If you aren’t familiar with Golden Tote, here’s a really quick intro: Every month, a new "collection" of seasonally appropriate, trend-conscious clothing is added to their collection. Depending on the subscription level you choose, you can pick out 1-2 pieces from those options, and Golden Tote will surprise you with the rest. The surprise items are completely different from the collections you pick from. Golden Tote also offers a Surprise Tote, where you choose your preferred size but leave all the picking up to the stylists at Golden Tote.
Golden Tote also offers the option to choose add-ons, which means you can shop additional clothing from the displayed monthly collection for a reduced price!
This is a review of the $149.00 Golden Tote (the largest option), which includes 5 clothing items total plus free shipping. (Free shipping is good for any order over $149.00.)
And for those of you asking, yes, everything does arrive in a literal tote! The November tote features a leaf pattern. (So far, it seems like each month features a new, different tote design!)
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Golden Tote Clothing Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: Golden Tote
The Cost: $149.00 for the Golden Tote (5 clothing items), or $59.00 for the Mini Tote (2 clothing items). Both allow you to pick at least one of your items. The Surprise Tote (3 clothing items all picked by Golden Tote) is $89.00.
The Products: The full-sized Golden Tote (being reviewed here) contains five clothing items, up to two of which you get to pick from a featured monthly collection of styles (including tops, bottoms, dresses, and some outerwear). The rest, Golden Tote chooses for you from a separate assortment of seasonal, on-trend looks.
Ships to: The US for $5.95 or free on orders $149 and over. International for $30.00.
Delivered via: UPS or USPS
Golden Tote Clothing Subscription December 2017 Review
I've had some pretty great experiences with Golden Tote's offerings so far. Let's see what's in store this month:
This little thank you card came with the box.
Here's my invoice for this order. The top two items were the ones I picked for myself, and the bottom three "Secret Items" are things the Golden Tote stylists picked for me.
Cool Cable Knit Sweater in Lavender, Size Medium/Large - Retail Value $45.00
I picked this sweater 1) because I'm always cold and 2) because I love the lavender and lilac colors that are trending right now. The sweater is a cotton and acrylic blend that's lovely, soft, and really breathable (though I suppose that could be thanks to the looser style of knitting). If I'm being picky, I guess it's not the most flattering sweater—it's a little oversized and has a boxy cut to it, which looks even boxier when hanging off my broad shoulders. (I'm a medium and around a size 6 on top, but depending on the top, I sometimes have to size up to an 8 or even a 10 to accommodate for my wide shoulders.) But the comfy vibe of this sweater, plus the ease of it (it's so simple to just toss on over a t-shirt, a button-down, or just by itself) makes it worth it. And that color is great, isn't it?
Raw Hem Skinnies, Size 30 - Retail Value $54.00
I've been digging the jeans I've gotten from Golden Tote. This month, I decided to pick a pair with a button-up design—they felt kind of retro and different going into the new year, plus I love me a medium wash. I'm a size 10 on the bottom, and I appreciate a good deal of stretch. (Who wants to feel stuffed into their jeans?) Like the other jeans I've gotten from Golden Tote, these have a fair bit of stretch to them that make them comfortable, but I was impressed by how soft and sturdy they are. (They're a cotton/poly/elastane blend.) The raw hems, eh, I could take or leave, but I've cuffed them a few times, and they look pretty cute. For the most part, though, these are a great pair of jeans that fit my curvy body well!
Lumiere Open Back Dress, Size Medium - Listed Value $40.00
This dress is something I probably wouldn't have picked for myself, had I seen it in a store, but trying it on? Wow! It's so darn cute, comfortable, and super flattering to my li'l hourglass figure! I love the fluttery chiffon-like sleeves, the stretch lining, and the short collar. It feels really classy, but the silhouette is different than anything I have in my current closet. And the rich orange- and blue-toned patterns made this dress the perfect pick for holiday-season get-togethers. (It's officially my go-to "dinner with the parents" dress, haha!)
Lola Ruffle-Front Sweater, Size Medium/Large - Listed Value $40.00
I love so many things about this sweater, but I dislike one key detail... the ruffles! I'm so into the ruffle trend, but something about this ruffle pattern feels heavy and a little out of place on my torso. If anything, I wish they were black all the way through, rather than trimmed in white. But here's the thing—this sweater is so comfy! It's more fitted than the sweaters I own, but not in a way that feels stifling or like it's going to hike up over my hips unintentionally. It's really soft, too! It's a viscose/nylon/poly blend—I think that viscose really makes it extra smooth and cuddly.
Gee Gee Floral Sweater, Size Medium - Listed Value $40.00
I'm not sure how I feel about this sweater. I've seen this trend of having a cutout neckline so that the crew neck becomes kind of a choker unto itself. But I feel like the crew neck on this one is almost kind of loose... or maybe the V-neck is too broad... either way, it feels a little less structured than I'd like. The navy sweater itself is cute, though! It's acrylic and feels like wrapping myself in a soft, knit blanket. The flowers are a little bit cutesy, but I know that 90s-ish sweater trend is back, so maybe I'll give it some time before I dismiss it!
The Verdict: This month, I think I was most happy with the items I picked myself. That's a bonus of Golden Tote, is that you have some input into what you receive, so the risk factor isn't as big as with boxes that are a complete surprise. That said, my surprise items weren't totally my taste. The dress was awesome, in spite of that, but the two other tops (despite being sweaters, which I love), were a little too... is trendy the right word? I'm happy with the quality of everything I got, though. Specifically, the feeling of everything was really nice—no stiff, scratchy sweaters here!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Some of the items from the November collection are still available to shop, but what other items you'll get in your tote is totally a surprise! Follow this link to see the current featured collections!
Value Breakdown: This box cost $149.00 + free shipping, and I calculated that I got $219.00 of clothing! That means that proportionally, the amount I paid for each item is:
- Lavender sweater - $30.62
- Skinny jeans - $36.74
- Flutter sleeve dress - $27.21
- Ruffle sweater - $27.21
- Floral sweater - $27.21
Check out all of our Golden Tote reviews and the Women’s Clothing Subscription Box Directory!
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