It was only six months ago when I stood in front of my closet thinking about how badly my wardrobe needed attention. Winter or what we think of winter out here in the tropical climate zone was fast approaching. The temperatures were dropping into the low 60’s at night and life without any heat was chilly in the morning. The dresses were moved aside to make way for endless variations of separate shirts paired with khaki pants. The closet contained little to excite and even the classics seemed drab.  Of course, there were a few quick additions over the last few years, but mostly work and family demands resulted in closet neglect.

A better dressed work friend shared her solution- online style companies. I tried her recommendation and then while looking for style advice found Wantable. My first experience was great. Here’s how it went. First, I selected the “style” option; there is a fitness version, too. Then, after signing up and committing to a trial, and yes I waited until there was an offer for $10 off the styling fee, I went to the Stream. The Stream is a flow of choices where the customer can offer individual recommendations of items to try. Sort of like wandering through the department store but so much better. The choices are either request or decline. By going quickly and letting my intuition guide me, it took about 10 minutes to wade through the choices.

Wantable asks for two Stylist notes. The account note is included in every order. The Order note is specialized for the upcoming box of surprises. This “edit” option allows the buyer to request specifically based on need. I used the account note to share my preferred colors and some generalizations about my climate which is different from most of the United States mainland. My order note was specifically what I wanted for the first edit. It was time to upgrade some basics.

The box arrived on a Monday, and was picked up Tuesday. The box contained seven clothing items, exactly as specified. I have no need of accessories or jewelry. It was well-packaged with minimal styling. Nothing belied the surprises it held inside. Three days of tough decision-making await.

Wantable’s stylist sent great selections! All of the items fit perfectly where it counts, although there was one sizing problems. Trying on clothes which fit the first time is a joy unto itself. The fabrics and colors blended well and with a second box, my wardrobe could have a new core from which to grow. The stylist sent four shirts and three pants. Only one item was an immediate reject.  The jeans by Dear John fit great in the butt, the dark wash is attractive, but the length and flare of the leg bottoms did not flatter my figure. They are going back.

The cropped black pants and grey chino capri pants are definite buys. I can not remember ever trying pants and getting it right on the first try.

The stylist sent shirts as requested. My favorite is a sleeveless, navy fringe top. It has tiers of crochet and little tiny cutouts right above the bust-line, perfect for my climate. If my arms were better muscled, it would look even more fabulous on me. Time for a few bicep curls and tricep dips. A new shirt might just be the needed motivator.

The second keeper is probably a striped crew tee-shirt. It has rolled cuffs and can be worn either tucked in or out. The fabric is smooth and although it does not seem to match the grey pants, is a versatile addition for spring here.

The other two items are more trendy and here is where having a few days to decide is helpful. A white peasant top with ruffly sleeves is a tempting purchase. The fabric is almost sheer, which may not make it appropriate for work. The shirt is not meant to be worn under a sweater, because the arms are beautifully accents with a slightly open crochet pattern. It is too pretty to hide. The last shirt is a light-weight black sweater with bell sleeves. The bell sleeve is pretty enough, but may not be practical enough. It might be a trendy, one season only item with limited seasonality for a tropical climate.

Overall, Wantable provided a wonderful shopping experience. Regrettably, for some shoppers, its cost may be too high. My friend shared the one limitation is when using a service like Wantable, one pays full price for clothing. For those frugal shoppers, there may not be enough value to make the service worthwhile. I am caught somewhere in between. Paying full price for clothes is almost out of our family budget, but going several years with infrequent updates has left my clothing looking worn. The value may reside in the time returned to me to spend time doing the many other things I enjoy. If Wantable continues to offer such well-matched and curated selections, my conversion to on-line personal styling might be all I need to maintain an updated closet. Thank you Wantable for a great first Edit.

Wantable leaves me wanting more!