The Truth about Fabletics

Ever since I started writing my Fashion Column in the newspaper one of the most asked questions I get is "Have you ever tried Fabletics"?  I hadn't, So I thought it was time to do some research.  What I found was that customers were about 50/50 on it.

    


Before I continue, I need to be up front and
tell you that I reviewed Fabletics (and received a complimentary outfit) for my job as a Fashion writer and not because I am a blogger. It is just a happy coincidence that I also blog so I wanted to share this info with you. 

1. The first thing I want to mention is that Fabletics is NOT a subscription service.  The PR rep that I interviewed was very clear about this. I think many people assume Fabletics is like "Stitch Fix" and it is not.

When shoppers sign up, they can choose to purchase items at retail price or sign up for the VIP program.  There is a survey that you take which results in outfit recommendations being picked for you. They are never sent without your consent though.

If you decided to join as a VIP member, this is what happens.  Log on to the Fabletics website each month by the 5th of the month.  Each month you choose to either Shop or SkipIf you choose to Shop then you will pick your outfit out for $49.95. If you do not want to make a purchase that month than you need to choose Skip the month. If you don't shop or skip by the 5th of the month, you will be charged $49.95, which is a credit in your account that can be used towards the purchase of any item on the Fabletics site. It is like a gift card that never expires.  

A lot of the negative reviews I've read about Fabletics stemmed from the fact that the customers were not Skipping the months and they were being charged. I don't think they understood the concept.

2. Even if you are a VIP member, you can cancel your membership at any time.  If you need to return an item, you may be subjected to a restocking fee.

3. Fortunately I was sent a March catalog so I could see all the offerings for the month. If I did not have the catalog, I would not have been able to see all the offerings without filling out some info and signing up on the website.  I didn't like this because I like to "window shop" before I sign up for things.

Okay, now on to the clothes. 

As I leafed through the catalog, I saw lots of pretty and stylish clothes.  A lot of the tops were open back tops which were cute, but only if you had the right sports bra to go with it. I do want cute clothes for running, but I want them to be functional too.  I think some of these tops would be great for yoga. I finally decided on a top I thought would be perfect for running!

The bottoms were the easiest to decide on because I knew I wanted some colorful capris for spring!


The sizing really threw me for a loop.  For instance I always wear a size 2 pant but I would NEVER fit into something that was an XXS.  After talking with the rep and reading some reviews that mentioned the pants running small, I decided on going with the XS which was a size 4. 

The size chart for the tops was a little more accurate and I decided to go with the a size small. I've also read reviews that they ran true to size.

fabletics salar capris and Mosa Tank

My choice was the Mosa Tank (S) and Salar Crops (XS)

 I was worried about the quality because I heard that some past customers were not pleased.  When I opened my package I could not have been more pleased!  The shirt was very soft and silky like ( not your average tech material). I knew I did not want the shirt to be tight on me and I wanted it to fall below my hips. The shirt did end up being a little lose but I do believe if I would have went to an extra small it may have been a little more snug around the belly area. So for that reason, I was happy with the small.
Fabletics Pissarro capris

The capris are very thick and they are indeed good quality. At first I thought the pants were a little tight but as I started to walk around in them I REALLY liked them. They gave me a very "fit" and "toned" feel!  They are actually pretty warm too. Had I know they would be this thick, I would have ordered them in a full length pant and used them for winter running. These are my first pair of running capris that are not black or grey, so as of right now they are my favorite capris for spring! -M


We will be linking up with the gals from TOTR where the topic is brands.





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65 comments:

  1. The capris are very cute! I like those tanks up top but like you said, they need to be FUNCTIONAL. I would hate all that extra fabric bouncing around. The tank you chose is perfect.

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    1. Yea, I thought it was the most suitable for my activity.

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  2. Interesting...I keep seeing people post about Fabletics and I never totally understood the concept. Your overview was really helpful! I like the outfit you picked but I can see how some of the more open tops might not be as functional. -C

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    1. Thank you. I think there are aa lot of people who are unsure of how this works. I hope you found it helpful.

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  3. I've always been intrigued by it & have gone to their web site a few times to check out their stuff & see if it would be worth spending $49.95 a month... So even if you skip, you still pay but get the credit? So you would have potentially a HUGE credit at the end of the year? is that right? ... I'm confused.
    ... LOVE LOVE LOVE those capris! I know you said you were trying to add more color - those are adorable!

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    1. If you don't want to shop that month you need to go to the website and choose "skip" by the 5th of the month. If you do not chose "skip" then yes, you will be charged but that charge turns into a credit. If you keep forgetting to choose "skip" then yes you could potentially have a huge credit for yourself!

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  4. Thanks so much for explaining this to me! I have not tried Fabletics bc I thought it was a subscription as well that you had to buy every month. The new tops are so cute and I've been wanting to check them out!

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  5. Cool! Glad you know you liked it! I've been thinking about signing up!

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  6. Cool! Glad you know you liked it! I've been thinking about signing up!

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  7. I've gotten a few things from Fabletics and I haven't been very impressed. I like Target's clothes much better and like the fact that I can try it on in store!

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    1. I am sorry you have not liked what you got. Can I ask what you didn't like about it? I do agree that being able to try on things is always a plus!

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  8. Yeah, I like fabletics in general. I skip most months and generally only buy when there's a sale. I have a couple of the open backed shirts and they are mostly reserved for the gym and not running outdoors because I don't want to have to try to sun block my back. I love those leggings you got!

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    1. I skipped the open back tops because I didn't want to have to deal with finding a sports bra that was suitable to wear with it but you bring up a great point about the sun block!

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  9. The only time I wanted to try them, they didn't have the size I wanted in the color scheme I liked. Oh well.

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    1. Yea, I hear some of the more popular items go very quickly.

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  10. You look so cute in your colorful pants!! So would you sign up for the service?
    @heatherlas

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    1. Thank you. Perhaps if I was looking for something specific.

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  11. I'm personally put off by the shop/skip option. It feels like a trap to not have it as an automatic skip and not charge $50 :(

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    1. I'm not sure what the reasoning is for that. If you don't place an order it should be known that it is a "skip".

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    2. Unfortunately, this is not the case: You have 5 days to skip, and if you forget about it, $50 will be automatically charged from your bank account and then you are forced to buy from the website. Though you don't have to spend it immediately.
      The problem is also that it is not possible to use the credits for the sale, where you could find the same leggings for $15 instead of $50, so it seems not fair.

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  12. I really appreciate this review as it did clear up some of the misconceptions I've heard about Fabletics in a very clear way. I've been thinking about signing up for the VIP since I don't have any cute tops or tights...so thanks! They look great on you!

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  13. I've never tried fabletics, but it's good to know you had such a good experience with them! I love the capris, so nice and colorful! I recently branched out and started buying much more colorful and fun running capris and it makes me so much more excited to wear them.

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  14. I used a site by the same company for jewelry for a while (Jewelmint) and the skip thing made a lot of people mad. I didn't really get it because it was easy to cancel your account if you were really upset. Oh well. Thanks for the reviews! I've been curious about fabletics and wondered what the fit and quality are like. I wish you could see all of their offerings without signing up. I signed up a while ago and it still tailored my results to my survey. I like to see it all!

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  15. Hmmm...I have never tried them either and not sure if I will. I am too stuck to my brands to ever switch! :-)

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  16. I've seen the fabletics commercials, but I'm always weary about ordering things online from a clothing store I've never shopped at in person before. Because fit has always been an issue with me. I'm a window shopper too, so thanks for the 411 on the VIP program... I don't think I would go with that option. LOVE the items you picked out! Those capris are so fun and perfect for spring! Cheers and thanks for sharing!

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  17. I was sad when the outfit I ordered was too snug and then I gained weight so there it sits in my drawer! But like you said, the quality was decent. I also agree about the naysers - they usually forget to skip a month. I just have a reminder set on my phone and I quickly log in and skip when I need to! Great review!

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  18. Thanks for the intel on Fabletics - I've heard some negative things about the company, but I think their clothes are really cute (and you look fabulous in your outfit!).

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  19. First super cute Capris! Second, I'm totally jealous your a size 2, LOL
    I've wondered about Fabletics, I've almost bought from them a few times. This was actually helpful. One of the times I almost bought from them was, I was worried if I went in to get the deal that it was a subscription service, and that it would be a pain to ever cancel. Plus I wasn't sure about the quality, even though I love Kate Hudson!
    I may have to give them a try sometime, now that I know it's easy to skip an order or cancel it! Thanks!

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  20. Great review and so glad you like it! I agree that most people calling it a scam simply do not understand that it requires you to take an action every month. I love their stuff!

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    1. Thank you Heather! I was most impressed with the quality. After reading some poor reviews I was a little worried. I love the pants!

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  21. I love this! I was wondering what the deal is with Fabletics but I did not want to dish out the money so thanks so much for the breakdown!

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  22. Thanks for posting this!! I didn't quite fully understand everything behind the way this worked so I appreciate your review!

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  23. Thank you for all this helpful info! I have heard of Fabletics but never knew the details about it! Looks like they have cute stuff.

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  24. I've been a member of Fabletics for a couple of years but have only ordered twice. Both times I've been really happy with the product though! The Lima Capris are my favorite!

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  25. You got the same capris as me! Love them! I think I will just use them for yoga tho- Had a little chafing problem with the seam not hitting the same place I guess after I stopped to potty. I bought them originally for yoga anyway so that is what I get! Great review!

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  26. Cute picks! Another truth is that the fabric really varies, even in the same style of tights. For example, the Salar Leggings varies based on color/pattern. One pair I have is a soft, thick fabric I love. Another pair is thin and scratchy. And still another pair fits much smaller in the same size. However, it never hurts to order and try because returns are free and easy!

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    1. Thanks for the heads up. I like these capris so much that I would probably be disappointed if I got a different pair and the quality wasn't as good.

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  27. I LOVE those tights! What a great design! I think Fabletics has been through some changes, so there may be old views that don't apply to the current items.

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  28. In the "small world" category, my little sister's BFF is one of their models. I love those capris too! Fun!

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  29. I love those capris! But I don't know if I would want to spend $50/month there...I'm glad you posted this info tho, because I had only heard bad things about Fabeletics. Glad that you could dispel those myths.

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  30. Would you say most things run small? I have been wanting to try, but am at the top of their size chart at the moment.

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    1. From my experience I would definitely say those particular pants I have run small.

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  31. I've been a longtime Fabletics VIP Customer. I haven't returned anything (although I should've a few times), but I've heard it can be a nightmare. I've also heard that canceling your VIP membership can be very, very difficult.

    As to quality, I don't run in their stuff normally, but I workout in them all the time & the quality is good. Most of the time I find leggings run true to size (although there are some exceptions), but the tops tend to be all over the place -- in fact, most of the time they run quite large -- I usually need an XS.

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  32. I have been thinking about signing up, but to be honest I haven't heard any good reviews. I love the way the clothes look, but I have heard some very bad reviews about the delivery.

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  33. I've wondered about Fabletics when I see the ads for it. But I hate the idea that I would need to remember to skip each month I didn't want something. That & 49.95 seems like a LOT to me. I buy most of my workout items at TJ Maxx or Dicks on super-sale. & TBH, I actually like the free shirts I get from most races, so I usually only have to buy shorts. Haha.

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  34. I wear almost nothing but Fabletics. Seriously - I work from home and that is my daily outfit. LOL! I've never had a problem with quality despite constant wear... it's hard to believe I can get something like this so cheap, but it's truly my favorite workout gear.

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  35. Great review! I've been wondering about Fabletics after seeing their ad on FB pretty much every time I log in. Looks like you got a super cute outfit!

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  36. Fable tics reached out to me to try them out and kind of promote them on my blog, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't think I'd actually run in many of their clothes - they're too "trendy" and don't seem actually comfortable for running. I'm glad to read your insight into them.

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  37. I thought Fabletics was only a subscription service so thanks for clarifying that! I love the leggings you choose!

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  38. Thanks for the review on Fabletics. They certainly make some cute clothes... but had always wondered how functional they really were.

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  39. Cute. I signed up for Fabletics once and never got anything because I was so unsure about the whole thing. That was a few years ago, though. Maybe I ought to try again. Great review!

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  40. Those are very cute leggings! thank you for the information on the whole Fabletics !!

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  41. Those are really cute leggings. I'd been wondering how Fabletics worked. This is very helpful!

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  42. I actually like Fabletics - however I don't like how I have to buy outfits and what not. I want a sports bra here, and some pants there... I want the website to be more like Victoria Secret or something, where I can just order and be done!

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    1. If you don't elect to do the VIP program you can buy each piece as you want it but the price is higher.

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  43. Thank you for this candid review. I have managed to avoid Fabletics because of the mixed reviews. You certainly cleared some things up for me! Although I still don't think I will sign up for the service, I'm glad I wrote your take! (your outfit is beyond adorable)

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  44. Those capris are really cute, thanks so much for the honest review.

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  45. It took me a while to bite the bullet and make my first order. I have never looked back, had a bad experience or regret period! I love their line of clothes and honestly I wear the capris under my boots to work in the winter, with my sandals and tunic tops in the summer, along with working out in them! I still have an wear the very first pair I got and I guess that is going on a couple of years! I too think people get confused about "skipping" the month. They think they loose that money but they don't!

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  46. thanks so much for your review-I have seen thw advertising and was always so confused. i love the capris you got!

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  47. Love your review! The backs of those tops you shared are so pretty. They aren't ones I would wear for running but they would be great for yoga or barre, or traveling to Hawaii (or someplace tropical). I love the printed capris though! Those are beautiful!

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  48. Looks like a super cute outfit!

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Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.