A CHWG First! A Guest Blogger and Stitch Fix for Men

Big things happening on the blog today, people! My friend Mike, whose daughter Ivy will marry my nephew Simon on day if their lives proceed as planned (as the lives of eight year olds always do) got his first Stitch Fix. What's that? You didn't know that men could have Stitch Fixes too? Well, now they can! Read on, and then get in on the fun yourself. And now, I hand it over to Mike, who is at least as funny as me, if not funnier:

Guys, I’m chiming in here for a guest blog for two main reasons: 1) Stitch Fix now carries men’s clothes and 2) I’m totes procrastinating from doing my dissertation! UGH am I right? (Technically this is true; I am also procrastinating from enrolling in graduate school). My name is Mike and I am connected to Rachel and fam through Rachel’s sister Rebecca, although I potentially may be machatunen [editor's note: that is the parents-in-law's relationship with each other] with the clan in the future as Rachel’s nephew Simon and my daughter Ivy have been besherit [editor's note: made for each other] since they met at age 2. It’s true love, like The Notebook on fleek. (Is that a proper use of “on fleek”? In other news, I’m 37).

Anyhoo, as a more or less male version of Rachel (curly hair, glasses, totally addicted to cookies!), I decided that I was the perfect person to answer her call for a blog post about the new men’s Stitch Fix. Serendipitously, I had already received my first “Man Fix” (trademark pending) when she posted about it, as my wife, the lovely Kimbo, is a big Stitch Fix fan since way back in the day (2015?) and convinced me to join up as she would get a discount for conning persuading me to enlist.

About my style: I work at a law firm (not a lawyer, just play one on TV) so my M-F clothing is relatively conservative business casual. Otherwise I’m pretty laid-back on the style front – jeans, cool sneaks, and a T shirt or untucked sassy button-down is my preferred weekend gear. Occasionally I go tuxedo on the top, Speedo on the bottom [editor's note: Mike, that is NOT modest! Or fashionable], but that’s for a different blog…

Filling out the Stitch Fix style profile online was pretty easy, though it was lengthy and there seemed to be a time limit on it, like I was buying Tom Petty tickets and if I didn’t enter my credit card information fast enough, my loge level seats would be released back into the wild. I liked a lot of the looks and was eager to get my first box.

And the box did not disappoint! I received 3 tops, a pair of jeans, and fun socks. 

The jeans were excellent – stylish black jeans that were a little tight from the knee down, like half-skinny, half-normie. I easily would have paid $100+ for them in a store, though they were listed as less than $100 (don’t have the exact price because I threw out the sheet and can’t figure out how to see past Fixes online; I know, I have failed you).

The first shirt, a purple button-down, was exactly my style – way to go, Fixers! Good for work, date night, parent/teacher conference, public hangings, etc. 

The second shirt is one I would have walked right past had I seen it in a store, because the plaid pattern is a little much; also it is a heavier material, and I live in LA, where it’s cold for maybe 10 days a year. However, it really works – great fit, and the pattern is growing on me. A keeper!

The hoodie is also something I would have walked past in a store, because it’s not a traditional hoodie – lighter weight and more fashion-forward than the hoodies I usually wear (which are more in the “I have no interest in showering or getting dressed today so I am gonna totes procrastinate from writing my dissertation in this bigass hoodie” category). However, since I was definitely keeping the jeans and purple shirt, and was leaning toward keeping the other button-down, it made sound financial sense to keep the hoodie, and learn to love it. Which I will!

Lastly, the socks. As you may be able to tell from these photos, I am a giant person, and my feet are just outside the range of normal human feet (size 14). Though I enjoy fun socks in theory, I have a hard time finding them in my size because most “one size fits all” men’s socks are made for shoe sizes 6-13, which you Mathletes out there might recognize as smaller than 14. In fact, on the Stitch Fix site when asked to enter my shoe size, 14 wasn’t even an option – they stopped at 13! I entered in a note saying that my shoe size was actually 14, but apparently no one read that as I got standard-size socks, which though fun were a bit small. As it behooved me to keep the socks for the “buy the whole box” discount, I gifted them to my brother-in-law, who promptly forgot them at my house. So there ya go.

All in all I saved a ton of money on 4 great pieces without ever having to enter a dressing room, which I hate. Super win! Thanks to Rachel for handing over her blog to me this week, and see you on the Interwebs!

Ok guys, I'm back now. Many thanks to Mike for getting on the fun! I hope you all enjoyed this foray into men's modest fashion. My fix is supposed to come in a week and a half, so more Fix fun here soon! And in the meantime-- don't delay-- order your Fix now!

The Classiest Fail

Dear readers, by now you know that my sisters and I might just be the classiest people in the land. I mean, we wear black tie and drink in fancy hotel bars with $20 ice cream sundaes. (We already find the ice cream, because just we're classy, that doesn't mean we don't have our priorities straight.)

So about a month ago, we decided to be classy at a rooftop bar for fancy drinks round two, and to cross something else off the SBL 2.0. However, when we showed up, it was not classy (a surprise trashy Mexican theme) and it also was so full that they were not even taking names for the waiting list anymore. But never fear! When being classy, it is always good to have a back-up plan, which is why I suggested that we go north a few blocks to the Campbell Apartment.

Yup, that's right. A dress code. Because CLASSY!

I had been there once before. It's a place you would never spot, with a tiny entrance on the Vanderbilt Avenue side of Grand Central terminal. However, if you know it's there, it is TOTALLY worth checking out. The drinks are pricey, but only slightly more so than if you got cocktails anywhere else. And you get to feel so old timey and fancy, which is just great fun.

Sorry not to have a picture of the three of us together, but all of them were woefully unflattering of at least one of us, and it seemed mean to put that on the blog. Instead, here is a picture of our three fancy drinks:

The space was designed as a private apartment for a railroad executive in Grand Central, but apparently he never actually stayed there. However, the parlor/ living room, where the bar is, seems ideal for entertaining. It has high ceilings and marble walls and fancy lanterns and a great speak easy sort of feel. Even I, the one who does not enjoy drinking or bars, wanted to stay longer. So while the rooftop bar remains on the bucket list, I would call this delay well worth it.

Finally, how beautiful is this dress? I got it a few Stitch Fixes ago. I've been trying to only keep things I really love, which means I've been sending almost everything back, but this was something I knew I would be too sad to return. It is totally my shape, just the right length, and a beautiful blue color. Every time I wear it, I feel even happier. And classy :)

What I'm wearing: Maggy London dress via Stitch Fix (available here, but for more than I paid), Boden cardigan, b.o.c. sandals (similar here)

SBL 2.0: Let's Go... Someone?

Dear readers, I've been taking a social media break. I even had Sarit change my Facebook password so I couldn't cheat. (Except Instagram, I guess, but that is not particularly time intensive.) It's been interesting to see how much time I waste on the internet. (A lot.) Also how much harder it is to waste time without Facebook. (Also a lot.) This is unlikely to be a permanent switch, but it's been an interesting experiment.

Citi Field, and some cool clouds...

 Anyway. Way back in the day (i.e. Memorial Day Weekend), we took on another Bucket List activity and took Simon to a Mets game. Simon, in an act of rebellion against his father, has openly declared his hatred for the Red Sox. I was very proud. (Sorry Bostonians.) However, since he is eight, he not yet mastered the idea of cheering for one team. Instead, he has created a hierarchy: 1. Dodgers, 2. Yankees, 3. Mets. This will become relevant in a minute.

Since the Dodgers are a West Coast team, they tend to only come to New York once a year. Simon really misses his (former hometown) team. That is how we found ourselves with an 8 year old, decked in Dodgers gear, for a game that began at 8:00 PM. Forget Simon's bedtime, that's late for me.

Yay Someone! It's much less stressful when your team isn't playing...

 Luckily, it was a beautiful evening, and I was wearing one of my favorite Stitch Fix shirts that I got during the blog hiatus. You can see it better in the picture above, but it combines some of my favorite things: stripes, lace, 3/4 sleeves, and softness. So I was dressed and ready to go.

We were sitting three rows from the back of the stadium behind home plate, because that is where the cheap tickets are. It's actually a great view from above, as you can see below, and it was a particularly beautiful sunset. The top deck in the back is also where the hardcore fans sit, as opposed to those who sit on the field level in their fancy pants, so I was a little worried about people yelling at Simon in his Dodgers gear, especially because the Mets and Dodgers have some serious bad blood after last year's National League Championship Series. Luckily, nobody said anything to him, despite booing lustily every time Chase Utley came to bat.

We ended up leaving in the eighth inning because it was almost 11:00, and because I have horrible memories of getting stuck in a traffic jam trying to get out of Citi Field, and thus being stuck in the parking lot for an hour. Simon was so tired that he started say, "I don't care who wins. I just want it to be over." The Dodgers had been winning 2-0 for most of the game. As we turned on the radio in the car, the Mets tied it up, but ultimately, the Dodgers prevailed in the 9th, 4-2, just as it started to pour. Simon was a happy camper.

Help! How does one take a selfie???

And then, despite the late hour, we got up and ran a 5K the next morning in 1,000,000% humidity. More on that soon...

What I'm wearing: 41Hawthorn shirt via Stitch Fix, Gap cropped khakis (similar here)

International Edition: The Ode to Gila

How's this for confusing? My last blog post, about America, was written in Israel. Now, I am writing about Israel, but I am back in America.

No, that's not confusing? I always knew you were smart, dear readers.

Anyway. I am recently back from a week in Israel, which is not nearly long enough, but better than nothing. The main purpose of my trip was to visit my dear friend Gila, as well as her delightful family (who you will meet below.)

This is Gila:

Gila and I met when I was teaching elementary school after college, before I realized that I would rather learn Talmud than teach multiplication. I was her assistant teacher. At first glance, we were not a likely pair. I had grown up in a secular prep school. Gila had grown up in Bais Yaakov. She wore a sheitl and had two kids, despite being only a few years older than me. I had none of those things. But dear readers, in an important life lesson, it is best not to make assumptions because lo and behold, we fell in love.

After two always interesting years together, we both left the school. I went to study Talmud full time and Gila made aliyah (aka moved to Israel) because we are both such mitzvah girls. But we have always stayed in touch via gchat and WhatsApp, and every couple of years I save my pennies so I can go visit. While I am there, we eat waffles and go to the mall and she works while I pretend to the do the same. I always spend some time in Jerusalem (and this time, briefly, in Tel Aviv too), but Modi'in, where she lives with her husband Donny and their kids, is the home base. (Despite the fact that is not dissimilar from deciding to go on vacation in New York and then spending most of your time in Teaneck, NJ. But sometimes you do what you have to do.)

Some pre-Shabbat hiking, after which I got to be in the family selfie!

Yes, you counted correctly. Gila and Donny have five kids now. Five! But don't worry. As she writes on her blog, twins are easy. (Also, even though her blog is not updated so often these days, I highly recommend.)

And since I promised you an ode, here you go:

Every few years I get on a plane
And fly 'round the world to see a great dame
Her name is Gila, she gives great advice
She might sometimes be skeptical but she's always nice
Her husband is Donny, whose humor is dry
And he claims that I function as his rabbi
Every time I come we have to eat waffles
And she introduced me to the world's greatest falafel(s?)
She has five lovely children, including some twins
She knows where to buy sandals, and so the blog wins
I could keep telling tales of an affection so deep
But it's nighttime in Israel and soon she must sleep
(And I want to finish before she goes to bed, so as to embarrass her in real time.)

Lest you think there are no sights to see in Modi'in, which would be unacceptable to Donny who claims it is the greatest city in the world (clearly he has not listened to Hamilton), here are some sights around town:

What, you didn't know Israel was known for its dinosaurs?

Oh wait, you came here to read about my outfit? I forgot! Here it is:

The view from the balcony

Not my most exciting, although I am wearing my Stitch Fix skirt which has become one of my great loves. Also, I had fun mixing blue stripes and stripes, so let's call that today's excitement. Like Modi'in, sometimes the fun is subtle, but that doesn't mean it isn't there...

Love you, Gila!

What I'm wearing: Jones New York shirt via TJ Maxx (similar here), Gilli skirt via Stitch Fix (similar here), Toms via Zulily (similar here)

February 2016 Stitch Fix Review: I'm in Love...

Friends, thank you for waiting so patiently for my latest Stitch Fix review. I know I skipped January-- it came right before I went to DC and I didn't have time to take pics before I sent it back. It's sad, as it was a really good one, even though I ultimately only kept one thing. (Which I have since worn three times a week.) But we must chug along, so be it.

The good news is... this Fix was awesome! Alison has really been killing it lately, and this box just raised the bar even higher. Thanks Alison! (For a review of how Stitch Fix works, see my earlier post here.) I had a fashion show during the Super Bowl with my friends Jenn and Doron, because there's only so long that you can watch people give each other brain damage before you need a new activity.

My styling card: look at all the colors!!

 I loved the whole box and had to exercise some self control to not keep everything. (How that happened will come later.) Luckily, the combo of a gift certificate and referral credit meant that I had $125 to work with, so there was some flexibility. Because of that, the whole box would have cost $115 after the discount, credits, and styling fee. Let's get to it, shall we?

Colorblock Verbena Sequin Detail Blouse in red-- $68

According to Alison, I pinned this blouse. I don't remember, but that seems like something I would do. I loved the sequined detail, and how it is not overpowering but so pretty. I also really liked the color, which was an orange-y red, which is not something I have a lot of in my wardrobe. It seemed classy but also sparkly, which is a good combo. I was sure I was going to keep it when I tried it on the first time, but when I modeled it for my friend Jenn, we both agreed that it was good but not great. It was a little short in the torso and I couldn't quite figure out when I would wear it. For the price, since I wasn't keeping everything, it needed to leave me. Good bye, beautiful blouse. May you find a good home with a shorter torso'ed friend.
Status: Returned

Ezra Cuballa Embroidery Knit Top in navy-- $58

This I did pin. That's because I am in love with it. First of all, I love that the back fabric is different than the front. Second, it's SUPER soft. Third, I love the embroidery detail very much. The only weird thing about it is that it's short on the sides, but my friend Rachel theorized that it's supposed to be that way. So I will wear a tank top underneath and feel happy forever.

Status: Kept!

Gilli Jodie Textured Skirt in navy (although I swear it's black)-- $58

This was my favorite. I have been searching for basically this exact skirt for MONTHS. Thin stripes, knee length, pleats, textured cotton. Happy Rachel! (This was also Jenn and Doron's favorite.)

Status: Kept!

London Times Nancee Dress in green-- $98
Mak Jaclynn 3/4 Sleeve Button-Up Cardigan in cobalt-- $38

I thought two things when I saw this dress.  #1: LOVE. #2: I think I already have this? Indeed, I already own a dress in the same color and almost the same fabric and shape. As much as I love kelly green, even I have my limits, especially for $100.

Alison, knowing of my modest ways, sent this cardigan to go with the dress as well. It was very soft and I loved the color. It was also the least expensive thing in the box. I would have been happy to add it to my closet, except that I have a million cardigans, so I exercised some self control and decided not to keep it.

Do I regret it now? A little. But life goes on. It's only clothing, friends.
Status: dress and sweater both returned

So that's February. Home run. If I hadn't already had an almost identical dress, it's likely that all five things would now be in my closet. But I am very excited about my new shirt and skirt. Just have to wait for March to see what comes next!

Want to get in on the fun? Sign up for your own fix here!

The Mullet of Sweaters

Thankfully, I am a little too young to have been part of the mullet trend that unfortunately proliferated in the 80s. I think we can all agree that if the mullet never came back, it would be okay with all of us.

That being said, I have recently acquired a few shirts that I affectionately think of as mullet shirts, as they are business in the front and party in the back. They seem to be having a moment. I like them for a few reasons, which I will now list for you:
1. They're usually professional enough to wear to work, but have an element of fun and surprise, making them more interesting.
2. I have found that they often have sleeves. Don't know why, but I'm not complaining.
3. They're an excellent excuse to not have to do my hair! (Sometimes I am lazy.)
4. There's a fun bow! Hurrah!

This was the first shirt of this type that I got, way back in my May Stitch Fix. It's possible that I had pinned it to my Pintrest Board at least 15 times. But only maybe. Anyway, I love it just as much now as I did then-- a true Stitch Fix winner. This was from the first fix Alison sent me, and we have been happily together ever since. It has also proven to be a significant conversation speech, and once prompted one of my students to ask me to turn around so she could see the back before I started teaching. Perhaps not the most appropriate, but then again, parties aren't always. Mullet shirts forever!

What I'm wearing: Ezra sweater via Stitch Fix, LOFT black pants (this season's version here)

A for Effort: Stitch Fix Review December 2015

Ok, true confession time. I did not blog about my November Stitch Fix. (Gasp!)

Here's the thing. It wasn't terrible or anything. It was just nothing special. I ended up sending everything back because there was nothing that screamed out to me, "Keep me in your wardrobe!" and I am trying to be selective these days. Combine that with the fact that it arrived on the day of my last comp, when I was double slammed with jet lag and a horrible cold, and it just didn't happen. Hopefully you all will forgive me.

However, lucky for all of you/ unluckily for me, I have yet another stomach virus (I know, how can that even be possible), so there is nothing to do but lie in bed and update my blog. So now, we move on to fix #13, my December Fix.

For a review of how Stitch Fix works, click here.

As you can see, I named this post "A for Effort." Everything Alison sent me was theoretically spot on, but I only ended up keeping one thing, much to my sadness. Let's see what happened.

Nice combo of colors = a good start 

For this fix, I had asked for a few things. First, for it to be a bit more budget conscious. (My last fix contained a $98 sweater, which was just never going to happen.) Second, for some dresses, especially the gold one Sarit got. And finally, things with special details or a little bit of sparkle.

Look, two dresses!

I had a little bit of credit, which is always nice. If I had kept everything, it would have been $227 total, which doesn't feel crazy for two dresses, two sweaters, and a blouse. However, I did not keep everything. Let's see what happened.

(Apologies for the mirror selfies. I just didn't get around to having someone take my picture, which ended up being for the best, since I was very very ill only a few hours after these were taken. But you get the idea.)

Collective Concepts Helma Dress in Black-- $78

This was the dress Sarit got, that I loved. Obviously Sarit is much shorter than me, but she had gotten it in petite, so I was hoping that it would be long enough in regular. As it turns out, not so much.

You might be thinking, Hey Rachel, we can't see the bottom of the dress! To which I would say, Yes, because this is a modest fashion blog, and here was nothing modest about the length of this dress on me. Also, as you can see, it's a little tight on bottom, but also too loose on top. I must remember in the future, shift dresses are not my friend.

Nothing like something that makes you look lumpy and shapeless at the same time. Don't I look thrilled?
Status: Returned

Collective Concepts Katelynn Polka Dot Dress in Black-- $88

Again, you can feel the ecstasy. This is one of those pull over dresses that has no real shape other than the elastic waist. I have never found one of these dresses that looks good on my body, as it always swallows my top half. Add to the fact that the fabric was a super lightweight and cheap feeling polyester, and there was no way I was keeping it for $88 even if I had liked the shape. I do love me some polka dots, but that's the extent of positive feedback I have for this.

Also, when did dresses that are longer in front and back and shorter on the sides become a thing? So many mysteries, so little time... to put this dress back in the box and return it.
Status: Returned

Papermoon Alvar Bead Detail Top in Olive-- $54

Here's the thing, guys. Olive is just not my color. Shirts that are see through are not my style. And beads that are gold versions of the little silver balls I used to use to decorate my cupcakes are not something I need in my wardrobe.

Alison sent this because I asked for sparkle. I had had something more shimmery/ sequin-y in mind, but that's on me for not being more specific. It actually mostly fit me very nicely, but that's sort of the only positive thing I could say about it. Again, good concept. failed execution.

Status: Returned

41Hawthorn Lizzy Colorblock Striped Sweater in Grey-- $68

The fact that they called this grey was confusing to me, as it is clearly actually navy. This was the item I was most on the fence about. It was SO soft. I love stripes and I love color blocking. It fit me very nicely, in my humble opinion.

However, I did ultimately send it back. There were two strikes against it. First, the navy-- I own a ton of navy already. Also, I don't like wearing navy with dark jeans, and I don't wear it with black, which makes knowing what I should wear it with confusing. Second, it was the sort of fabric I could imagine starting to pill right away. Don't get me wrong, I have my fair share of pilly sweaters and I wear them all the time. But that, combined with the color and the price, forced me to exercise my self-control and return it. I might still ask for it in another color, though. We shall see.
Status: Returned

Mak Coffman Button Up Cardigan in Red-- $48

Fear not my friends! The final item was something I loved! As you all know, if you have been reading along, I love a good cardigan and wear them multiple times a week. Also, at first glance, yes, just a plain red cardigan. As it turns out, though, I have almost no red in my wardrobe. And then, when you look closer...

It has this very pretty crochet detail on the arms and the neckline that make it a little more interesting. It's pretty lightweight, so I would say I don't expect to wear it much before spring, but it's like 60 degrees every day here now, so maybe when I finally take off my pajamas, it will have its debut. As you can see in that awkward selfie above, I am pleased. Yay! Also, with my $25 of credit, it was $23. Happy Rachel.
Status: Kept!

So thus ends my December Stitch Fix. Even though I only kept one thing, I continue to have lots of fun, and also to feel like Alison gets what I like, even when I don't keep everything. Coming up in he January fix: clothes for work, as I'm going to be a professor! (True story!)

Want to get in on the fun? Sign up for your first fix here. And wait, if you use the code HOLIDAYTREAT, you can get your first fix without any styling fee-- risk free!