As someone newly exploring personalized fashion boxes, I decided to experiment with Trunk Club‘s services. After limited trials, here is my candid consumer take.
Disclaimer: I have no professional credentials around fashion or ecommerce. This review reflects informal personal impressions only after using Trunk Club twice. I cannot guarantee accuracy or usefulness of this content. Please conduct your own research before making purchases.
Overview of the Trunk Club Concept
For readers unfamiliar, Trunk Club aims to remove the hassle of shopping by having stylists deliver curated clothing boxes catered to each customer‘s needs.
You start by completing a style profile so Trunk Club can connect you with a stylist and understand your exact size, style preferences, budget range and more. Then, order a shipment whenever you desire new clothes or style inspiration.
Trunk Club stylists handpick around 10-15 items fitting your parameters and create a preview for your approval. After shipped to your door, keep what you love and return the rest free.
This customized approach sounded enticing enough to merit my own trial. I imagined effortlessly receiving new stunning outfits matching my taste without the fatigue of mall trips.
The following sections detail my experience sampling Trunk Club‘s services twice, including pros and cons.
Key Context:
- 28 year old female with classic, feminine style
- Prefers quality over quantity when shopping
- Enjoys discovering new brands outside my staple go-tos
- Has average fashion budget ($50-150 per item)
- No prior clothes box or personal styling experience
Sign-Up and Stylist Pairing
Registering took under 5 minutes by email and answering basic style questions (brands, fits, patterns, etc). Trunk Club‘s website and app both felt slick and user-friendly.
I got matched with Sarah (name changed), whose 10 years as a Nordstrom stylist impressed me. Her portfolio showed chic client looks across various styles. This expertise gave me confidence in the forthcoming curation process.
Sarah invited me to further build out my customer profile, which felt like taking a Buzzfeed quiz mixed with a dating site. 100+ questions spanned lifestyle, preferences by clothing categories, areas to flatter or hide, and exact sizing in each brand. Communicating these fine details made me feel Sarah could nail selections catered to me.
First Trunk Trial
With profile set, I scheduled my first shipment. The eagerness felt like awaiting back-to-school shopping as a kid!
I set my budget at $300 since Nordstrom stuff isn‘t cheap. Sarah‘s preview delivered promptly showcasing 12 items – quite the style smorgasbord!
I noticed our aligned feminine vibes shining through with floral dresses, strappy sandals and an elegant clutch. I approved the trunk as-is, even keeping a trendy mock neck top exceeding typical budgets.
My box arrived neatly packed with a sweet hand-written note from Sarah. Trying pieces felt like playing stylist Barbie to create #OOTD inspiration.
Ultimately I purchased 3 staples worth $306:
- Patterned Button-Down ($88)
- Booties ($149)
- Blouse ($68)
While splurging more than intended, the quality and envisioned rewear value justified costs. Scheduling complimentary FedEx returns for the remaining 9 items proved incredibly simple.
Second Go-Round Adjustments
Eager to replicate initial success, I scheduled another trunk allowing Sarah to elevate her picks to $400-$500 budgets. Her pricier preview certainly impressed – including Vince sweaters costing $300+ and a $400 Rag & Bone blazer previously unattainable for my wardrobe!
Again I approved everything as ultimate test. Would elevated costs deliver equally elevated quality and style?
The box itself showcased Polish with custom tissue paper and a sweet client gift. Trying luxe brands felt akin to strutting New York Fashion Week catwalks right in my apartment!
This round I kept two splurgier-than-usual items:
- Vince Cashmere Crewneck ($295)
- Rag & Bone Blazer ($435)
$730 hurt my wallet but unmatched comfort and confidence wearing these functioning as permission slips for bigger investments. The blazer especially felt like destiny finding THE just-right versatile piece missing from my closet despite years searching.
Returning the rest maintained simple as before. Sarah‘s clear attention to feedback each round confirms Trunk Club‘s stylist partnership value.
Key Takeaways Across Both Orders:
- Convenient trying in my own space beats chaotic stores
- Sarah catered well to my size, brands, budgets and style requests
- Prices match Nordstrom quality (although quite $$$ for my income)
- Returns incredibly seamless packing up leftovers
- Customer experience SO personalized from my quiz to gift notes
Drawbacks did exist around preview limitations and steep styling fees adding up with multiple shipments. But Sarah‘s consistent curation skill through our evolving relationship minimizes risks on wasted money from poor matches.
When Does Trunk Club Offer Value?
Based on my beginner sampling, I would recommend Trunk Club in these cases:
You want personal shopper luxury without big spending budgets – Trying aspirational brands at zero obligation supports smarter splurges. Return anything too indulgent!
You lack time or patience for mall trips – Skip fitting room frustrations and browse curation from your couch instead.
You desire stylist guidance to experiment confidently outside comfort zones – Communicate styles you‘re curious to try but typically afraid to commit purchasing. Worst case, just send pieces back!
I found Trunk Club excellent for receiving personalized inspiration from an experienced professional. But continuity of value heavily relies on your unique stylist connection. One mismatch who ignores instructions around sizing or styles and the service loses all potency.
My suggestion? Thoroughly communicate all preferences upfront and promptly provide feedback on what works or misses each round. Develop that trusted relationship where your stylist truly gets your vibe and style goals. Then the special sauce of Trunk Club can work long-term wardrobe magic!
I‘m still early in my journey but definitely compelled to continue having Sarah shop for me. Who knows what dream pieces she might discover next now that we better understand each other‘s wavelength?
