Working with a stylist sounds like a luxury, but subscription services like Trunk Club give you expert advice at a price that fits into your normal shopping budget. This service’s style assessment covers familiar territory, but it also lets you add notes and a Pinterest board to your profile.
Trunk Club excels in giving you ways to communicate with your stylist. As you answer questions and leave comments about your preferences, they can pinpoint the type of clothes you like to wear. If you’re up for a challenge, you can ask your stylist to help you step outside of your typical style with something gorgeous and new. With each Trunk, you can get styled for casual outings, special events, and more.
Trunk Club Overview
Trunk Club is one of the most popular personal styling boxes around, and it specializes in higher-end clothing. It’s owned by Nordstrom, and features brands sold in the store. Each Trunk includes up to 10 items of clothing for you to try on.
Trunk Club charges a styling fee of $25, which counts toward any purchases you make. The service includes a style assessment, and you can add a note or link to a particular image that summarizes your style to guide your stylist even more. You can also ask to curate boxes for various occasions. If you’re looking for something to wear on a date night, for example, you can let your stylist know, so they can fill your Trunk with fun, dressy items.
Your stylist’s selections are visible on the website as soon as they’re complete, and you can remove items from your box before they arrive. One of the best features of this styling service is the list of possible outfits that comes along with your styling results. The outfit list is helpful for envisioning how each item could fit into your wardrobe.
Pros:
- Communicate easily with stylists
- Quality clothing
- 10 items per Trunk gives plenty of options
Cons:
- More expensive clothes on average than other services
- Only 5 days to decide what you want to keep
How does Trunk Club work?
Trunk Club likes to distinguish itself from subscription services, and lets you choose a one-time service if that’s what you want. After creating an account, you fill out a style assessment that helps stylists curate a box that reflects your style. The assessment asks for your preferences, from color to fit. There’s also a section that asks if there are any patterns, styles, or other things you particularly hate, so they can avoid them.
If you have something specific in mind for a box, or really want to avoid something, you can always leave a note for your stylist. This is where you can let them know the kind of styles you like to wear, or a particular trend you absolutely hate. If you want even more control over what goes in your box, you can submit a Pinterest board that highlights your personal style.
You can see the contents of your box as soon as it’s styled for you, and you can remove any items you’re sure you don’t want in your Trunk. After you receive your Trunk, you have five days to make decisions on what to keep and what to return. Returns are free, and you can schedule a convenient pickup from your home.
How much does Trunk Club cost?
The base cost of a Trunk Club box is $25. That’s the styling fee, and the service charges this fee even if you return all of the clothes. If you choose to keep any, though, this charge counts toward clothing purchases. The total cost is up to how many items you want to keep from the Trunk.
How do you sign up for Trunk Club?
Making a Trunk Club account involves standard email sign-up procedures. Once you create your account you’ll be prompted to share more about your size, style and personal preferences. The assessment will likely take around half an hour, so set aside a chunk of time to give the best answers you can. It’s a fun exercise that makes you think about how you dress and what you like to wear.
How much are the clothes on Trunk Club?
Trunk Club keeps their clothing within a range of $50-$300, so prices do start at a slightly higher point than some other styling services. The cost of clothing will vary from Trunk to Trunk, but they’ll fit into this range. The budget that you indicate in your survey will also determine the price of the clothing your stylist chooses for you.
Are Trunk Club clothes good quality?
The clothes from Trunk Club are all from brands carried by Nordstrom, which specializes in higher-end clothing. This means you’ll get clothing from Madewell, Free People and other respected brands.
The clothes tend to be made more carefully and with nicer fabrics than fast fashion brands. Quality always varies by brand and even by garment, but overall the selection focuses on pieces that are meant to last. This service is a good place to find investment pieces.
Does Trunk Club use real stylists?
Trunk Club uses real stylists to put together boxes for you, and the service manages to feel very hand-picked, even though it’s all virtual. Stylists often leave comments on key items in your Trunk, suggesting how you might wear them or how they fit into your fashion goals. You can send feedback to get even closer to your ideal style in future boxes.
The stylist team at Trunk Club takes your responses and finds clothing options that match what you want from your Trunk. Sticking with the same stylist for multiple boxes lets your stylist learn more about you and how you dress.
Trunk Club is unique in that it allows you to include a Pinterest board of clothing inspiration for your stylist to see. Images go a long way toward communicating what kind of clothing you like, and the stylists really do take this into account as they curate your Trunk.
Final Thoughts
Trunk Club is a great option for anyone looking to advance their style and try on lots of well-made clothes. People who have an idea of what they like to wear already and are looking for specifics will get more out of this styling service than other options.
You get more input on Trunk Club than similar services, and because of that it’s easier to get something that closely matches your preferences. With Trunk Club, you can find clothing that matches your fashion sense without spending hours scouring websites. Stylists are already familiar with the clothing options available, so they can quickly find the best way to fulfill your wardrobe goals.
However, Trunk Club can also be a tool for developing your sense of style with guidance from a stylist. Themed Trunks like Summer Trends or Summer Weekend Wear provide options for people who know the general idea of what they want, but are less sure of specifics. These trunks are designed to keep you on-trend and comfortable throughout the seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I return an item to Trunk Club?
Returns to Trunk Club ship free, and each Trunk comes with a sticker label that’s easy to apply to the outside of your box. After you’ve attached the new label and covered the old one, you can drop off the package at a UPS store or schedule a pickup from your home.
How do you cancel Trunk Club?
You can go to your account settings to adjust your Trunk schedule. Trunk Club also allows you to completely deactivate your account, to make sure you don’t receive any unwanted boxes.
Does Trunk Club send used clothes?
No, they send brand-new clothing with the tags still attached. You can try on clothes through Trunk Club, but you will be charged for anything that looks worn or that has tags removed. That’s how they keep used clothes out of the rotation.
Can I see what’s in my Trunk Club before it arrives?
Yes! Once your stylist puts together a selection for you, it’s visible on your account. You can view all the items, the size your stylist has chosen for you, and the cost. Stylists also put together outfits out of the clothes included in your trunk, so you can get an idea of how to put them together and make the most of them. If you can already tell you won’t like an item, you can have it removed from your box before it’s sent. Your stylist will replace it with something else instead.
What happens if you don’t return your Trunk Club?
Your account will be charged for any clothes you don’t return. With each box, you’re charged a $25 styling fee that counts toward the cost of your purchases. If you don’t return your box, you’ll be charged for each item, minus that $25 credit. Returns are easy and free, so just return anything you don’t want to keep, unless you want to be charged for all 10 pieces that come in your box.
Who are Trunk Club’s competitors?
Stitch Fix and Frank and Oak are other styling services that send curated boxes of clothing and accessories. These other services offer personalized styling services, and at similar price points. Stitch Fix has the advantage of a wider range of brands, since it’s not associated with any particular store, but those brands may be lower quality. Frank and Oak focuses on sustainable clothing, but has relatively few clothing options available. It also has a limited range of styles, since it specializes in minimalist style. Trunk Club stands out for its great styling and quality clothing.
