Golden Tote April

I've talked about Golden Tote in previous blog posts, but in case you're new or have forgotten, here is the run down.

It is not a monthly clothing subscription, although clothes are updated once a month. You may choose a $49 tote with one chosen item and one surprise, or a $149 tote with two chosen items and typically four surprises. If you buy a $149 tote, shipping is free. The value of the clothes total above the amount you've paid. It is all or nothing, you cannot just return individual pieces. However, there is an excellent Facebook group where you can offload unwanted items. I've had success with this!

Here is what I received in April:

My first and favorite--the easy sundress. Although it is has a loose fitting design, it's still completely flattering. Short enough to make a fun summer dress, but not too short to make me feel uncomfortable. I wore this out to dinner recently and got so many compliments!


Next up, yellow skinnies paired with a Hem and Thread top that was one of my surprise items. I love this combination! Very springy and feminine.


The yellow (and other color skinnies) are still in stock on the Golden Tote website, either in a tote or through the boutique. I have several colors and love them all!

Boyfriend shorts with the surprise gauzy Very J sleeveless top. I am not a huge shorts person, but these looked so cute on the website. I am glad I went for them. They are super soft and just the right length. The pockets can be tucked in or pulled out, depending on the style you like. The Very J top is super soft, too, and will be perfect for the beach this summer.



And last, a Kika surprise dress with the drape front ties. This is obviously not work appropriate, but I love it. I was a little confused on how to tie it, so I looked it up online. I didn't like how it looked on me like that and will need to work on the tie, but the ties in the back looked cute, too.




Check out the price! I'm pretty excited about that because it shows was a good deal Golden Tote is. The cost of that dress alone is over half my tote cost, so I definitely feel like I got a good deal.

I did have one dress that didn't work because it was too boxy in the shoulders, but that's the beauty of the Facebook trading group.

The May tote releases Monday, May 11th and 9AMPST. However, there are still many items left from April and you can a tote at any time. Overall, I am definitely pleased with my April tote. I've bought and traded a few items off the Facebook page this month, too. I'm super excited to refresh my spring wardrobe!

Golden Tote January Mystery Tote

I said I wasn't going to buy a Golden Tote in January because post-Christmas budget and all that, but then Golden Tote announced that they were doing a special mystery tote that was only $60. I had a few referral credits (thank you!) that pretty much paid for the tote, so how was I to resist?

The mystery tote was a little different than the norm. For $60, you received four items, one of which was a special Priddy item made just for the mystery totes and one of which would be a previous chosen item from 2014. The catch was that, unlike usual months, your comments and style profile would not be read and you just had to choose one size (in the past, they've followed my comments to size up on skirts--this would not happen this month). It was a true mystery grab bag of clothing, but with the Facebook trading community, I figured it was a pretty safe gamble.

Fortunately, I loved everything in my tote, so I didn't even have to try to trade or sell.
As always, everything came packed in a tote and tied with an elastic ribbon.

My eyes went to the pop of color first, and I was in love as soon as I pulled it out of the tote. Unfortunately, I live in the Midwest, so you won't see me wearing this until May (if we're lucky), but it's a gorgeous halter tie maxi with POCKETS. I love pockets in dresses. Although I have a lot of maxi dresses, I don't have any with this neckline or with pockets, so this is a win.

Next was the Flying Tomato cardigan. I do not wear dolman sleeves as a general rule, but since this is a cardigan, I felt like it worked a little better. It's a perfect layering piece for my [very cold] workplace and super soft.

Next was a very flowy tank top. Again, you won't see me wearing this without layers until the summer, but it ended up being very easy to dress up and make work appropriate. I love clothes that I can carry throughout the seasons.

And finally, the Priddy top. Everyone received a variation of this in either solid or stripes. It is very soft and forgiving, but I was disappointed that it wasn't long enough on me to wear as a tunic. Most people in the Facebook community modeled it as a tunic, but alas… I have too long of a torso. Still, it's very basic and again, nice to wear to work. 

There are still mystery Golden Totes left in XS and S, but the February sale launches next week. As always, you can buy a $49 tote with one chosen item and one to two surprises or you can purchase a $149 tote with two chosen items and four to six surprises. After recently window shopping at Anthropologie and seeing many of the same brands I get via Golden Tote in the store, I realized what a good deal I'm getting on these brands. One of the dresses I have was almost the same cost as a whole tote! I'm definitely enjoying my closet more lately.

Golden Tote December Review

I spent today at home with sinus gunk and with a sick kid to boot, but UPS saved the day by delivering my December tote a day early! I have to say, this is probably my favorite tote yet.

If you haven't read any of my previous reviews, let me tell you a little about Golden Tote. Like Stitch Fix, it is a stylist curated tote. Unlike Stitch Fix, you get to pick one or two chosen items, depending on the base point of the tote. Then a stylist adds in surprise clothing items based off of your style profile and any comments you might leave. Unlike Stitch Fix, you cannot return items that don't interest you or don't fit, but the price point per item is much, much lower than Stitch Fix. There is also a Golden Tote trading community on Facebook where you sell or trade unwanted items--I have had a lot of luck in this community!

I had a few referral credits this month, so I was able to order a single piece on Black Friday and order a tote the Monday afterward. Although they always reveal the new month's tote on the first Monday, this Monday happened to fall on Cyber Monday. They honored that by throwing in an extra surprise clothing item with each tote ordered that Monday. How could I resist?!

As always, the clothes came with lovely packaging and a style card for my two chosen items.

This is what I ordered on Black Friday: the holiday sparkle sweater set by Skies are Blue. It came with a necklace, too.

In fact, Morgan is kind of obsessed with the necklace. I need to make sure to keep it away from her!

My first chosen item in the tote was the Winter Wonderland top by Skies are Blue. I love it. Metallic and flowy with sheer fabric. It's not the warmest top, but it's very festive and so feminine. 

My next chosen item was also by Skies are Blue, the Tis the Season dress. Oh my goodness. I am at home with no makeup and wet hair, yet I felt like a princess as soon as I put this on.

Also, it has POCKETS. 

My first surprise item was a top by Le Lis. Le Lis are usually pretty unique and have split backs. This one was no exception. The front is a sparkly sweater material with sheer sleeves and a sheer underlay. The back has a sheer split in it. Love it. So unique to anything I own.

This next one is by Catwalk Studio. I was a little unsure at first because it just looks BIG and has a lot of material. It's a sweater type material with a sheer underlay. But then I put it on and wow. It might not be the most flattering cut, but it is WARM and buttery soft. This will get me through the winter. 

Hourglass Lilly tunic. I love Hourglass Lilly tunics and asked for one in my order comments, so I am glad the stylist followed through. Long sleeve and makes a perfect warm to cold weather transition piece. 

Naked Zebra top. This is a pretty basic top, but the sleeves have zipper detailing and the neckline has a faux leather trim. I love how minor details can make a piece interesting.

And finally, the Peppermint skirt. I LOVE this. First of all, I am thankful my stylist followed my instructions to size up from a small to medium in skirts because this is very form fitting. It is also, however, the kind of form fitting that can be flattering if sized right. It hits right at the knee with a lace overlay. I love pencil skirts. Love. 

So, that's my December Golden Tote. I am feeling pretty good about how I'll look this month!

Golden Tote November Review

What is Golden Tote?
A clothing service that has two options:
1. A $149 tote, where you choose two pieces and receive a total of 5-7 items.
2. A $49 tote, where you choose one piece and receive a total of 2-3 items.
3. Something that is giving much-needed life to my wardrobe.
4. An all or nothing deal. You can return an entire tote but not individual pieces. This helps them keep their price point low. However, there is a Facebook group where you can trade or sell unwanted items. I've had huge success with this!

I had a few referral credits (thank you to whomever clicked my link and ordered--please let me know what new clothes you purchased!), so I was able to budget a $149 tote this month. This is amazing because I hate winter clothes, due to my deep seated hatred of winter. It's also amazing because since discovering Golden Tote, I feel so much better about my wardrobe. I get so many compliments on my clothes, and I truly do believe it's an excellent value.

In my comments when I ordered, I asked for items that could be worn through the winter or through transition times. I feel like this was definitely reflected with my tote.

My first chosen item was the Perfectly Plaid Dress. I am a sucker for a dress that I can wear throughout the winter. I absolutely love this one. The fabric is stretchy, but hits in very flattering ways. When I put on heels, it hitched up a little but still completely appropriate with opaque tights. It was also very warm.

My second chosen item was the chunky knit pullover sweater.

It was a little bigger than I thought, but it was so comfortable. It is incredibly soft! I tend to not be a sweater person because blah blah winter clothes, but this one may get me through the winter.

And now my surprise items! Mak B Olive sweater with faux leather elbow patches. Another sweater! This is so soft, like a fleece blanket. I've never done elbow patches before, but I think I like it. At the very least, it's so comfy and warm.

Everly shift dress. I love this one. It is way too short in the back for me to wear as a dress, but it is perfect with leggings. It is ribbed and lined and can be worn through winter and probably fall and spring, as well. I wore it with a black kimono cardigan and it was perfect.

Split personality top. I loved this one and knew it was a winner when students were complimenting it. It's super cute and has a longer back, which I love. The sleeves were almost like sweatshirt material. What I love about these clothes is that they are stylish (I think) but still very functional and comfortable. This is huge for me!

Skies are Blue top. The front of this is like silk almost but the back and sleeves are sweater material. Someone told me I looked really skinny while wearing it, so I am definitely putting this one in my "wear often" category.


I am telling myself that I don't need a December tote because Christmas and all that, but it has been so nice to slowly update my wardrobe while feeling that I'm getting a good deal (six quality pieces of clothes--two of them made in the USA--for $150) and generally feeling a little bit better about myself, too. The next round of Golden Tote will be released the first Monday of December at 11AM PST, but you can always order November pieces before then.

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.