Going to offline stores to shop for clothes is a pain. It’s time consuming because you can spend hours you likely don’t have trying to find that hidden gem among the clothing racks. That’s why we prefer online shopping, and probably you do too with clothing subscriptions enter the scene. But finding the best online clothing subscription for your needs can be tricky. We’re here to help. There are plenty of options for spicing up your wardrobe, including many that are on trend for your specific lifestyle and fashion sense. Some of the best clothing subscription boxes focus on many varieties of clothing for all types of bodies.
A quick Google search returns dozens of clothing subscription services — many of which you’ve never heard of. Each one has its own unique features, but the services ultimately all work the same way.
Deciding on a particular service comes down to your needs, style preference and budget. Do you want a monthly box? Or will something quarterly do? Do you want to buy the clothes or use a rental service? Do you want a personal stylist or an algorithm? Do you want brand-new clothes or are you OK with curated thrift? Are you avoiding fast fashion in favor of something more sustainable? Do you have favorite brands you want to stick to?
These questions all matter, but the most important thing to know about any of these services is that even expert stylists can’t read your mind. The more information you can provide about your personal style and what you like (and don’t), the better your curated box of clothing will be.
I tried several clothing subscription boxes; here are the best of the bunch.
As a Stitch Fix user, I can report a positive experience with this particular clothing subscription option. I’m always excited when I get a box, which you can customize to come at whichever frequency fits your schedule and budget — no membership fee or monthly subscription required. My account is linked to one of my Pinterest boards, so my stylist can get more ideas of what I like, and she always leaves a thoughtful note in my box, which is a nice personalized touch. The Style Cards that come with each box also show different ways to pair the pieces (and often with basic items that are probably already in your closet). My advice, though, is not to shell out cash on an item unless you’re sure you’re going to wear it often enough.
Sign up online or in the app (available on iOS or Android). Fill out a detailed style profile, including your sizes, whether you detest or love shopping, if you wear heels, what parts of your body you like to show off, and more. Stitch Fix offers styled boxes for men, women and kids, and lets you set a preferred price point between $25 and $500 per item (kids items start at $10 per item). I picked the lowest price bracket when I signed up, and in my last box, none of my individual items were over $60. You pay a $20 styling fee when your box is assembled, you get three days to try on the clothes, and you can return anything you don’t want or like. The $20 fee applies to whatever you keep, and if you don’t keep anything, you pay only that fee. If you love your box and keep everything, you also get a 25% Buy All discount.
Stitch Fix also has a direct buy option called Shop Your Looks. At the top of the app, click Shop between Fixes and Style. This lets you purchase individual items — pants, shoes, accessories and more — to match the piece you already have. These can be ordered without getting another box.
Even though the average US woman’s clothing size is between a Misses 16-18, many stores still cater to smaller sizes. This can make for an uncomfortable and discouraging shopping experience.
But Dia & Co.‘s style service defies the often limited and drab choices that make up extended sizes. The service offers sizes 14-32. My box was packed with vibrant, colorful items — blouses, dresses, skirts, jeans, even a clutch. I always have trouble finding jeans that fit my waist and hips, and Dia nailed that. The box also mixed classic pieces, like a polka-dot blue wrap dress, with more colorful, patterned pieces that stepped outside my comfort zone.
To use Dia & Co., you first take a style quiz that asks about your sizes, how clothes typically fit you, your style preferences and your preferred price range for items like tops, pants and dresses. You pay a $20 styling fee to have your box assembled. When the box arrives, you can buy what you like and return what you don’t. The $20 fee applies at checkout to whatever you keep. You can order style boxes to best fit your schedule — a monthly subscription box, bimonthly or a customized frequency — as long as you try on and return clothes within five days. If you love your box and keep everything, you also get a 25% Buy All discount. There’s also a boutique, if you’re not quite ready to try a whole box.
A Menlo Club shipment combines multiple aspects of menswear: clothes, shoes and athleisure. As with many other boxes, you first take a style quiz, and then you get two clothing items per month in the mail. The Menlo clothes are casual enough to wear on their own if you’re a more subtle dresser, but the more items you acquire, the more you can put together new outfits and step outside of your fashion comfort zone. In addition, the Menlo store, which anyone can shop from without an account, often has good sales on designer brands — like $58 pants for $10. If you’re a member, you also get 25% off in the store.
My husband’s Menlo Club package consisted of dark-wash jeans and a white long-sleeve henley. His style is very laid-back, so those items would fit easily into his closet. The jeans would be easy to dress up or wear casually. Since he usually wears dark colors, the white was a nice change.
A service membership to Menlo costs $60 per month, and it’s easy to cancel (or skip a month) if you find out that it’s not for you — just make sure to do it before you’re charged that month. Menlo doesn’t offer returns on packages, but you can swap items if something doesn’t fit. You can also subscribe to a seasonal membership, where a package is delivered every three months for $75.
Stylogic is a clothing subscription service that offers women’s sizes 12 to 36. What I liked most about it was how fast the service picked up on my style based only on my style profile. I also liked that each box provides a full outfit, while other services tend to include pieces that may or may not go together. Stylogic included a skirt, a cardigan, a top, a pair of shoes and a bracelet. The outfit matched my style and was still a little adventurous.
A Stylogic box includes five items, and you get seven days to try them on. There is a $20 styling fee that applies to whatever you keep, and if you don’t keep anything, you pay only that fee. If you love your box and keep everything, you get a 20% discount.
Each clothing subscription box from Trendy Butler includes at least two clothing items from brands like Eleven Paris, Civil Society, Zanerobe, WeSC and Superdry that’re meant to build out your wardrobe. My husband’s sample package included three items: a gray long-sleeve shirt, a dark blue button-down and a pair of dark blue slacks. The items were able to work together and could integrate easily into his closet, without stepping too far outside his comfort zone.
The packages cost $65 per month with no styling fee — you get to keep everything. The credit card on your account is charged the day you place your order and the same day the following month. Trendy Butler also has an online shop where you can buy specific pieces with your account.
If something doesn’t work in your box, Trendy Butler offers returns (not refunds) and exchanges for members through its support email. You must have received the items in the last 60 days, explain why the items don’t work so Trendy Butler can improve your profile, and have the clothes in “unworn condition” with the tags still on. If the items meet these criteria, you’ll be sent a prepaid return label.