Tog + Porter is an online personal stylist service that is free. FREE. As in, you don’t pay for anything other than the clothes that you keep.
Here’s how it works: Say you need a great outfit for an upcoming event, a reunion, a party, a celebration where you want to knock ‘em dead. Or maybe you want to update your wardrobe with some new, fresh pieces for the season. But you don’t have the time to shop or maybe you’re not super confident in your style skills.
I did my first skype consultation with my Tog + Porter stylist Camilla about six months ago. At the time I was looking for flattering shirts. I was still a little self-conscious about my baby-birthin‘ middle section, but honestly I needed a few new things. I told her that I like bold, statement pieces, that I was into flow-y, and that I didn’t want to spend a ton of money when I was in-between sizes. I provided my measurements and she shipped off a box my way within days.
Camilla was really easy to talk to, and I was a teeny bit nervous at first. But it felt like chatting with a girlfriend. I had worked with a stylist before (who became a friend), so I felt like I knew what I wanted to share, but I still wasn’t sure.
When the box arrived, there were some hits and some misses. Camilla made me promise to try them all on, even if I thought it wasn’t right by looking. I did try them all and I was glad I did! I ended up keeping a shirt that I never would have thought I liked, and a dress that I loved in the box didn’t look right on me at all. I gave it a shot with the pair of jeans she sent, but I wasn’t ready to pull the trigger on denim.
Using the label included in the shipment, I easily sent back the items I didn’t keep. We did another skype consultation and I explained in pretty good detail why I kept what I kept and why I sent back what I sent back. She said in many cases, people would skype with her after they received the box and they would try them on for her to see and then they could discuss. I’m pretty decisive, so I didn’t need that, but what a good idea.
Being perfectly candid, Tog + Porter had contacted me through the blog and they provided me with a credit towards that first batch of clothes. I was so pleased with the first box, I exceeded my credit buying several of the items and then I used them again later in the summer.
For the second round, I put an emphasis on dresses and specifically said I wanted some nice shorts. I felt like the second box Camilla sent was even more on target than the first one. We’d had several interactions since then, and knowing what I had liked and not liked about the first box informed what she sent later. She nailed my shorts selection, I ended up keeping two pair (white lace-y ones and black pattered ones).
My only critique is that not all of the items sent along were of the same quality. This is my sweet way of saying that some of the items felt a little cheap to me. But some of their brands are very high quality (I was introduced to a brand that was new to me at the time, Equipment), and I have been assured that they are adding new brands to their selection all the time, many of which are high-end.
All in all, I think it is a wonderful service that I would recommend to anyone who needs help in the style department, whether you’re short on time or expertise. The process was easy and friendly and ultra convenient.
I like to shop, and I'm (usually) confident in my style choices, so this isn't something I would need or want all the time. But if I was stuck, or short on time, or just want to see some things that I haven't seen before, I will definitely use Tog + Porter again.
In fact, Camilla and I have already been talking about doing a winter-themed box soon.
