I kicked myself last year because I missed out on the Universal Standard mystery boxes – I wasn’t sure what size to get, and what box, and of course it sold out quickly. Since then, I have been to the Universal Standard showroom a few times for events, and have been given a few tops when I visited for the fireside chat so I knew what their sizing is like.
In case you’ve been stuck under a rock for the last few years, Univeral Standard are a clothing company who produce items from sizes 00 to 40 (UK 2 to UK 44) and they do a few cool things like showing you every item in every size (doesn’t that seem like such an obvious thing for a clothing company to do?) and Fit Liberty where you can buy an item and if you change size and want to switch it out within a year, then you can!
We wanted a size 40 to shop in the same way as a size 00 – using style as her only filter, and we wanted to be the ones to make that happen.
Universal Standard’s About Page
I ordered the outfit mystery box (I think – I can’t find the page on their site any more) which was for three items and with a 10% off code, my total for the box was just under $75. When ordered, you’re asked for your sizes – I know I am an XS in their sizing range, but since I haven’t tried any bottoms from them before, I chose my standard size for that.
I ordered my box on Feb 13th, and forgot about it until Mar 5 – I made a note to myself to chase it up after I got back from the gym, but within 30 minutes, I had a dispatch email – it’s like they were reading my mind!
My original confirmation email said “Next step? Look out for the questionnaire we sent you separately & please provide your responses so we can make your box the best it can be. Then we’ll get to work & pick your pieces.” but I never actually got that questionnaire, so when I got the dispatch email, I was intrigued (and tbh a little concerned) about what I was going to get.
My box came quickly, because Universal Standard’s fulfillment centre is just up the road in Bothell, and I received four items, with a note in the box apologising for the delay – the note that came with the thank you for your patience said “We think it’ll look better in your closet than in ours” which was a nice touch.
Enough writing, let’s open the box up!
I received three tops, and a pair of jeans. The jeans are the Seine High Rise skinny jeans, and they’re so comfortable! I have heard so many good things about their jeans, so I was pretty happy to see a pair in my box. These jeans are still on sale on their site for $90, so my box is already good value for money after one item! They came in a size 10, which I was a little confused about but when I saw the page on their site, they do recommend to go down a size if you like them a little more fitted, and this turned out to be perfect for me.
The tops I received were a grey v-neck shirt (not specifically on their site in this colour, but this looks most similar, for $50), a navy turtleneck (there was no specific name on the label, but I think it’s the Foundation turtleneck which is $60) and a black satin top which I can’t find any trace of on the website but looking at the price of other long sleeved tops, I would estimate this to be about $80
These are good basics – Universal Standard’s t-shirts are so comfortable and soft, they’re great as a base layer or on their own in the summer. The jeans are so so good – the high rise falls on my waist, and although I didn’t sit down in the jeans much while trying them on, they have a decent amount of stretch to them.
I haven’t worn a turtleneck in many years (like, at least 20 years) because I wasn’t sure how the neckline would work for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. However, this top is a bit too clingy for me, and as with all Universal Standard tops I’ve tried, it’s very long in the body (a good thing!) so I’m not sure how often I’ll actually wear this but it’s nice to have as a base layer for the winter.
Like any basic bitch who went clubbing in the 00’s, jeans and a nice top is a staple in my wardrobe. This satin top was comfortable to wear, although the waistband was a little more restrictive than I thought. The label says it’s a tie top, but it’s just gathered on one side. This will be a good go-to for those times that I get asked to go out for dinner with 30 mins notice (and it takes 30 mins to get to the venue)
(Shoes throughout are my new Rothy’s black solid The Point– I’ll be doing a post about them soon, but if you’re interested in getting a pair, this link will get us both $20 credit – https://share.rothys.com/x/b3c1N7)
For $75, I received a box valued at (estimated) $280 – pretty good! I probably will order another mystery box in the future when they’re available again – I wish I had gotten the questionnaire to give a few details about what I like, but I like what I got anyway. (Not sure if I was actually supposed to get the questionnaire, or if it was decided it wasn’t necessary after the dispatch email template was written). I think next time, I’d get the luxe box – I saw some of the Rodarte x Universal Standard items in person at the fall event last year and I was obsessed!
Have you tried Universal Standard before? What should I look at getting next time I order?