This post is sponsored by MM.LaFleur and contains affiliate links.
Oh how I used to envy Steve Jobs back when I was working in an office! With a closet full of black turtlenecks, jeans, and sneakers, my mornings would have been completely stress-free (well, pretty darn close!). You see, most days, I’d spend a good 10-15 minutes of my precious mornings just tossing around clothes and shuffling through my closet, trying to find a skirt, blouse, and shoes that looked halfway decent. I desperately wanted a more streamlined work wardrobe – one where I could just grab and go without a thought, and always look and feel good in whatever I was wearing. I just had not idea where to start…
Shopping for work clothes was never that much fun for me either. The styles at the mall stores I’d frequent were either too leg-baring, tight, or stretchy (and in my opinion, not the most appropriate for a corporate environment), or too conservative and well, plain looking. I constantly struggled with finding high-quality clothing that looked sophisticated, chic, and modern, yet tasteful enough for the workplace.
The interesting thing was, I was subscribed to a number of personal styling boxes at the time, but none of them offered office-friendly clothes – it was always about trendy party wear or casual weekend pieces. Had MM.LaFleur’s personal stylist box – aka their ‘Bento Box‘ – been around at the time, things would have been different!
The MM.LaFleur Bento Box
What’s great about the MM.LaFleur Bento Box is that they basically do all the work for you when it comes to choosing office-appropriate looks. All you have to do is fill out a super quick survey online, with questions around your weekday dress code and personal style. Schedule a delivery date, and you’ll receive a beautifully packaged box delivered to your door, filled with 4-6 wardrobe staples – like dresses, knits, separates, and accessories – for you to try on in the comfort of your home. They give you four days to try everything on and decide what you want to keep and return. Throughout this process, you can get in touch with their stylist team for a second opinion on fit or styling, simply by sending over some photos.
The best part is, unlike a subscription box, there’s no monthly commitment, nor do you have to put down a deposit. You simply checkout online and pay for only the items you decide to keep (or, if you didn’t find anything, you can simply send everything back at no cost to you). Shipping is also free both ways. And they even go as far as to schedule a UPS pick-up for you – all up have to do is text them your order number.
Try out the MM.LaFleur Bento Box here!
My First MM.LaFleur Bento Box
I recently ordered my very first MM.LaFleur Bento Box and couldn’t wait to explore some of the pieces from their collection. Here’s everything my stylist picked out for me based on my Bento Box survey, along with my first impressions on their clothing…
MM.LaFleur Lydia Dress in Cinder ($195) – We’re starting with a winner here! I absolutely loved this simple, classic sheath dress. It fit me perfectly (I got it in a size 4), and hugged my curves without looking like one of those super tight, body-con dresses (you know, the ones that all the news reporters and weather women seem to be wearing on TV these days). The material felt substantial and had just the right amount of stretch to make it extremely comfortable for such a well-tailored dress. I did not want to take this off!
Shop the Lydia Dress…
MM.LaFleur Casey Dress in Galaxy Blue ($240) – Now this dress is definitely a bit tighter. In fact, it has a ‘body-con’ fit according to their website. Surprisingly though, thanks to the medium-weight, stretchy material, it very easily moves with you while holding everything in place. I especially liked the wrapping in the front which distracts from an otherwise skin-tight fit. I got this in a size small and it fit perfectly!
Shop the Casey Dress…
MM.LaFleur Tina Dress ($265) – Now for a dress on the other side of the spectrum in terms of fit. I personally think this dress would look amazing on someone with a curvier shape. However, on my body, it seemed to swallow me a bit. I’m thinking of requesting one size smaller (an XS) in my next box since I do like the overall style, but just prefer a tighter fit.
Shop the Tina Dress…
MM.LaFleur Anthony 2.0 Tunic in Woodsmoke ($245) – Next we have a gorgeous knit sweater, which I’d say is more business casual compared to all the other the pieces I received. It’s made out of 100% cashmere and oh my it is soft and cozy (yes, I’m a cashmere newbie!). I got this in a size small and it fit me almost perfectly – it was just a tad tighter in the chest area than I would have liked. Otherwise, I loved style – from the high neck line and textured V-pattern on both sides, to the non-bulky, tailored fit.
Shop the Anthony 2.0 Tunic…
MM.LaFleur Foster Pant ($195) – I loved everything about these pant – from the trendy, tummy-hugging high-waist that sits nice and flat, to the ankle-length crop that can be adjusted to two additional lengths. The material also felt thick with just the right amount of stretch. The only issue I had was the fit – I’ve heard MM.LaFleur recommends sizing up on these, which my stylist did in fact do, but I think going two sizes up would have been better for me. (I got a size 6, but plan on trying out a size 8 next time.)
Shop the Foster Pant…
MM.LaFleur Sant Ambroeus Jardigan ($195) – This piece combines the structure of a jacket, with the comfort of a cardigan. It has some weight to it, so it’ll help keep you warm in a chilly office. It also has removable shoulder pads (which I left in for the photo). I received this in a size small and it fit fairly straight and tailored on me, with just the slightest bit of tapering at the waistline.
Shop the Sant Ambroeus Jardigan…
MM.LaFleur Phoebe Earrings in Yellow Gold ($155) – And finally, we have one accessory to wear with the dresses, as my stylist suggested – a pair of structured gold earrings. They have a good amount of weight to them (but don’t drag down the earlobe) and look oh-so-chic and modern.
Shop the Phoebe Earrings…
MM.LaFleur Bento Box Review
I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my first MM.LaFleur Bento Box experience. The small touches thrown in here and there – from the ribbon-wrapped clothing and list of playlists they provide for us to listen to as we try-on the different pieces, to their helpful stylist team and text-to-pick-up request service – completely elevated their styling service above anything I’ve ever tried before. I can only imagine the level of care and attention they give their customers in-person at their stores! (Maybe someday I’ll take a trip up to their San Francisco location to see!)
Although the prices are on the higher end, when you combine the quality and fit of the clothes, their team of stylists ready to assist you at all times, and their essentially free try-on service (think of all the time and travel expenses saved!), it makes it absolutely worth it in my opinion. Sure, I personally would have been more comfortable with a $100 price point for a dress, but to me, their dresses fit me so much better than my $100 ones – it’s almost as if they were tailored to fit perfectly around each and every curve. And the materials? Beyond comfortable. Not to mention, a majority had some thickness and weight to them – they weren’t at all crepey or thin like my mall-bought pairs. They also had just the right amount of stretch and actually moved with me as opposed to feeling stiff and constraining.
My only gripe was that the majority of the clothes I received, with the exception of the pants, were dry clean only. Now, I’m the kinda gal that likes to toss all her clothes in the wash and not have to worry about taking trips to the cleaners. I do realize there is a certain level of care involved in handling more delicate fabrics, like viscose and cashmere, so perhaps it’s a sign that I need to evolve my laundry routine. But in the meantime, I’ve read that MM.LaFleur offers quite a few machine washable pieces, so I may make that a specific request when I go to order my next box. Speaking of which, now that I have a better feel for MM.LaFleur‘s sizing and styles, I plan on providing my stylist with some feedback and trying out another Bento Box – stay tuned for a second try-on coming soon!
Final Thoughts
All-in-all, if you work in an office that requires you to wear anything from business casual to business formal, MM.LaFleur’s Bento Box is an amazingly helpful (and also quite luxurious!) service to try out. They offer a gorgeous selection of high-quality, effortless pieces to help streamline your wardrobe, and they provide you with recommendations and styling tips at your request along the way.
Even if you work in a more casual setting, it’s always nice to have a few dressier pieces in your arsenal – like my personal favorite so far, the classic Lydia Dress – to pull out for interviews, conferences, dinner parties, you name it.
And if you know someone who could use some fresh work-ready pieces – like a new graduate or a loved one who just got a new job promotion – MM.LaFleur allows you gift a Bento Box along with a gift card that they can use toward their purchase!
Try out MM.LaFleur’s Bento Box here!
And check out my latest Bento Box reviews here!
What are your thoughts on MM.LaFleur’s clothing and their Bento Box? Have you tried another similar at-home personal styling service?
