Reviewing Trunk Club: Part One

Well, it’s a good thing I didn’t get that ‘Stitch Fix 4 LIFE’ tattoo I was considering, because I have a new loovah that goes by the name of Trunk Club.

That’s right, I’m seriously considering kicking Stitch Fix to the curb, and I already told them by adding ‘unless I’m blown away, this will be my last Fix for awhile’ to my March note. Stitch Fix, you’ve been WARNED!

Why?
Because Trunk Club is amazingly awesome.

What is Trunk Club?
Trunk Club is like the big sister of Stitch Fix… a little more savvy and much more grown up. Like other subscriptions, you go online and complete a style survey. However, then you get connected with a stylist who will work with you over the phone or by email to find the best clothes for your size, style and preferences. They have a relationship with Nordstrom, so you are actually familiar with the brands and quality of the clothing they sell.

Other differences:

• There is no stylist fee. It’s totally free to try and you only pay for the items you keep. Shipping is free both ways.
• You work with a stylist and build a relationship with her. You can talk to her on the phone or email her anytime you want.
• Your Trunk includes around 15 items and can include clothes, shoes, accessories and handbags.
• You can take your time deciding what you want because you have 10 days to try everything on.
• It’s not a subscription and you order a Trunk whenever you want one.
• From what I hear, Trunk Club carries up to a size 18. (I’m going to double-check this with my stylist)

I signed up and within 24 hours my new stylist, Alicia, reached out to me. We emailed back and forth a few times so that she could understand my exact needs (she would have called so we could speak on the phone, but email tends to work better for me) and she sent me an initial trunk online to review.

That’s right, I had a chance to preview each item she was thinking of sending and veto the ones I didn’t like. Even better, she asked that when I removed items that I let her know WHY I removed them so that she could better chose future items.

WOW.

It was super easy to go on and reject items:

I was super honest with my reasoning on why I made each rejection – from ‘sorry that is way out of my price range’ to ‘I have something similar’ and ‘I really dislike the sleeves on that.’ Once I was done, she finalized everything on her end, added a couple more things and sent me my Trunk.

LOOK at this thing!

A photo posted by pocketfulofjoules (@pocketfulofjoules) on Feb 29, 2016 at 11:55am PST

It is HUGE. Like, mega huge. I tried to get Ollie to stand next to it so you could see the size, but the thought that I might want to put him IN the box so he hid under the bed.

I had 15 items in my initial trunk. I say ‘initial trunk’ because the plan is for me to try on all the items and then send back everything I don’t want. Even if that is every single thing. Alicia will then take my feedback into consideration and immediately send me out a new trunk once UPS picks up the one I have. That way she can tweak any sizing issues and get to other items that she couldn’t fit in the first trunk without me waiting a month to try again. Pretty cool, right?

Here’s what I received in my first trunk:

Sources: (1) Caslon White Scoop Neck Cotton Tee, (2) Splendid Scoop Neck Top, (3) Caslon Linen Blend Utility Jacket, (4) Love, Fire Distressed Denim Jacket, (5) Eliza J Pleated Faille Midi Skirt in Blush, (6) Eliza J Pleated Faille Midi Skirt in Black, (7) Eliza J Floral Print Faille Midi Skirt, (8) Felicity & Coco Sleeveless Fit & Flare Dress, (9) Tahari Jacquard Fit & Flare Dress, (10) Eliza J Jersey Floral Faille Fit & Flare Dress, (11) Citizens of Humanity ‘Arielle’ Mid Rise Slim Jeans, (12) Madewell ‘Flea Market’ Flare Jeans, (13) Madewell Slim Boy Jeans, (14) Ivanka Trump ‘Camille’ Studded Gladiator Sandal, (15) Dolce Vita ‘Kara’ Perforated Bootie.

Within an hour of my Trunk arriving, I had an email from my stylist with her suggestions on how to pair the items. Here are a few of my favorite pairings based on her suggestions:

Outfit #1: 4 + 10 + 14

This dress is fantastic and I really like the solid top and floral skirt. I am not a fan of the pink belt though and would totally switch it out with a brown one immediately. I actually like the look of the destroyed jean jacket a lot more than I thought I would, but I’m still not sure if it’s an item that I need for my closet. These shoes are great, but they are similar to a pair I already own and a little pricey for sandals.

Outfit #2: 4 + 7 + 2 + 15

Now this skirt is like a more versatile version of the dress from the last outfit – I could totally wear it work with a cardigan or throw on a tank top for a perfect vacation look. This skirt is actually my favorite item from the entire box! It is the exact same skirt as the blush and black versions (items 5 and 6) but the flowers make it perfect for me. I was considering buying the black version too, but would prefer something a little less structured for day-to-day outfits (it has a crinoline layer underneath for stiffness). Oh yes, and POCKETS! {swoon}

The tee is a really nice, slouchy gray shirt with some bunching in the middle to give it that flowy shape (you can tell better when it’s untucked for outfit #3). It’s the perfect softness, color and I love the little cap sleeves. It’s a little expensive though for a tee… I wish it were like half the price and then I’d snap it up.

Now let’s talk about the booties – I’ve really been needing a pair of taupe booties and asked my stylist to include some in this Trunk. These booties are great. Actually, they are better than great…the perforated leather and cute back buckle gives them interest and the color is really flattering with my skin tone. Before I pull the trigger on them I want to compare them to another pair I’ve been drooling over online. Luckily I have 10 days to think about my Trunk, which will give me time to compare the two pairs of booties side-by-side.

Outfit #3: 3 + 2 + 13 + 15

I really like how my stylist remixed a couple of the pieces that we’ve already tried into this new, casual outfit. When I saw the preview, I fell in love with the jacket… but on me it doesn’t fit quite right because the arms are extra baggy (which I fixed by rolling the sleeves). In my notes I’m going to ask my stylist to send me something similar to try out.

I really like the color, distressing and fit of these jeans. However, there are two things I don’t like – they are a little stiff/scratchy, and more importantly they don’t really fit my butt well. Since I do like the overall look of them, I’m going to ask my stylist to send me a similar pair with more stretch. Ahhh, those booties. They are just so stinking cute…

Outfit #4: 9 + 4 + 14

I really wish this dress were a softer jersey-type fabric. As it is, it’s kind of stiff and reminds me a lot of a dress I already own. However, it looks really cute with the distressed jacket and studded sandals. It’s quite obvious that my stylist did her homework and she totally understands my style!

Final Thoughts:
I really, really loved my trunk and if I had the means (and the closet space) I’d buy most of it. However, I don’t really NEED a ton of pieces so I’ve narrowed it down to just the items I love.

Here are the finalists:

What do you think I should buy?

So there you go, my very first Trunk Club experience! As you can see, I called this post “Trunk Club: Part One” because I intend to add a second breakdown once my follow up box arrives (Update: it arrived and you can check it out here!) I’m also thinking about doing a Part Three to show you how I can remix the items I bought with other stuff I already own.

What do you think, are you going to try Trunk Club?
Really there is nothing to lose at all since there are no styling fees AND no minimum purchase. If you’ve been thinking about refreshing your wardrobe for spring, this can be a great way to try some new looks out for free! If you do decide to try them out, I’d really appreciate it if you use my special referral link it will cost you nothing and earns me a small amount to go towards items in my next Trunk.

Also, if you DO decide to have a Trunk sent to you, please shoot me an email and tell me about your experience. I may use your thoughts (good and bad) in a follow up post.

If you have questions about Trunk Club, please leave me a comment and I’ll try to answer them for you! Also, let me know your thoughts on what I should buy!

Update: I received my follow up Trunk and it’s awesome! You can see the post with a ton of pictures here!

 

{Psssst… if you like my clothing box company reviews, here is a handy-dandy list of the ones I’ve tried: Stitch Fix, Trendsend, The Ms. Collection, DailyLook Elite and Wantable’s Fitness Edit}

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Trunk Club, I pay for any clothing I purchase with my own hard-earned money. If you enjoyed my review and decide to try Trunk Club for yourself, the biggest compliment you can give me is by using my referral link. Thank you to anyone who chooses to click through and support my shopping addiction! This post contains ShopStyle affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.