Ann Taylor Infinite Style Review

Hello friends!  I’m sharing a story with you and an Ann Taylor Infinite Style review, which I give a grade of a B-. Find out why below.

But first, this is what drove me to try the service in the first place.

The other day I was at the store returning something.  I waited in line for 10 minutes as the staff casually chatted with each other and could care less about the customers in the store.  From a girl who worked 12+ years in retail it breaks my heart to experience this.  

I feel like no one cares about the customer anymore, as the service model in most retailers is lacking.  I believe that retail, as we know it, is dying. But it’s a slow and painful death.

With my nerves shot on retail stores I find myself shopping primarily online.  However, I do miss the retail experience. I love to touch and feel the clothes and pop into stores to see what is new each season.  But lately, I usually buy massive amounts online, try it on at home, and ship most of it back.

I find that I like a lot of what I buy online, but I don’t love it.  Spending money on something I love is better than spending it on something that I just like.  I’d love to test drive the pieces if possible and then decide to buy. So when the Ann Taylor Infinite Style launched I was pumped to try it out. 

 

Ann Taylor Infinite Style Review

Infinate Style by Ann Taylor  is their monthly clothing rental service.  The concept is simple. For a monthly fee ($95) you rent three pieces from Ann Taylor with the option to buy them at a discount or return for new items the following month.

Today I’m breaking down the Ann Taylor Infinite Style service step by step and highlighting a few tips along the way.  I’m providing you with my pro and con list and my final rating of the service. One thing to point out, this is not a sponsored post.  I tested out the service based on your feedback on my Insta stories. I feature a lot of polls to figure out content for you so be sure to follow me over there too (find me here).

 

Signing Up for Ann Taylor Infinite Style

To sign up for the service you can click here.  You will need to create an account and enter your credit card information.  You will be charged at this point. Repeat, YOU WILL BE CHARGED! There is no looking around on the site, they charge you immediately.   The service is $95 a month and you can cancel it at anytime.   And to be honest it is a clothing rental service with the option to buy the items.

I actually wasn’t aware of this until I looked around on Ann Taylor’s service and then popped over to the Loft’s service (they both launched similar services).  I was charged for both even though I didn’t proceed with the Loft’s service.    

Once you sign up you will be asked to fill your closet with eight pieces.  You must fill your closet with eight pieces before they will ship any clothes to you.  It’s important to note that once you add that eighth piece to you closet you are done. There is no going back and rethinking your closet, it’s locked in.

 

Your Closet

Your virtual closet is filled with the pieces you select to rent each month.  You can pick from pants, skirts, tops, sweater and dresses. The clothes are current clothes that they are currently selling in the store.  There are brand new pieces and even sale pieces available for you to choose from.

You can search items by type (i.e. dress, top or pants), color and size.  Sizing is limited on the popular items and there is no waitlist for the size.  If they are out of your size they are out of it.   

You need to fill up your closet with 8 pieces in order for them to actually ship your clothes. However, you will only be sent 3 pieces at a time.  You can “prioritize” a piece, however, I didn’t do this and I wish I did. Use this option if you have an outfit you created or if you really want certain pieces to arrive.  I added a skirt and shirt to my closet that I wanted to wear together. The shirt arrived and the skirt didn’t so I’m out of luck.

Remember that once you add the eight pieces to your closet it is locked in and you cannot make any changes. 

 

My Infinite Style Closet

Here are the seven pieces I filled my closet with.   There is one missing because I couldn’t find it on the site. 

Here are the three pieces from my first box. 

While I liked the tops they sent, they were just average.  The cream colored top was the one I added just to close out the closet.  So I wasn’t overly thrilled when it arrived. The black top was the top I added to go with a skirt.  Without the skirt the top is pointless. I did love the polka dot dress, though. The front tie is unique and it is super flattering.  It’s a great summer work dress that I can transition into fall. It’s a keeper!

Why I Like The Service

Variety – You can really mix things up in your wardrobe with this service.  I wear on repeat the same pieces I love so having a few things to mix in changes things up for me.  It’s nice to have a clothing subscription box that offers variety.

Try Before Buying – I love to test things out before taking the plunge.  This service allows me to do just that. I can test drive clothes and if they don’t work, they go back.

Discounted Items – They offer a pretty huge discount on any item that you want to buy.  It varies from item to item.  The dress is 80% off and only $25 to buy.  The black top is at a 40% discount and is technically on the Ann Taylor site for less right now.  You will never pay full price for an item. 

Quality of Clothes – I am impressed with the quality.  While I know what to expect with Ann Taylor clothes, I was a little leery about these clothes being rented.  They don’t smell overly processed, however, the service is relatively new so perhaps they haven’t been cleaned to many times.   Maybe as time goes on and dry cleaning is increased the items may start to smell like a chemical. 

 

What I Don’t Like and How to Improve It

Limited Sizing – Many of the items I want don’t have a full size run available.  This is a huge bummer. There isn’t even a wait list for the items. I will gladly add an item to a wait list and have it placed in my closet when available.

Being Charged Up Front – There is no warning that I will be charged to set up the account.  I probably should have known when the second thing asked for is my credit card information. I honestly thought I would be charged after I selected all the items.  They got me on this one and I wish they were more upfront about it. 

Packaging – I know that packaging isn’t really a big deal, but I think they can step it up a bit.  With all the subscription services out there why not set yourself apart. I feel that the packing is weak and there is no informational piece in the box explaining what to do next.  They can improve by including a card detailing what is in my box, how I can buy it, and how I can return it.

Closet Size – I find it pretty hard to select eight pieces for my closet.  I had five pieces that I really loved and was excited about. But last three pieces were a struggle to select.  I added in pieces that I didn’t love just to complete my closet. 

 

Overall Rating

I give Ann Taylor’s Infinite Style Service a B-.  While my pro and con list is pretty even I feel like I should have a lot more pros to give it a higher rating.  There are a few things they need to improve which I think will really enhance the service and make it successful. If you are interested in trying it out leave your email below and I’ll send you a link for $25 off your first month.

Have any of you tried Infinite Style by Ann Taylor yet?  How about similar services like Rent The Runway Unlimited?

Looking for more workwear? Check out one of my favorites.