I should preface this by saying I am not a big shopper. At all. It has just never been my thing. I get bored and definitely can’t handle having to sift through racks of clothes. I think this is why online shopping really appeals to me. I can look for a few minutes, throw a couple things in my cart and then go do something else until I figure out if I really want those clothes that I likely don’t need.
My sister-in-law got me Stitch Fix for a gift at one point, and I LOVED it. Someone picks out the clothes for me, miraculously they fit and I never had to step foot out of my house except to pick up the box on the front step. I then discovered Mac & Mia, which is essentially Stitch Fix for kids. I’m not going to lie, I have a 4-year-old daughter named Mia so the name caught my attention because I’m a giant sucker like that.
At the time, you could order a box for free but would then pay for whatever you decided to keep. Now, there is a $20 fee that then goes toward whatever items you want to buy. So, like Stitch Fix, it is usually best to keep at least one item so you don’t lose that money. If you keep everything, you get 15% off the total price.
Those are the basics. Now the fun stuff. You can email with your stylist if you are looking for something specific like a jacket or Easter dress or jeans. The clothes they send definitely have a boutique, one-of-a-kind feel. Approximately 98% of my daughters’ wardrobes are either hand-me-downs, Target, Old Navy or Gap, so I really treat the Mac & Mia boxes as a fun, every once in awhile splurge. The prices generally range from an average $12 for accessories and $35 for apparel but there will be some things that are cheaper and more expensive than those price points.
For this blog, we requested a box to review. Here is a look at what we got. My stylist, Jess, included boy and girl clothes. There was an adorable blue and white girls’ shirt ($29) you could pair with white eyelet shorts ($29). I loved this outfit but, realistically, there is no way those shorts would stay white for long. I also discovered a fun sleeveless skater dress ($44) in bright pink along with the cutest little piggy purse ($16). I have an 18-month-old daughter as well, so my stylist threw in the softest jumpsuit ($47) for her in green, white and gray and also an adorable floral print Easter dress ($49).
For the little dudes in the group, there was the best navy graphic tee with a hedgehog on it ($25) and some poplin shorts ($38) that seemed like they could withstand everything little boys put clothes through. A bright-colored plaid button down ($55) that would be perfect for Easter topped off the boy portion of the box.
I know what you are thinking. Holy cow, those prices seem high. To be honest, they do and, sometimes, they are. I usually keep one item, and it is usually one for my 4 year old because I can justify it by knowing my younger daughter will wear it when she gets older. For example, with this box, I’m keeping the bright pink skater dress because my older daughter will wear it now and the little one can wear it when she gets bigger. And here’s something really cool. In a past box I got, there was a little sweatshirt that I loved so I was looking online at that particular brand’s website to see what other clothes they had. I discovered the little sweatshirt was actually on sale on that site so I told my stylist, and she price-matched it for me!
When you are ready to check out, you do it all online and then use a prepaid package to send back the clothes you are not keeping. It truly is about as easy as you can get.
So I am clearly a Mac & Mia fan because it is as interactive as you want it to be with your stylist and I really do think it is fun to splurge on a unique item just every once in awhile. And I love not having to try to find time to shop and sift through tons of items.
And here’s the really fun part – one reader will get to try out a Mac & Mia box for free! Watch our Facebook page for details on how to win!
