Universal Standard is a brand I’ve been following for a while. They are a size inclusive brand that carries sizes 00-40 and have luxury basics and some fashion forward pieces including jeans and outerwear. When they reached out to me to gift me one of their mystery boxes, it was a no brainer to accept!
You might be asking what is a mystery box?
Universal Standard (US) started offering once a year mystery boxes in 2019 to much fanfare. Mystery Boxes are curated boxes of clothing that are tailored to your style. It doesn’t matter if you are a longtime US shopper or a brand new customer. The pieces in your box are hand picked by the US team including their CEO. US then offers the boxes at a significantly reduced price, but only for a very limited time.
Here’s how it works:
- There are 10 different boxes to pick from. Price points vary depending on the category you choose.
- You will get the chance to tell US a little bit about your sizing and answer a few questions about your style preferences.
- Based on your responses, US handpicks a box especially for you, curated with 3 items you will love.
- You get your box, try on your pieces and love them all!
The ten categories of boxes and their costs are :
- Tops $50
- Dresses $90
- Outfitting classic $95
- Athleisure $60
- Luxe $175
- Bottoms $85
- Petites $65
- Outfitting Bold $95
- Premier $145
- Surprise Me $75
In all cases, the items you are receiving in your box are total valued at far more than your Mystery Box cost.
The box I was gifted, was a Tops box. I received 3 different style tops in my box. Since I hadn’t purchased anything from US in the past, this was my first experience with them.
As I pulled out my tops and reviewed my packing slip, I saw that I had been sent a tank style, a short sleeve tee style and a turtleneck. I, of course, jumped onto their site to see what the standard pricing is for my items.
Foundation Tank $35 in Grey
Foundation Turtleneck $55 in Black
Tee Rex $50 in White
In other words, I received $140 worth of merchandise in a Mystery Box that would have cost $50! So, now that you know the savings are the real deal, what did I think about the items.
This being my first experience with US, I expected (at their original price point), the items to be high end, soft, and stretchy material. In other words, elevated versions of my everyday basics. I was not disappointed.
I love the material the tops are made of, it’s stretchy, but not something that is going to stretch out or look sloppy. I can’t attest to how they hold up in the laundry, but every review I’ve read said they hold up beautifully when laundered.
As far as fit goes, I am 5’4″ with a fairly short torso, so the turtleneck and tank are on the longer side for me. I personally wanted them to be longer so they can be worn with leggings or under shorter sweaters or shirts as layering pieces that can still be seen. The Tee Rex was shorter on me than the other two, it stopped around the bottom of my jean zipper, so for me personally a no for leggings, but definitely a tee I feel comfortable layering or wearing solo. (I am just weird about liking things to be well past my rear when wearing leggings, but definitely the tee could work for others who don’t share my need).
I spoke about the stretchiness of the fabric earlier, but it really is a nice weight. Definitely perfect for layering or when it warms up, as a stand alone layer. All of the tops do a lovely french tuck.
Universal Standard does sizing a bit differently than most retailers. They felt that conventional sizing was skewed, so they shifted it to reflect a bell curve. I used the chart on their site to determine what size I ordered and I went to the high side of my regular conventional size. In other words, if I wear a 22/24 in most plus size brands, I went to the high side of that, a 24 to determine I was an L in US sizing. I like things to skim the body, rather than be tight, so I went to the high side of my range. After receiving my items, I think I could have gone either way and been fine. It sounds complicated but trust me it isn’t. Check out their size chart here. And don’t forget they cover sizes 00-40.
So when can you get your hands on one of these Mystery Boxes? They are available from 2/13-2/20. It’s a very limited time, so don’t wait to order. You pick your category, answer a few questions and your box is on its way!
I could not be happier with my tops I received and I am debating which box to pick for myself next. Universal Standard was kind enough to provide me with a promo code to share with my readers.
Use code saltyblonde10 to save 10% on your purchase.
Tell me which Mystery Box you can’t wait to order in the comments below!
