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 second GoldenTote (I choose the $149 option again) and after how happy I was with the first one, I should have known a disappointment was coming with the next. The only things I ended up liking this month were my two picks and the spoiled extra. All of the other surprise items are going up for trade!
A note on their CS: They contacted me about a week after I placed my order to tell me that the Button-Down I had picked originally was no longer in stock. They refunded my shipping fees and asked if I wanted to switch out that item for another one in the shop. It just so happened that I had been regretting choosing that shirt over the Jean Jacket, so I instantly took this as a sign that I was meant to order that jacket all along! Again, they have great CS!
Pick #1 - Elephant Dress by Porridge
Porridge was the featured designer this month, and when the GoldenTote started posting spoilers on Instagram I fell in love with this dress! Being a fan of the University of Alabama, I know this dress will come in handy for many, many sporting events in the future! Although I'll need to add a crimson belt instead of yellow!
Pick #2 - Jean Jacket by Thread Supply
This was my secondary pick, and I am SO glad I chose it! I've worn this jacket every chance I've gotten since it arrived because it is so comfortable! The hood is removable, so it can be made a little less casual. There is a bit of mild distressing to the white jean material which is barely noticeable, but still a nice detail. Overall I just love this jacket!
Spoiled Item: Duck Tee by Porridge
This item was added as one of the surprise items to the bags of the first 1000 orders (unless you sent them a message specifically requesting not to receive it). I had seen other variation of this shirt and requested to not receive it if I couldn't get the duck version. It's so adorable! I love wearing this out because it always surprises people when they see the back. The gray material is very drapey and loose. I would say I could have used a slightly smaller size due to that, but a run through the dryer should fix that up nicely.
Surprise Item #1 - Under Skies Sleeveless Blouse
Here come the bummer items! Once upon a time I wore sleeveless shirts all the time (especially during these hot southern summers), but the older I have gotten, the more I have avoided sleeveless items in my wardrobe. It just isn't my style anymore. This shirt is nice, but I don't like the print very much and when added to the cut I decided to try to trade it away for something I might like more.
Surprise Item #2 - Open Weave Sweater
There aren't many more fabrics I detest more than open weaves. I seriously can't stand them, so this was an instant "Oh, hell no!". In the spirit of trying everything, I put it on... And immediately remembered all the reasons why I hate this material. Major fail. I put it up for trade and almost immediately got an offer on it, which made me very happy indeed!
Surprise Item #3 - Gray Stripped Dress by Priddy
I saw this in other peoples totes and wanted it so badly! When I tried it on however I realized it wasn't going to work for me. I really don't like clothing with those elastic waists in the middle of my torso, so this was a no-go. So sad too, because it is so cute and soft and would have been absolutely perfect for summer. But alas, I am tossing it into the trade pile as well.
Final Thoughts
This tote was a pretty big fail for me as far as the surprise items, but I'm sure I'll be able to trade those for something else I am interested in. The big wins were the two items I picked and the spoiled item! After this tote, I feel like I might take a break from GoldenTote for a bit, or at least a month. These totes are expensive to not get items that you really like! Then adding in the postage for trading makes them even more so. Still a great value, but I think a break is in order!
