Golden Tote Review June 2015

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to find Golden Tote on my doorstep, just 1 week after ordering!

This is my 5th order, and it just gets better every time! Isn't this month's palm tree design beautimous? Perfect for the beach this summer!

If this is your first time hearing about Golden Tote, I'm glad you stumbled upon this review! Golden Tote is a unique online shopping experience offering both boutique women's clothing and accessories, as well as personally styled totes full of clothes. If you ask me what sets Golden Tote apart from the rest, it's the incredible value, fresh new styles every month, and a one of a kind facebook trading group.

If you like options, Golden Tote's got em!

1. $49 Small Tote: Choose 1 item, receive 1 surprise item
2. $149 Large Tote: Choose 2 items, receive 4 surprises
3. $99 Surprise Tote: Receive 4 surprises
4. Boutique Orders: Shop online, no surprises
You can also add items from the boutique to tote orders at discounted prices!
5. Mystery Totes: Annual sale, amazing price!

This month I went with the large tote; at just $25 an item, why not!

Shipping is free for orders over $149, and I love picking out a few things and being surprised with the rest. I can't wait to see what you think!

First up, my sisters pick. Size twins = tote sharing :)

We are not really twins, this is me. I am holding her clothes hostage! 

She has great taste, I loved this one, too. It's a great cut and color for summer.

Golden Tote calls it the Fun & Fresh Tank, brand Oat & Fawn.

Can you spot #3 in this picture?

This came in 2 other colors, including a really cute elephant print on black

and a multicolored geometric floral pattern which I almost snagged.

You'll see, once you decide to give it a try.

It's nearly impossible to pick just 2!

I haven't quite graduated to buying 2 totes at once, but I'm all for add-ons, like I did this pretty pleated blouse by Naked Zebra. You may recognize it from my Dailylook Elite Review.

I loved it, but for $50 I just couldn't keep it, and Dailylook Elite and I broke up. So, I added it to my Golden Tote for just $30, score!

It's perfect for Maxi skirts!

I think next month I'll pick up another, it comes in a gazillion colors.

Next, my chosen item, the Nautical by Nature Dress in navy and white by Esley.

This was sort of an impulse buy when the Puella swing I wanted was sold out. Somehow I pictured it differently in my head.

  

Obviously, this dress didn't work out for me, which is okay. I really wanted to try something out of my comfort zone, and in all fairness, Golden Tote did describe it as bodycon fit. It's a really cute dress, just not on me! I had no trouble selling it in the trading group.

Next up, my surprises! This time around, I tried to be a little more open minded with my style profile. I chose casual, classic and feminine as my favorites, and asked for long, loose fitting tops, casual weekend wear or clothes for wearing to the park with kids.

When I saw this Peach Love top, I immediately thought of my sister!

She recently adopted an adorable little critter named Dojo. He's not a dachshund, but we actually grew up with one. When I sent her a picture of this, we both had a good chuckle!

Unfortunately, it's just not her style, or mine. I posted this for sale and immediately someone responded with a picture of themselves with their dachshund! Our GT trading group is full of creature lovers, and they carry quite a few critter prints for that reason!

Since I already have a big smile on my face from thinking about my old dog, that poor poor blind, deaf old dog, I thought I'd share this next surprise. This also took me back!

This lime green top is from Pink Note and has really interesting mesh detail at the shoulders.

It's super soft and definitely my casual, throw it on with some jeans style.

I guess my sister and I can duke it out over this one.

We just have to figure out what to wear under it.

I think it would be cute over a bathing suit at the beach.

Here's another beachy surprise, definitely a California girl feel about it.

Don't be jealous. Yes, they sent me the Priddy by Puella Swing Tank.

I'm also wearing the Rose Gold Arrow Glasses I added to my tote from the boutique for just $9!

 People will not stop messaging me about this tank!

Unfortunately, it's just too big on me, and "oat" is just too close to my skin tone.

If only the colors on the back were the main event, and not the party in the back!

Here's the last surprise, which I'm still on the fence about. It's from Skies are Blue, one of my favorite brands. I have several of their items from Stitch Fix, another great styling service. But I'm unsure on the fit. I'll let my sister try it on, too. Because, well, if it looks good on her then I have to keep it for myself! Just kidding, she deserves it.

I styled it with a belt, it has a simple elastic waist. I love the colors and the pattern! Reminds me of a few Gilli maxis I've seen for twice the price.

 If you like what you see and want to request it, I will pin these all later. Follow me here: https://www.pinterest.com/moderntypo/

All in all, I think Golden Tote is doing a really good job of picking out clothes for me and I really look forward to every box! If you want to give it a try, I'd love it if you used my referral! As you can see, $10 goes a long way with Golden Tote!

Here it is:

http://www.goldentote.com/index.php?route=common/referral&referral=176e8084e079478b

Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get updates and spoilers:

https://www.facebook.com/moderntypographyblog

The July chosen items will go live July 6th at 9am PST!

Be sure and register ahead of time and get started on your style profile!

Have a golden day!

Golden Tote Review and Giveaway May 2015

I think you'll find this May Golden Tote review is perfect timing

if you are considering a late May or June Golden Tote (going live June 8th!).

The Golden Tote Trading Group Facebook page is flooded with positive reviews,

because, who doesn't like a Puella swing dress at bargain prices?!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you've got to try Golden Tote!

Golden Tote is a wonderful little California based boutique with a few special features.

Every month they release a new tote full of women's clothing and accessories!

They have 2 tote options:

1. A large tote - Choose 2 items you love, they pick out 4 surprises for you for $149
2. A small tote - Choose 1 item and they send 1 surprise for $49

This time I went with the large tote. This option comes with free shipping, which for me turned out to be 1-day priority USPS! Because of this and the overall number of items in the tote, this is the most economical for me. I've also grown increasingly confident that I will be able to resell anything Golden Tote sends my way due to overwhelming demand in the GT Facebook trading group.

Let's start with my first chosen, my precious. The Puella Mixed Media Swing Dress in navy.

I'm going to call this the "party on the side" dress, hehe.

You know, I keep insisting I don't like boho, but then I go and buy things like this.

I guess my love hate relationship with gypsy clothes

plays perfectly into my favorite song of all time, Bohemian rhapsody.

By the way, when I started all this subscription box business, I really didn't know what to ask for.

When I googled "best dress for a pear shape" I think swing was a recommended style.

Now I just need a cute shoe with a heel to make my legs look thinner and longer,

like the ones on the style cards Golden Tote sent.

Here's a close up of the side panels. Can you tell the stripes are actually navy? This also came in a black and another shade of blue. I picked this one for the pattern, and because I'm a little obsessed with navy. Besides, I already have my black and white dress from Popbasic.

I'm wearing this dress right now! I couldn't very well show up as the mystery reader

in my son's Kindergarten class wearing jeans and a tshirt.

First time wearing it and I've already gotten compliments!

I look forward to seeing what Puella comes up with next.

My second chosen was the Colorful Plaid Buttondown in blue.

This is maybe the first time ever I've thought a buttondown shirt was flattering.

But holy wrinkles, Batman! I don't know if I can get over that!

I am loving the color combination though, blue with white jeans (from Loft).

I purposefully chose the blue over the white and mint because I thought it would look cute with my new white jeans. It also has the optional full length or 3/4 length sleeve. Don't you just love the thin bright stripes throughout it? Talk me into this folks! I was sure I NEEDED it :)

On to the surprises. 

For my style profile I chose casual, classic & feminine.

The other options were bohemian (ha!), edgy and trendy. To each her own.

I'm going to work up to my favorite surprise.

First up is this Tea & Rose Elastic Waist Maxi in pink.

The only real reason I don't like this dress is that it doesn't fit!

So...here's my size double zero daughter in this "medium" dress.

Isn't she beautiful? Can you tell she's really not into this?

She's usually on the other side of the camera, doing a pretty good job, don't you think?

Love the detail on the back of the maxi.

On the last page of the style profile Golden Tote gives you a little section for special requests.

I had asked for conservative maxi's and this fit the bill.

Kind of wish I had left pink in the "don't send me" list because this also came in blue.

But seriously, I have too much blue!

Reminds me of the Gilli I got in my April Stitch Fix.

Next up is this Chris & Carol Polka Dot Tee in black.

I didn't know what to think when I saw it in the tote.

Have you ever had something made from a material that looks like

it's already been washed a million times?

I got a shirt like that on Amazon by Lucky and I never reach for it.

I'm wondering if this will just hang in my closet.

I also wonder if it looks maternity. I've had 4 kids and I'm over that dreaded question. 

But it's so soft and buttery. I've seen people on the trading group talk this way about something and then say they are keeping it as pajamas. I never really understood that until now. I think I just need more input on how to style it. Help! I have honestly never owned anything like it.

My 3rd surprise was this Le Sample Top with Floral Embroidery in grey and coral.

What is up with my face?! I couldn't resist sharing it. Anyway, I'm not surprised they sent grey,

my Golden Tote profile picture shows me in a grey dress. But it feels too pale for me.

Can I pull it off or do I look like a corpse?

I really do love the embroidery, it's so very lovely. 

I think I've just got to find the right camisole for it and learn to really own those jeans.

It's a big boxy, but I did say that I like loose shirts on my style profile.

I am trying to avoid tight, unforgiving materials and styles.

What do you think, should I keep it? It's light as a feather and easy as pie to throw on.

My last surprise is my absolute favorite!

If you are signed up to receive Golden Tote emails you may have seen this in yesterday's

"How we wear our surprise items" spoiler.

It's by Lumiere (a favorite), the Striped Midi Dress in navy!

(Don't you love this month's tote? That never gets old, love these!)

So, this dress is like a tent on me but I don't care!

I'm either going to attempt to alter it myself with my feeble sewing skills or ask my friend to help.

Because, I like it, and my daughter even says it pretty!

We agree it's probably more flattering with a belt, but I kinda like it unbelted.

I have no idea what I'm going to do about the strap situation but I'll figure it out somehow.

Chances are I'll be wearing a cardigan anyway.

Here's a pic of the spoilers, in case you missed it.

So, if you've ever bought a Puella dress at Anthropologie or even from the Golden Tote Boutique, you know those puppies alone cost a small fortune. Basically, for the price of 2 Puella's you get a total of 6 lovely items for $149 out the door! That's $25 a peice, folks, and I really like them apples.

I'll let you in on another little secret. You can add as many items to your tote as you want, for a fraction of the retail price. You can add a Puella swing to any tote purchase this month for just $40!

If you do decide to give it a try and sign up with my link, I earn a little credit

and you get some fabulous clothes!

And then YOU can refer your friends and earn credit, too!

Here's my referral link:

http://www.goldentote.com/index.php?route=common/referral&referral=176e8084e079478b

Be sure to come back and click it again on tote day, June 8th.

Better yet, follow me on facebook for reminders about the start of the sale!

I'll put up the June tote spoilers as soon as I get them!

Oh, silly me, I almost forgot.

This is a giveaway, too!

Golden Tote sent me a Jules Smith rose gold bangle

& I want to pass it on to one lovely reader!

Entry is easy, just leave me a quick comment at the bottom of this post,
along with your email or way to reach you if you win!

Please, I'm surrounded by munchkins over here folks. Entertain me :)

I will pick one lovely winner at 11:59pm on tote day, June 8th!

Can't wait to meet you and hear what you think about Golden Tote!

Best of luck, and stay golden!

Golden Tote Review #2 March 2015

So if you read my first Golden Tote review or my post about where to buy Golden Tote surprise items, you're probably wondering why on earth I ordered another Golden Tote.

#1 I'm an addict

#2 My Facebook group enabled me

In retrospect, I made a bad choice the first time around. I bought a mystery tote. I should have known with my personality that 4 total surprises weren't going to work for me.

Second, I wouldn't have ordered small. But there was no way to know that at the time! And who knows, maybe all mediums would have been too big.

So, I joined the facebook group Golden Tote recommended for trading unwanted items, Golden Tote Trading Group. You can find it here.

From there I found several other spin offs where I was able to commiserate with others. But it also turned out that while these other groups were full of complainers, they are also addicts. So there were dozens of reveals, "I caved in," or "They got me again."

Seeing the clothes on real people really sold me. There were several items that everyone looked good in and raved about. So I fell in love with this Touch of Spring Top from Potters Pot.

I never would have picked this out for myself in a million years if I'd just seen it on a "mannequin" online. But people talked about how soft and comfortable it is, and how they love the colors.

So when I heard Golden Tote was offering free shipping this week due to the delay of the March line, I jumped online to buy the things I'd be considering. I was reluctant, but I figured since you can return it and shipping was free, there was really no risk.

I'm so glad I did. I could have just bought the top and been done with it but it was $35 for the top, or I could buy the $49 tote and get the top of my choice and a surprise item. For $14 I decided to take a gamble.

So it turns out you don't have to return the whole tote anymore. You can keep the chosen item for the boutique price and return the surprise item, or you can keep the surprise item for $35 and return the chosen item. I did neither, since I loved both! But I like options.

Here's the March 2014 surprise item I received. I had made a note at checkout that my favorite colors were blue, black and gray, I wanted a top or tunic, in a small or medium, size up if unsure.

I think they hit the nail on the head. This lovely blue blouse is Jella Couture.

      

The other item I had been eye-balling was the black Puella pocket dress. Originally it was too expensive for my taste, but they dropped the prices of all of the chosen items in the boutique so it's $35 now. There were mixed reviews, but I found out it runs big and some customers received dresses with holes. I sized down and crossed my fingers.

When it arrived I thoroughly inspected it and threw it on. I was instantly in love!

The funniest thing about the 2 items I choose was that they were both made out of a similar material to my Loveappella Evie drawstring funnel neck sweatshirt from Stitch Fix, which I finally decided to give a try and don't want to take off. I'm no fashionista, I had no idea what this material is, but the Stitch Fix blog calls it space dyed slub knit.

So for $90 I received 3 great pieces! And none of them are navy, which is probably a good thing!

Unfortunately the free shipping ends tonight, and the whole website is down tomorrow and Sunday, but Monday morning Golden Tote is promising a pretty new website and a whole new wardrobe. I say give it a try. And if you don't like it, you can sell it to me on the trading group!

If you decide to try it, I'd be delighted if you used my referral:
http://www.goldentote.com/index.php?route=common/referral&referral=176e8084e079478b

Golden Tote Mystery Tote January 2015 Review

Is it wrong that I have no desire to write a Loot crate review? I'll get around to it, but it'll be totally boring :)

Instead, let's talk about clothes for women. Any complaints? So, I couldn't just stop at Stitch Fix, although I probably should have since it was pretty perfect. I had to go and get myself a Golden Tote mystery tote.

So the draw of the Golden Tote is that it's so much more affordable than it's competitors.
Their regular totes sell for $49 for 2-3 items or $149 for 5-7 items. The mystery tote is $60 for 4 items and is only available on certain occasions. These prices do not include shipping. So, they sucked me in with an email announcing the mystery tote's arrival.

Did I mention I just had a baby? He's 7 weeks old and I'm not quite back to my regular size. But did this occur to me when I ordered the mystery tote? Not so much, because I'd ordered my regular size from Stitch Fix and that all fit.

But what I failed to consider was that my Stitch Fix was curated based on my profile, and the Golden Tote mystery tote was a "one-size-fits-all" sort of thing. Duh!

This was my first experience with Golden Tote and here's what I got.

I wasn't very happy.

Now I realize, I take pretty good pictures, but these items all have major flaws and like it or not I'm going to tell you all of them.

Let's start with the Le Lis. 

You know how your hands get all scratchy when you've done a ton of cleaning? Well my hands are a mess with the dry cold weather in combination with constant washing of baby stuff. I could hardly pick this blouse up, it felt so horrible on my cracked hands. I put the thing on, knowing the outcome. Horizontal stripes, are you kidding me?!? How was this curated with a broad audience in mind. How many people do you know that can wear stripes?

Additionally, this top is sheer, requiring you find something to wear under it. Good luck with that given the length, which hits around the navel. Bleh.

Then there was the first Puella.

So, this blouse literally smashed my already small chest and felt like chainmail armor on my skinny arms. God bless the woman that looks good in this frock. I had to look up what frock meant just now, and yes, this qualifies. The color does nothing to help it out.

Oddly, this was the first thing I sold. I couldn't believe it! I listed it on a Facebook Golden Tote group and it was snatched up immediately.

Then there was this Puella.

If you can get past the old fashioned pattern and get this dress on, after trying to find undergarments that don't peak out, just try and get used to that collar! I would've given this the time of day if not for the bare shoulders, I just can't do it. And this dress is so shapeless, pear-unflattering.

Last, the Color Thread

I really wanted this to work, I knew immediately the others weren't for me. I could live with this, it's mostly black and kind of cute. But they killed that possibility when they sewed that bottom panel in. It has absolutely zero give, it wouldn't fit over my hips! Another Golden Tote shopper told me she had to cut slits in it to wear it. That made me feel a little better, but not really.

So, I'm stuck with this stuff and I'll try and resell it. Bummer. Back to Stitch Fix. Another Golden Toter asked if I'd try Golden Tote again, minus the mystery. Not a chance. This mystery tote made me realize that Puella isn't my style, and apparently those show up in every tote.

Sigh. My husband really wishes this would have worked out so I wouldn't have been so grumpy this weekend. Maybe he'll feel so sorry for me that he will order me a Stitch Fix for my upcoming birthday?? (hint, hint)

In case you are crazy and want to try Golden Tote, use this link so I can get credit:
https://www.goldentote.com/points/invitation/new/from/NDgzMzQ,/

I may just be crazy enough to try it again. Okay, no. But you can actually shop the site, too. That I would try.

Better yet, get your Stitch Fix on:
http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-7776374-12109076-1427263643000