Here is my confession: my 4-year-old is constantly forced to wear her brother’s hand-me-downs because I can’t keep up with how fast she grows. From pajamas to shoes, my pretty in pink fashionista is sometimes covered in camo. In addition to her weed-like trajectory to dizzying heights, I also struggle with investing in the adorable boutique-style clothing, often opting for the mass-produced big box (sometimes blah) clothing just to keep her covered. When I was asked to review KIDBOX, a seasonal subscription box for kids clothing, I found a way to keep up with her sassy style and keep her out of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle apparel once and for all.
For me, clothing is the ultimate form of self-expression. On a daily basis, I change outfits 3-4 times on average. Why? Because I dress according to my mood, my activities and the weather, and if you live in the Midwest like me, you know the weather changes every five minutes. My daughter has inherited my same love for all things apparel and we spend about 20 minutes in the morning debating unicorns vs. glitter, sequins vs. tulle. She wears last year’s Christmas dress to school once a week, styled in different ways (the latest being a glittery leopard thermal shirt underneath).
When we received the fall KIDBOX, I hadn’t even ventured out to do school clothes shopping for her at all. It was kismet- the same day the box hit our doorstep she had been lamenting the fact that her pants had now become capris, and dresses had become shirts. I myself am obsessed with subscription boxes, but mine are more out of frivolity than necessity. Thankfully, KIDBOX is a subscription box for kids clothing that includes both what she needs AND what she loves! Major difference, though- this isn’t a traditional subscription box, there is no obligation, and they email you a few weeks prior to shipment so no surprises, no add-ons, fees, or obligatory automated charges of any kind.
KIDBOX takes you through a short quiz to determine your child’s personal style AND size. I let Charlotte take the quiz alongside me because this one KNOWS what she likes!
They ask if there are any styles/colors to avoid- many times this is more important than specifying what your child wants, and allows them to experience new styles. My gal despises denim, and I am not a fan of huge logos. This subscription box for kids clothing is customizable without ruining the surprise.
They also ask what she needs MORE of- my mom often buys her pajamas (and to be honest, I still put her in her brother’s Spider-Man PJs and say to heck with it), so we won’t need an excess of sleepwear.
KIDBOX also asks where I usually shop for Charlotte- I specified where I would shop if I had more time/funds 🙂 They also ask about her personality and what makes her special- love how they are making the connection between who you are and what you wear, and how clothing can bring out those characteristics that make your kiddo so special! And super important- they have a “note to the stylist” section where you can let them know about things like potty training-accessible pants or the fact that my daughter’s booty is JLo-esque so pants need different sizing than skirts. I have tried another subscription box for kids clothing and there was no way for me to personalized it size-wise for my child.
The first thing I noticed when spying the pieces for the first time was the fact that they were all on trend but still functional. No ostrich feather trim that tickled- this seasonal style box for kids clothing is meant for form and function and can be mixed and matched together and with her existing wardrobe. She can dress herself with these pieces and not look totally wacky (which hey, I am totally ok with but it is nice when it comes to holiday photos not to argue).
Each piece is wrapped in tissue paper and secured with a sticker, which makes my lovely little gal feel special. They also included a little toy (Smooshy Mushy Pineapple dupe), stickers, crayons, and a personalized styling sheet.
As for the pricing, KIDBOX shows the retail price, the KIDBOX price, and the fill box discount. For example, the Unicorn-Print Leggings are normally $29, but the KIDBOX price is $21. That makes them a keeper in my book- I couldn’t pay close to $30 for leggings, but around $20 is affordable. If you kept each piece separately with the KIDBOX price, the box total would be $166. With the full box discount, it is $98, which is around $16 each for the 6 items.
Besides wearable styles, KIDBOX offers free size exchanges with a prepaid label right inside the box. How many times have you purchased something, discovered it was the wrong size and decided to keep it because driving back to the store was too much work? Guilty.
Another thing I love about KIDBOX is the conversation with my kids about how not all kids have access to new clothes or even sufficient clothing that is clean and warm. When you keep the entire KIDBOX, they donate new clothing to a child in need and you as a family get to choose where it goes. This season’s causes are Homeless Families, Community Hope Center, Puerto Rico Relief and Victims of Domestic Abuse. I am always looking for ways to educate my children about the privileged life they lead, and how important it is to help those that are not as fortunate.
Overall, KIDBOX gets five out of five stars for style, value, function, personalization and ease of use.
Cheers to a seasonal subscription box for kids clothing that makes my job a heck of a lot easier, and still lets my kids express themselves.
Disclosure: I received KIDBOX for review purposes; all opinions are honest and my own.
