More people than ever are choosing to shop online. One of the biggest drawbacks, though, is the hassle of dealing with returns when things don’t quite work out. Fashion subscription services give you the chance to try things on before you commit to buying them, so you can avoid that problem. Stitch Fix and Daily Look both thrive on giving customers the chance to try clothes on with a guarantee of free, easy returns.
These two services are both primarily about styling customers. Digital styling services like these can be hit or miss, which means the details are especially important. Stitch Fix has more affordable options, and the styling is more likely to challenge you or expand your horizons. Daily Look has consistent quality and curates a selection of great brands that will strengthen any wardrobe.
How Do They Work
If you’ve ever tried another fashion box, you’re probably familiar with the basics of how they work. Both of these boxes are styling services, which means instead of choosing items yourself, you’ll have a stylist picking things out for you. Stitch Fix uses a mix of algorithms and real stylists, while Daily Look has a team of full-time stylists.
Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix uses a style survey to gather information about your size, fit preferences and personal style. The company uses this information to assemble a box of 5 items catered to your lifestyle and fashion sense. Boxes can include clothes, shoes, and accessories.
You can choose how often you receive boxes from Stitch Fix. You can get just one box, a box every few months, or as often as every 2-3 weeks.
Once your box arrives at your home, you have 5 days to try everything on and figure out what you want to keep. When you know what you want, you can check out online and pay for the items you plan to keep. Returns are easy: each box comes with a prepaid shipping envelope that you can drop off at the post office.
Daily Look
When you sign up for Daily Look, you’ll need to create a style profile that includes your height and weight, sizing information, and some information about what you like to wear. All this allows their stylists to find the best possible picks for your box.
Next, you’ll get a chance to look at your stylist’s picks for you. The box won’t ship until you approve it. At this point, you have the chance to reject up to 3 items, and your stylist will replace them with something new.
Each DL box comes in an adorable blue box, and is filled with 12 items of clothing picked out just for you. You have 5 days to try clothes on and figure out what you want to buy. Check out and pay for your selections, and then you can send your returns in the prepaid shipping bag that comes with every box.
The company has a charity component built into the normal return process. If you have unwanted, gently used clothes that you’d like to donate to a good cause, you can just include those in the return bag. The clothes are donated to organizations like Single Mother Outreach and Casa Teresa, a homeless shelter.
Pros and Cons
Want a closer look at the pros and cons of each service? I’ll break down the best and worst parts of each one below.
Stitch Fix
Here are the pros:
- Easy to make outfits out of one box
- 25% off discount if you buy the whole box
- Extend try-on period easily
Stitch Fix boxes tend to be cohesive, including clothes that you can wear together as outfits. It’s helpful for imagining how you can fit them with the rest of your wardrobe. If you do keep the entire box, you can save 25% on everything in it.
Another helpful feature is how easily you can extend the try-on period beyond the usual 5 days. For lots of potential customers, a short try-on time can be daunting. Stitch Fix lets you extend that period of time just by clicking a button. The website is easy to navigate overall, which is a huge plus and saves a lot of time for customers.
Stitch Fix also has some cons:
- Clothing not always high-quality
- Styling is so-so
The service features lots of well-known, beloved brands, but there are also plenty of others that don’t seem as devoted to quality. Thin fabric, sloppy stitching or strange fits have all been known to show up in SF boxes.
The styling is also inconsistent. It might take some trial and error for customers and stylists to get on the same wavelength, which is understandable. This can result in some lackluster boxes, though.
Daily Look
These are the pros:
- Quality clothing
- Wearable styles
- View and reject items before your box ships
Daily Look has a well-curated selection of brands, including Kut from the Cloth and Liverpool. They include lots of pieces that are more timeless than trendy. It’s mostly clothing that has a long shelf life, in terms of style and construction.
You can reject up to 3 items during your box preview, and ideally your stylist will replace them with clothes that are a better fit for your tastes. That way, you don’t get any unwanted surprises.
Here are the cons:
- Limited size range
- Not as many brands
- Short try-on period
Daily Look only carries sizes from 0 through 12, which is more limited than most subscription boxes. The company doesn’t carry quite as many brands as Stitch Fix, and that means they have a more limited selection overall. The try-on period also feels short compared to the amount of clothes they send. Sometimes you might not have time to set aside to try on clothes in the middle of the week.
How Much Do They Cost?
If you’re looking for lower prices, Stitch Fix is the definite winner here. The company offers styles and accessories starting at only $20.
Daily Look’s items are at fairly standard prices, and you don’t generally find discounted items in their selection.
Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix charges a $20 styling fee, even if you don’t buy anything. If you do buy something, that $20 fee is credited toward your purchase.
The clothes and accessories they carry range from $20 to $300, showing that they really do have something for every budget. If you want them to show you luxury brands, you can ask for those. If you want to keep things as cheap as possible, let them know through the survey.
Stitch Fix also offers an appealing 25% discount if you keep all 5 items from your box.
Daily Look
Daily Look charges a $40 styling fee, but they seem to have sales on this pretty often. The pieces they offer start at $60, so be prepared to spend money on quality items and name brands. When I ordered a box from them, prices ranged from $68 to $98, with the cheapest being a pair of shorts and the most expensive, a bomber jacket.
If you buy 3 or more items, you can get 50% off the cheapest item. This discount isn’t a huge incentive, but it’s a nice bonus if you already plan to buy a lot from your box.
What Style Of Clothes Do You Get?
Stitch Fix carries more than 1000 brands, and has a relatively wide range of styles. The options you receive are partly determined by your survey answers and the stock available.
Daily Look doesn’t list all of the brands it carries, but it definitely focuses on higher-end brands. Those brands also tend to share a certain classic style, avoiding overly trendy styles.
Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix aims to provide all kinds of styles to customers and carries enough brands to offer a decent selection. They’re definitely trend-forward, so this is a great place to find new trends you might like. They carry sizes from 0 to 24W, making them plus-size friendly.
The company even has some of its own clothing lines. Some of their items seem cheaply made, though, and they aren’t necessarily the budget items. With Stitch Fix, you’re most likely to get very current clothes that reflect popular cuts and styles.
Daily Look
Daily Look has a more limited selection than Stitch Fix, but what they carry matches their style vision. They carry high end, sophisticated pieces. Think wool coats, sturdy knits, ankle boots and loafers. That’s not to say you won’t find current items like wide-legged jumpsuits. In general, you’re not likely to find something embellished with the latest bold trends. The company’s stated goal is to elevate your style, and they do so with subtle looks.
Final Thoughts
Stitch Fix specializes in trendy pieces and has more options for shoppers on a budget. If you’re still experimenting with style, and looking for inexpensive clothes to try out, this box is your best bet. Their styling and the clothing quality can be inconsistent, though.
On the other hand, you should go to Daily Look if you want consistently elegant, quality clothes. Through DL, you’ll find staple pieces with good construction. They have name brands and pieces that you can keep around for years. This service is perfect for anyone who wants to splurge, or someone with a more formal sense of style.
Overall, I think Stitch Fix is probably a better match for the casual shopper. Daily Look’s refined approach will appeal to a more specific type of shopper who knows what they want.
