Dia and Co Review: Dia & Co. serves women sizes 14-32, I tried it. Dia and Co. Vs Stitch Fix style boxes — which is better? What is the cost of Dia & Co.? How does Dia.com work? Let’s review DIA and Co for 2018-2019 and find out ALL of that!
2024 update: I’m a little nervous the more I learn about Dia & co as of late, I now recommend Stitch Fix instead of them, but have left this article intact from previously. Read my Stitch Fix post here!
Dia and Co Review
Table of contents
In this Review, I’m going to:
- Discuss cost (plus prices per item)
- Share how to get the best box
- Show some unboxing videos from 2018 as well as showing the clothes tried on.
- At the end, I’ll compare it to my experience with Stitch Fix.
Full Disclosure, Dia did send me these boxes at no cost, but all reviews are unbiased. You can see all of my plus size fashion subscription reviews.
**If you have tried Dia & Co before, leave me a comment to let me know what you thought!
Dia & Co Offer
How does DIA and Co work?
Dia & Co. is a clothing subscription service for ladies sizes 14-32 — so it serves a wide range of sizes.
Which I found very exciting.
It works very similarly to most Clothing Subscription boxes.
You fill out a style survey for your style profile and style preferences (takes about 15-20 minutes) including questions like:
- Sizes (both tops and bottoms) — and some measurements
- What types of items you’d like to get
- Colors you like
- Colors you don’t like
- Your style
- Your social media handles/links
- What type of items you want (I only want clothes, no scarves or jewelry)
#toomanyshoes
Pro Tip: Be SURE to fill out this style quiz thoroughly and give them a lot of help with picking items you’ll like!
They also have an activewear version — pretty cool for those of us who don’t want to show up to work out in a sports bra and tiny shorts. 🙂 I just got a Dia Active box from my personal stylist and reviewed it!
- You fill out the questionnaire, decide what you want, and then you schedule your fix and boom — it arrives at your door.
- Then, you have 5 days to figure out which items you want to keep or send back (if you need extra time, just email them).
- The pricing for the items are in the box, and you pay for any items you keep.
- If you keep ALL the items, you save 25% on the whole box (I have a whole post about the Cost of Dia & Co)
- They send an addressed and prepaid shipping bag to do the returns with. Shipping and returns are all included in that $20 styling fee.
It’s very similar to other styled subscription boxes. In fact, I have a whole post about plus-size clothing subscription services.
Related post: Overweight at Disneyland
Dia and Co Vs Stitch Fix
I have enjoyed my stitch fix boxes. It’s sort of fun to see what someone else thinks you should wear and move outside your comfort zone.
Want to see what I liked at Stich Fix — here’s my post all about Plus Six Stitch Fix Reviews.
The reality is that you have to find a stylist you mesh with no matter if it’s with Dia or with Stitch Fix box.
The reality of Dia is that my clothes started to all look alike. They didn’t have a lot of turnover in the types of clothes they were offering, so switching it up seems fun!
I am toying with the idea of trying Trunk Club for some basics that I will love. The prices keep me from jumping so far.
Cost of the Subscription Service
If you’re really interested, I have a whole post on the cost, where I break it down by item and box pricing.
But, to sum it up….
Dia & Co has a styling fee of $20 dollars, which can be applied towards any item in your box (so, if you buy at least ONE item, it’s essentially waived)
Pricing
The cost of the individual items varies. I’ve found mine to be around $50/item. Shirts being in the $40-50 range. Pants being in the $60-80 range, in general. Below I show the price of each item.
Also, if keep the full as with most clothing subscription services you save 25% on the box.
I have a post where I break down the cost of Dia & co by item and box.
Dia & Co Reviews 2019
Because I wanted this post to still load — I decided to break out some of my later boxes — so, just click the link below and you can check them out! You can also scroll down to see a few of my early boxes.
In 2019 I started using Dia more for specific events and I think that will help you see a bit more of what YOU would get when you send in a request (also, using them for specific events if AWESOME as I am not a huge fan of shopping for the events anyway).
In this post, you’ll find links to my unboxing videos, along with my first box (the post was just getting too big with them all in one spot).
I also have a youtube playlist on my youtube channel that shows all of the video unboxings and Dia and co reviews:
Some of these videos are my first look, didn’t peek at it before this video (that’s my favorite kind) they have sent the boxes (which I am super grateful for) but all opinions are my own and I wasn’t paid for the review. The newest unboxings are first (to make the post smaller, new boxes are posted on a different page — all can be accessed here:
Using a Subscription Box for Vacation Clothes — Time for vacation — can Dia & Co send me just the right clothes?
What to Wear to Disneyland — I asked for a box of clothes for Disneyland, check out what they sent!
What to wear to a blog conference — an unboxing and review of a few boxes in 2019 (each for difference conferences – the one at the top of this posts is one of my favoirte boxes EVER — SO me — I think they are 100% getting me anymore!!!!!)
What to Wear on a Cruise — my February 2019 Box.
Reviews 2018
December 2018 Dia & Co Box Review — this blog post is a really honest look at what worked, and what didn’t.
Dia & Co Active Box — I got an Active box. Three words: BEST. SPORTS. BRA. 🙂
November 2018
You can find the video here (it’s also on the playlist above).
The video above is my “open box” with my first impressions of the items — below, I try them on and I’ll share pricing and what I thought with the clothes on.
Remember that if you purchase the entire box –you get the items each at 25% off — the 2nd price listed is the 25% off price
#1: Green Prescott Lace-up Top: $45/33.75
Ok, initially, not a fan. The green is sort of “blah” and not a color I use frequently. I am not a huge fan of the lacing, and I will have to wear a t-shirt under it. For me, this is the one loser of the box…. but I would have kept it to save 25% on the whole box
#2: Brown Faraella Ponte Pants: $65/48.75
These pants have a cool “leather” on the pocket that could look really sleek, but these were NOT the right size (18). They were super tight like leggings and I was not a fan. I exchanged them for a size (or two — if possible) up.
#3: Purple Meri Skye carnation Maxi Dress $69/51.75
I love this dress so much, I can’t even talk about it. There’s some roucheing on the side that looks AMAZING. The dress can easily be dressed-up or dresed down. Big fan. Want to marry this dress. 🙂
#4: Orange Marybelle Blouse $55/41.25
This is NOT a color that I normally wear but I REALLY like it on me. I’m not sure if I love the “bell” sleeves, but I think since they are 3/4 I can do OK with them
#5: Blue Morgan & Walker Waldorf ankle jean $65/48.75
I LOOOOVE the color on these pants. They were a bit tight (size 18) so I am hoping to exchange for a different size. But I really like them, and I think they’re a great addition to my wardrobe — and can be worn with a lot of different things.
November 2018 Total Dia Box Price: $299 ~ If you keep the full box it would be $224.25
I was REALLY happy with this box. If they had gone with a brighter top instead of the green it would a have been a 100% home run win!
This is a bit more than my regular cost of a box — but I think winter items often cost more (and this box didn’t include a skirt, which are often cheaper than pants).
August 2018:
August 2018 Dia & Co Subscription Box (includes an open box & photos of myself in the clothes)
Unboxing May 2018
You can find the unboxing here.
Here’s a review of each piece, and what I thought:
Floral Shirt — $50 — ($37.50 if I kept the full box)
I LOOOVE the colors in this top (Instagram didn’t love it — but I do). It feels pretty sturdy and I like the sparkles on the shirt.
It’s super comfy and light weight, big fan. The $50 price tag is a bit high. BUT, if it’s a sturdy shirt that wears well, I think it’s a big win.
Half Sleeve Shirt $59.00 ($44.25)
I REALLY like this shirt. The polyester blend is different than what I usually wear, but it’s SUPER light weight and I think it will pack well for business trips, etc. Colors are great, and I’m a fan.
Embroidered Jeans $75.00 ($56.26)
These are AWESOME jeans. And HELLO — how cute is the embroidery? I’m absolutely loving them. Something VERY different than what I ususally have. The price tag (especially with the full-box discount) is pretty decent for quality jeans. These have a great cotton/polyester/ spandex blend that fees great on and isn’t too tight.
Flutter Tee $45 ($33.75)
This one is out there. I really worry about how it will wash. I think it would certainly be one I would consider NOT getting (although, with the discount, it’s the cheapest item in the box so I’d probably keep it).
The top part of the shirt is a little big (update: they had it back in stock and sent me the new one to exchange — I like the smaller size much better) but I love that it’s white (much cooler) and I do like the colors and the different nature of it is fun.
Skirt $65 ($48.75)
I thought it was too short, but it (honestly) is JUST the right length. I can still get plenty of “air flow” during the hot summer months, but I am also covered. I don’t know that I would wear this to church as it’s hard to keep your skirt down for 3 hours, but I would certainly wear it to lunch or out to do errands this summer.
Colors are a BIT bland, but I like how it looks on, it’s lined so I don’t have to wear a slip with it. It’s a win in my book.
Review March 2018
This is my first Dia & Co clothing subscription box — so it’s interesting to see how they got to “know” me more — although, this box still has some of my favorites.
Let’s look at each item a bit more:
(keep in mind, if you order the whole box (which I would) you save 25% off the cost of each item (I’ll list that cost to the side of the regular price)
Purple Dress — $69 ($52 is the amount if I purchase the whole box)
O. My. GOSH –guys, this dress is SO comfortable — and SO modest. I absolutely love it.
They send it to me in a 1x and the top is just a BIT big — so I’m seeing if I can exchange it (stay tuned for more info on the exchange process). BUT, this is 100% me. Great colors, I love the floral. It’s not some cheap knit. Great quality. Great comfort. Looks pretty good (full disclosure, I did order some “Spanx” on Amazon to try to get the faux baby bump to disappear on my upper abdomen if I’m going somewhere fancy).
Huge fan of this one
Pink Shirt — $55 ($41)
While this isn’t dressy by any standard.
I feel like the ruched long sleeves give it some fun details.
The fabric is SUPER soft. It’s an easy wear. I like it. I probably wouldn’t pay $55 for it — but after the discount, I think it’s fairly reasonable (and already at my house). Also, I have a hard time finding stuff in the right pink shade for me, so I was really happy to find it.
Navy Print Pants — $69 ($52)
Guys. Pants are really my daemon.
And I must admit, I’m kind of tired of jeggings – but on the other hand, I don’t love boot cut. I just want some COMFORTABLE PANTS. DANG IT.
Enter these guys.
No zipper — elastic waistband, but they can easily be jazzed up or down. Huge fan.
Also, this is a great example of stepping out of my box. I don’t know that I would have ever tried them on in the store — but at home, I was able to take a little time to think they might work. 🙂
Blue (Chambray) Shirt $55 ($41)
This shirt is SO light. I actually got one that was similar from Stitch Fix a few boxes ago and didn’t love it. But this one, with the flouncy sleeves — and not being button-down — I just like it more
BTW, button down for big girls — doesn’t seem to be a winner… just sayin’… (and Dia knew that).
Again, for $55 — pretty expensive for me, but for $41 it’s doable.
Green Capris $75 ($56)
Guys — these are SO fun. I asked for bright colors (I found a lot of that with Dressing Your Truth) and they showed-up with bright colors (I sort of feel like Stitch Fix shy’d away from bright colors because I’m a bigger girl). I think these will be great in the summer. They look good, they’re easy to wear and will go with a fair amount of stuff.
Buuut…. 75? Kind of a lot. I’ll admit. I did mention on my after-shop that was kind of expensive for capris.
Buuut (real talk) — part of me is doing this to just find clothes that LOOK and WEAR better — and I think I’m going to have to shell out some cash to find that.
So, I kept the whole box (full disclosure, they sent this box to me at no cost — but I loved the majority so much it would save me money to keep them all anyway).
Let’s talk what the whole thing costs:
Total Box Cost $327
Total box cost with Discount: $245.25
That box price seems to be a bit more than what I’ve seen around on the internet…. most seem to be under $300. They say the average price cost is $55 and mine were clearly over that (and I did say I had a special event coming up). If they’re $55 — that makes the cost $275 and if you use the discount it makes it just over $200.
What I love about Dia & Co.
They really listen, I feel like they get me when I fill out the form. I don’t feel that other subscription companies do — but I REALLY felt like Dia did.
If you get a box and absolutely hate it, I’d contact customer service (I’d email or chat with them on their site). They really want to make you happy, and will work with you.
Keep in mind that your styling fee of $20 is applied to anything you purchase. So, if you keep something, they subtract $20 from the purchase price of the item/s.
If you are a plus size woman, looking to try a subscription personal styling service, I totally recommend Dia and continue to use them. I would get started ASAP! 🙂
Dia & Co Complaints
Honestly, I don’t have many. I think they REALLY listened to me when I filled out my questionnaire. I haven’t been sent items that I can’t wear due to my modesty standards, and they haven’t sent me clothes that don’t fit the colors I prefer to wear.
I haven’t been able to exchange a few items due to them being out of the item, which can be frustrating.
The price is a bit high, but in all reality, I don’t think it’s any different than any other subscription service.
Their customer service is prompt and courteous. They can be accessed right from the Dia site. Returns are easy. I’m a pretty happy camper.
BUT, if you get a box you don’t love — you need to be SUPER specific on why you didn’t love it. A big part of getting things you love is filling out a questionnaire thoroughly — so they really know what you like! I would recommend emailing their customer support as well and try it one more time. Just to see if they can nail it that time.
Exchanges
On the pages where you say if you liked it — you can ask for an exchange.
My ❤️ hotels for your 2024 trip:
– Best Western Park Place — it’s the CLOSEST hotel, has a breakfast and if it’s available for your dates, BOOK IT. If not, check out the Tropicana.
– Cambria – this is my favorite one with a great price point for larger groups – has a water park and free breakfast (not walkable though) – but if you want a walkable suite check out Castle Inn
What you do, is ask for the exchange — and then in a couple of business days, they’ll email you back to let you know if they have that item in stock to ship to you.
Then, you can decide.
If you’d like to keep both items until you decide, just let them know that.
It took a while for them to reply, by once they did they did have one (of two) of the items in stock and the switch was pretty simple.
Tips
Like all subscription boxes, I recommend taking a LOT of time to fill out your first survey. Be VERY specific (I sent them a picture of my Dressing Your Truth Card — so they knew what colors I liked, and that seemed to help a lot with them — even though I sent it to Stitch fix, it didn’t really change anything there). I think they are VERY thoughtful of that survey. So be as SPECIFIC as you can.
Also, when you get your clothes, even if you keep them — fill out that post-box survey super specific as well. It just helps them for the next time.
And honestly, if you 100% hate all the clothes — I’d email them to see if they can help you with your next box. Customer service has been top notch, and I think they really do want to earn your business.
So, now it’s your turn. Give Dia.com a try — I’m going to be doing it again soon. I think bi-monthly would be great. If you do it — tell me in the comments how often you get a box.
Dia & Co Faq’s
It’s a fashion subscription service for plus sized women. You fill out a questionnaire and pay a styling fee, then they send you a box. Your styling fee can be applied to any item in the box. Keep the items you want, and return the rest. Shipping is included in the cost of the styling fee.
I think so. I felt like they listened to me more than other fashion subscription services. I think they understand how plus size ladies want to dress and have items for many occasions.
It is more than I usually spend on clothing, but the items are of a higher quality. I believe they are similar prices to what you would spend at a department store.
I have a whole post on the cost of Dia & Co.
The average seems to be about a $200 price point — if you keep the whole box. I have all the average of the pricing in my Dia & Co Cost post.
In my Dia & Co Pricing post I outline it all — the average is as follows:
Shirts $53
Pants $73
Skirts $53
Dresses $64
Keep in mind that if you keep the full box you save 25% off the total price (the prices above are before the full box discount).
1. You fill-out the questionnaire (take your time, to be sure you’re accurate)
2. Pay the $20 styling fee
3. They send the box
4. You decide what you want to keep or return
5. Send back the returns & pay for the items you’re keeping.
I am pretty sure it’s not. The clothes and the whole approach is very different. Direct competitors, for sure.
Initially, it’s just the $20 styling fee. After that, you only pay for the clothes you want (and sometimes I have free styling links in this post — which makes it risk-free). That $20 styling fee is applied to the price of clothes, so if you keep anything, the styling is fee — basically.
And, if you keep the whole box, it’s 25% off.
>> Start Dia & Co Today! <<
Just jump into your account online and just suspend them sending boxes.
Easy as that.
Also, you can just pick when you get the box. You could get them every other month, or every 3 months.
You’re in the driver’s seat. 🙂
Your BEST bet is to REALLY fill-out your questionnaire!
Put the colors you love and hate in there. Try and be specific about what you want.
Also, when you get a box, be specific about what you like and don’t like about each item, including: fit, colors, styles and pricing. They’ll also give you some free spots for text, and be sure to write a lot in there. That helps your stylist get to know you better.
The more feedback the better.
I would also totally make a Pinterest board of clothes you love. I think that helps a lot!
I hope this post explains how Dia works and how much I like it. Ask any questions in the comments!
CATHY LEMEN says
I hope you kept the blue top from your9 b-day box because it looks AMAZING on you.
Hilary Erickson says
I did, and thank you! 🙂
Lacey says
What happens if I want to wear something for a day? Can I remove the tags? Do I have said items laundered? Will they charge me for the items without tags? I contacted Dia support on day one, but it’s not day four and I haven’t received a response. I tried calling everyday also and I sit on hold for HOURS before finally giving up because I cannot spend an entire week on the phone with two small kids. So far, I am NOT impressed at all.
Hilary Erickson says
I haven’t used their phone customer service — just the email customer service. I’ve also contacted them on twitter and Instagram and had pretty quick response. I believe the clothes need to be returned in an unworn condition (obviously, you can try them on) and tags should be on, as with most stores. This isn’t like LeTote where it’s a clothing rental, you’re purchasing the clothes, and you’d want to return them in a way that someone else would want to purchase them.
Anita says
Their customer service has only really ever responded to me via email. I’ve had some issues with them when it comes to the style boxes….and that has been the only way I get a response. I hate their chat BOT too, definitely NOT SO PERSONAL.
Pulling Curls says
I’m glad they at least respond via email.
Susie Roller says
I’m in AZ too Hilary & I’m thinking about using Dia & Co. Would you be willing to say where in AZ you live?
Hilary Erickson says
I’m in the Phoenix area!
Amanda says
Thanks for having that free trial link! That helped push me over the edge to give this a shot. At the very least it’ll be fun to try on some new fashions, considering right now I’m not fashion savvy AT ALL, so it’ll be fun to see how I look in different styles.
Thanks for your article, VERY helpful!
Hilary Erickson says
Ooo, I’d love to know what you think!
Peter Harper says
Do they have men’s boxes, as well? I’d love to have somebody else decide what I’ll wear for me 😀
Hilary Erickson says
Stitch fix does!
Anita says
Hi, thanks for the blog post.
I had been getting clothing from Dia & Co for a few years, but lately their prices have just skyrocketed ($129 for a pair of jeans?!). I get that we are still coming out of 2020 and prices haven’t stabilized, but the main reason I had joined them was their affordability…they’ve lost that.
Not only that, but when I first signed up, I could add anything on the site to my style box…that’s no longer the case. Most of the items I’d like to have, I can’t add to my box, I have to purchase them outright. Yes, they do have a try before you buy option…but that doesn’t help me out when I’d like someone to help style the selections I’ve made.
My last comment is this, over the past couple of years I’ve noticed…the jeans lose shape when you lauder them. I have 3 pairs of skinny jeans, all of which, have had side seams that twist to the front and one pair of jeans that really fit awkward in the crotch.
I have generally liked the clothing when I’ve received my orders, but they are really moving away from what they started out as.
Pulling Curls says
I’m sorry to hear that. I haven’t used them recently so I didn’t realize those changes.