I got another Stitch Fix shipment yesterday. I liked this one better than some previous ones. I got a black and white polka dot sleeveless blouse, a pair of “boyfriend” jeans (I guess that means rolled up/distressed?), and a blue-and-white striped summer dress. I also got a white blouse with studs on it, which is perhaps a bit more cowboy than I’m used to, but could work with jeans, or if I ever accompany my husband to his hometown in Texas. I wasn’t sold on a geometric pattern maxi skirt that was also included, but the way it’s constructed, I’m slightly more intrigued by the possibilities of wearing it as a strapless dress. I may explore that if I can find undergarments to suit.
I had a couple of articles over at Fast Company over the past few weeks. I’d looked at whether corporate wellness programs boost productivity (answer? It’s hard to know — but that doesn’t stop people from massively overstating the case). I wrote about personal assistants, and networking groups. I wrote about why Wednesday was the best day to work from home.
I have been indulging my Amazon habit. I ordered — and read — The Phantom Tollbooth. It was on Amazon’s
list of the top children’s literature, and I’d never read it. It was endearing. I’m not sure I was quite as taken with it as I think some people are, but it’s something adults and children could both like, so I may encourage my 7-year-old to read it. I started re-reading The Westing Game, then stopped. I ordered some Haruki Murakami novels for the beach later this summer. And I ordered the America’s Test Kitchen quick recipe book. I tend not to make much from cookbooks, so we’ll see if I use it.
I have, however, been doing some other experimental cooking. I mixed spaghetti squash with supermarket bruschetta topping, and lentils. It was a pretty tasty vegan meal.
The kids are progressing with swim lessons. The 4-year-old has learned to swim. The 2-year-old must be bribed with ice cream in order to complete her lesson. They want to camp out with my husband in the yard at some point. We’ll see how that goes!
Photos: Stitch Fix stuff. Minus my head in one case.
Phantom Tollbooth was one of my faves as a kid and one of my somewhat reluctant reader 13 year old son’s too.
I’m totally excited about taking the older kids to see The Giver in two weeks. It was also a fave and we read it aloud as a family last year.
That’s so sad you didn’t read Phantom Tollbooth as a child. Did you at least watch the movie as a child? I haven’t read it in years but have also been thinking I should get a copy for my son as my copy is either still at my parents’ house or it got given away to a school library years ago.
*
I also suggested the Westing Game but he hasn’t bitten. Currently he’s reading The Hobbit which was on his summer reading list for some inexplicable reason but apparently isn’t as high a reading level as I’d though, it’s just long (and completely without interesting female characters).
*
For more adult versions of things like the Phantom Tollbooth, you may like James Thurber, specifically The 13 Clocks and The White Deer.
@Nicoleandmaggie – didn’t see the movie either! I read most of the classics, especially when I was in a Battle of the Books type thing one year. But somehow this never got on the list…
Ok, so, the jeans you have on in the photo are boyfriend jeans??
I always thought boyfriend jeans were a little looser, with more of a straight cut.
@The Frugal Girl (and Ana) – Hmmm.. Maybe they misjudged my size? 🙂
I’ve never read The Phantom Tollbooth either. Maybe I’ll wait, and read it with my kids (when they learn to read…hopefully soonish!)
Yeah, I thought boyfriend jeans were looser cut, too. Those look like rolled up skinnies.
StitchFix was not for me (I tried it once, major fail) but your items mostly seem cute/reasonable. Lots of maxi skirts are made so that they can be worn as dresses. I don’t like the strapless look on me, but I think you could pull it off!
I don’t think I’ve read the Phantom Toll Booth either…
However, I have read quite a bit of Haruki Murakami. My favourite is ‘Wild Sheep Chase’ – it’s great book. I’ve been thinking about buying his book about running and ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’. I kept checking Dance out from the library as an audiobook but the reader sends me to sleep EVERY time. Great insomnia cure but not so good for following a plot.
So, embarrassing. I think I’m the last person to hop on the Stitch Fix wagon. I signed up last month and I’m on the waitlist, figuring I’d try it out.
And then yesterday I had to write a post for Adweek asking if Stitch Fix is price gouging. (I mean, unbiased, but I’m sure they don’t love the article.)
I would rather have someone pick out my clothes than spend hours in fitting rooms – and even worse – having to do returns. My order’s still pending, but I hope it works as well for me as it has for you!
@Roo – I hope you like it but I’d have limited expectations for the first round. It takes time for them to figure out what you like. So make sure you give very detailed feedback. I wear some of the early stuff, and some I don’t (I kept it just because economically, if you like 3 things it often makes sense to keep all 5) but generally they’ve improved. And I have a few pieces I love.
I just started Stitch Fix. The first one I sent everything back. Ill-fitting, itchy/scratchy, just not my thing. The second one was a lot better, except that the dress I received (and really liked the look of) was too small in the waist/chest and they didn’t have a larger size to exchange it for. I was happy with their learning curve, style-wise–they did much better the second time after I sent them detailed comments on the first fix. But I really don’t like the limited sizing. My dress size is ostensibly “M” but I’m always having to get a size larger or smaller in a store. I don’t know if they’ll ever be able to fix that.
The polka dot blouse is cute, but the dress… meh. Not sure horizontal stripes are a flattering look for most people. I still like picking out my own clothes. Fortunately I’ve found some online stores that seem to work for me. Also fortunately, I usually get to wear scrubs to work. 3