Spoiler alert. I LOVE Golden Tote.

Or at least I loved my first tote. It’s definitely a good fit for me and my lifestyle.

OK, here’s how it works: You pick from 3 different size totes. Golden Tote is a combination of pieces you pick out from their boutique (no Pinterest board here as in Stitch Fix) and surprises that a stylist picks out for you. You fill out a style profile which asks you about style preferences and your SHAPE.That made the difference for me, the piece the stylist picked out for me was a great fit. They take returns but the process is not as simple and you pay for the returns. Most people sell or swap unwanted items on their facebook site.

On the first Monday of every month they release new inventory, referred to as tote day. You can order any day you like, but you will have more choices on this day.

Here’s the tote options:

• Mini-tote, $59: This is the one I chose.It’s a nice way to get your feet wet and try it out. You choose one item and you get one stylist picked surprise.
• Surprise Tote, $89 contains 3 stylist picked surprises
• The Golden Tote, $149 for 5 items. You pick 2 items and you get 3 stylist picked items. Free shipping on the Golden Tote.

I paid $6 to ship the mini-tote which I thought was very reasonable. So $59 +$6 shipping equals $33/item. Not too bad. Get the Golden Tote and your items will be less than $30 a piece.

It comes in a cute little bag, I believe the design changes every month.

So, here is what I got, Celebrity Pink burgundy skinny jeans (pic from golden tote):

These are mid rise jeans with a good bit of stretch, quite flattering for a skinny jean. I will update this review and let you know how they wear. Right now its 88 degrees outside, so no quite there yet :). They do sell Celebrity Pink at department stores (like Belk, Macy’s). I chose the jeans because jeans are expensive, especially a good pair so it makes me feel like I am getting a better bargain. 2 tops for $65 is pretty good, but a top and jeans for that price is even better.

I don’t know if it was a fluke or not but I LOVE that my Golden Tote items match and make an outfit, although I don’t think they will be too difficult to style.

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This Peach Love sweater was my surprise in my tote. It’s a lightweight poly cotton blend. It is not as soft as I would like my sweaters to be, but it is a really good transition to fall weight sweater. Inevitably I will wear a sweater before it is really cold enough because fall is my favorite.

This top has elbow patches. That seems super trendy to me and not something I would pick out on my own, but something I would totally wear if just happened to receive it in the mail. That’s what I like about subscription boxes.

Advantages to Golden Tote:

• Similar brands to stitch fix (some brands are the same) for less money
• You have the ability to pick items and get surprises in one tote, which I really liked. Want the stylist to do all the work? Pick a Surprise tote.
• Try it out using a mini-tote for just $60
• No styling fee, but you do pay for shipping if you return an item.
• You get discounts on boutique items (their online store) when purchasing a tote.
• Style profile asks more questions about body shape, not just size/weight which I think likely lends itself to better fitting clothes. However no option for giving feedback.
• If you are looking to get some fun clothing (read: not yoga pants) with some input from a stylist, Golden tote has the advantage.

Advantages to Stitch Fix:

• Free shipping both ways
• Super easy returns
• Stitch fix should get better with time as your stylist gets to know you and you give feedback on items received. No such feedback on Golden Tote
• If you are really looking to develop a relationship with a stylist, Stitch fix probably has the advantage.
• I’m not sure about this, but I’ve read that Stitch Fix clothes tend to be nicer and dressier clothing where as Golden tote has more casual options. That may or may not be an advantage, depending on what you are looking for.
• Stitch fix boxes are available whenever you like. With Golden tote, it’s best to order the first Monday of the month for the most inventory for your chosen pieces. Also, some pieces sell out rather quickly – I’ve seen many people looking for the burgundy jeans I bought on their facebook page, they sold out in a couple of hours.
• Read more about the items I kept from stitch fix here

Have you tried either service? Let me know what you think!!