I Tried Dia & Co. Here's How it Went.

I have a tried and (not so) true system for dressing when I know colder seasons are on their way: keep dressing like it's summer. If I don't wear a coat, mother nature will pity me and keep things warm outside. Right?

Once that doesn't work, I move from denial into begrudging acceptance where I finally realize some cold weather clothes are in order. This year, our humid, excessively rainy summer very abruptly gave ways to fall-like temps forcing me to realize it's time to put some cooler weather pieces in my rotation stat.

I've seen plenty of Facebook ads for Dia & Co. but hadn't bit until recently when I saw an ad for first box free (like Stitch Fix, there's a $20 styling fee that is applied to whatever you keep). As a bonus, ebates had a $10 rebate  special, so I was literally paid $10 to try this box!

If you haven't heard of Dia & Co., it's a style subscription for curvier women. You complete a style quiz, pay the styling fee, and 5 pieces of clothing/accessories are sent to you in the mail. Keep what you like, send back what you don't. As you receive shipments and fill out feedback, your assigned stylist should be getting a good idea for your style and sending better options each time!

Initial Thoughts

the box arrived impressively fast. I took their style quiz on a Monday and the box appeared at my desk the same Friday. The quiz was not as thorough as Stitch Fix and didn't have any photo guidance which can be frustrating. I've also tried Nadine west who also had a vague quiz, but at least had a few photos to gauge style. 

I've been able to "cheat" with the other two subscriptions and see what is being sent my way before it arrives, but no such luck with Dia. The website is overall less intuitive, without even an obvious place to check out when you receive your shipment. They email you frequently with  helpful information, but I'd rather have a user friendly website to figure things out myself.

One last petty thought before moving on to the haul: I opened the box and was greeted by a sea of purple. The inside of the box flaps, the invoice and styling note, the sticker on the (thin, easily ripped) tissue paper. All purple. If you know me, that's just...no. Stitch Fix's lovely green will win me over every time.

Here's what they sent:

Leota | Avana Dress, $62

I took one look at this dress and immediately thought of my colleague who has a similar one. This is cute and easy to wear, but it's not me. More importantly, it's made of a similar fabric as the LulaRoe Cassie skirts. Fine for a skirt, but way too scratchy for a dress. I expect better quality for a $62 dress.

New York Laundry | Emma Sleeveless Tank with cut-out scoop neck, $33

This tank is super soft but that's about all it has going for me. The very subtle pastel in the stripes can't be picked up in the photo, but it gave it a dated vibe I wasn't loving. Also not shown in the picture is all the cleavage this showed off. Lastly, I'm trying to dress for fall and can't even write this off as a transition piece. It screams summer.

Meri Skye | Quinn Long Sleeve Whip Stitch Cardigan Sweater, $61

This thing was huge. You can tell by the photos just how baggy it is in the arms. It wouldn't have been an office piece by any means, but I definitely considered keeping it for curling up on the couch or outside by a bonfire. It was certainly cozy,  but I just didn't love it enough to fork over $61 for it.

Rafaella | Broome Skinny Jean, $53

I was so, so excited for these. Pants are hands down the hardest article of clothing to find. They never fit right. I can find jeans with some ease,  but any non denim pants are next to impossible. These are technically jeans so I was sure they'd fit, and the olive color which I love would have been easy to wear to the office. Unfortunately, the fit was a fail, being too skinny in the waist and calf but having that ever so sexy sag in the rear/thigh region. A shame because I'd have kept these in a heartbeat.

Ceram Lake Pendant Necklace, $28

I liked the two tone hammered look of this, but this feels like the gazzilionth time a subscription box has sent me a circular accessory and I'm just not into it. Meh.

The Verdict?

I kept nothing which is fine, because 1. I didn't lose $20 (I'd have probably bought the sweater to avoid this if I had paid the styling fee) and 2. I honestly felt like these was a decent shot in the dark styling-wise. I don't feel like I gave the stylist that much information, and 2 of the items I would have kept given the right sizing/pricing.

Another petty thought: why does everything have such redundant names? "pendant necklace?" "sleeveless tank top?" I'm surprised they didn't call the first item a "dressy dress."

Of course, styling boxes are supposed to get better with time and feedback, so I've completed the checkout process (after googling how to check out because you literally can't find it on the website), and I will be trying a second box in about a month to see how they do. Stay tuned!

Did you like what I got? Let me know in the comments or sign up for your first Dia & Co. Subscription here
(but first, ebates for an even sweeter deal)!