Golden Tote February 2014

Box: GoldenTote

Cost: $49 or $149 (plus shipping)

How it Works: On the first Monday of each month new items are added to the GoldenTote store as options for the totes. With the $49 option you can choose one item and they will send you 2-3 additional surprise items, or with the $149 option you choose 2 items and receive 3-5 surprise items. The options in the $49 tote will be available in the $149, but there are some items that are only in the $149. You can fill out a style profile and add specific notes about what you like and dislike.

Shipping Schedule: It is usually by the middle of the month, but can sometimes be longer.

Returns: You can't return separate items from a tote, you can only return the entire bag. 

Cancellation: This isn't an actual subscription, so you just don't buy another tote. 

My Experience:

This was my very first GoldenTote! I had been eyeing this subscription for a while and finally saw an item that pushed me over the edge into ordering. This month the site crashed on the first day of opening and they weren't able to get it back up and running until later that week. This is a quickly growing company, but so far their customer service has been spectacular. They will try to follow any request you make, and they are very responsive to inquiries on their social media platforms.

This month I opted for the $149 tote. 

My Pick #1

Chic Chevron Sweater

My first pick, and the shirt I was most excited about! This sweater is a cotton weave, so it's light, and it is longer in the back than the front. It is soooooo comfortable! When I first tried it on, I was worried that it was a bit too big, but it shrunk just enough in the wash for the fit to be perfect!

My Pick #2

Fun & Flirty V-Neck in Mint

This item was less successful. Since I had chosen one casual item, I wanted to try for one I could wear to work. The fit on this shirt was just not flattering on me, and the colors washed me out. The back neckline is a bit ruched, so the shoulders didn't quite look right. I ended up trading it for the item below which was a surprise item in a few peoples totes.

Trade Item

Flowing Floral Tank

I love this tank! It will work great for work with a blazer thrown on, or casually with some jeans. So cute!

Surprise Item #1

In Clover - Floral Blouse

A few people posted having received this shirt before mine came in, and I had really hoped that I wouldn't receive it... So of course I did! The fabric looks so old and curtain-like. The cut of the shirt was really flattering when I tried it on though, so when decided that the Fun & Flirty shirt was not going to be a good look for me, I reached for this when getting ready for work the next morning. I ended up loving it, but it was a bit inevitable since I have several items in my closet that look like they may have been upholstery patterns in a past life. Really happy with this surprise pick!

Surprise Item #2

Puella - Ruffle Leggings

Another total win! I wear leggings any time I think I can get away with it, and I love the ruffle on these! They work wonderfully with the Chevron Sweater since it is loose around the waistline, but I have worn it with other shirts as well and it has worked beautifully every time. Since I am only 5', they were a bit long, but with leggings that doesn't really matter. I wouldn't want to get any other pants from Golden Tote though since I am so petite and I added that to my profile after receiving these. 

Surprise Item #3

Under Skies - Grey Embroidered Blouse

This is hands-down my favorite item in the tote! The embroidery is in dark blues, and the fabric is incredibly comfortable! I've worn this with the leggings above as well as jeans and it looked great both times! The pick ups on the sleeves can even be rolled down to make it a long-sleeve shirt for winter! LOVE!

Surprise Item #4

Priddy by Puella - Swing Dress

This dress is all about the drape! Golden Tote had said this dress would be included in all the $149 totes, and I really ended up liking it. Those elbow patches to just too cute. I think I am small enough that I don't need to wear a belt with this dress, but I can see how anyone larger would need one in order to avoid the "tent" look. That being said, I haven't worn this out yet because even though I like how it drapes in the front, the back is just flat and monotonous, so I think I need to pair it with a belt just for that reason. 

Final Thoughts:

I was not expecting to love my first Golden Tote so much! The only item I traded just didn't work for me, but I had picked it out. Usually when I see other posts there are several things that I just know I would hate. But maybe I just need to expand my horizons since I didn't like the Floral Blouse before I tried it on. Looking forward to continuing to experiment with my style through Golden Tote, but I don't expect to like another tote as much as I did this one! 

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