Recently I saw the trunk club service advertised on instagram and I was very interested. The service started as a personal shopping service for men but since being purchased by Nordstrom has expanded the service offering to women. The basic premise is something similar to Stich Fix – create a profile providing sizes, likes and dislikes, converse with a stylist and be sent a box with 10 items to try on -keep what you like and send back the rest. This service has a $25 styling fee that is waived for Nordstrom card holders.
When I first created my profile I knew that I wanted to add some tops to my wardrobe but I was really looking for a dress to wear to my brother in laws upcoming wedding. I was super excited when my assigned stylist indicated I could request specific items and there were three items I asked to be included. Before the trunk is sent out you have the option to preview, decline any items that are not what you’re looking for and then either just get the previewed items you are willing to try or get replacement items that you will not be able to preview. My first preview was a total bust – none of the dresses I requested were included and instead of letting me know and asking what I was attracted to in those items the stylist put in some substitutions that were a total miss and I didn’t care for the other items so I declined the trunk.
I wound up buying one of the dresses I requested from Macy’s and it was perfect so a few weeks later I put in a new trunk request to add tops to my wardrobe – I had previously mentioned that it is still warm in September / October in Memphis so I would like fall styles for warm weather and that I wear jeans to work frequently but also have a lot of skirts. My first preview only had three tops so again this was not promising but trying to be open to trying things outside what I would typically pick I declined five of the items and asked for them to be replaced with tops. Soon enough my trunk was on the way and arrived two days later. All of the items were neatly tied together and came with an itemized list, return instructions and a return label.
Here’s what was inside:
I really liked this skirt in the preview but it looked more full and I presumed it would be a structured fabric to have more of a fall look, turns out this skirt is from last spring and while $79 isn’t a terrible price for a skirt it really rubbed me the wrong way that I was sent an unsold spring item to buy at full price. I totally would have bought this last march but for fall, nope. I also really wanted to like this ruffle sleeve chambray top but I didn’t like it with skirts and I wouldn’t wear it with jeans – online it’s shown with white pants but that’s a no for fall – for $89 I just don’t think I should buy a top I want to like but can’t think of anything to wear it with.
The color of this Rachel Roy dress is really pretty and while this isn’t something I would pick on my own I was optimistic to try it. I feel like the side ruffle is just so random and overall there’s nothing exciting or flattering about this dress. The price point of $129 is reasonable for a dress but not if it’s blah.
So, you can tell by the look on my face I was starting to get a little grumpy with this experience. This bell sleeve top should have been a win – a popular style and the color is perfect for me as a U of Memphis fan but the fit was super awkward under the arms. This top is $99 which I already thought was a bit steep for such a plain top but I’ve gotten better quality tops from Target so yeah, not so great.
At this point none of the items I had been interested in in the trunk had worked so from here it was items I didn’t preview / didn’t think would be my style.
I seriously considered keeping this top – who doesn’t need a nice white top? But I had to wear a tank underneath and I really didn’t like that it was see through, especially at $69.
I think of everything in the trunk I hated this the most – I HATE orange and had specifically listed it as a color I do not wear in my profile. The fit it too boxy and it’s just the saddest most boring shirt – hard pass. This top is $76 – I wouldn’t wear it if it had been free.
I wouldn’t have picked a choker style top but this style actually fit nice and I would have considered it if it wasn’t see through – it was also baggy under the arms and would have needed alteration (which to be fair Nordstrom would do for free) but for $89 it just felt too flimsy to be worth it.
This one fit the worst of the bunch -it’s weird because looking at the pic you would think well it’s just not my size but the fabric was not tight – it was just really clingy. This top is also $89 and completely not worth it.
I know cold shoulder tops are really in right now but I feel like I was sent the most blah one available – this would be something that would just hang in my closet and I’d wear on a “I have nothing to wear day” but, I really don’t see the point in buying something I’m not excited about even brand new. This top is $49 so the lowest priced item in the trunk but just too boring to buy regardless of the price.
Last and least was this utility jacket – completely not my style and putting it on did nothing to sell me on it. At $89 it’s a great price for a jacket but it just really wasn’t me and I didn’t envision it with any tops in my closet.
So, that 10 items sent and 10 items returned. I feel like the stylist didn’t get me at all despite being sent my pinterest board and instagram profile and sent me whatever was available rather than stuff I would actually be interested in. My biggest complaint on the whole experience (besides wasting $25) was the styling advice or lack there of. When a clothing service is marketed to me as being hand picked for me and comes with styling advice I expect pieces to come with tips on what to wear with it and how to integrate it into my wardrobe – basically an explanation of why a certain piece was sent to me. Instead my stylist sent notes like “wear like the model, or pull hair back to show off neckline” SERIOUSLY? Thanks a lot captain obvious. I really just don’t understand how Trunk Club can list a benefit of their service that the stylist will send items one might not ordinarily pick if they aren’t going to send actual styling advice – for example I have no clue what top or tops the stylist thought the utility jacket should go with.
Also, every single tops was polyester or rayon – yeah, that’s what I want to wear when it’s still in the 80s and humid. Some of the tops just felt poorly made or cheap and honestly I’m shocked Nordstrom would carry them. I feel like this service had so much potential and I’m not sure if my stylist and I just didn’t click or the Trunk Club goal is to try and sell the less desirable inventory but right now I’d say this experience was a total fail.
Update: I did hear from a customer service associate who said it typically takes 3 to 4 trunks for a stylist to “align” with your style. I don’t get it, how does that make the service convenient? I guess I’m just too much of a cranky B for this kind of service because I’m not wasting $75 to $100 for their stylist to figure me out.
**This review is for a service I paid for with my own money, all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post**