Universal Standard Mystery Box Review 2023: Signature Fabrics

Two Pieces for the Price of One

I love Universal Standard clothing company. Even when I don’t love the clothes, I support the idea of inclusive women’s fashion with a brand that makes clothes for every size body. But I still don’t pay $50 for a t-shirt, which explains why I jump on the Mystery Box event every year.

I also don’t experiment when it comes to my clothes. I ignore new trends and rarely have any idea what’s stylish. At my age, I know what works for my body type and what I like and don’t like. And yet, even I can admit that breaking out of my clothing habits enriches my wardrobe.

So when I spotted the Signature Fabrics box priced at $78 for two pieces, I snagged one in my 2XS size that same day. If you haven’t tried a Mystery Box, the concept remains simple. Universal Standard sells two to three items of clothing packed together at a big discount. The catch? You don’t know exactly what you get. You enter your size, and the colors and styles get chosen by the company.

I had super high hopes for the Signature Fabrics box. I got a pair of Moro Signature Ponte pants in 2022 and have adored them. They look great and feel extremely comfortable, making it easy for me to get dressed in something I like that I know looks good, too. I bet on that same fabric in some style of pants arriving in this box. With the price point of the box less than one pair of pants, it was worth a gamble.

And it turns out it was indeed a gamble. I got lucky because I was hoping to avoid black pants, as I already own a pair of Moro Ponte Pants in black. I received the Minimalist Moro Pocket Signature Ponte Pants in forest green valued at $94. I also got the Tori Burnout Mockneck Tee in malt ball, which sells for $78.

The Moro pants come both with and without pockets, and I was relieved to get the pocket version. No pockets makes it a dealbreaker for me. But I was surprised how differently these pants felt compared to the ones I own, the Moro Pocket Signature Ponte Pants with the ankle zipper. It turns out I have a definite preference for the extra detail. The forest green pants in my mystery box aren’t a color I own. But it also isn’t a color I have anything coordinating except for a basic black tank. They get paired with a denim jacket in the photos online, but I would still need something to wear underneath a jacket. The fit was just alright for me, which seems strange given that I own the same pants with the ankle zip and love them. The thick fabric works well for cooler temperatures in my opinion, but still looks nice enough to wear into the office or for dressier occasions where I don’t want leggings or jeans.

The Tori Mockneck long sleeve tee was an interesting shade of brown that I also don’t own. It did not, in my opinion, coordinate with the forest green pants, and while it would probably look fine with jeans, I didn’t love it enough to keep it. The thin fabric was super soft, and the shirt fit, with the sleeve length being right for me. But the cut ran tighter through the middle than I prefer. That combined with the color made it an easy decision for me to let it go.

Since all Mystery Box sales are final and there are no returns or exchanges, I put both items up for sale or trade. It was fun to try, but in the end, I should’ve stuck to my tried and true Athleisure box or stopped after the Now Trending or Weekend box.