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! This one put a rock 'n' roll twist on the usual Halloween motifs I see in October subscriptions. Love it!
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.)
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
Check out all of our Golden Tote reviews and the Women’s Clothing Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
My tote came with a thank you note, as well as return instructions, in case something doesn't fit or otherwise work out.
They also sent along an invoice to remind me what I picked myself and what "Secret Items" Golden Tote picked for me!
Classic Skinnies, Size 11 - Retail Value $45.00
I live in skinny jeans, but I am mortified of buying jeans online. My lower body is on the rounder side in quite a few areas, so it's usually quite a process finding a workable pair at the mall. That trouble has given me a good bit of skepticism when shopping for jeans online, let alone via a subscription service that's confident they'll nail my size and needs.
But at the same time, jeans have become a litmus test for me when deciding whether a subscription box "gets it" or not. If they can nail jeans, then the rest will be gravy, right? That's my thinking at least.
The first step in placing your Golden Tote order is picking two pieces you definitely want from their featured collection. I signed up towards the end of the month, so a few of the things I might've picked were already sold out in my size. These jeans, however, were on the menu, and given my aforementioned litmus test line of thinking, I figured I'd go for them. What made me a lot more confident about the decision was the fact that, like every Golden Tote item in the featured collection, these jeans came with some info about who they'd work best for, in addition to fabric content, etc. It's no secret that high-waisted jeans are pretty universally flattering, but having this extra vote of confidence from the Golden Tote team definitely convinced me to seal the deal on this pair.
And wow, am I glad I did! These darker-wash jeans are the perfect blend of stretchy and sturdy, plus, they fit my curvy bod in all the right places. The rise hit my waist right where I wanted, the hips had just the right amount of give without feeling loose or low-quality and the legs were tight enough to hold their shape, but not make the process of pulling these pants on feel like an Olympic event.
In short, they passed the litmus test. And that made me very excited to see what else was in store!
Triple Threat Top, Size Large - Retail Value $45.00
The second top I picked was this striped bell-sleeve look. I've been eager to try a bell-sleeved top (So hot right now!), but I've yet to take the plunge. A lot of the bell-sleeved tops I see at the mall or other stores lack the structure I need in something like this—they end up being kind of flopsy all around. This top looked like it was a bit stiffer, and I liked that it was apparently 100% cotton.
The only downside was that my usual size (a medium) wasn't available since it was late in the month when I ordered. But I can usually do just fine in a large (sometimes larges even suit my broad shoulders better), so I went for that. The reason I bring this up is that after my order was placed, someone from Golden Tote kindly reached out to me just to make sure that I had meant to pick large/whether there were any sizing concerns they should keep in mind while picking other tops for me—the size I set for tops in my Golden Tote profile is a medium, so the difference must've stuck out to them. How thoughtful is that?!
The fabric is a little stiff, but the more I wore it, the more comfortable it felt. Because it's cotton, the thick fabric is still breathable, rather than stuffy. I love stripes like this, and because 90% of my wardrobe is black, white, or jeans, this top fits right in. I dig the placement of the bell-sleeves, too! It's cute and to be honest, a little kooky, which is right up my alley!
Collective Concepts Gold Sequin Dress, Size Large - Retail Value $40.00
Okay, on to the items that Golden Tote picked for me. This dress isn't the most flattering (I wish the waist was just a smidge higher), but it's super cute and comfortable as all get out. I like that I could just throw this on, maybe over some leggings or tights on a colder day, top it with a cute jacket, and be good to go. It's made of comfy, stretch-knit material that feels a lot like a light sweatshirt, too, so it's good for days when I want to wear something unique but totally low-effort.
The little details on this dress are great, too. The gold back zipper gives an extra little pop. And the pockets? Ugh. Who doesn't love a dress with pockets?!
They call this a "Gold Sequin Dress", but the sequin part is a bit of a misnomer. Rather than actual sequins, this dress is printed with tons of gold metallic circles. They have the same effect as sequins, but without the fussy, crunchiness of them.
Grifflin Paris Floral Top, Size Medium - Retail Value $40.00
Ooooo, I really like this top! I'm going to get really into bell-sleeves thanks to this subscription. This top has more of a chiffon-like weight to it—it's flowy and breezy. I'm wild about this elegant pattern. It's a great mix of high-contrast tones and organic, effortless shapes.
This is a boxier top, I will say. The hem is shorter, meaning it hits me just below my natural waist. I think it's perfect for high-waisted bottoms like these jeans. I could also tuck it into something super-high-waisted, like a pencil skirt.
As far as details go, this top has a keyhole neckline in the back, and of course, more bell sleeves! They're situated in the same position as the sleeves on the last top, which I think looks really cute. (I love a three-quarter sleeve in normal tops, so this is a fun spin on that look.) I feel awfully pretty with these bells billowing around my elbows!
Lulumari Waterfall Jacket, Size Large - Retail Value $40.00
The last look is this deep green jacket. Well, it's called a jacket, but it wears a lot like a blousy shirt. It's made from that same sort of chiffon-like fabric that the last top was made out of, which gives it a dreamy, airy quality. I love the evergreen color and the tabbed sleeves. (Again, I love a three-quarter sleeve!) The neckline isn't my favorite, though. I don't think it goes with the top I'm wearing it with, by the way—I just popped it on top of that look for convenience's sake. But it does make a nice finishing touch for simpler outfits. I actually ended up wearing it with a plain black t-shirt dress and a gold and black choker over the weekend for a cool, 90s-ish look. It's a little outside of the ordinary for me, but I'm excited to play around with it in my wardrobe!
The Verdict: This was my first go 'round with Golden Tote, and I've already sung its praises to just about all of my friends. I really liked the balance they strike between letting you choose pieces for yourself and doing some curating for you. It kind of helps lower the "Oh gosh, I hope I like what I get..." dread without totally doing away with a fun element of surprise. The quality of my pieces (both what they picked for me and what I picked for myself) was lovely, and I am so stoked about how great these jeans are! There's a good bit of versatility here, as well as trendy details (the bell sleeves, the 90s-ish shirt-like jacket) I may not have otherwise taken a chance on. I can't wait for my next tote!!!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Some of the items from the October 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 included $210.00 worth of clothing inside, based on Golden Tote's prices. That means that proportionally, I spent approximately the following on each item:
- Dark-wash jeans - $31.93
- Striped top - $31.93
- Gold dress - $28.38
- Crane-print top - $28.38
- Jacket - $28.38
What do you think about Golden Tote?
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