Three subscription boxes that will keep you stylish and healthy all winter

Too busy to go shopping? Too cold to go outside? Subscription boxes are the answer.

In a perfect world, we would all hibernate during the winter. In the springtime we’d get all our work done, around the holidays we’d eat our faces off, and then we’d get to sleep from January until the snow was gone again. But the world is cruel and you have bills to pay. On top of that, you still have to be groomed and well dressed at work; despite the salt that’s determined to ruin your shoes and the ridiculous number of layers you have to use to shield yourself from weather’s middle finger – the wind chill. We know that the key to happiness during winter is minimizing the amount of time spent outside, and guess what? With a a few subscription services you can get nearly everything delivered to your door. The world of curated deliverable goods now includes everything from razors to suits. With a few of these services at your fingertips, winter may fast become your new favorite season.

Trunk Club

Trunk Club 1Trunk Club is just as easy as it promises to be. Sign up takes about 5 minutes, you fill out a bit about your personal style, and then you’re assigned a stylist. That person acts as a curator, giving you one less thing to think about during a hectic work week. The stylist has your size and a rough guide to your personal taste on file, and each month compiles some fashion finds into a “trunk”. You get to preview what your stylist thinks you like too, so you don’t have to worry about being shipped a bunch of pieces you know in advance you’d rather not wear. You pay for the clothes that you do enjoy, and you return what didn’t work for you. Shipping is free and the clothes are often slightly cheaper than they would be in store. For the ultra lazy: have it delivered to your office and ship back your no-pile with the rest of the daily outgoing mail.

There’s no minimum cost, but when setting your budget, imagine the prices at a high end department store and you’re likely in the right ballpark. The cost per order depends of course on what you keep – no membership fees or minimums apply.

Bevel

Bevel (1)If there’s any time to be kinder to your skin, it’s definitely during the winter months. This is where Bevel’s shaving and grooming box can save your life. GQ gave Bevel special mention for their razor’s superior shave, and they’re not the first to sing the the subscription service’s praises. Bevel sends you a new kit every three months with a re-up of the system’s 5 core products: Priming Oil, The Badger Brush, Shave Cream, a specially engineered razor for coarse hair that prevents razor bumps, and the grand finale, Restoring Balm. It may seem like a lot, but a few extra steps go a long way to keeping your skin moisturized and sealed off from the harsh hand Mother Nature is dealing us right now. Bevel costs $59.85/quarter, payable in installments of $19.95.

NatureBox

NatureBoxI know, I know. This whole article has been about how to protect yourself from nature and now we’re about to recommend something with nature in the title. But stay with us, because the food from NatureBox defies nature in every possible way. Another great service to have delivered straight to your office, NatureBox offers a huge array of healthy snacks to get you through the days when venturing outdoors to find lunch is a bleak option. They have sweet (peanut butter nom-noms sound more than promising) and savory choices (sriracha cashews!?), and each month you can customize your box to try out the different things they have available until you’ve discovered your favorite. They can be delivered weekly, every second week, or once a month too – a great sliding scale as you ease yourself into deciding whether or not their service is for you. If your whole office likes them, you can even sign up for a “team” subscription to suit you all. In this sedentary season, having healthy things at hand is never a bad idea. NatureBox starts at $19.95/month.

Nicole Edwards

Nicole Edwards is a fashion and lifestyle writer based in Toronto. She has worked as Associate Publisher of Private Islands magazine and Lifestyle Editor of Style Empire, and has contributed to NOW Magazine.