If you are short on time or struggling to find your personal style then it’s definitely worth trying out an online personal shopping service. Currently the two main sites for UK customers are Stitch Fix and Lookiero although sadly Stitch Fix are closing in October in the UK. After being a customer of both for a while I have written a post about which I think is better and the differences between them, but here I answer the most commonly asked questions about using Stitch Fix or Lookiero. So if you would like to try out one of these personal stylist services to help you discover new trends or just refresh your wardrobe then read this post first.

Stitch Fix advised customers on 25th August 2023 that they are closing in the UK and they will be sending their last boxes out at the end of October. I love Stitch Fix so I am really sad to hear this.

Everything you need to know about Stitch Fix and Lookiero

Frequently Asked Questions about Stitch Fix and Lookiero Personal Stylist Services

The Cost

How much do Stitch Fix and Lookiero cost?

Both Stitch Fix UK and Lookiero charge a £10 styling fee for each box you receive. If you buy any of the items the £10 is deducted from the amount you pay. Postage is free if you send back any items you don’t want. If you decide not to keep any of the items and send them back you will just pay the £10 styling fee. 

What does the styling fee cover?

Your allocated stylist is your personal shopper who will look at the information you have provided and select clothes and other items you might like. You are asked to pay the £10 styling fee upfront to pay for their time, but as it is free delivery, free returns and you get the styling fee discounted from any purchase from that box it seems like a fair price.

Are the clothes discounted?

How much you get charged for clothes seems to be more or less the same as the current retail value on items I have checked, although many of the items don’t appear online for direct purchase. It can be a little frustrating around sale time as you won’t get the sale prices if something is reduced. Stitch Fix say they will price match items, but not if they are on sale or promotion. 

If you buy all the items at Stitch Fix you get a great discount of 20%. Lookiero used to offer a 25% discount but have now (February 2023) changed their business model and don't offer any discount. 

What is the price range of items sent out?

Items range from £30 to £200 at Stitch Fix. They say the average price of items is £40 and you can choose from 3 price ranges for different items. They seem to be pretty similar at Lookiero.

Discount Codes for Lookiero and Stitch Fix

You can get offers on sign up if you use a referral code (mine are here for Lookiero and here for Stitch Fix) of £15 off your first purchase. I have also seen offers where you get the styling fee free for the first month, effectively giving you a zero cost opportunity to try the services, but if you are likely to buy something the £15 off purchase is a better offer. After your first box the only way I have seen to get money off is to encourage friends to try the service, they get the £15 off purchase and you get £15 credit from each person (like I would if you use my referral codes). 

Receiving The Personalised Selection

How much choice do you get?

When it is nearly time to receive your box you will be sent a link and asked to choose from a selection of 10 items. You can choose up to 5 of them to be sent to you. If there are less than 5 items you like then the stylist will choose additional items to send out to you. These will be a surprise until you receive the box. 

How many items do you get sent?

In each box you always get sent 5 items. You can keep none of them or as many as you want.

What sort of items do they send?

You can state your preferences in your style profile about what sort of items you would like to get sent and you can even leave a message for your stylist to say what sort of thing you are looking for. Each time my long list of 10 items has been a mixture of tops, trousers, skirts and dresses. Lookiero has also selected shoes and accessories, but I haven’t had these selected for me at Stitch Fix yet. Both companies can send jewellery, bags and other accessories too.

Do they send complete outfits?

Generally (unless you request otherwise) they will send you a selection of items, but they won’t necessarily go together as a complete outfit. Having said that they do include styling tips and style cards for the items to help you decide how to incorporate the clothes into your existing wardrobe. My Stitch Fix stylist includes suggestions about how I can combine new items with previous ones I have bought through them. 

How often can you get a box?

You can choose how often to receive a Stitch Fix or Lookiero box as well as when in the month to receive it. If you just want to try it out you can choose a one off box, or you might want to set it up as a regular subscription and receive a box every 1, 2 or 3 months. The £10 styling fee is charged for each box and you can cancel at anytime (however if they have already taken the £10 and started styling the box you won’t get that money refunded). 

When do you the boxes come?

You can choose roughly when in the month you want to receive the box and I have found the boxes arrive more or less on the dates they say. Many delivery companies have had problems recently so where there have been delays it is understandable. My Stitch Fix delivery has been coming via Royal Mail and Lookiero via Evri (previously Hermes).

When do you get the first box?

It will depend on how often you have asked for the boxes to be delivered, but you can receive your first box as soon as about 2 weeks after ordering. It takes time to choose a selection, for you to shortlist the items and then them to pull together and send your order.

Can you buy the clothes elsewhere?

Some of the brands are available for UK customers to purchase direct from an online retailer so if you see a specific item you like you could check out the brands shops and keep an eye out for their sale. However both have companies they work with exclusively or aren’t easily available to buy in the UK. This is great because you will often find pieces that you aren't going to see lots of other people wearing. 

What if they clothes don’t fit me? Can I get a different size?

You give your measurements at sign up (and can amend these at any time) but obviously there is a lot of variations between brands and clothes won’t always fit. If you love an item and would prefer it in a different size they offer you the option to exchange subject to stock, but I haven’t tried this yet so I don’t know how good their stock availability is. I have found the clothes received from both Stitch Fix and Lookiero have fit me pretty well.

How easy is it to return items?

I usually keep everything they send me, but I have returned items to both companies with no problems at all. With Stitch Fix I popped the items of clothing I didn't want back in the Stitch Fix box and took it to the Post Office. With Lookiero they include a returns bag with label already attached. Mine was for Evri so I could take it to any Evri drop off location, I chose to use the nearby InPost lockers which was really easy. It took several weeks for them to receive the parcel back, but it was tracked as being returned so I wasn't charged for them.
You have about 5 days from delivery to check out online, pay for any items you want and send unwanted items back. If you need more time for some reason just email their Customer Service and they should be able to help.

What's Lookiero Shop?

Lookiero now has a new feature called "Shop". This is pretty cool as it shows you a selection of clothes (which change a few times a week) that it think you will love based on the information you have provided. You can buy these products directly rather than waiting to see if they appear in your selection. The shop can either be viewed by "categories" eg so you can view by the footwear or tops they suggest or by "Complete Your Look". I really like the "Complete Your Look" section because it takes items you have previously bought from them and suggests items to go with it. So if you have bought a jumper it will show various items to complete the outfit. If you click on any of the clothes you go through to a window to buy them and it even suggests the size you should buy based on your measurements (no more guessing if you are a Medium or Large in that particular brand). While I haven't bought anything from Lookiero shop yet, I think it's a really good addition. 

Who They Cater For?

Do Stitch Fix and Lookiero style men, children or androgynous looks or just women?

Stitch Fix offer item selections for men and women. You do have to choose a gender, but a good stylist should be able to find clothes suitable for your taste. Ultimately if you don’t like what they send you can send it all back and it would only cost you £10. 

In the UK Lookiero currently only offer styling for women. 

Neither Stitch Fix or Lookiero currently offer styling for children.

Are Stitch Fix or Lookiero worth trying if you are pregnant?

Lookiero have maternity clothes so that could be an interesting way to get clothes when pregnant, but you would need to allow a few weeks from setting up to receiving your first box so make sure you order early enough in the pregnancy.

What sizes do they offer?

Lookiero sell women’s clothes in UK size 6 to 20

Stitch Fix sell UK women’s size 6 to 18 or men’s size: s to xxl, waist 28-40 and inside leg 30 to 34

(All information correct at time of publishing based on my experiences and the companies websites)