Nadine West Risk Free Personal Styling Service Review, February 2016

The appeal of personal styling subscription services seems to be growing.  Most of them have you complete an extensive profile indicating your preferences and dislikes. Over time, your personal stylist gets to know you and sends clothing and accessories that meet your requirements.  There may or may not be a nominal styling fee. You return the things you don't want and pay only for the items you keep.  It's a seductive premise...after all, who wouldn't want somebody else (presumably more qualified) to do the fashion legwork for you?  But there are risks. The return time can be very short (as little as 3 days with some services) and if you miss the deadline, you can be stuck with some shockingly high charges.

The styling service with the least risk that I've found is Nadine West. They typically send a top or scarf plus a couple of pieces of jewelry or accessories based on your profile choices.  I first tried them a while back when they were quite new.  Although I liked the items they sent, I felt there were quality issues so did not continue.  Fast forward two years and it was time to give them another try.  I started over with a new profile and had my hot pink metallic mailer in less than a week!

The only upfront charge is $6.50 which is debited to your account and applied to the cost of anything you keep.  If you return everything, you forfeit the $6.50.  Since there is no styling fee with Nadine West, I thought this was completely fair.

My pink bag for February contained a top, a pair of earrings and a necklace.  I was a little concerned about the top because the fabric is quite thin but it fits me well and looks pretty good on.  I especially like the long sleeves with dropped shoulders. I don't normally buy horizontal stripes (doesn't that break a fashion rule?) but somehow, this works!  And the color is so versatile; it will go with anything in the black, white, red or gray category.  The price to keep this is $24.49.  Verdict:  KEEP!

The jewelry was packaged in pink organza drawstring bags and wrapped in hot pink tissue paper.

First was the Shape of Love pendant necklace.  This is a sparkly rhinestone studded heart on a thin chain.  It is delicate and pretty but I have a couple of other necklaces like it and it just isn't a piece I need.  The price to keep this is $22.49. Verdict:  RETURN!

This pair of square shaped studs has smoky gray crystals that pair beautifully with the top. Although I have a LOT of earrings in my collection, I have nothing like these. They are nicely made and provide some subtle sparkle.  The price to keep these is $11.99.  Verdict:  KEEP!

One thing I really like about Nadine West is that their item prices range from $7 to $35 with an average price of $18, making them a quite affordable personal styling option. Another thing I like is that they give you a reasonable amount of time to try the items before returning the ones you don't want.  My return date was a generous 21 days after receipt...a good two weeks longer than I've had with other styling services. (They send a pre-paid shipping label with your order so there is no postage cost to return.)  

Nadine West encourages a lot of communication with the idea that the more information and feedback you provide, the more likely you'll love your items.  Keep in mind that the items I received are most likely NOT the items you will receive.  They closely reflect the preferences I indicated and I thought Nadine West did an excellent job of sending things appropriate for my age, tastes and lifestyle.

There really isn't much risk in trying Nadine West. There is no monthly styling fee. At best, you'll enjoy the process and end up with some items you like.  At worst, you'll lose $6.50 if you return everything.  I don't know of any subscription service in any category with such a low downside!

Thanks for reading,

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was paid for by Lone Star Shopper.  Post may contain affiliate or referral links.