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ThredUP “Office Styles” Goody Box Review – January 2018

Ragan Buckley
ByRagan BuckleyFeb 18, 2018 | 42 comments

ThredUp Goody Box
2.5 overall rating
4 Ratings | 0 Reviews

Goody Boxes by online consignment shop ThredUP are new women's fashion styling services featuring exclusively secondhand clothes.

ThredUP's mission is to help people explore fashion... sustainably! By recycling unwanted clothes that are still in fantastic condition, ThredUP hopes to lessen the waste produced and resources spent on manufacturing new clothing. Oh, and to save their customers some money on the designer labels they love, too!

ThredUp Goody Box February 2018 Box

There are four styles of Goody Boxes to choose from—Cold Weather Essentials, Office Styles, Night Out, and Fancy Finds. Whenever you'd like to receive a box, choose your style, fill out the ThredUP profile, and you'll receive a box of all sorts of items to try on in the comfort of your home. Keep what you like. Drop what you don't want back in the box and pass it on to USPS within 7 days. (There's a free return shipping label in your box.) You'll only be charged for what you keep!

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

ThredUp Goody Box February 2018 review

About the Office Styles Goody Box by ThredUP

The Subscription Box: Office Styles Essentials Goody Box by ThredUp

The Cost: $20.00 non-refundable deposit to get your box of clothes. From there, you only pay for what you keep. The $20.00 deposit will be applied towards any purchases you make! Free US shipping and returns.

The Products: 12-15 secondhand styles picked specifically for you by one of ThredUP's "Treasure Hunters". The Office Styles box promises “Monday-Friday essentials that are anything but boring boardroom attire.”

Ships to: the US and internationally

Office Styles Goody Box by ThredUP January 2018 Review

Goody Boxes are one-time boxes that you order on demand.  When you place your order, you provide your size and preferences.

There isn’t a standard information card with this subscription, but there were a lot of inserts:

Here’s the request for you to share on social media.

There were instructions to follow regarding any returns. You have a week to return any garments you don’t want to keep (a scan of the package at the post office is sufficient; they’ll know it’s on the way then!). And there was a return label.

There was also this letter from the ThredUP CEO.

And some promotional materials.

And finally, my list of items and the cost to keep them. Prices are based on my selection and yours may be higher or lower, on average, depending on what you choose.

Elizabeth McKay Short Sleeve Blouse and Anna Sui Casual Skirt modeled

Elizabeth McKay Short Sleeve Blouse, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $51.99

Anna Sui Casual Skirt, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $68.99

Ah, and we are not off to a great start. One of the things I made sure to mention in my comments at sign-up was that I don’t wear neutrals. I strongly dislike them. I love bright colors (pretty much everything but yellow and lime green).

This top did fit pretty well, though the zipper was up the back and my husband had to zip it for me. Since he is gone from the house by the time I am getting dressed work, I wouldn’t actually be able to wear this to the office. I’m also not too keen on sleeveless garments, and this is quite heavy so it would be uncomfortable with a cardigan.

Anna Sui Casual Skirt

And this skirt. This is sooooo not office wear for me. It balloons up weirdly all around my hips and I just couldn’t figure out what was going on with all the zippers.

Three Eighty-Two Long Sleeve Blouse

Three Eighty-Two Long Sleeve Blouse, Size XS – Cost to Keep $41.99

Leifsdottir Casual Skirt, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $35.99

If I have a funny look on my face, it’s because my husband snapped the picture when I stopped laughing for a second.

For a shirt that was allegedly size XS, this was large on me, and really loose. Perhaps if I had a bigger bust, it would’ve fit better, but you could see every little detail through it up close (including my Fitbit, which was clipped to my bra). It was also a little low-cut. If I had really liked the style, I’d have considered wearing a camisole underneath, but there was the tie thing going on at the waist and this just wasn’t for me.

Meanwhile, this was one of two wildly office-inappropriate skirts. I do like the color (in fact, this skirt is probably the only color I really liked from the whole shipment), but no. This is far too short for me to be comfortable in and that slit up the side isn’t going to work.

Sanctuary ¾ Sleeve Blouse

Sanctuary ¾ Sleeve Blouse, Size XS – Cost to Keep $25.99

Elie Tahari Casual Pants, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $32.99

I had mentioned in my profile that I really liked ¾ sleeve tops, so they got that part right. But, again, this is really big and loose on me, which is just not a fit that I like (most of my work clothes are knits and much more fitted). It is also too short. I am 40 and I don’t need to worry that my midriff is going to be exposed every time I lift my arms. Also, I don’t do pastels.

I am definitely looking for pants and will wear neutral pants with the right top, and these did fit. But they had a drawstring, which I find kind of strange, and they were SO THIN. My abdomen isn’t quite looking the way I want just yet, less than four months after I had a hysterectomy, and if I wasn’t careful when I stood still, these showed the contours of everything I really want to hide at the moment.

A.L.C. ¾ Sleeve Blouse

A.L.C. ¾ Sleeve Blouse, Size XS – Cost to Keep $59.99

So close and yet so far. This has the fit around the torso and the sleeve length I want, but it is another one that is effectively a crop top on me. Also, I don’t wear black.

BCBGMaxazria Long Sleeve Blouse, Size XS – Cost to Keep $38.99

Women’s Theory Dress Pants, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $54.99

This shirt. You’ll see a lot of it because they sent me a boatload of pants and skirts and it was the easiest to match with the other garments. It is SOOOOO thin, it’s another one you can see everything through. I’m also honestly not sure what is going on with the front. There are buttons on one side of that fabric flap and button holes on the other side, but the button holes are not functional (they’re sewn closed) and I just feel like I am wearing the ruffled pirate shirt from Seinfeld (which is probably dating me but oh well).

These pants were an item I almost would’ve kept. It is a bit difficult to see in the photo, but they are black with white pinstripes. They fit very well when I tried them on. However, I have a similar pair of pants already and I don’t have enough tops that match them to justify having two pairs of black pants with pinstripes. Also, they were like 8% elastane, and I can’t wear pants with elastane. (They fit great when I put them on but stretch out over the course of the day until they are really sagging in back. It’s not a good look.)

Club Monaco Silk Pants, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $34.99

I have never owned a pair of silk pants, or even tried one on. I’m not likely to change my mind about them after these. The two-tone color scheme was odd to me. I don’t own a single top that would allow me to pull these off. Also, the snaps down the side made me feel like I was wearing some kind of athletic gear instead of work pants.

Here you can see the snaps a little better. They didn’t actually function as closures, but they were quite cold against my leg.

DKNY Dress Pants

DKNY Dress Pants, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $56.99

These just didn’t fit. I could get into them and then I couldn’t close them around my waist.

Theory Casual Skirt

Theory Casual Skirt, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $50.99

I couldn’t even get this over my rear end. It’s weird because there were two pairs of pants from this brand in the same size that I was able to put on. Oh well.

Mason Casual Skirt

Mason Casual Skirt, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $67.99

I am not sure which is more inappropriate for the office, this or the fuchsia one. This slit was so high, and anytime I moved, the fabric bunched up and made the slit go higher. I would totally be uncomfortable wearing this to the office. Or really anywhere in public.

Reiss Short Sleeve Silk Top and Theory Dress Pants

Reiss Short Sleeve Silk Top, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $42.99

Theory Dress Pants, Size 2 – Cost to Keep $54.99

This top was a puzzler. The label was in such a weird place, but no one would put buttons in the BACK of a shirt and anyway, the back had details that made it was clear it was the back of the shirt. (See what I mean about the tag below.) This is also just not really a color I wear, it is too dark for me.

These pants fit about the same as the pinstripe ones from the same brand. But they were the last bottoms I tried on for this box and I was really not very happy by the end of my fitting/photo session, and they had the elastane problem, too, so they also went back.

Here is the tag from the top. It was in the front and it kept flipping up.

Verdict: I don’t typically do consignment shopping. I don’t have anything against it, and I definitely love my vintage dresses from CHC Vintage. But maybe if I do it again, I need to pick the pieces myself.

I was really hoping to find some great pieces to wear to the office (my “day job” is at a law firm). I tend to go for bright colors and bold prints (like, orange and pink flowers the size of dinner plates are AWESOME in my book) and I didn’t get that here, with a few minor exceptions. (I expressed my loathing for neutrals when I filled out my profile. I was disappointed to receive so many neutrals, to say the least.)

About 80% of my work wardrobe is knit dresses that are knee length or so, and I didn’t receive a single dress in this shipment, and very few knit garments. (Most of my tops are also knit fabrics.) I prefer fitted clothing to loose and I do like to have my stomach covered when I raise my arms. I also don’t like to wear see-through tops and skirts slit way up my thigh. I just didn’t feel like the garments I received matched my style, at all.

I expressed my frustrations (ThredUP invites you to provide feedback in email after the post office scans your return package) and I was told I could provide a Pinterest board and/or links to my favorite items in my closet for next time. I’m not sure it’s worth it for me, though. Maybe there were some things I should’ve said that I forgot in the profile (length of skirts, no sleeveless, etc.), but the colors and patterns (which I did request) I received were just all wrong for me, and I’m not sure how a Pinterest board, which is much more complicated and in-depth than the phrase “bright colors and bold prints” is going to help that.

For what it’s worth, most everything fit except bottoms where noted. And everything was clean and in good condition.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Every box is different and packed based on the customer’s tastes and what’s available at the time.

Value Breakdown: The price to keep each item is listed above. Resale prices are a little less than what you would pay for these garments new. The average price across the items I received was $48.06.

Remember that the deposit on the box was $20 and that while it’s non-refundable, it can be applied to what you keep. So I would’ve made the box worth it by keeping even one item.

One last important thing to note about value: when you request a box, you’ll be able to pick a price range you’d like to stick to for individual items. Mine was $25-$70, but you could go lower or higher, depending on your preferences.

What do you think about the Office Styles Goody Box?

Starting at $20.00
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ThredUp Goody Boxes are available now! These boxes are similar to StitchFix, but with secondhand items - you pay a $20 styling fee that can go toward any items you choose to keep. Each Goody Box features a sampling of secondhand items sourced from women’s closets across the country (and rigorously ... read more.
Ragan Buckley
Ragan Buckley
Ragan stumbled across My Subscription Addiction in late 2013 and immediately subscribed to way too many beauty boxes. She's now focused on boxes for her cats and dog, vegan/vegetarian food boxes, and craft subscriptions (and she didn't give up beauty boxes entirely).

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42 comments

TK

Thanks for the honest review. Those clothes may be from designer brands but they look like styles that didn’t sell well and went to the clearance racks.

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AmyM

The cost-to-keep prices are IN.SANE, even if you factor in the time they spent “treasure hunting”, which those skills are debatable based on these choices. But the pricing is what really gets me, especially when you consider how much they pay for the clothing before they resell it. I’m in the process of losing weight and have a ton of plus size stuff to get rid of. I didn’t want the hassle of eBay so I looked into some online consignment places. Thred Up’s average payouts for most items were .40-.80 cents. CENTS. Less than a dollar per item; even for certain NWT items. I just ended up donating my stuff; I’d rather have someone who needs it score a great find in the thrift store than get pennies for something that’s resold for a hefty profit.

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PJ

Agree! I recently sent my second bag of donated clothes to ThredUp and was astonished at the pennies I received for very nice clothes that they are selling (or trying to) for a huge profit. Their payout prices seem to have gone way down. Not worth my time to pack this stuff up and send it, so my things will go to local thrift stores in the future.

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Ragan

Yeah, when I lost weight, I just donated everything. Not that I had many designer label goods to begin with. But I felt better knowing it would go to people who needed it.

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AnnieB512

I think you look great in black! The shirt is backwards. I have one from a different brand and I keep it mostly buttoned up and slide it on over my head. Then I can reach over my shoulders and button the last few buttons. But I like my shirts a little loose to hide the extra padding!

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Beth

Why are these cloths so expensive when they are second hand. I would never pay those prices unless they still had a tag on it. I know that the company is trying to make a living and I respect that but you know they probably got half for free and the other half people sent in and probably got a small amount per item added to their account for purchases. Craziness!

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Ks

Same reason Walmart sells clothes for $20 that Chinese kids made for $0.20/day. I would rather a business make big profit off of sustainable fashion than fast fashion.

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Erica

These prices are crazy to me. At first I thought people.were just being whiners and not considering they have a business, but I’ve never seen such high prices for even curated thriftware. Also this is shockingly not office-acceptable. As a single person, any clothes that require a helper are a no-go for me.

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Arienrod

Do you know by any chance how low their sizes go, and if they carry petites for this type of box?
I am very small, size XS junior and 0P to 00P adult top and bottom, so finding appropriate and affordable office clothes (especially bottoms) is a nightmare for me. I can see you are a petite lady, too, and you’ve had a couple bottoms in that box that were too small, so I’m wondering if this box could be an avenue for me to maybe at least discover brands that even make adult clothes for my body type.
It does look like a disappointing box, though. High slits? Short skirts with animal print? Crop tops? Several sheer blouses… wow. They must not get a lot of really office-appropriate items. Where do they source them from, by the way?

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Carrie

I got a date night box and they sent me lots of petite-sized items. I did specify that in my preferences.

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AH

As it’s been stated numerous times, the majority of that is so ridiculous. And I am appalled at the prices. But I do have to second that the navy shirt is probably on backwards, and I was wondering if you tried it on the other way. I’ve had numerous shirts over the years with a single button, that is a single button, or are there more? And thank you for trying all of that on, I am sure it got frustrating.

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Ragan

Oh no, there are buttons all the way down. It would be impossible to put on yourself. Also, the part in back clearly looks like the back of a shirt.

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Susan

If you do a search on “Reiss Button Back Shirt” you will find that it is, in fact, the back of the shirt. The buttons go all the way down. As to how you get it on, typically, you button up most of it and then pull it over your head and do the rest. I’m not sure what level of yoga that requires, but that’s what you would have to do if you didn’t have a helper.

Samantha

Ok, I’m going to leave this brief or else this comment would be pretty long. I had one of the worst experiences ever both selling and buying from this company. Their business ethics are reprehensible and I wouldn’t recommend anyone deal with them, ever. Even if they nailed this box, I would advise caution, but this was awful. Ragan, your a saint for your review and you’re a beautiful person. The clothes don’t do you justice one bit.

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Ashlea

I got a thredup office box today and it was actually pretty good – picked things from brands I liked and seemed to really follow my comments. There were sizing issues of course, but out of 15 things sent I got 5 maybes.

Didn’t get ANY paperwork though. Just emailed them for it as I don’t have any idea what anything costs and no way to return the nopes.

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Ks

I got the custom box and it was great. Most items looked brand new and I also had about 7 maybes but had to settle for 2 final yes’s as I don’t have the closet space. I don’t think this box is for the super picky but rather, for those who want to expand tgeir wardrobe.

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Jordan

Wow, so much wrong with this box in so many ways. However, I have made several purchases from ThredUp and had great experiences. I think I’ll continue shopping with them-I’ll just make sure to pick my own things.

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heat7918

Wow, so disappointing. I’ve seen a lot of your clothing reviews (mostly dresses), and you look so beautiful in so many things… it should have been hard for them to mess up so bad. I don’t wear neutrals or pastels either but I wonder if that’s their default for office attire? Makes no sense but I don’t know why else they’d ignore your request for bright colors & patterns.

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h

If this is what they consider a professional/office attire to be, I am trying to imagine what the “Night Out” box would be, and I’m picturing that fairy tale about the king’s new clothes.

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Jeanette

Well, first off I am relieved the reviewer expressed these are not office type clothes. Second, I would have been sent home for wearing the skirts. First my employer would have asked me what was going on and if I was feeling ok, because I would never wear those in an office setting ,the skirts, oh my. Second, where on earth do people wear this at work? Also, I am glad she pointed out the see through tops. I would have been sent home as well. This subscription is just lack of better terms, out there.

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Jess

I know others have said it, but there was way too much in this box that was completely inappropriate for an office. Short skirts with slits? Midriff tops? See through blouse? Nope. And the prices!!! Oh my goodness. My days of actually shopping a thrift store are done for the time being (toddlers and all), but I’d hit up eBay for the ease of online shopping and spend the time to pick out pieces myself. I wouldn’t pay some of those prices for brand new pieces.

Also. Just wanted to say that your stomach wasn’t the issue with those pants you tried on. Those are the kind of pants that hardly flatter anyone. So, totally not you!

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Caligirl

These all look like 90s throwbacks. You could do better buying new at a Macy’s sale!

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magoosmom

Not only is this awful, but the prices are ridiculous for used clothing. Thanks for being patient enough to try on all that crud and writing an honest review for us!

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Deb B.

There is no way that box is office appropriate or worth over $700. I also take issue with the company’s ethics. Look at reviews online from those that have sold goods to the company.

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Jann

I really laughed when I saw the striped skirt! That is SO not work appropriate! I can’t even believe they sent that. That should have gone in their “Night Out” box. They sent a lot of clothes to not even have one item right. What a disappointment to have to try all of them on! 🙁

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Amy BB

Oh, these things are weird….. I did however just order a boatload of items from Thredup when they had their 30% off coupon including a Jane Post spring coat that retails for $400 for $32! I got like 10 or 12 items and only sent back two! I think I spent like $132 on items from Sundance, Ann Taylor, Universal Standard, etc. The two items I sent back were only like $20 so I took the free return for store credit. I have not liked what I have seen in these “goody boxes” at all and would rather just pick out my own items.

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Deb B.

The entire box would have cost over $700 to keep! I understand some of the brands are higher end, but I could do some serious shopping at discount chains that carry the same brands for that much money. I also have some ethics issues with complaints of people who have sold clothing to the company and received little in return.

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Kat

Oooh not a fan at all! Wow. And that much money for second hand clothes? Maybe I just don’t pay a lot for my clothes (which, I probably should be less stingy!) but I wouldn’t pay $60 for a skirt someone else wore. I guess you can go lower if you want but yeah, also not a fan of what they picked out based on what you told them. Hard pass on this one for me!

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Kc

This definitely didn’t look like a professional clothing box for work. Maybe the Ann Taylor rental service would be more appropriate but it’s expensive.

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Jennifer V.

Also, that is quite an interesting office they must think you work in!! That skirt with the slit is SO not going to work in a professional setting! LOL!

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Holly

Lol my thoughts exactly! Where is this “office” they think you work at? Mini shirts and crop tops….hmmmmm. I have gotten several of the cold weather boxes and kept a few things from each box I got BUT the person who picked my boxes followed my requests. It seems the person who picked your items was drunk. Eeek.

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Jennifer V.

I think your address might be showing in the picture of the return mailer?

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Liz Cadman

Thank you for letting us know. Just removed the picture!

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Jennifer V.

Not a problem!!

MzBev

Whoops. It sure is. She covered that one area of the form, but missed the return address part. Hopefully she updates that soon!

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Dea

Agree that florals the size of Manhattan are AWESOME. Like the Tina Givens fabrics.

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Ks

I really like the last outfit. I don’t think they pay a lot of attention to the notes but my shipment was awesome and I got pieces I really liked.

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