Is Trunk Club Too Expensive? Very Honest Trunk Club Review

Want to know how much does Trunk Club cost and if the Trunk Club average cost is doable for you? Then you’re in the right place, as I give my frugal womens Trunk Club review and thoughts. 

I have tried out several clothing subscription boxes now, which in many ways seems funny to me because I am not into fashion nor do I like to shop and I especially don’t like to spend money, especially not on myself!

Or so I thought.

I have come to really enjoy these clothing box subscriptions, even if I don’t end up keeping something in each box, even if I think they are still too pricey. I’ve discovered that it’s nice to have nice clothes!

I have not shed the postpartum weight after baby number five like I have before and stand in need of a whole new wardrobe, not that my old one was anything to write home about. We also are not so financially strapped as we once were and I’m trying to remember that, but frugal mindsets are hard to overcome.

But, the clothes in these boxes are so much better than I’d ever pick out for myself because I head straight for the clearance racks and sale items when we go shopping, and I always stick with basics and solid colored items and things that will “work” to keep me clothed.

And when I try on clothes in store I usually have five children (or at least one) with me in the changing room, and I push their patience as I try on item after item.

Trying things on in the privacy of my home is tight! So convenient.

Anyway, after trying out several trunk club competitors, I decided it was time to actually try out Trunk Club for myself.

I contacted them and they were willing to give me some store credit and sponsor this post as I am an affiliate of theirs, but I assure you all opinions are my own in this Trunk Club review!

Trunk Club

Trunk Club is a Nordstrom Company, and Nordstrom is one of the biggest and best retailers in the world.

Trunk Club actually has two business models: Clubhouses and At Home Trunks.

Trunk Clubhouses are located in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and New York City.

At these clubhouses, you come in for a fitting and experience the best of their services, and can even get a complimentary drink from their bar (should you drink alcohol – we don’t). The stylists will work with you individually and have you try on lots of different pieces that fit your size, style, and spending preferences. You then can take your favorite pieces home with you that same day. There is no fee for visiting a Clubhouse.

Their other service is the Trunk Club Trunks, reserved for individuals ages 18 and up. A stylist still hand-picks out pieces for you based upon your filled-out online profile, lets you preview and change what they send you, and communicate with your stylist as much as needed.

They charge a $25 styling fee, but it will be credited toward whatever you keep, and the rest is shipped back for free. They will even come to pick it up for you if you request Free UPS Pickup.

They ship Trunks to you only as often as you request them to ship. It is not actually a subscription service.

Trunk Club offers special perks for those who are already regular Nordstrom shoppers, offering Nordstrom rewards and waiving the $25 styling fee if you use your Nordstrom credit card.

They also offer tailoring services should you need them for the clothes you receive (for a cost).

You can sign up to receive Trunk Clubs for men (one of the best personal stylist for men options out there!) and Trunk Club for women.

They send you tops, bottoms, shoes, bags, and accessories. You get to decide what type of clothes and accessories you want to receive in each trunk. The high-quality, name-brand pieces they send you can be casual, business attire, formal wear, outerwear, or even athletic wear.

Women’s sizes range from petite to plus size and they even carry maternity apparel.

Trunk Club offers custom clothing for men including a full range of custom-tailored casual and business wear, suits, tuxedos, sports coats, trousers, outerwear, and shirts. (I might have to try them for my husband someday!)

The stylists are trained extensively and have hands-on experience dressing and styling customers to know which colors, sizes, styles, and brands will look and fit best on each customer.

One of the things that made me want to try them out the most was that they ship you 12 items at a time! None of this “only five pieces at once” thing so many Trunk Club competitors do (check out my Trunk Club vs Stitch Fix post for more details). I was tired of only getting five pieces at a time! I need a new wardrobe here people! This is a quicker way to get amazing pieces all at once!

I also really liked that I could approve or disapprove of the items they would send me BEFORE they shipped to my house!

But, not only that, you can actually message with your stylist back and forth, asking questions about the clothes they’ve selected for you, changing your mind about what you want them to ship you, or share pictures of how the clothes looked on you as you try them on at home. This makes that $25 styling fee feel much more worth it!

Trunk Club Review

Okay, so you want to know what my experience with them was, right?

I took pictures of myself in all the different pieces they sent me, so here we go!

Above I am wearing a Zella Twisty Turn Tee in purple ($54), SP Black High Waist Flare Jeans in Medium Dark ($65), and Sam Edelman ‘Felicia’ Flat in Black ($99.95).

I love wearing purple. It’s kinda my color. And this top was pretty cute. The Trunk Club price on it was higher than I would normally pay for a top, but not astronomical.

I ended up not buying it for the simple reason that the twise in the front made the shirt shorter in front and I am not all about showing off my belly. I’d have to be wearing high-waisted pants or high-waisted skirt in order to wear it comfortably, so I decided to pass.

The jeans in this picture were SO TIGHT! I could barely squeeze myself in them. My husband jokes and asked me to pick something off the floor while wearing them, but I literally could not bend in them, for fear of busting a seam! I also wasn’t crazy about the outside seam pocket in the front. They were a pass, even if I liked the quality and flare.

The shoes (which I have on in several pictures) were super comfortable and probably the highest quality dressy flat shoe I’ve like ever worn. But, the tassle on them weren’t my favorite and the price point was just too high for me to stomach.

Above I am wearing the Chelsea28 Duster Jacket in Black ($99), along with the Sam Edelman ‘Felicia’ Flat in Black ($99.95).

You guys, I HATED this jacket. Never in a million years would I wear this thing in public. I laughed about it. My husband and kids laughed about it. So not my style at all. I, unfortunately, forgot to let my stylist know my thoughts on this after she put it in my trunk preview. Totally my mistake as to why this ended up in my box. But, it did make for a good laugh, especially for nearly $100.

Above I am wearing a Bobeau Faux Wrap Knit Top in Black ($49), NYDJ Barbara High Waist Stretch Bootcut Jeans in Cooper ($109), and Sam Edelman ‘Felicia’ Flat in Black ($99.95).

Thankfully underneath that duster jacket, I had this very cute top! I once upon a time owned a couple tops like this from Old Navy and really liked this top, thinking it would look great with some sparkly jewelry, and with a nice skirt. It’s also flattering to the postpartum bod I got at the moment.

However, I decided not to keep it, and it was really hard to make that call!! Because, while it looks great and felt great, I was worried about it from a mom of little kids perspective. I would likely wear this top to church, and always during the church service one or two or three kids are literally climbing, standing, and hanging off of me. This wrap top is not “sealed” or however you want to say it, so a kid grabbing it and pulling it could likely show off my bra and other things to my fellow church members. I’d also be worried they would tear the seam holding the faux wrap together at the neckline.

So, I sadly passed it up.

The jeans were very nice and comfortable and fit really well. I passed on them pretty much on the cost alone, as they still look like pretty basic jeans, and there’s no way I’m paying $109 for a pair of basic jeans.

Above I am wearing the Zella Twisty Turn Tee in purple ($54) again, Wit & Wisdom Ab-solution Ankle Skinny Jeans in Indigo ($68), and Nike Free RN Flyknit 2018 Running Shoe in White ($120).

I thought the purple top looked sporty, so I paired it with these ankle jeans and running shoes for this outfit.

The jeans were pretty nice, but a little looser in the thighs/legs/crotch than I necessarily love, and the length was a little too right above the ankle for me (hello high waters!). I either wish they touched the top of my shoes or were an inch or two shorter. They were just too in-between for me to love how they looked on me.

The running shoes weren’t my favorite. Maybe because they are so lightweight compared to what running shoes I normally wear. The sides were so thin, I almost worried I would rip them putting them on. I love how they look, as a more casual, running around town while still supporting your body and making it easier to chase after my five kids, look. But, for shoes that are meant for sprinting and short runs and aren’t real heavy duty running shoes (cause I do like to go for runs for exercise), I could not even seriously consider them for $120.

Above I am wearing Caslon Button-Front Chambray Shirt ($59), Wit & Wisdom Ab-solution Ankle Skinny Jeans in Indigo ($68) again, and Converse Chuck Taylor ‘Shoreline’ Sneaker ($50).

I have never wore chambray shirts until this year, and I have say, I really like them! This one was nice in that the buttons went all the way up, was thick and sturdy along the button-hole front, and looked pretty decent on. But, it was a tad too boxy for me, the sleeves rolled up a bit too tight, and I couldn’t justify it with two other chambray tops in my wardrobe already.

I have actually always wanted a pair of Chuck Taylors. I don’t know why. I guess because all the cool kids have Chucks or something. These are a slip-on kind and very on-the-go. I also think the white sneaker with that red stripe just look good… so yes. I splurged and kept the shoes for $50! I look forward to wearing them a lot in the coming years!

Above I am wearing Caslon Cozy Pocket Top in Navy ($39), NYDJ Barbara High Waist Stretch Bootcut Jeans in Cooper ($109), and Sam Edelman ‘Felicia’ Flat in Black ($99.95)

This top is very thin and kinda see-through, but thankfully it is a dark color, so you can’t actually see through it well at all. I thought it looked pretty good on me! The only problem was I felt that it was just a tad too big for me, and I wanted it in a size smaller, so I requested a size M instead of the size L pictured above, and they shipped it right out to me! I kept this Trunk Club top because it was the cheapest Trunk Club piece shipped to me and I thought it was very soft, comfortable, and lightweight, perfect for Texas Falls and Winters. The size M top fits and looks even better on me.

NOT PICTURED ON ME was the above Vince Camuto Open Front Cardigan in Light Heather Grey ($69). I thought it wasn’t in my Trunk Club delivery, as I couldn’t find it anywhere. I actually called the company and told them to remove it from my items as I didn’t have it.

Well, of course, I found it that night, still wrapped in its bag, on top of our school table in the schoolroom.

I can only assume my always into everything 3-year-old daughter grabbed it as she “helped” my 8-year-old daughter and I unbox the Trunk in my living room, because it wasn’t in the initial pictures of the items in the trunk above. The cardigan is actually very nice, and I don’t actually own a cardigan! I know! Weird! But, I didn’t want to pay almost $70 for it, even though I and my husband really liked it. It would be great to throw over a nicer outfit on a date or to church.

Overall, my Trunk Club review is very positive!

I loved trying on 12 different pieces, mixing and matching, and planning out outfits. I also loved that I could review the trunk before it shipped, chat with my stylist, request specific pieces, and that UPS will pick up my trunk from me for free so I don’t even have to make the trip to the UPS drop-off!  I’m very happy overall, especially with my phone call about the cardigan and their excellent customer service.

Try Trunk Club for yourself!

You can see my second Trunk Club unboxing and review on Youtube!

Trunk Club Costs

Like any of these styling services, I find them to be expensive. Trunk Club is no exception. In fact, they are in many regards more expensive because they do not offer a “Keep all 5 pieces, get a 25% off discount” that many Trunk Club competitors offer their customers.

For some reason, I just assumed they would have some sort of discount for their customers as all other clothing boxes I’ve tried have, so I was disappointed a bit by this.

The Trunk Club costs for the pieces I received ranged from $39-$120, with an average price point of $73.41 per item.

If I kept all 12 pieces they shipped to me, I would have spent $880.95 ??? (that includes the $25 styling fee – I already spent that money) plus sales tax!

I ended up keeping only two pieces, and they totaled $96.35 after sales tax and before deducting the $25 styling fee. Certainly not inexpensive, but also not crazy for a pair of sneakers and a nice top.

I think you also have to remind yourself that these pieces are name brand. They are high-quality. They are designer. And you will get what you pay for most of the time.

The good news is that there are actually several ways to save on the Trunk Club costs!

• Price Match with Nordstrom
• Use the Trunk Club Referral Program
• Use a Nordstrom Credit Card
• Buy Gift Cards for Others

Trunk Club price-matches to Nordstrom! They are able to price-match their men’s and women’s clothing within 14 days of purchase exclusively to Nordstrom. I was excited by this, because I received my Trunk over Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but as I searched on Nordstrom, none of them were on sale.

However, I checked out Nordstrom today (December 5, 2018) and discovered that the Vince Camuto Open Front Cardigan they sent me was 30% off, or $48.30, so I sent a message to my stylist to see if I was still within that 14-day window and could snag it for less, as I had returned it, almost solely based on its cost.

My stylist got back to me immediately and sent over the request. I will hear back within 48 hours.

I also see that the NYDJ Barbara High Waist Stretch Bootcut Jeans are now 25% off as well (though I still don’t love them that much to request to keep those, still a bit too pricey at $81.75 for a pretty basic pair of jeans), and the Wit & Wisdom Ab-solution Ankle Skinny Jeans are 40% off or only $40.80! If I would have liked them more, I’d likely be messaging about snagging those up too.

Also, for reference, I did search for these items on Amazon, and most were the same price, not available on Amazon, or only $5 cheaper, so not worth it. I already had them IN my home to keep.

To save on your Trunk Club costs you can utilize the Nordstrom Trunk Club Referral Program! Every time you refer your stylist to a friend, you’ll receive a $50 credit to your account as soon as he or she spends their first $50. There is NO LIMIT to how many people you can refer, and your credit never expires. That’s a good amount of credit!

Also, don’t forget that Trunk Club offers special perks for those who are already regular Nordstrom shoppers, offering Nordstrom rewards and waiving the $25 styling fee if you use your Nordstrom credit card. So, if you don’t have one, you might want to think about getting one if you want to make getting Trunk Club Trunks a regular thing. You can actually Get a $40 Bonus Note when You Make Any Purchase on Your New Nordstrom Card the Day You’re Approved, among other perks.

Plus, the more Trunk Club gift cards you give, the more Trunk Club credit you’ll receive.* Learn more, and get started. Valid 11/23-12/25.

• Buy a $150 gift card, get $25 Trunk Club credit.* Valid 11/23-12/25.

  

• Buy a $250 gift card, get $40 Trunk Club credit.* Valid 11/23-12/25.

  

• Buy a $500 gift card, get $90 Trunk Club credit.* Valid 11/23-12/25.

  

• Buy a $1,000 gift card, get $200 Trunk Club credit.* Valid 11/23-12/25.

  

However, they really do listen to you if you say something is too expensive. I didn’t find anything too ridiculously expensive from what they sent me, mostly on par with the price points of other Trunk Club competitors I’ve used before, just without the buy X items, save X% promo to go with it.

There are some real ways you can lower the Trunk Club costs! I really don’t like paying full price for stuff, so this is helpful to know.

Despite the Trunk Club costs, I am already signed up to receive another Trunk Club shipment in another week or two. I am hoping that with my feedback I will get even more amazing pieces at piece points I am more comfortable with, as I will make sure to reject items that will just be too expensive for me to justify.

I really think you can find some amazing clothes, shoes, and accessories from Trunk Club and with Trunk Club costs that won’t make you super uneasy, especially if you budget accordingly.Get started with a Trunk Club stylist today!