Just For You, Goldies...Golden Tote Review August 2015

Well, as I was navigating around the world of subscription clothing services, I discovered one that promised to be fabulous.  Golden Tote (GT) is personal shopping service that  gives you the choice of a small ($49), large($149)  or surprise tote ($99) based on your personal preferences.   They introduce a new selection on the first Monday of every month and you need to hustle to hit it at exactly posting time if you want the best selection.  

In the small tote, you pick an item from their offerings and they surprise you with one for a total of 2 items for $49.  The large tote is similar except you pick two, they pick 3-4 and it is $149.  With the surprise, they pick everything for you.  No matter what though,  you are ending up at about  $25 a piece - that's a bargain.  The one catch - it's all or nothing with GT.  You can't pick and choose items to keep - you either keep everything or nothing.  There is a silver lining however: a very active FB trading page where you are pretty much guaranteed sales of items you don't wish to keep.  Also, with each tote, you literally receive a cute totebag to keep if you decide it's a keeper.

I found out about GT during their first warehouse sale and I immediately got in on the action.  I placed my order for a darling blouse and yummy sweater.  I then set up my calendar appointment for shopping on Monday, August 3rd to order my first tote.  In the meantime, I checked out the Golden Tote Tumblr page to get a preview of what August would bring.  

I couldn't make it right at opening time for the Monday ordering kick-off and I missed out on the two items I wanted  - the Layer it On Blouse in White and the Down to Business Blzer in dusty pink.  But, guess what, it was ok because all I had to do was wait for the next Monday when Golden Tote had re-stocked.  I was ready on the 10th; I got on right at 9 a.m. PST and snagged the blouse in Navy and the Blazer.    

Shipping with GT is a practice in patience - about ten days. However, I like to think positively and it just provides time to build the excitement and anticipation :)

 That brings me to today - my first GT reveal.  Let's start with the warehouse sale items.  One of them I previewed last week in my SF reveal - a pretty white blouse that can either be dressed up or down.    This piece ended up at about $25 including shipping and is now one of my closet favorites.  I love it here with black pants and kitten heels.

Now, here it is with the Down to Business Blazer I received in my tote.  The blazer is one of the two items I chose to receive.  I really like the way it looks in the picture however in person it was actually a little bit too small.  I like the versatility of having my blazer either open or closed; unfortunately, the blazer was too snug to button.

The second item I received from the warehouse sale is this layered sweater.  It has a bit of sparkle in it and comes with a black cami to create the layered look.  I paired it with a pair of pleather pants and booties to create just the right look for a night out on the town.  Again, this one was only $25.

Now, for the rest of my tote... 


My other chosen is the Layer it On blouse in Navy. Here it is with skinny jeans and a trendy silver necklace.  It is very comfortable and it could easily be dressed up for work.







To the right, is the Skies are Blue Floral Lace Detail Kimono that I paired with the white blouse (I told you it is now one of my faves) and jeans. Unfortunately, the kimono is pretty big on me  - therefore unlikely I will reach for it.









This dress is one that I have seen in many tote reveals.  It the Pink Owl Printed Wrap Dress in green.  It is a cute comfy dress with pockets.  Problem - it is a bit big for me and unlikely I will reach for it (seeing a trend here?).













Next up is the Naked Zebra Keyhole Tank in black.  This one is so versatile - perfect under a blazer for work, rockin with the pleather pants and easily could go with some cute boho flare jeans.

Finally, the Naked Zebra Tie Waist Tunic/Dress in Olive.  I love the way this looks on me as it is perfect for my coloring.  Also, it is super comfy.  

Well, Goldies, that's it for August.  You are probably wondering what I decided to do - keep or send back.  To be honest, I'm not quite sure.  I think will sleep on it  :-) 

If you would like to try Golden Tote, I would love it if you used my referral link.  I will get $10 for anyone that tries out the service and that will help me fund my clothing addiction.

Until next time...xoxo

Calling All Stitch Fixonistas...Stitch Fix Review August 2015

It all started while pinning; I noticed a friend pinning fabulous styles to her board under "Stitch Fix.".  Not one to be left behind on a fun fashion foray, I quickly googled Stitch Fix. Along with a link directly to the Stitch Fix website popped up numerous pages of Stitch Fix reviews, photos, a blog, the list goes on.

So, I dove in.  And, it was a 100% bust.  I lost my styling fee, and was completely disenchanted.  That is until said pinner above called and invited me over to see her "Fix". She had received the most adorable Tart jacket in the smoothest terry fabric and it fit me like a glove.  Had I been too hasty in my abandonment?

I immediately signed up for Round 2.  Fix Day arrived and with a new stylist, Molly, we hit a homerun.  A 5/5!  Guess what was in there?  Yep, Molly had found the adorable Tart blazer! And it was perfect.  She had also scoured my Pinterest board and pulled the Papermoon polka dot top as well as a fabulous pencil skirt - both matching items I had pinned.  Molly had paid attention.

Which brings me to Fix #3 and my first official review.  The first piece of good news - my fix surprised me by showing up early.  Two days early!  We all remember being 5 on Christmas morning, right?  Well, you can relive that feeling by becoming a Fixonista.  There is nothing like seeing that brown box with the turquoise tape show up on your doorstep. You can barely wait to run in, grab the scissors and see what goodies are in there.

 As I opened the box top, my heart dropped when I saw the little jewelry box.  If you have read other parts of my blog, you know I am a bargain hunter.  Bargain hunters do not like to spend a lot on costume jewelry.   However, I forged ahead and quickly opened the note and style card.  




I could have leaped for joy when I saw the first line from Molly - "I'm so, so happy you loved your last Fix and I'm excited to style you again today"!"  And, style she did.  Look what I got!

First up, was a pair of Level 99 Camari Wide Leg Jeans ($96 after discount).  I had pinned several wide leg jeans on my "My Style" board and Molly was on top of it.  She included a Market & Spruce Aleah V-Neck Heathered Dolman Sleeve Shirt ($36 after discount) and a Bancroft Mini-Square Clusters Necklace ($21 after discount) to complete a casual look. I included a picture of the necklace so you could see close-up. 


I really liked it, but I also wanted to try some other looks.  First, I pulled out a peasant type blouse from TJ Maxx (I am also a Maxxonista - LOL) and voila - a more bohemian look.

Next, I went for a bit more polished look and guess, what - it is ALL Stitch Fix!  That is the cute Tart blazer (ooohh...it is so soft) along with the Papermoon polka dot blouse.  I think that it can totally work on a business casual day.  

In my note to Molly, I had indicated I would like to try the Margaret M Emers pants ($73.50 after discount).  Everyone on the Stitch Fix Facebook page raves about them so despite their price tag (definitely more than I usually spend),  I requested them. And, they did not disappoint.  They are so comfortable and completely versatile.  I paired them with a top from another subscription service (more on that in a future post), a 20 year old necklace I had on hand, some kitten heels and yep, again that Tart Blazer.  They could easily be paired in a more casual ensemble but my photographer (i.e., my spouse) was getting restless.  

My final reveal is the 41Hawthorn Dita Sleeveless Ponte Dress ($51 after discount).  This one drew a whistle from the hubby so it will definitely be worn soon.  It is Navy blue and super comfortable.  Perfect to go from work to an evening out.  I love it!

After evaluation, I think the dress was the best deal at $51; although the jeans are half the price of my favorite Sevens so those are a close second.
After two 5/5s, I will be continuing my relationship with Stitch Fix.  Want to join me?  It's simple:

• Visit Stitch Fix and read over how it works. By using this link, I will get a $25 referral credit.  I thank you in advance for that!
• Fill out your profile; it is key to your stylist getting to know you.  There are two opportunities to leave personal style advice: in your profile and in a note to your stylist.  These are important.  Invest some time into making them as useful as you can (abbreviate, don't use full sentences)   
• Also, create a Pinterest board. I feel this was so key in getting 5/5s.  You can see mine here.  I pinned things from the Stitch Fix blog and Pinterest board as well as styles from celebrities/pins that I liked.  Some people prefer to let their stylist "surprise" them.  That is a great option too, but I am more of a "know what I like" kinda gal.
• Have fun with it.  Nothing says you have to keep anything.  But I think you will :)  And, if you keep all 5, you get the 25% discount.  Did I mention there is also a Facebook page where you can buy/sell Stitch Fix items.  Search for it.  You can always take a risk, keep all 5 and then sell what you don't want on the FB page.

That's it for now...I hope you enjoyed it :)  Happy Fixing. xo, Hil