KidPik Box 2

Hopefully you have read my previous post about Kidpik where I give detail on how this service works because I am just jumping right into the pictures and review of the items we received!

Mint graphic tee size S (7/8) and white pants size 6.

Natie's opinion: She loved the colors together adn really liked the shirt. She said it fit well and was comfortable. She had to roll up the pants so that they weren't too long, but she didn't think it looked weird to do that.
My take: I liked the shirt and pants together and knew that both could go well with lots of other things. The pants did not look too tight although there were pretty loose in some places so I wasn't sure if ordering a size down would really work-it might end up just right in some places and then too tight in others. I did find it odd that while the 7/8 top fit well, the size 6 pants were still too big.

                    Prices:                                             Keep It All: $12.25

Keep It All: $8.75                                                                                                         Regular: $17.50

Regular: $12.50


 The shirt KIA price isn't bad at all really, so I would have been willing to pay that much, but since other items didn't work out and I would be paying the regular price, I opted to send it back and search for a cute mint colored top or other graphic tee elsewhere.
The pants were very nice and since I haven't seen any nice white pants like this in the stores I frequent, I decided they were worth keeping. They are a little big so she will be able to wear them for a while I hope, making it worth the nearly $20 they cost at the regular price. The price for a decent pair of pants isn't that bad and I was pleasantly surprised since in my last box which was Kidbox, pairs of pants were almost $40-WITH the discount.

Sleeveless checkered top. Size 7/8.

Natie's opinion: She thought it was comfortable and liked the fabric. She didn't seem to care either way about the pattern.
My take: I think it was too big, maybe it would look better with a shirt under and the blouse unbuttoned...and even better with colored leggings instead of white pants. Maybe even tucking it in or tying it in a knot at the waist would have helped it look cute instead of frumpy. 

 The Price:
 KIA $10.85
Regular $15.50
Since I didn't really like the fit of it and didn't see it as a useful piece for her wardrobe, we passed on it. I don't know that I would have kept it even if the price was better for those reasons.


 Yellow Crop Top size 7/8

Natie's opinion: She liked the jewels at the neckline and the fabric was soft. She liked the bright color and thought it paired nicely with the pants.
My Take: Ah, the crop top. I am not a fan of the boxy, short look for a top. Honestly it makes it look like it either shrunk in the wash or is some kind of defective product. It is so huge on the sides and so short, it just doesn't look right. Maybe if it were much shorter (and a little slimmer in the side) you could pair it with a cute undershirt and it would work, but because its just a little shorter it looks off and ill fitting. I wasn't a fan of the jewels either, and I know that those things fall off so easily as they are held on by thread that eventually frays and then you are left with a weird looking neckline.

Price:
KIA- $18.55
Regular $26.50
I wouldn't pay nearly $30 for something like this, and $18.55 is lower and more reasonable than 30, but still too expensive for what looks like an awkward top. 


 Black Fringe Skirt, size XS (5/6)

Natie's opinion: Even she knew this wasn't a keeper. Not only was it way too big, but the fringe cuts looked weird and she thought it looked strange.
My take: I was shocked to see how huge this skirt was on her. This is supposed to be an xs...a size 5/6...smaller than the pants she tried on from the same box. These are all made by kidpik so the sizing should not be off. the skirt should not fit looser than the pants. It makes me wonder if this was a defective item or if the clothing is all made to fit the same sizing scale. I would expect this kind of difference to occur between designers not pants vs. skirts. The fabric was also not that impressive and the "fringe" cut fabric looked cheap and thin. It looked like it was made with scissors and was very uneven in length.

Sandals, size 13Y

Natie's opinion: She thought they looked cute but realized that they did not fit.
My take: They were okay looking, the detail on the black part of the sandal was nice but they were too small, which is fine. Her shoe size depends on brand and style (tennis shoes vs sandal vs dress shoes) They are your typical thin sandal, no support and nothing too special.

Price: KIA $12.25
Regular: $17.50
The prices here aren't too bad. If they had fit better and she needed shoes like this, I probably would have kept them or exchanged them. But she has plenty of shoes so I decided to send them back. There is such a thing as too many shoes for a 7 year old girl.


 Dress size S 7/8

Natie's opinion: She loved this dress since it was so flowery. The colors were nice and the fabric felt heavy but soft.
My Take: It looked good on her when she had her hands on her hips, but once she stood normally, you could clearly see that it was too big for her. The length is fine, its the width of the dress that didn't work for her. She is thin so I am not surprised. My husband later told me he thought it was too busy, so he wouldn't have wanted to keep it anyways. The fabric is nice and the colors bright. I like the idea of the dress, but it just didn't fit her right.

 Price: KIA $19.25
Regular $27.50
A little more than I wanted to spend on a dress at the regular price, and had it fit her better (and my husband liked it) I would pay the $20 for it. But since I was sending other things back, I wouldn't have had that option.

She also got a bracelet that was cute and inexpensive, KIA $3.15, regular price of $4.50.
We ended up keeping the pants and the bracelet and sending everything else back.

KidPik Boxes

Subscription boxes for kids clothing seems to be a big thing lately, so I decided to give another company a try. Kidpik is similar to the other boxes I have tried in that you fill out a profile, they send you stuff, you keep what you like and return what you don't. You only get charged for what you keep, there is no styling fee and shipping is free both ways. Like Kidbox, you get a discount for keeping everything and like Rockets of Awesome, returns are done via USPS so that is very convenient. Kidpik is different than the other services though because it only styles girls. Yep, no boys clothing yet. So I ordered a box for my 7 year old and my 3 and a half year old. Now, keep in mind that the smallest size they offer is a size 4, so I was not expecting things like pants to fit my little one just yet. I mostly wanted to check for style, fabric quality, and price. 

First up is my little Lizzie's box:

I'll start with the stuff that we sent back.

Blue 5 pocket knit pants, size xxs (4) and a classic girl crop tee size xxs (4)

I liked how the pants felt, and the cut and lines were nice. I really liked how the color and cut fit with the tee shirt. But, the pants were too long (which wasn't a surprise) and the waist was way too big which seemed for HOW much room was in the waist despite using the adjustable bands. Are 4 year olds really that much wider at the hips and waist? 
The shirt was super cute with the pants and I liked the gold glitter detail on the girls hair. However, I was concerned about the skin tone on the girl looking too much like a stain, it just kept making me look twice, which means I would forever be second glancing at it to make sure I didn't spill coffee on it.. I also am not sure how I feel about cropped tees on little girls (or on anyone for that matter) To me it looks too much like a cheap shirt that got washed in too hot of a cycle and then shrunk. The colors though are bright and the fabric is soft.

Prices: There are two prices for each item, the "keep it all" price and the higher price for if you decide to send anything back. The KIA price for the pants was $10.15 while the "regular" price was $14.50. The prices on the top were KIA for $8.75 and regular for $12.50.
Obviously I don't expect to find an exact match on the tee shirt, but I can regularly find tees at Target and even Children's place for less than that and they have cute graphics as well. The pants being too big (but the smallest size kidpik offers) I couldn't keep them or exchange them. Target has leggings for cheaper and similar pants but not in toddler sizing, so we will probably have to wait until she is a bit bigger to get similar pants which is fine, leggings work well for her.



A pair of classic shorts size 4

I didn't grab a decent picture of her in these shorts, but I did like the fabric and these fit okay with the adjustable waist band tightened. The fabric is soft and the color very nice. I liked how they went with the cropped tee that came in the box.
 One thing I noticed in going over the sizing, is that some of the items are sizes xxs while these shorts are listed as a 4. I would expect this minor difference across brands but all of these items are made by kidpik, so I am just curious as to why some are marked xxs and others weren't. Is there a difference at all? I know, its a bit knitpicky, but figured I'd point it out since if I noticed it, maybe others would too.

Prices: KIA price $ 10.15, regular price $14.50. Yikes. Both prices are too high in my opinion. Granted, I could not find shorts that looked exactly like these, they had plenty of denim and more casual shorts with the most expensive being $10, and those were the denim ones with super cute lace details on them.

Jean Jacket size (xxs 4)


 In this photo she is wearing the jacket with the dress, which we kept. Honestly I loved how they matched but the price was just too high to keep it, especially since I knew I wasn't keeping everything. She has a couple of jean jackets already, not exactly like this, but she doesn't usually wear them so I figured it wasn't a worthwhile investment.

KIA price of $15.75

and regular price of  $22.50

 Like I said, I decided not to fork over $22.50 for a jacket she probably would rarely wear. She has a white jean jacket and a Hello Kitty one so I figured that I can live without adding another one to her closet.



What we did keep:

Cabbage Rose mesh tank dress size xxs (4)

Braided bracelet. 

 The KIA price was $15.75 while the Regular price was $22.50 (just like the dress mind you) and I loved the fit and fabric so much and my daughter loved the way it twirled and how the flowers looked. Yeah, the price was a little higher than I would normally pay for a dress for a 3 year old, but I figure if she wears it to church a few times this spring and summer and to a couple family parties it won't be a waste of money. I also think it is a rather timeless style so my youngest daughter might be able to wear it assuming it survives until then.

The bracelet was cute and inexpensive. I honestly almost kept just this one thing, but the dress garnered a huge smile on my little girls face so I decided to keep it too.  KIA price $2.45, regular price $3.50

The merchandise total, at regular price was $90.00. With the KIA discount of 30%, the total would have been $63.00

All in all, I have learned that sometimes what seems convenient isn't always that way in the long run. Going to Target for a regular shopping trip and picking up a couple of pants in a size I know fits my daughter is actually pretty simple. I shop there so often for kids clothes that I have come to really know what sizes fit in the brands that they sell. I have yet to return something I have bought because it is too big or small.
While Stitch Fix has been awesome for me, these subscription boxes for kids haven't really been that great of a thing and have garnered more misses than hits. Sure, it's fun for my girls to try on clothes and its easier at home than at the store, but in the end the prices are too high and if something doesn't fit, the process to exchange it is not as simple as it sounds at first. I have yet to find out if I make an exchange, and it still doesn't fit right, if I have the option of returning it or not, and that goes for all of the kids boxes I have received. Rockets of Awesome and Kidpik have the convenience of being able to use the postal service to return items-which for me means either scheduling a pick up which is free and easy, or stuffing the return bag in my mailbox, is much simpler than returning with Kidbox which goes through FedEx which is not anywhere near where I live.If I have to drag my kids into town to find a place just to drop off my returns, it loses it's "From the comfort of your own home" flow.
If you truly don't have time to shop for kids clothing then these boxes make sense if you don't mind spending more money (hopefully the clothes last long enough to make it worth it).
But for those of us who can hit Target or The Children's Place (both have online shopping, simple in store return policies and great sales and rewards programs) then these boxes aren't really worth doing.

Kidbox Review: Natalie's Box

Last week I reviewed my son John's box from the kids clothing subscription service Kidbox.

This week I wanted to share what my daughter Natalie received.
Now, Natie is small for her age, so while most of what she got was too big, that isn't a real problem because kidbox allows you to exchange items based on needing a bigger or smaller size. I am assuming that in exchanging an item, you are purchasing it since when I clicked on the "exchange" option in the "Review  my Box" section, the total price didn't change. It would be nice to get some clarification from Kidbox, so I reached out to them about whether or not you still have the option of returning an exchanged item in case you change your mind, the item still doesn't fit right, or your child decides they don't like the item any more.
As of today they haven't responded and all I can find on their site is that they can only exchange an item once-so I guess that means if you get a size wrong the second time your out of luck.

First up

This cute romper:

Natie's opinion: She likes the color and the fabric, telling me that its soft and she can sit, stand, jump, and dance in it comfortably.
My Take: It is cute and the fabric is indeed soft. The fit is a little big, but nothing too bad. It doesn't look humongous on her but I can tell it is a bit loose and that she will have to grow into it. I do feel that a smaller size would be too tight or at least too short in the overall length, making it uncomfortable for her to wear.

Design History

Girls Tie Dye Romper | Size 6X

List Price $40.00

Kidbox Price $30.00

 Out of all the items in the box, this fit her the best but the price was too high. Had I been allowed to use my $25 code I would have bought this in a heartbeat because Natalie seemed to really enjoy jumping around in it and the fabric was soft. But $30 fora simple romper was too much. Target has cute rompers for $12.99 up to $25.00, the most expensive being done by Victoria Beckham.

Natie's opinion: She liked the lace and how it looked. She did not have any issues with the fabric.
My take: It was too big both at the "arms" and the chest/body. I liked the look of the top aside from the fit, but I was concerned about the crochet. Kids run and play and the first thing I thought of was how easily the  shirt could catch on things.

Next, the mint jeans
Natie's opinion: She loved the color and how soft the fabric was, but she was very aware of how huge they were on her.
My take: I love the color and I was so sad to see that these did not fit. This color just pops so well with all sorts of otherwise boring tops and shoes. Now, Target does have pants like this for sale in this color and in Natie's size!

LUCKY Girls Crochet Lace Tank | Size 6X

List Price $26.00

Kidbox Price $19.00
I did not find a comparable shirt at Target, but I am okay with that since I am not a fan of a shirt with the much crochet on it (think snags, rips, strecthes and tears) They do have tops with crochet on them around the neckline or on the sleeves. Regardless, since it did not fit, we sent it back. 

 7 For All Mankind

Girls Skinny Jeans | Size 6X

List Price $55.00

Kidbox Price $39.00

 You are probably guessing that I am going to say that the price is way too high and you'd be right. $55 for a pair of pants for a kid is too much unless we are taking a sweet suit or snow clothes. $39 is still to high, especially when I can find pants that are equally nice in color and fabric at Target for $14.99





 Natalie's opinion: She liked the pattern of the top and how it fit, although the fabric was not as soft as the other shirts she tried on. The pants she liked when she saw them and she was disappointed that they did not fit her-they were way too big.
My take: I did not like the pattern on the shirt and the fabric wasn't anything great. I liked the sleeves and the bottom and it did not seem as big as the other top she got.

 

 

7 For All Mankind

Girls Cropped Denim | Size 6X

List Price $55.00 
Kidbox Price $39.00

 LUCKY

Girls Flutter Sleeve Top | Size 6X

List Price $34.00

Kidbox Price $24.00

Both items were priced too high for my taste. The top was nothing impressive and is not a pattern I like. The style of the cut is not hard to find elsewhere in softer fabrics and in patterns that my daughter and I both like. The jeans while nice looking and soft, were too big and also way to much money. I can spend less than half of that getting pants at Target in a variety of colors and styles.

Last but not least,

Natie's opinion:
She liked this shirt a lot and tried to tell me that it wasn't too big. She especially liked the details on the sleeves.
My take: It was too baggy on her but I did the like fabric and the detail on the sleeve. IT was a bit thin and see through which I don't think is necessary for a little girls top.

 7 For All Mankind

Girls Embellished Sleeve Tee | Size 6X

List Price $33.00

Kidbox Price $21.00

This is a pretty basic tee shirt and why anyone would pay over $30 for it retail is beyond me. Even the kidbox price is too high to pay for a regular, thin tee with a cute detail on the sleeves.


Bottom line:
While we sent back everything I did learn a lot about the pricing differences between Kidbox and ROA. I liked the ROA consistency and variety in choices. The kidbox did not contain a single skirt or dress. The ROA box had 2 skirts and 2 dresses along with a pair of leggings, a pair of tubler shorts, a jacket, and 4 tops. The cheapest thing in the ROA box was the shorts for $10 (the next was an $18 tee shirt) and the most expensive thing was a tie between the Jacket and a dress at $36. The kidbox had its cheapest item at $19 for a top and the most spendy was a tie between the pants at $39.
The average prices (total for whole box divided by the number of items) is $24.54 for ROA ( $270/11items) and kidbox is $ 28.66 ($172/6 items)- this is looking at the price you pay if you were to discount the $98 for an entire box thing. With that deal in place, the average cost per item goes down to $16.13.
Like I stated in the previous review of my son's box, ROA doesn't offer a discount on keeping the whole box like Kidbox does, but the drawback to the Kidbox is that if you don't keep everything, your price jumps way up. If we took the discount of approximately 43% that you see with the kidbox price if you keep the whole thing, ROA would go form being $270 for everything down to $153.90 and the average cost per item would be $13.99 which is much more palatable. So, again, I am HOPING Rockets of Awesome will realize that doing a keep the box deal would go a long way towards tearing me away from Target. I am a busy person and the thought of having to drag either all of my kids to go try on new clothes, or having to take them all separately, thus having to get a sitter multiple times, or having to guess and bring home items and being stuck with an item that doesn't fit or trying to make it out to return it is a lot of work and i would much rather have the convenience of trying stuff on at home.

Kid Box Review- John's box

After trying out the clothing service for kids, Rockets of Awesome, I decided to try another service- Kidbox.

Similarities:
Both of these companies are services that send you a box with clothing for a particular time of year not monthly like other services. Neither company charges you unless you make a purchase. That's right, no styling fee even if you decide to send every item back. Both have similar style quizzes to help determine what kinds of clothes you and your child may be interested in. Both companies offer free exchanges in the event that an item is too big or small for your child.
Differences:
Rockets of Awesome sends out 4 boxes a year to correspond with the seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter) while Kidbox offers 5 boxes, Spring, Summer, Back to School, Fall, and Holiday.
ROA makes its own clothing, so there are no other brands which may help eliminate the issues with sizing (all parents know that a size 10 in one brand may fit like a glove but a size 10 in a different brand leaves your kid swimming in it.) This also means that if you come across an item you would prefer in a different color, you can exchange it whereas in Kidbox that is not an option. Kidbox offers many different brands which has its benefits as well as its drawbacks.
ROA sends you a box that can have up to a dozen items in it while KB has less- the box my son received had 7 items and my daughter only had 6.
The price for the boxes is also different. ROA does not charge a flat rate or offer a discount if you choose to keep all of the items. The boxes my kids got had pretty different totals. The KB however does offer a flat rate which works as a discount if you keep all of the items. For example, if I go to my account and review my items, my total is $98. The moment I click "return" on any item, my price jumps up based on the total price of each individual item (still supposedly below retail price)
I also discovered that coupon and promo codes only work if you keep the entire box. So it looks like if you were hoping to use the $10 off your first box code, you cannot use it on one item only which is what I was hoping to do since I really only liked a couple of things in my sons first box.
ROA offers a deal where if a friend uses your referral link, you both get ONE item free in your next box. KB offers a $25 referral but this only works if your friend keeps their whole box. This means they get $25 off making their box $73. After that goes through, I am assuming you will get your $25 credit to use on a full box only as well.
Kidbox also does a monthly giveaway on instagram. To enter the giveaway through Instagram, go to https://www.instagram.com between the first of each month at 12:00 AM EST until the last day of the month at 11:55 PM EST  follow Kidbox at https://www.instagram.com/kidbox, like and share the giveaway post and then post a picture with the correct hashtags listed in the current month’s giveaway post.

Now the items from my sons box!


First off we have this shirt by  U.S. Polo Assn. A fairly basic tee with stripes and a front pocket.

Johns Opinion: The fabric was soft, the fit nice and he liked the pattern and colors.
My take: It is a pretty basic top, and while I get that it is a good brand, there wasn't much else special about it. I did like how John had no complaints and it was a shirt that DID NOT have any characters on it meaning that as tastes change, or as a hand me down, I don't have to worry about what character the kid is into.

Boys Short Sleeve Stripe Top | Size 10/12

List Price $19.00 Kidbox Price $14.00

The price is only so-so. The list price is only $5 more which makes me wonder why bother with KidBox at all for something like this? $14 isn't too bad of a price for a decent shirt but it isn't a smoking deal either. 
Target has a similar shirt on their site for $7.00, even has the pocket. Find it here. 

 He is also wearing a pair of shorts by 7 for All Mankind.
John's Opinion: The fit is comfortable and the fabric soft. They came out of the box with the bottoms rolled up which he undid as soon as he put them on.
My take: I was surprised to find that I liked these shorts on him. John has a few pairs of shorts, but most of them are athletic shorts since we generally don't have occasion to wear nicer ones all that often. The fit was nice on him and I could see them being a versatile item in his wardrobe.

Boys Khaki Shorts | Size 10

List Price $45.00 Kidbox Price $32.00

The price here is pretty ridiculous. I gotta ask, who pays $45 for a pair of simple shorts for a kid? Aside from the obvious issues of how fast 10 year old boys grow, there are also the concerns about stains and kids being tough on their clothing. I would flip out if my kid stained or otherwise destroyed a $45 pair of shorts. Granted, I wouldn't let him play in them, which begs the question, why pay that much for something that they can't wear all of the time and that I have to safeguard against all kinds of foods and juices and grass stains? While knocking $13 off retail is nice, $32 is still too much for this item in my opinion.
A quick search through Target.com and you can find a very similar pair of shorts for $12.99. Right now Target is running a 20% off of all shorts deal and I have the Target Redcard, which brings my total to 9.88. Find the shorts here.


 Next up a top by Penguin, a simple short sleeve shirt with a pocket.

Johns opinion: It is comfortable and he liked the colors and the pocket. The fit was nice and he had no complaints about the fabric

My take: I don't like this shirt. I don't know why exactly, perhaps its where the color change happens or perhaps its because it reminds me too much of these old 80s bedspreads I've seen in old family pictures. It just rubs me the wrong way.

Penguin boys short sleeve tee

List Price $22.00 Kidbox Price $16.00

The price is okay, again $16 isn't too high nor is it a great deal for a basic tee.


Next up, a pair of Joggers by 7 for All Mankind.

John's opinion : The fabric is nice and so is the fit...that is until he gets to the ankle. He does not like joggers because they are too tight on his ankles.
My take: I don't particularly like the fit and cut of these pants nor do I like how thick the band is at the ankles. Paired with the blue and green 80's throwback doesn't help me like them either since I flashback to old pictures from he 80's and early 90's. This outfit seems very dated to me, can't you tell?

7 For All Mankind

Boys Lightweight Joggers | Size 10

List Price $49.00 Kidbox Price $35.00

 Yikes. $50 for these? They aren't anything fancy. Not dress pants in the least, just your run of the mill, around the house, maybe hanging out with a friend type pants. I'm glad to see kidbox knock $14 off, but even at their price I am not buying it. They seem to me more like sweat pants than something i'd pony $35 up for. 

This next pair of pants is also a pair of Joggers.

Johns opinion: He actually didn't mind the bottoms of these joggers which he (and I) were surprised by. The problem was the fit. The waist and hip area was HUGE. He looked like he could have carried a watermelon in those things! He did like the fabric and color however.

My take: The fit was enough for me to not like them much, although an exchange would be possible I guess. I just found it odd that both pants were supposed to fit him-because these were a medium instead of a 10 and from a different brand they fit way differently on him.Which is one of the issues parents will probably run into using Kidbox versus ROA. The band around the ankles looks looser and thinner than the other pants which is why he didn't mind them.

Paper Denim & Cloth

Boys Twill Joggers | Size M

List Price $52.00 Kidbox Price $36.00

 Once again the price is crazy high. Glorified sweat pants for $52? Come on. and yes, $36 is still too much. I recently picked up a pair of pants that is almost exactly the same in cut aside from the jogger fit. And it had cool pockets. My price: $14 at Target. It is on clearance right now, but even the original listed price is a  lot cheaper at $16.99. Find them here.

In this next picture I had him put the shorts back on while he tried on the last 2 items in the box

Johns opinion: He really liked the hoodie. He liked how lightweight it was, the color and the fit. He also liked how the fabric felt, when I had him try it on he was not wearing a shirt on underneath adn was happily surprised that there was no rough texture on the interior (in his experience, thick logo's means itchy layers on the inside. )
My take: I also liked the hoodie since it is the type of clothing we wear a lot of in the Oregon Willamette Valley area. Its perfect for spring days and summer nights when things get a little cool (and mosquitoes come out). 

LUCKY

Boys Long Sleeve Hoodie | Size M

List Price $32.00 Kidbox Price $20.00

The list price is high but the Kidbox price is reasonable. In fact, at this moment I am trying to decide whether or not to keep this particular piece. John really likes it, and I had thought I could use my $10 off coupon no matter how many things I kept. It looks like that is not the case, so I am trying to figure out if this hoodie is worth $20 or if I can find a similar product for a lower price somewhere else. Target did have something comparable, but it is on clearance and available only in XL. Sale price is $7.48 but the listed price is $14.99. Sure, $5 isn't much, and if that were the only thing missing in a kids wardrobe I'd say "No big deal." but if you are trying to redo, update, replace, or otherwise make numerous purchases, saving money on every piece adds up in the end.

Last but not least..

Johns opinion: He says that its "nice" and the fabric is soft. He really liked it quite a bit. 

My take: I like the look on him. The V-neck is a nice change from the typical crew neck tee. The color is nice and the buttons look classy rather than cheap. The cut of the tee is such that it doesn't hang off of him like the other shirts did. 

LUCKY

Boys Short Sleeve Henley | Size M

List Price $26.00 Kidbox Price $19.00

The list price isn't too far out there and neither is the kidbox price. This was also one of those pieces I considered keeping, and I probably would have kept it and the hoodie (both by Lucky) if I had been able to use my $10 off code 

 Target has Henley tee shirts, but nothing exactly like this. Prices range from $7.99 to $9.99, the tops have stripes, different color sleeves, and also a striped front pocket.

 

Bottom Line:

• Kidbox Total Price
  $172.00
• Keep The Whole Box
  - $74.00
• 
  
• You Pay:
  $98.00
   
  At first glance, Kidbox seemed like a better deal. But when I compared prices I was surprised. The pants from Kidbox were about $10 more than the pants I received in my ROA for John. The tops from Kidbox ranged from $14-$20 (counting the hoodie) while the ROA box had a tee for $10, a polo for $20, a sweatshirt hoodie (thicker than the one in the Kidbox) for $24, a long sleeve tee for $22, a button up dress shirt for $25, a glow in the dark tee for $16, a football tee for $18 and a cardigan for $28.  There was more variety in type of clothing (tee, long sleeve, and dress clothes) than in the Kidbox, but there were more expensive items-mainly the dressier button  up and cardigan. If I were to compare apples to apples, the price range on the ROA shirts that are similar to the Kidbox stuff, I'd say the range was $10-22. 
  While the prices aren't much different, the things to keep in mind are that you get a discount with kidbox  if you keep everything, bringing the total down $74. That's a lot of money. My ROA box cost way more than that ($256) BUT there were 12 items instead of 7.

Let's do some math!

 If I divide the total Kid box price of $172 by 7, and look at the average price per item (without the discount you get for buying the whole box) is about $24.50. Times that by 12(the number of items in the ROA box) and you get $294 making Kidbox more expensive per individual item. Now, I am assuming that the kidbox total price varies from box to box, but let's just say it's a 40% discount if you keep the entire box . (I got that number by dividing the $74 I "save" by the total price and I actually got 43%, but I'll round down) So if I discount the $256 total from ROA by 40% I get 102.40, which means the comparable price would be $153.6.(256-102.4) Yes, it's still more than the Kidbox, but you get more stuff so it makes sense it would cost more to keep everything.

 The kidbox average price per item WITH the discount would be $14, while with ROA it would be $8.50 if they offered a similar discount for keeping everything. 

So, I guess it comes down to what you budget for. If you like the idea of a $98 flat rate for everything, then kidbox is for you. It also is nice that they donate to charity when you keep and entire box and referrals knock $25 off (whole boxes only!) As far as variety, number of items to choose from, and sometimes cheaper prices, ROA is a better choice. It also is nice to have items all made by the same company so that ALL sizes 10s should fit the same, and it allows for color exchanges. 

If ROA decided to offer a discount for keeping every item, I think they'd be the winner hands down in this comparison. 

 

My review for Natalie's Kidbox will be up soon.

I also sent out for another clothing box, this one just for girls, called Kidpik. I ordered one for Natalie and one for her little sister Lizzie who is 3. When I get those boxes I will also post a review.  

 

Rockets of Awesome- Boys items

This is my second review of the clothing subscription service for kids, Rockets of Awesome. With this service you get a box sent to you 4 times per year with items being appropriate for spring, summer, school, and winter. Each box comes with 8 to 12 items and the clothes are made by Rockets of Awesome. Prices range from $12-$36 per item and they offer sizes 2-14. The thing that caught my attention and made me want to give it a try was the fact that there are no membership fees or styling fees. You only pay for what you decide to keep and there is a convenient bag and return shipping label included in the box for just that purpose. Unfortunately there is no discount offered if you decide to keep everything.
I did a review on the box my daughter received and today I would like to share with you my review of my son's box.

John's box

My sons ROA box arrived much later than my daughters despite being ordered on the same day. We got an email notification that, due to "higher than anticipated demand in certain sizes" they were behind schedule in sending out my sons items. If you are wanting or needing items by a specific time, relying on ROA to get it to you by then might not work out.

The first outfit he tried on was this button up plaid shirt and blue pants.

John's opinion: When I asked him about the clothes he immediately told me he was not a fan of the cinched bottoms on the pants. It might be hard to see in the above photo, but the top of the pants wear like your average school uniform type pants, but the ankle is cinched and he did not like how it was tight on his ankles. He said the fabric was soft and he liked the waist of the pants. The shirt he said was itchy and he wasn't a fan of the pattern. He said that the fit was good and was not tight on him at all.
My Take: When I saw the cinched bottom I figured that John wouldn't like it and I myself wondered what kinds of shoes a kid is supposed to wear with pants like this. I am familiar with sweatpants that gather at the ankle and even some capri cut pants that gather just below the knee or mid-calf, and those don't look bad with tennis shoes or flip flops, but the material of these pants and the cut of the top don't seem like the kind of thing to be worn with flip flops, and sneakers would look odd in my opinion. Maybe high tops are the answer. The shirt did feel a bit stiff to me as well but that could change with a good washing and fabric softener.
As with my daughter's box, the prices were a bit high for me especially since we had just gone to Target and seen similar styles and (complete with the stiffer fabric) for less. I even managed to find a nice pair of uniform style pants (in gray) for $16.99. They fit him perfectly and he had no complaints about them whatsoever. You can find those pants here.

 Then we had him throw on the Cardigan that he received in his box.

 John's opinion: He thought that the fabric was soft and comfortable but ultimately he said it wasn't his thing. He said it looked more like something I would wear.

My take: The fabric was indeed soft and it is more of my style of thing, minus the buttons (I'm more of an open front cardigan type of girl). I did think that it looked nice on him and would be appropriate for the weather we have in Oregon. It looked like a classy piece that would help stave off the spring chill without overheating him. The price being just under $30 was too high for me though considering he would only be wearing it to Church on Sundays. It's too nice of a sweater to wear playing outside. Perhaps if he weren't homeschooled and attended a school I would have been more inclined to purchase it. I have to admit though, I really wanted to keep it and even avoided putting in the return bag until I was absolutely certain that we could do without it.

 Next set of clothes was this Football tee and a pair of joggers.

 John's opinion: John really liked the top. He is a fan of the jersey knit material and this top fit that bill. He also loves red. The pants he was not a fan of because of the cinched bottom. He also said that they felt too tight and itchy. He liked the dark camo pattern.

My take: I too liked the top. It fit him nicely and looked comfortable. The pants I had guessed he wouldn't like based on his reaction to the other pants he had tried on first. I liked how the pattern was subtle and could be worn with lots of different tops unlike some of the green camo pants which tend to eliminate a lot of colors that work with them. Again I was turned off by the prices. The tee shirt, which is pretty simple, was almost $20. Target has soft tee shirts that vary in pattern and color for as little as $5. Find those styles here.

 Next up were the skinny jeans and this neon yellow pocket tee.

 John's opinion: He said that the jeans were uncomfortable, especially at the knees. His complaints were that they were too tight and itchy. The shirt he said felt pretty good. He liked the pocket detail and the bright color and said that the fit was nice.

My take: I figured that based on his comments about the other pants that he wouldn't like these either. It is clear that he is a boot cut type of kid. The fabric was a little rough and stiff but probably would improve with a wash. The tee shirt is indeed a very bright color (its actually called highlighter) The fabric isn't bad but it isn't phenomenal either. The fit is good and the cut, simple. The prices weren't too outrageous for these items, jeans are usually in that $20-$30 mark even at Target but he isn't a fan of the cut so they got sent back. The tee shirt price was not too bad, but given that I can get softer tops at Target for a few dollars less and that there wasn't anything particularly remarkable about this top for either of us, it also went back. 

 

 Next up were the rest of the tops he received and the hoodie.

 Johns opinion: He liked the color, fit, and fabric of the polo. He tried tucking it in and didn't have a problem with it. He liked the fit and fabric of the burger tee but wasn't too into the design on it. (I'm not sure why, the kid loves hamburgers) All he would tell me was that he thought it "looked weird". He really liked the hoodie. He said the fabric was nice and it wasn't too heavy or too light. The zipper was smooth and the hood was comfortable for him. He liked the fabric of the long sleeve blue top. He liked the color and the design on it as well.

My take: The polo fit him nicely and didn't feel too thick like some polos tend to be. I liked the thickness of the stripes as well. The burger tee was okay, I wished we would have tested out the glow in the dark aspect of it, but since he wasn't impressed with the design I didn't push it. The hoodie looked comfortable on him and would be something he would wear often around the house and playing outside. The Sonic boom top felt smooth and cool but was the type of fabric I thought could get caught on rings, rough surfaces and even fingernails resulting in snags and pulls. I also want to point out, even though it isn't too big of a deal, that the polo had this strange random sticker on it when we opened it up. I know, its not a stain or hole, but it made me wonder how thoroughly they look over the items before sending them out.
I ended up getting a nice polo at Target for $7.99 that is lighter and has a less stiff collar.  The hoodie was one of those things I really thought about keeping since he does wear that type of jacket often. Perhaps if we hadn't just bought one for him a couple weeks prior (on sale at Target, which he subsequently got a piece of hot ash from a campfire on and burned a tiny hole in the shoulder of) we might have actually kept this one. The price wasn't too far off the mark though it was still a good $4-$9 more than the hoodies at regular price at Target.com.

 And the final thing to "try on"-a pair of sunglasses.

 John's opinion: He said that the glasses felt uncomfortable on his face.

My take: They were made of cheap plastic and not the style we usually buy the kids. I am not opposed to paying $16 for sunglasses, but they certainly are going to be better quality then these and also offer better coverage on the side of the face.

Bottom Line

I was less frustrated by the pricing of this box-perhaps because my son was not super excited about much he tried on. He liked the hoodie and a couple of the tops that were more than I really would want to spend on tee shirts, the hoodie was hard to send back and we probably would have kept it had he not just gotten a new one. The items fit my son better and that didn't surprise me since he is of an average height and weight. My daughter is a tiny thing and the size 6x and 7 just didn't fit quite right. I would be comfortable recommending the boys box to a friend who was interested in a core wardrobe for their son-and who knows, maybe this brand has high quality pieces that could be handed down. As my son gets older I will be more comfortable paying more for his clothes, particularly the things that have longevity like jackets, jeans and dress clothes.
I have a better opinion of this box than the one Natalie got so perhaps we will give this a shot again down the road. It might be a good idea of ROA to consider offering a price break if you keep a certain number of items. The total for our box would have been $256 for 12 items.


I decided to compare Rockets of Awesome to another subscription box for kids called Kidbox. It boasts the same quarterly shipments, no fees, and only paying for what you keep. The differences are that the price is supposed to be about $98 per box, which means you don't get as many pieces- the site's FAQ states that you get " 6-8 items from a range of cool brands" . Examples of brands given are Diesel, 7 For All Mankind, US Polo Association, Reebok, Roxy, Free Planet, Lucky Denim, Limited Too, and Kensie. If you keep a box they donate an outfit to a child in need.
It *sounds* like you get a special deal if you keep every item (paying $98) and I will let you know for sure when I get my shipments and go over my receipt. Just like with ROA, I sent for a girls box and a boys box.  Be sure to check back for those reviews!