Happy Rebel Box Subscription Review – Fall 2019

ByMegan K.Sep 27, 2019 | 41 comments

Happy Rebel Box Septemer 2019 subscription box review

Happy Rebel Box is an edgy lifestyle quarterly subscription box for women! Each box has a different theme. This quarter, the theme is all about party accessories and accents.

opening the box

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

all included items inside

About Happy Rebel

The Subscription Box: Happy Rebel Box

The Cost: $100 a quarter

The Products: Each box will contain 4-6 items that will vary box to box, so you will never receive the same types of items repeatedly. Each box could contain jewelry, fashion accessories, home decor, beauty products, as well as other various lifestyle items that fit the collection of the box as well as the Happy Rebel modern and edgy style.

Ships to: The US for free, Canada for $25

Happy Rebel Fall 2019 Review

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Each box comes with a fold-out card detailing the items included. With each box, Happy Rebel Box donates a portion of the proceeds to charity. For this box, they selected the Chicago Foundation for Women, an organization that "puts time, talent, and money to work for women and girls who lack economic security and opportunity, freedom from violence, and equitable access to health care and services."

Now, on to the items!

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Happy Rebel Geometric Felt Placemats, set of 6 - Estimated Value $72.00 (Buy a set of 2 for $24.00)

Subscribers could pick between grey or black.

These Ireland-made, geometric felt placemats measure about 7.6" x 11.8" which was smaller than expected, something the folks at Happy Rebel handled quite well, in my opinion. You might find them a little small for traditional placemats but you can link them together to form a runner or use them as trivets under hot dishes. I picked the grey because I thought it would work well with my multicolored mix of Fiestaware and handmade ceramic plates and bowls, but I have to admit that the black would have been perfect for Halloween.

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Happy Rebel Geometric Felt Coasters, set of 4 - Retail Value $14.00

This set of 4 coasters matches our placemats perfectly. There are only four since the placemats were initially supposed to only number 4 as well. They would make a stylish addition to your coffee table while they protect your furniture from all of those celebratory drinks.

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Dipped Crystal Highball Glasses, 4 glasses - Retail Value $81.98/$40.99 a pair (found on sale here for $22.67 a pair)

(Subscribers could choose between different glass styles.)

Wow, these are so pretty! I am almost scared to use them because glassware has such a limited lifetime in my house because I am CLUMSY. They feel delightfully heavy at the base and the rose gold dip over the charcoal grey crystal is striking. I can't help but feel these would also make a beautiful smaller vase for flowers. As with any glass item with metallic accents, you should hand wash these so they stay beautiful.

package of paper party goods

Our next group of items arrived packaged together in a clear plastic bag.

Here they are unpacked. I will dive into the specifics below:

rose gold paper straws in clear packaging

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Rose Gold Paper Straws, set of 24 - Retail Value $5.49

In keeping with the rose gold theme, a bag of 24 rose gold paper straws was also included. They look quite lovely with the highball glasses and would be perfect for sipping your fave cocktail.

sip sip hooray rose gold and pink plates

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Sip Sip Hooray Appetizer Plates, set of 8 paper plates - Retail Value $5.99

These smaller app plates are pretty cute. I don't love the idea of paper plates in a higher-priced subscription box... and 8 seems to be a little on the sparse side when it comes purely to headcount at most parties. They do fit with the overall theme and color scheme of this box really well though!

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Sip Sip Hooray Balloon Set - Retail Value $9.99

This set of inflatable balloons would be a cute backdrop to your cocktail bar or selfie station. The rose gold balloons are easily inflated via an included straw and are meant to be hung from the included gold ribbon. They are also pretty big, with most letters ranging about 10 inches wide and 14 inches tall.

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Rose Gold Circle Garland - Retail Value $9.99

This matching garland is probably one of the things I will save to use for the holidays. I like to drape similar shiny strands across my mantle instead of stockings and I like the rose gold discs and how they catch the light. This strand has 48 discs and is about 8 feet long.

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Rose Gold Confetti - Retail Value $5.49

Matching our garland and other rose gold items perfectly, this mylar confetti would be cute sprinkled across your table to catch the light. I feel like I would need a few bags total to really decorate for a party, personally, but because these discs are so shiny, even a smaller amount manages to easily catch the eye.

boxed rose gold gem inspired bottle opener necklace

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Rose Gold Necklace Bottle Opener - Retail Value $24.99 (found here for $12.60)

This gemstone-inspired necklace doubles as a bottle opener, something that is always handy to have in spades at a party. Though I don't think I would wear it as jewelry, the chain makes it easy to hang off your bar cart or a close doorknob for easy access, and, admittedly, wearing it would keep it handy after a few glasses of champagne.

Here it is on.

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Admiral Bar Cart Towel Set - Retail Value $27.49 (found here for $16.01)

Finally, our last item is a set of dark grey cotton bar towels, each of which features an illustration and drink recipe. I like keeping towels like this handy because the later the night gets, the messier drink-making becomes, at least at a good party!

Verdict: I didn't love this box. Though the retail values might be there on paper, it didn't feel like a $100 box to me even if I did calculate the retails to total a little over $250. I think some of my feelings may stem from how much I loved the Summer box. It felt both expensive, rebellious, and special. I literally still carry that leather purse daily! Aside from the placemats, towels, and glasses, this box felt really more disposable than I would like, especially for the high cost of the subscription. Though the theme was cohesive and arguably well done, this assortment isn't what I would have expected to see in a Happy Rebel Box. I missed the edgy "rebel" element and I think this box truly shines when it has high-quality accessories as well as items from smaller and independent makers and designers. If there had been an exceptional hero item included with a higher value, this might have been a winner, especially with holiday parties coming up, but (for me) it just didn't happen this quarter.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, if you sign up for a subscription, your first box will be the Fall box.

Value Breakdown: This box costs $100, meaning each of the 10 items has an average cost of $10.00.

Check out our Happy Rebel Box reviews to learn more about this subscription box and check out our other fave women's boxes.

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription box list or wishlist!

What do you think of the Fall 2019 Happy Rebel Box? What is your favorite item?

Starting at $100.00

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Happy Rebel Box

4.1 overall rating

28 Ratings | 5 Reviews

A quarterly subscription box featuring fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle pieces with an edgy twist on a classic look.

Read customer reviews >

Posted in Subscription Box Reviews, Subscription Boxes for Women

Megan K.

I love natural/vegan beauty products, Korean skincare, unique jewelry, and weird candies from far away places. When I am not waiting for my next exciting box you can find me painting or taking photographs of interesting people. I never leave home without pug hair somewhere on my shirt and a bold lipstick on my smile.

Read More By Megan K. >

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41 comments

amyr

This is literally a box full of useless junk! I feel for all of you who were ripped off by this box of junk!

HR will have to really redeem themselves for this mess.

Winter and Fall were great. They were so good. Spring was bad. This one is a scam. That necklace alone is hideous.

I think my box days are over except Ipsy/Boxycharm, Popsugar and Book of the Month. I gave up Rachel Zoe, FFF ends in Spring, and it looks like Happy Rebel is on the chopping block.

Cara

I totally agree with you! I cancelled after Spring and will never resubscribe after seeing what she sent her customers this quarter.

Cara

This is absolutely a joke. I am outraged for all of you. You guys straight up got scammed.

Beth

HORRIBLE. Just horrible. It’s THE MOST TERRIBLE box I have ever seen at anything near a their price point. Even at half that price, I’d be upset.

I’ve been a long time HR fan and was astounded when I opened my box….the value is a joke, and where’s the rebel?? It looks like a 1950s party set – and NOT in a good way!

But most of all, I hate disposables for their sheer waste and most of all for their impact on animals and the environment. And metallic disposables?!? MYLAR BALLOONS with plastic ribbons?? All wrapped up in another plastic bag?! I literally would have preferred taking a $100 bill and burning it myself to getting this box.

Tiffany

I was honestly waiting to subscribe on a box that I really liked. I would have signed up for an annual subscription, but after this there’s no way I’d touch this box. I don’t care what they include in the winter box. Nothing can make up for how betrayed, I’m sure, some of their subscribers are feeling. There are plenty of boxes in the sea, and even more important, companies who truly care about their customers. This shows me what kind of Corporation they are, and it’s obvious they don’t put their customers first. I truly feel bad for all who received this. 😏

cindy

Very well said. I signed up last winter but thankfully as a quarterly sub. That winter box was really great. Spring – not so much, so I skipped. The summer box was another hit, so I happily got it. With the first spoiler of those weird placemats, I knew fall was gonna be a dud for me, so I canceled, thankfully. This box turned out to be an epic train wreck, and like you, I feel bad for those who got stuck with it. For these reasons, I’ll never sign up for an annual sub. Far too expensive to be this consistently inconsistent.

Haylee

Everything looks so overpriced and cheap. Next.

Zara

Is it just me or does that bottle opener/necklace look like a certain female body part? Don’t know if I’d want that hanging around my neck.

Cara

It kind of does. Like a really overused loose one lol

I’ve never seen one that looks like that.

LisaFalana

It’s ok, but for $100 I’m glad I skipped this one. I want they edgy black leather rebel feel of the previous boxes.

Jessica T

I would feel better about this box if the plates and straws were ceramic/metal and reusable. I try not to use single use products, but even if I did I wouldnt feel like I got my money’s worth with this box.

DawnS

I keep watching this box but it seems only 1 a year is decent. And what would I do with a tacky beer opening necklace? I am so not going to put down my glass of wine or champs to open a guys beer for them!

Sammy

I’m not thrilled with the party stuff, but I will honestly probably use most of it pretty soon. I think the rest of the box is great even without it. Maybe you guys are way cooler than me, but I think the necklace is fun and have already worn it to girls night and my friends thought it was cute. Glad I got the trivets instead of the wine opener because I think they are so unique.

Stephanie

Here’s my random thought. I’m sure we will all agree their last box was amazing. Perhaps they made a really small profit on that box and this time around decided to remedy their loss by including cheap goods which would help them recoup their profits lost from the summer box. This is the only reason I can think of. I’m sure they lost lots of subscribers but their strategy is to deliver an amazing box next time which will make all their lost subscribers re-sub again.

I agree with everyone, this box is beyond a disaster. If I was a subscriber I would return this box and demand a refund. This junk is 15 max.

Nina

Happy Rebel reads these comments Im pretty sure.. hopefully they see the overwhelming disappointment of those that received this box and rectify it with an amazing winter box! If I paid $100 for this I’d be beyond disappointed.. I’d be livid! This feels like a complete scam of a box… chintzy jewelry, disposable paper items, craft-fair quality place mats… It’s a bit insulting that they thought this would suffice and people would feel good about throwing away their $100 on this crap. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Christina

Can confirm, I was livid. $100 is on the high end for a subscription box and this would still have been a disappointment at $50. But for $100 I feel like they basically just took my money.

I’ve been disappointed with sub boxes before of course but never something like this.

Cindy

Completely agree.

Dootsie Bug

Wow this PopSugar box sure is aces!

Kathy

I completely agree with the verdict. The items and theme was really well done, and all the colors and items included made for a super cohesive box. It’s not a bad idea either since the holidays are coming up. But all that stuff’s gonna get thrown out sooner than other items like daily houseware, beauty items, or accessories, which sucks for a $100 box. Plus, I agree that I enjoyed the ‘rebel’ vibe previous boxes had that this one lacks. Hopefully the next box is better.

NinaS

Thank you for your honest review.

It looked like they sent Karen over to Party City to clear out the clearance aisle.

I have concerns about the metallics used in this disposable pile of paper they sent in this box. I’m thinking of shipping one off to my chemistry BFF and see if is made with heavy metals. Very curious about those entirely metallic straws.

Happy Rebel should be ashamed of putting forth this box. Those “Yah” Mylar balloons were just spotted on clearance at Target for <$5. Not even the wine opener could save this box.

I got the Mariposa collection that are some of the most tacky, hideous paper plates I’ve ever seen. I will plan to burn the entire paper contents of that box as it is literally I fear not safe for food use and I fear would kill a critter that may try to eat it at the landfill.

After that awesome Summer Box, this box felt like a scam. It wasn’t even particularly packed with any kind of thought. It looked like they just forgot they had a box and threw in a bunch of random party crap. A necklace beer pull? Seriously? I can’t even repurpose this piece and I’m too embarrassed to give it to anyone except maybe a Trick or Treater.

@HappyRebel you have two boxes left. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and you’ll be canceled.

Christina

I agree, this box is much nicer than the Mariposa version I got with the pink glasses. Think they wouldn’t dare send MSA that one. I hope they return to their former better quality but I unsubscribed just because I was so mad that I paid $100 for this stuff which, inflated retail values or no, definitely felt like I got ripped off. (I’m also not planning on having a pink princess party anytime soon…those pink party products, OMG.)

NinaS

Totally agree. That Mariposa collection and those glasses looks like something from a 1980’s dance party, maybe a 1984 Golden Anniversary. Seriously Mylar confetti? I think I’ll send that to Johanna so when she opens her letter, it will stream endlessly all over her office floor and she can then ponder how to fix the mess.

I’m a bit shocked at her response in the last post. It all seemed so dismissive and didn’t feel genuine. I have to agree on the theory that they had a slimmer margin on the Summer box and now are trying to make it up on this one by papering the landfill with nearly useless trash.

I feel like this is a bait and switch. Interestingly, HR did try to reach out via DM on FB after I commented on their “how are you planning to end summer post….” I told them I was planning to burn their Mariposa collection 🤣. Then encouraged me to contact customer service. I ignored them the same way they have ignored most of these ladies in this thread.

At HR What are you going to do? Offer a refund for the money you stole in exchange for my silent interest? Cancel an account in which I paid ANNUAL entirely upfront?

I may just send this on over to the FTC….HR just went rogue and has now been relegated to pulling something actually worse than F3 shipping. CAUSEBOX is about to have a really great year…..

Kristin

I’d love to see a picture of a room decorated with the decor items it’s hard to grasp the concept with them not in use. Maybe they’d seem a little more appealing??

NinaS

😂 omg! What a freaking fabulous idea! I think I’ll share it with a few thousand FB friends who all are watching because of our F3 and More subscription box addictions.

JoEtta

If I had paid $100 for this box I would be incredibly disappointed. Love those glasses but the rest of it just looks cheap. I feel like the Happy Rebel box for $100 seems to have a 50/50 shot of being amazing and being terrible and I don’t like those odds on such an expensive box. When I start feeling like it’s more consistently good I’ll subscribe 😐

Noelle

Some of the boxes in the past weren’t great, but this is the first time I felt like I didn’t at least get $100 worth of usable product.

I find that while (until now) the products are quality with a cohesive curation, the boxes are hit or miss based on the theme.

Julie

That comment actually makes me wonder if that’s how the profit model of theirs works. They have an amazing box that lures subscribers in and then the next one they make a killing on by stuffing it with cheap items losing subscriber for the next box where they actually have to put some money again and onward!

Erin

I also cancelled my subscription after this box. I received it & it’s AWFUL!!! Everything feels cheap including the glasses, which are on sale on Amazon. SO disappointed!

Horrible.

I am canceling unless winter is amazing.

I LOVE disposable party supplies in a $100.00 box…..said no one ever.

This box was horrible — placemats that are way too small to function as they are supposed to, paper party supplies, the ugliest necklace ever (I honestly can’t fathom any use for this) and bar towels. I suppose the glasses are nice enough, but they don’t hold the cost of the box.

I cancelled my subscription. This is probably one of the worst boxes I have ever seen (relative to the cost).

Noelle

And this is the nice version of the box. There were 4 different variation. Look up the Mariposa or Saguaro versions of the box. The rebel feel is gone and it’s of a cheaper quality.

Looks like a $50 trip to Party City. Glad I skipped!

Jean

I skipped this one, but if I had gotten this box I would have chosen the variation you received. The gIasses look gorgeous! I agree it doesn’t compare to Summer 2019, which was amazing, though. Hopefully HR is listening and will adjust accordingly for future boxes. They can’t all be hits, I guess.

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Happy Rebel Box Subscription Review – Fall 2019

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