After trying out thredUP’s Goody Box for the first time and having a bit of luck finding new pieces to add to my closet, I decided to give it another go – this time with a ‘Night Out’ themed box…
Just as a quick recap, the Goody Box is a relatively new service offered by thredUP – one of my favorite places to shop secondhand clothing online. The Goody Box essentially combines secondhand clothes shopping with a personalized styling and delivery service. But unlike other personalized styling services like DailyLook and Stitch Fix, there’s no commitment of a subscription involved – you can order a one-off box, whenever you feel like it. It costs $20 for a box (with free shipping both ways), and the full $20 gets applied to your purchase if you choose to keep anything. And of course, all the pieces are secondhand (though, from my experience, they’re all in very good shape – ‘like new’ and some even brand new with their tags still attached).
Just like with the last box, I provided a few notes on my favorite brands and style preferences before checking out:
‘Style: minimal chic; Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/jessoshii/style/; Favorite brands: Zara, BB Dakota, H&M, Joe’s Jeans, Pilcro and the Letterpress, 7 For All Mankind; Sizes: XS in blouses and tops, Small in jackets and sweaters’
About 10 days later, I received 15 dressy pieces, all neatly packaged inside one of thredUP’s signature polka dot boxes. Broken down, this included 5 dresses, 3 pairs of pants, and 7 dressy tops. Here’s a quick try on of everything they picked out for me, along with what I kept, and what I returned…
Jack by BB Dakota 3/4 Sleeve Top | $ 17.99 – First up is probably the most feminine and romantic top in my box. While my stylist did hit the mark when it came to color and cut, the top overall just didn’t fit my style (I’ll have to make sure to mention ‘no ruffles’ for next time…). RETURNED
Equipment Silk Top | $34.99 – Now this top fit my style perfectly (why I paired it with a light grey tank underneath, I don’t know – it looks 10x better with a black tank!). However, color and style aside, unfortunately the sizing was off (it was too tight in the armholes, but too wide around the waist). RETURNED
Zara Basic Top | $13.99 – Zara is one of my favorite brands, but this sweater-like top was a letdown, mainly because of pre-shrinking (that’s my guess anyway). The fit was just all off – you can almost see it pulling up at the armpits, where it fit super tight. This made the fabric in the front stick out, giving it a very boxy, unflattering shape. Between this and my last Goody Box, these sizing issues seem to be a common thing when it comes to thicker, knit materials, hence why I now request a size up in sweaters. This piece seems to be in a grey area though – they called it a ‘top’ in the description, and therefore didn’t size up. Oh well… RETURNED
Eileen Fisher Silk Top | $41.99 – I was 50/50 on this top. On the plus side, between the silky material and looser fit, it was super comfy, but also looked dressy enough for a night out. It also fit my style – from the deep charcoal color to the clean, minimal design. However, the length is what got me. I like to tuck my shirts in, and this one just had too much fabric all around the bottom (another note – no tunics). It also wrinkled quite easily as you can see! RETURNED
BB Dakota Blouse | $15.99 – Another pick from a brand fav that I’d mentioned. I loved the color, the touch of pleating in the front (minimal enough for me, but still dressy-looking), and the fit. I also tried this over a black tank and tucked into black jeans and was sold! KEPT
Club Monaco Silk Top | $59.99 (Tags still attached! Original price: $149!) – This was another romantic, two-layer satiny top. To me though, it was just a tad plain. Tucked into a lacy or leather skirt with the sleeves rolled up (and of course, ironed), I could see this working. However, since I don’t have either at the moment, I just couldn’t see myself getting much use out of it. RETURNED
BCBGMAXAZRIA Silk Top | $32.99 – I really love button-ups, plus I’ve been looking to incorporate more red into my wardrobe, so this top went straight into the ‘keep’ pile. KEPT
Citizens of Humanity Faux Leather Pants | $36.99 – These went into the ‘maybe’ pile initially since 1) I’ve also been on the hunt for a pair of faux leather pair of pants for some time, and 2) they fit perfectly size-wise. However, I ended up sending these back in hopes of finding a similar pair that’s ankle length and high-waisted (anyone have any suggestions?). RETURNED
7 For All Mankind Jeans | $27.99 – This was a brand I’d mentioned in my favorites, primarily for their (typically) very flattering fit and high quality denim. These however missed the mark style-wise for me – they felt a bit too casual with all the fading and the baggier fit. RETURNED
J Brand Jeans | $37.99 – The moment I slipped these on, I was like, ‘yes!‘. J Brand is yet another one of my favorite brands when it comes to jeans – I find them to be very flattering and well-made. These in particular were no exception. Plus they were super soft and stretchy, so they’re comfy enough for just lounging around in, but also sophisticated enough for date night! KEPT
Ulla Johnson Dress | $98.99 – This was one silky, comfy dress. I also loved the neckline and cut, but unfortunately the print didn’t fit my style. The one plus? I found a new brand to add to my watchlist… RETURNED
Bb Dakota Dress | $25.99 – Ok, now this dress was definitely more my style – all black and minimal, with a slightly sporty vibe. Sadly though, it fit me all wrong in the arm area, and felt too tight and constricting when I moved around – very strange since this was in my correct size, and it fit everywhere else just fine. RETURNED
Club Monaco Dress | $30.99 – Another simple black dress that I could have easily added to my closet, if not for the fit. You can’t really tell from the photo since I have my arms pinned to my sides, but this thing was huge on me, even though it was in my usual size. I’ll have to make a note in the future to size down in this brand… RETURNED
Iris & Ink Dress | $55.99 (Tags still attached!) – Loved the fit, neckline, and cut of the dress, and was also happy to discover another new brand that makes some pretty chic and sophisticated pieces. The only thing was, the paisley print didn’t really capture my interest. RETURNED
Eva Franco Dress | $26.99 – This was the dressiest piece out of the bunch, though personally, I have no idea where I’d wear this. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the front pleating (though my stylist did nail it both shape and color-wise!). A fun one to try out nevertheless… RETURNED
Wrap-Up
Compared to my first thredUP Goody Box (themed ‘Cold Weather Essentials’), this ‘Night Out’ box was definitely more of a success. I loved all the brands (and was happy to have discovered some new ones in the process), and a majority of the styles were on-point with what I was looking for. Everything was in amazing shape too, with most pieces in like new/barely worn condition, plus a few that were brand new with tags still attached.
When it came down to deciding what to keep, I had roughly six picked out as potential purchases, and managed to narrow it down to three that I was absolutely sure I’d get some wear out of (two of which – the J Brand jeans and BB Dakota sleeveless top – I ended up wearing out that very night!).
Why did I have more luck? I think it partly had to do with the theme I chose this time around. The ‘Night Out’ box packed some dressier, edgier, more sophisticated pieces – pieces that I actually find myself wearing on a daily basis, like lightweight button-up tops, more figure-flattering jeans, and darker, bolder colors. Then again, maybe my stylist spent a little more time browsing through my Pinterest- the colors and styles in general were reflective of my outfit pins… Hmm..I guess I won’t really know unless I order another ‘Night Out’ box. 😛 That way, I can compare apples to apples.
From a more general standout point though, if you’re on the hunt for some sophisticated pieces for going out, the ‘Night Out’ box packs a lot of variety when it comes to pieces, styles, and occasions. They include a nice mix of dresses, blouses and tops, and jeans, and – judging from my box at least – they include pieces from across the ‘dressy’ spectrum – from more casual pieces, to sophisticated cocktail-hour dresses, to glam, almost black-tie styles. (Of course, you can always request pieces suited for specific occasions if you choose.)
Learn more about thredUP’s Goody Boxes here!
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Have you ever shopped at thredUP? Have you/would you try out a thredUP Goody Box?
