Golden Tote September Review

So, I've been kind of fixated on the idea of a clothing subscription box for awhile now. I hate going to the mall or similar places because I always, always run into students. Or I buy a maxi skirt at Target and some girl shows up wearing the same maxi skirt and then we're both embarrassed (like the episode of Full House where DJ is wearing the same sweater as her nerdy teacher).
Everyone has been into Stitch Fix, but it didn't strike me as my thing. One, I would constantly see people complaining about their fixes. Two, the whole "keep this, keep that, or send this back" thing isn't my style. Too much math. Too many post office trips. Not interested. I also saw quite a few reviews where people realized the price was the same or more than stores.

Then I heard about Golden Tote and was definitely interested. Like Stitch Fix, you can make a style profile for your stylist to follow. Unlike Stitch Fix, it is an all or nothing deal. You cannot send back one top from the tote if you don't care for it; however, the founders of Golden Tote have explained that by not allowing constant returns, they can keep the overall item costs down. If you do not like your entire tote, you can send it back (you pay for shipping). I have found a fabulous closed Facebook group where Golden Tote lovers sell or trade clothes they don't like. After I followed this group for a few months, I decided to take the plunge and order my own Golden Tote.

What I also like about Golden Tote is that there are two options: a $149 (up to a $600 value) tote where you pick two items and they fill in with five or seven surprise items. Or you can also have a $49 (up to a $200 value) tote where you choose one item and they fill in with two or three surprise items. I really like that you get to pick one or two of the items, while the rest is still a surprise. You also create a style profile where you choose certain styles and can enter items you do not want.

In September, I ordered the $149 tote. I will absolutely not do this every month because there is never a reason that I need to spend $149 on clothes every single month. I ordered five days after the September totes were released, so a few items were sold out, but mostly there was great items in stock. I will say that one downside was the amount of time it took to ship (almost two weeks); however again, by not running a huge company that has a 24 hour turn-around, you are saving money in the long run. Also, let's be real. We're all spoiled by Amazon Prime. Not EVERYTHING needs to arrive at your house two minutes after you order it.

That said, I was still insanely excited when my tote arrived. As the name implies, my clothes came packaged in a golden tote. Reusable! Yay!

After briefly admiring the bag, I was super excited to see what I received. My two chosen items were on the bottom of the ribboned bundle, so I got to go through all the surprises first.


The first item in my tote was a Skies Are Blue blouse. It's super flowy while still flattering your body. I wore this to work and received so many compliments on it!

Skies Are Blue items usually start at $50.
[wrinkled because it was the end of a long day]

Underneath that was a Color Thread tee. This was super soft and could easily be dressed up or dressed down depending on what you pair with it. And I love plaid/flannel patterns for fall!

Color Thread tee most likely retails around $35.

My favorite item in the tote was the Puella Priddy pants. This is not something that I would've grabbed off a rack and tried on, but it was instant love. They feel like sweatpants. Actual real sweatpants, but the faux leather band around the waist makes them dressy. I felt so comfortable at work.

Puella items start at around $50 on Anthropologie.

My first chosen item was this dotted chiffon dress. I love it because it can be worn in just about any season (except for maybe these miserable winters we have but let's not talk about THOSE). It's super flowy and feminine. I made it work appropriate by throwing leggings on underneath and still thought it looked cute.

Available for $35 on the Golden Tote website, so we'll go with that for a price point.

My second chosen item was the LBD. I struggled with this because my closet is full of little black dresses, but this one looked unique. Because of how it's tailored, I hoped I could make this work and otherwise appropriate. However, it has a slit in the back, so I'll need to work on that. With a pair of opaque tights and a blazer, I think I could definitely pull it off for work. Even though it wasn't an easy transition to work, I still love it. It's very flattering [ignore my awkward pose] and versatile.

No idea of price point, but it's on the Golden Tote website for $35.

My final item was a sweater with dolman sleeves. I hate dolman sleeves. With a passion. I feel like a flapping elephant when I wear them, so this was a disappointment. The sweater also had a tear on the seam, so I emailed customer service. It's been sent back and will be replaced with a different surprise (hopefully a non-dolman surprise). Did it not have a tear, I would've put it up for sale or trade on the Golden Tote Facebook group. The top retails for about $40. I am guessing my two chosen items retail for more than $35, but I can't find an exact price point. So including the damaged top, I got about $250 worth of clothes for $149. Is it the biggest steal in the world? No, but I definitely LOVE what I got and didn't have to leave the house. I also got some items that I wouldn't have looked at in a store but now love, so this is exciting, too.

Do you do any subscription services? Which one? Ever consider signing up for any? I would definitely recommend Golden Tote. The October totes are now live on the site, so go take a look!

I linked you to my affiliate link, but these are all my opinions. I wish someone would give me free clothes.