discount for All	$232.50
Option 2 - Buy everything except the maxi dress:
Total ex. Maxi Dress	$252.00
Minus $20 Stylist fee	$232.00

So, for an extra 50¢, I'm totally buying the dress.

I have to say that any expectations I had for this service were met... and then some.  I'm already planning on seeing when I can get my next 'fix'.  I can't wait to see how they handle everyday work clothes.

(FYI - I received nothing from Stitch Fix for this review...  I couldn't even find a coupon code for my order, lol.  I have no affiliates.  I wrote this b/c when I was deciding whether or not to order from the site, I read A LOT of reviews.  Hope this helps someone out there.)