Which Online Stylist Service Suits You Best?

Image: Flickr, Farrakh

Hiring stylists used to be a luxury reserved for the rich and famous. But now, a flurry of online styling sites are shaking up that old notion, offering sartorially challenged shoppers a chance to get professional service.

Not only do sites like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club employ a team of stylists who pick clothes for you, they also customize them to your comfort level and personality. Whether it's emailing you a lookbook or literally sending a trunk full of clothes, the goal is to make you look fashionable — without you doing any of the work.

But, much like clothes, not every style site is one-size-fits-all. How do you know which service will suit you?

We checked out four popular styling services and highlighted everything you need to know.

1. Stylit

Recommended if: You want to see brand-new, head-to-toe looks on a weekly basis.

Payment plan: Stylit emails you outfits, but you only pay for the items you like. Prices range from $50 to $200.

Stylit has an easy, jump-right-in approach to styling. You start by creating a profile, which shows a variety of looks in different categories, such as "Casual Day," "Work Look" and "Going-Out," and then it asks you to pick your favorites. You can also select preferred day and night shoes, including flats, sneakers and heels.


Image: Stylit

Then it's time to get specific. Stylit asks for your body type and measurements, then offers you a budget scale. From $50-$200, you're asked how much you would be willing to spend for items like a great purse or a pretty pair of shoes

Stylit also gets really specific about your preferences, such as whether you'd like to emphasize or tone down certain body parts (arms, hips, bottom, waist, etc.). You can also highlight or eliminate color options; if you hate orange clothes, go ahead and banish them.


Image: Stylit

Overall, Stylit is low-pressure. Every Thursday, the service emails you a full outfit, complete with makeup options and accessories. If you like it, click on the items and buy them online from their respective stores. You can also rate the items they choose, which lets your stylist know if he or she is keeping up with your fashion preferences.

2. Stitch Fix

Recommended if: You want to be as specific as possible, but don't mind a long wait.

Payment plan: You pay a $20 styling fee once items are shipped. If you buy all five items sent to you, there's a 25% discount. Each shipped item has an average price of $55.

Stitch Fix offers the most customized online shopping experience on this list. You get started creating a profile, adding contact info and measurements. Then you can choose from a plethora of detailed outfit photos, deciding whether you "like it," "love it," "don't really like it" or "hate it."


Image: Stitch Fix

You're then asked about your occupation, and whether you often dress up for work, cocktail events or casual days. The intense customization includes the ability to elimate clothing colors, prints and fabrics, such as fur or leather.

You can pick body parts you want to highlight, along with favorite colors. Stitch Fix prioritizes the clothes you need the most by asking how many selections you need for work, special events, casual times and nights out.

It really needles a lot of your specifications, with more than 30 questions. There's also an option to add your social media accounts confidentially, so your stylist can get a "better sense of who you are."

All that customization comes with a wait, though. When I set up an account, the first available date to get my style "Fix," a monthly package of items chosen by my stylist, was about 23 days later. That's thanks to good reviews, including high praise from the Today Show, and the reasonable price point.

3. Trunk Club

Recommended if: You're a man looking to step up his style.

Payment plan: Trunk Club ships you clothes, and you only pay for the items you want to keep. Prices vary.

Trunk Club has something for every man. Once you get started, you pick your comfort level: "Clueless," "Confident" or "Aficionado."


Image: Trunk Club

The sign-up process is fairly straightforward. After picking your level of fashion savvy, Trunk Club shows you various outfits and asks you to select which ones appeal to you. Next up, brands. The site asks you to pick out clothing stores you like, such as Urban Outfitters, J. Crew, H&M, Saks and more. After that, you put in your measurements and contact information.

Based on this information, you're given a stylist. After they assess your profile, they send a trunk of clothing options, which you can try at home. You only pay for the items you want to keep.


Image: Trunk Club

Christian Davis, a writer for men's style site Dappered, wrote a first-person account of his Trunk Club experience. What he received was friendly, fast service and a trunk full of beautiful items. The downside? The price ranges ran fairly high (only two items were under $90). Thus, be prepared to shell out some cash for Trunk Club's services.

The site was also recently acquired by luxury retailer Nordstrom. That potentially means more high-quality items, and stronger service.

4. Style Me Perfect

Recommended if: You want full-scale service, with various payment options.
Payment plan: Three monthly subscription options, ranging from $50 to $500.

Style Me Perfect wins the award for most unique questions. After asking users to add basic information, like measurements and body type, it also asks what kind of music you listen to. Beyoncé-inspired looks, here we come.

Like the other style sites, you're asked to describe your style. Are you structured, sophisticated and elegant? Or are you eclectic, vintage and retro? But Style Me Perfect adds another layer by asking users to write in the name of their style icons. You're also asked to describe your style in five words. This way, the stylist really gets to know more about who they're working with.

Payment options vary, with three different kinds of monthly subscriptions.


The lowest monthly option, Ballet, offers a phone chat with a stylist and unlimited style advice (you can text or email a stylist when you're out shopping on your own). The next level, Stiletto, offers the same perks, along with two or three looks emailed in a lookbook format, some light shopping, and a half hour-long Skype or Facetime chat. The third level, Platform, offers an hour-long Skype session and five closet looks per week, as well as the other available services.


Founder and creative director Carrie Johnson works alongside a stylist in her office.

Image: Style Me Perfect

Style Me Perfect also has add-on services. For an extra $25, you can get a head-to-toe look, or five individual items, picked according to your preferences and budget. There's also an additional $25 beauty package, which includes makeup, hair and nail products, as well as links to makeup and hair tutorials.

Most customers opt for the $50 subscription with add-ons, founder and creative director Carrie Johnson tells Mashable. Stylists will typically contact clients within a few hours of purchasing a subscription, so everything is set in motion almost immediately. Everything is conducted online, so there are no beautiful packages arriving at your door. But, as a result, the process is accelerated.


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