Golden Tote Review September 2013

I splurged big time this month and I got the $149 tote from Golden Tote. I tried out a $49 tote a few months ago, but $149 is crazy for me!! The $149 tote has 6-7 items, and you get to pick out two of them. My tote shipped via UPS and arrived fairly quickly.

By the way, I apologize for the photos in this review. They are not good, I know. Weird angles and shadows and clothes are not friends. Sorry!

All of your items come neatly packed like this in an actual tote. I love the new "Stay Golden" tote that they just released. It is just so cute! Their totes are very high quality.

Harringbone Shell Dress ($88 value) This is one of the items that I chose. I love it just as much in person, although it is a little too form-fitting for my tastes. I still think this will be a great dress for work!

Novelty Knit Dress ($88 Value) This was the second item that I chose. It fits beautifully. The way the waist comes in is extremely flattering.

This is an example of one of the information cards Golden Tote sends out. It's nice that they are so detailed! I got one for each of the items I chose. (This shows the black and white variation for the second dress.)

Sweet Claire Hoodie ($15? Value) This is such an awkward item to me! It's sheer, and it's short sleeved, but it's a hoodie. What? Maybe I can wear it on cool summer nights over sundresses? I don't know. Definitely my least favorite piece of the bunch.

Puella Dress ($88? Value) I was really worried about this one. The waist is pretty low on it so I was worried it would hug me in all the wrong places. But it's surprisingly flattering! The fabric is super soft, and if you can't tell, the neckline has this really cool twisted detail. Not to mention the charcoal color will go with absolutely everything and I like 3/4 sleeves.

Flying Tomato Aztec Sweater ($45? Value) I love this item! It's so cozy and perfect for fall. I am so obsessed with sweaters like this.

POL Black and Grey Cardigan ($35 Value) This is a great neutral piece, but it fits a little weird. Tight in the arms, bunchy and loose in the back. I will still totally wear it, though.

Most of my price estimates were just that--estimates--based on the other items the company has for sale. Still, though, it should be obvious that Golden Tote is an amazing value. What a good way to stock my wardrobe for fall! I highly recommend trying them out, since each purchase is individual and month-by-month (rather than a true subscription model). Certainly a good once or twice a year indulgence!

Golden Tote March 2013

This is my first Golden Tote, a clothing subscription service.

• Golden Tote has two options: a $49 bag and a $149 bag.
• The $49 bag includes two items (one you pick yourself) and retails for up to $250. The $149 bag has 6-7 items (two you pick yourself) and retails for up to $600.
• Golden Tote has its subscribers fill out a survey to customize its choices.
• Each purchase is one time only. I love this, because I don't have to worry about canceling! I can just purchase when I need new clothes or have extra money in my budget.
• The April sale starts April 15th and lasts a week.

Alright, so here's my view when I first opened the box.

Surprise! Sitting on top is "a little surprise to introduce you to our jewelry tote!" It's a wooden bracelet with circles inlaid into it. You can't tell from the photo, but it's a little big for my wrist and this isn't really my style. However, I really appreciate the surprise!

So I unwrapped the box and...the items actually come in a tote! For some reason I thought they just called it Golden Tote. Nope, it comes IN a tote bag! The tote is high quality canvas. Awesome! I loved pulling the items out of the bag. It was like opening a present.

The first item I pulled out was the sweater I picked out. I loved the grey color and the polka dots were cute, plus I wear a lot of sweaters. In person, it's not quite what I wanted. It's still cute, but I have a long torso and it was a little short. Not too short to wear, but I would have preferred a slouchier fit. It wasn't super thick and warm either, but since it's spring that's kind of a plus.

The second item was a Puella tank top. I LOVE how neutral it is, and the ruching in the bust is really flattering. Also, it's super, super soft. However, I'm pretty sure I couldn't wear this item with a bra underneath because the cups in it are so triangular. I can totally wear it for sleep in the summer though, so I'm happy with it.

So I was expecting that to be it. The $49 tote is only two items after all. Isn't it? Nope! Not this month, not for me, anyway! The third and final item was a scarf. This isn't something I would normally pick out for myself, but I think I kinda love it! It's not very thick, so it will be perfect for spring and fall, and even though the color scheme isn't my usual, I think it will coordinate well with a lot of the clothes I own.

I LOVED my Golden Tote for this month! It was my first time with them, but it definitely won't be my last! Like I said, their next sale opens April 15th, so if there's an item I really like, I may just have to take the plunge again.

DEAL ALERT! Golden Tote

• Golden Tote offers two tote options each month, the $49 tote (with 2 items, up to $200 value) and the $149 tote (with 6-7 items, up to $600 value).
• With the small tote, you choose one of the items, and Golden Tote chooses the other. With the larger tote, you choose two of the items, and Golden Tote chooses the rest. I like this system--that means that no matter what, I am sure to get at least something that really suits my tastes.
• Each month, the items you can choose from change.
• Golden Tote allows you to choose from small, medium, and large sizes. They have a style profile which asks questions about your age, what styles fit you, and what colors and accessories you don't like.
• The deal: $10 off with the code 10DELAY.

I decided to spring for the small tote this month to try this service out. The sweater above was the item I picked out for myself. Can't wait to see what else they include! Fair warning, though: shipping ran me $12.67, and that was the cheapest option. Most sub boxes include shipping in their price, so that's kind of a disappointment and definitely deters me from wanting to order again.