The Best Online Personal Stylists

Stitch Fix was invented for the busy person, but we’d also add it’s great for anyone who gets anxious from the mere idea of having to shop. It presents a personalized experience and makes the act of finding clothes tailored to your needs effortless. 

Getting your “Fix” looks like this: Identify your price range, style, and size and the company will curate outfits that you try on at home. A shipment of five items is sent to your door with the option to buy what you like and send back the rest. Customers pay a fee of about $20 for the styling, which gets credited toward the pieces you keep. You can try Stitch Fix once or set up an account for automatic deliveries. If you choose to continue, future outfits are put together based on your previous picks, and you can provide feedback on individual items so that the algorithm has a better idea of what it is you like and don’t like. 

The range of clothing categories is impressive: plus-size, maternity, petite, and big and tall, as are some of the brands available: Madewell, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein, Adidas, and Stitch Fix’s exclusive labels. Whether you’re in the market for a business-casual look or athleisure, there’s something for all. And if you’re stumped when it comes to styling (like what to wear on a beach trip or what to pair with overalls), the website includes both a style blog and the option to “ask a stylist” any of your burning questions.

Sometimes you don’t actually need new clothes and are simply in the market for a cute temporary look for an upcoming event or big meeting. Or, maybe you just want to reduce your waste and carbon footprint. Regardless of what category you fall into, the rental service Armoire is a convenient way to gain access to a rotating closet of brands ranging from Diane von Furstenberg to Nicole Miller.

Similar to other services, you fill out an online quiz and the system (along with input from the company’s team of professional stylists) curates a personalized selection. Unlike other services, though, you get to pick the final items that are shipped to you. The number of items you receive depends on the plan you choose. Prices range from about $79 a month for four pieces to $119 a month for seven pieces and $249 a month for an unlimited number. 

You can swap pieces out as frequently as you’d like and hold onto them as long as you want, too. If there’s something you fall in love with, you can choose to purchase it (at a discount) instead of returning it. 

Cute plus-size clothing is notoriously hard to come by. You know, the kind that doesn’t just include tented tops or wrap dresses. Dia & Co not only offers a variety of cute clothes but also helps take the headache and frustration out of the experience for those who wear a US size 10 and above.

The process is pretty much the same as other services: Fill out a profile regarding your style wants and, in this case, also your body shape. Questions like “how does your bust compare with your waist?” ensure that the picks are both stylish and flattering. There are two box options: style and activewear. Depending on which they choose, customers receive five items within the chosen theme that, hopefully, align with their style. They can also send back what they don't want.

The stylists at Dia & Co have a nuanced understanding of size inconsistencies and what fabrics and cuts work best on various body shapes, and the company as a whole works to help women feel more confident.