Stich Fix #1

What's that I see? A horse-drawn vehicle of some kind? Full of musicians? I love it! I want to climb aboard!"
Please ignore the above musings on the phrase "Jumping on the bandwagon," and likewise please excuse me for totally copying everyone. Because I love bandwagons!

So I ordered a StitchFix.

For those of you who are blissfully unaware of said bandwagon: StitchFix is a company that will send you a box of hand-picked items, which you can try on and keep or send back.
You fill out style-profiles, link your StitchFix to your pinterest boards, and then get a super fun present on your doorstep.
At first, I thought, "What a waste of money. I can go to the store and find my own clothes, and probably pay less for them."
And so for months, I put off getting a box, even though I kind of wanted to.
But I changed my tune. Here are some of my reasons:
1. I never have anything to wear. So I pick up a couple t-shirts the next time I'm at Target, but I already actually have a lot of tshirts. And tshirts are cheap, so I don't feel bad buying them, but sometimes I just want something besides tshirts. The tshirt circle is the reason I already feel like I don't have any clothes.
2. Sometimes, I am even willing to haul all my children to the Gap to look for clothes.
But then, guess what. I am at the Gap with three small children. It is extremely difficult to try on clothes in a four foot fitting room with three children.
3. Even if I do manage to find clothes and try them on while being tugged on my children, I don't exactly have time to comb the racks for something I really love, and I'm certainly not going into a second store. So I grab what I like, and head out the door - even if I don't love it.

But this way, I can have clothes mailed to me. I can wear them around my house while my kids are sleeping, and pair them with other clothes that I already own to see if I love them.
And if I do love them, the fact that they're not on sale is suddenly worth it.
So. I did StitchFix. Five hand-picked items, just for me. And then I made my husband take awkward photos of me in our front yard. Please overlook the fact that I look goofy, am blurry, or am accidentally scowling in half of these photos. It's harder than you'd think to get good selfies with a real camera. I tried really hard to style these clothes the way I would probably end up wearing them if I kept them. So here you go. Becky in StitchFix.

41Hawthorn Filbert 3/4 Sleeve Popover Blouse


I actually loved this shirt and everything about it, except the price tag. It was $58! Even despite that, I really, really had to talk myself out of this shirt, and could only do it because I was already getting two other items. This shirt was perfect for running around or dressing up and I really need more versatile blouses like it. So sadly, it was sent back. 

41Hawthorn Abrianna Lightweight Knit Cardigan

I didn't love this sweater, even though I'm usually all about cardigans. But
1. It was too bright and springy- but we're headed into fall.
2. It was really, really thin and my clothes are often thrown-up on smeared with food by children, and this didn't seem like it could stand up to lots of washing.
I did really like the shape of it, though, and would like a similar cardigan in the future out of a heavier, more wintery fabric. Sent Back.

Just Black Adorra Skinny Jean

These are the best fitting jeans I've ever tried on. Add that to the fact that they're unbelievably comfortable, and I was pretty set on them staying home with me. I love that they are dark-washed and not distressed or bleached (I don't like distressed denim! It stresses me out and confuses me.) I know that both of the above pictures are kind of silly, but I wanted you to be able to see their shape! The jeans were really long (because I requested long jeans). but they even looked flattering cuffed, so I decided to keep them.

Skies are Blue Braeden Lattice Detail Blouse

I really loved the color of this blouse, but it wasn't as flattering as the first blouse. It was really boxy and loose. While some shirts are nice loose-fitted, this shirt was kind of stiff, so it didn't work for me. Plus, it had little "lattice" eyeholes in the decoration, which meant that I had to wear a tank top under it. I know that's lazy of me, but man. I hate wearing tank tops under clothes. Sent back.

Gilli Jiro 3/4 Sleeve Mini Stripe Faux Wrap Dress

I recently made a deal with myself, that if I found a dress that I could wear without a cardigan or leggings (while still modest enough to wear to church!), and which I loved- that I would buy it. I love this dress. I haven't been able to wear most of my dresses since August was born, but this is a dress I can nurse in. It's really flattering to my figure, lightweight, nicely draped, and in muted colors! I love dresses in grey, brown, and black- because then I can go crazy with cardigans and tights (okay. Not crazy), so the moment I unpacked my box- and this was lying on top, I knew it would be staying home with me unless it fit me weird or was insanely expensive.
Since neither was true, this baby stayed with me.

So. I loved getting a StitchFix box, and want to do it again! It's really fun and nice to be able to treat yourself to something that you love, but it will probably be a while before I do it again. Maybe if I have an event or something I might order a box with specifications to fill it all with something in particular.
And if you're thinking of getting a box, it would be awesome if you signed up by clicking {here} because if you go through me, I'm pretty sure I get money or credit or something. Yes. I am shamelessly asking you for free clothes. I mean, if you're going to order a box anyway.


 

Jules Ford Maternity Giveaway

(Oops. you said yesterday that you don't like giveaways. Well, here's one anyway. :) )

I remember feeling pretty darn guilty buying Maternity clothes.
Besides the fact that they were only going to fit me for a few months, I was also pretty sure that by the next time I was pregnant (we're talking like 5 years) the clothes would probably be out of style.
And WAY too big for me, since I will never have twins again (I mean, most likely).

Mmm, but I remember pulling on those (totally expensive) maternity jeans, with an elastic waistband instead of a stretched out ponytail linked through my button hole and thinking "Not only are these totally worth it, but I would pay double because I never want to take these off again."

The only real problem that I found with maternity clothes was the horrible lack of nice, dressy clothes. Or um, a single dress for pregnant women that wasn't baby doll cut.
I wanted to wear dresses (comfy!) but always ended up looking like a tent or worse.
And the moment I stopped being pregnant, all my pre-pregnancy clothes were too small and all my maternity clothes were too big.

Enter Jules Ford Maternity. Super darling, totally classy, timeless maternity wear.
I'm 100% sure that I could wear one of these dresses for every pregnancy and it would never go out of style. (I even tried to convince Jules -the designer- that she should send me a dress for free to *ahem* review. But as she pointed out... I am not pregnant. Blast! Foiled again!)

These dresses are completely adorable, wearable, and I'm mildly obsessed with looking at their website and imagining being pregnant again. I mean, seriously? {This dress?} Drool.

Anyway. This is a long post, where I'm getting gabby and I shouldn't be.
What I have to say is this:
Leave a comment to enter for a 75$ gift certificate to Jules Ford Maternity. 


Let me know what you'd spend the gift card on.
For additional entries, tweet/blog/facebook about this giveaway and leave a comment telling me that you did so.

Oh, you aren't pregnant? You don't plan on becoming pregnant?
Well enter once for me, and send me the gift card if you win. I promise to put it to good use. :)

This giveaway will close in exactly one week, on Thursday night at 11:59pm.
The winner will be announced on Friday as a happy weekend surprise.





Interested in doing a review or giveaway with Baby Making? Send an email to Becky at rebeccah.louise@gmail.com

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Baby Shoes

You know that scene in 30 Rock where Liz sees a baby shoe on the ground and puts in her purse, which is filled with mismatched baby shoes?

That's how I feel when I see little baby shoes. I want them.
I want to hold them in my hand, or hang them on the wall where I can look at them.
I want them on baby's pudgy feet, but even without a baby - they're cute on their own!

Baby shoes are the cutest item of baby clothing.

And these shoes from Gracious May are no exception:




I mean, those eeny-weeny little diapers are cute until they're filled with poop.
Little sweaters and jackets and ruffley-butt tights are adorable on little babies, but every time they get a size bigger they get less cute.

Little kid shoes are cute until kids are about 5.
I have at least 5 years ahead of me to love these sweet little things.

*edit: I'm adding this so I don't have to include an entire post on it, but isn't this expensive, eco-friendly baby bathtub a... bucket?
Yes. Right? It is.