Keeping your wardrobe up to date can seem like a full-time job, and most of us can't afford a personal stylist. But Front Door Fashion, a new Dallas-based online personal shopping service, can fill in the breach without breaking the bank.
The aptly-named service determines your lifestyle and preferences, then ships a box of new clothes tailored to your taste. If there's something you don't like, you send it back.
FDF was founded by two women, Andrea Isom and Nina Lowe, who themselves were juggling jobs and wardrobes, and knew what a challenge staying on-trend could be. They recruited a team of stylists, including former Tootsies consultant Tara McCray and WFAA style expert Jeanette Chivvis, to create a service for time-crunched shoppers seeking fresh, contemporary additions to their wardrobe.
"We found we didn't have time to shop, and we were getting complacent in our style," Isom says. "This idea was the solution to our problem."
"We send a box with $1,000 to $2,000 worth of merchandise," says founder Andrea Isom. "You get the personal stylist for free."
Everything is done online, beginning with the creation of your style profile. You fill in your sizes, likes and dislikes. Before you go any further, you enter your credit card information, to ensure your card is valid.
FDF then pulls pieces from their warehouse and ships them to your home via UPS within four weeks. You're charged only for the pieces you want to keep. If there's something you don't like, you can return it, as long as you send it back within five days with the tags still on.
It's not unlike other fashion delivery services such as Birchbox, which specializes in beauty products. But Birchbox sends random samples, while FDF sends pieces that match your profile.
"We usually send a box filled with $1,000 to $2,000 worth of merchandise," says Isom. "And you're getting a personal stylist for free."
FDF's inventory includes department-store brands such as Nicole Miller, Rory Beca, Dolce Vita, Nanette Lepore and Citizens of Humanity. Separates start at $20 and top out at $350; dresses run from $90 to $400. They also do accessories such as scarves and jewelry, priced from $10 to $200.
The style profile felt a little like a standardized test, although with very personal information. I didn't mind answering my size, weight and cup size in exchange for slacks without a baggy butt or a nicely-fitting blouse. But some of the questions about how often I dressed casually versus "date night/night out" made me wonder if I stayed home too much.
Meanwhile, I'll watch out for the UPS truck; I'm excited about the idea of receiving a box filled with beautiful things.
Nina Lowe
