I am not good at shopping. I get overwhelmed. Too much to stimulation. Too many choices. I also have no fashion sense, so my closet is full of the same things. I have been using another clothing subscription service and liked it, but it has the potential to be pricey.
I heard about GoldenTote and thought I would give it a try. It's not quite as personalized as other services, but you do have the opportunity for a limited style profile. Size, colors you will never wear, items you never wear, certain preferences. There are also 2 options for a tote. The $49 tote allows you to select one item and they will send 1-2 additional items. The $149 tote allows you to select 2 items and they send 2-4 additional items. Shipping is additional. The additional items might be clothes or accessories and aren't usually items that you can choose from. You can return the tote if you don't like it, but it's all or nothing. Return everything or keep everything. Another different feature is that you aren't automatically charged each month. You have to go in and select your items to be charged, so it's easy to skip a month, or select different totes if you want less or more from one month to another. The items to choose from come out early each month and I hear that some sizes sell out, so it's worth keeping an eye on the site if you know you want something.
This is from their site: Golden Tote is the ultimate 'Surprise Grab Bag' filled with clothing and accessories for women. Working with carefully selected fashion brands and designing our own fashion favorites, we curate an eclectic assortment of treasures and package them all up in a custom tote bag for one amazing price. Think of us as your personal shoppers, stylists, and designers that are scoring you some major fashion finds for an incredible price.
Each month, there is also a boutique where you can purchase past items ... either "choosable" items that weren't chosen, or surprise items that weren't shipped. On Cyber Monday, they were running a special for an "extra" item in every tote. I took the plunge.
I forgot to mention, each "tote" comes in a "tote" that is reusable. I didn't take a picture, but it will go nicely with my reusable grocery bag collection.
My first "chosen" item was this peacoat. I ordered a size up because if I want layers in winter, I want a coat that can accomodate the layers. I love this coat. I've worn it and received compliments. I'm trying to get out of my basic black color scheme, so a burgundy coat with faux leather trimming was perfect. It's lightweight for a coat, but perfect for layering. Very happy with my choice.
My second "chosen" item was the holiday sweater. I am not really a horizontal stripe girl, but I liked the shimmer. It won't be just a holiday item for me. The fabric itself is not very soft and cozy, but it's not terrible. It is semi-sheer and has an attached black camisole layered underneath. It's attached and I haven't seen a way to separate it, so with the two layers it can be a little tricky putting it on and off. The camisole adds some length, which is nice as the sweater itself is not long. I like the 3/4 sleeve length.
Now for my surprise items:
My very favorite item in the entire tote was this very cozy wrap cardigan. I love the different patterns. I love the way it wraps around. I have gotten compliments on it every time I have worn it, and I am wearing it a lot.
Next was a dress that I find a little short for my preference. However, it seems that dresses are all thigh-length (i.e. mini) these days. It does fit nicely and I love the geometric design with it. I'm wearing it as a tunic with black leggings. It's really comfortable. Last night I was told I looked very "go-go" in it ... maybe it was the boots I also wore. I don't mind a funky 70's look.
And, I love the long-sleeve shirt. It's soft. It fits me well. I love the faux elbow pads. I've been getting a lot of wear out of this also.
I don't know which item was my "extra" for Cyber Monday, but I don't care. The last item in my tote looks like a somewhat loose/baggy basic black sweater from the front, with a surprise in the back. I normally won't wear polka-dots, but I really love the flirty nature of this sweater. The polka-dot panel is sheer, so layering in cold weather is necessary. I just love the way it acts as a surprise when you are leaving.
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