2015 REVIEW OF THE GOLDEN TOTE: MYSTERY TOTE *Notice: This post includes affiliate links. I will get credit for future purchases from these sites if you register under one of them.
Golden Tote is an online styling service that lets you select a $49 tote for two to three items or a $149 tote for five to seven items, for those of you who are unfamiliar. Every month’s first Monday marks the beginning of a new sale, giving everyone the opportunity to visit the website and select either one item (for the $49 bag) or two items (for the $149 tote) that they would like to have in their box.
The Mystery Tote was made available by Golden Tote at the start of January. You could purchase a mystery tote in your size (XS-L) for $60, and it would come with four distinct items: one from a previous tote, two surprises, and a unique Puella item.
In a typical Golden Tote, you would be given the opportunity to select at least one or two items before creating a style profile to enable you to receive goods that complement your sense of style and closet needs and goals (see my previous Golden Tote review for more information on that). You don’t select any products for the Mystery Tote, and your own style profile isn’t taken into consideration. Although it’s a little bit of a gamble, I must say that I am OVER THE MOON thrilled with what I received in my 2015 Mystery Tote!
ITEM #1: STRIPED SLEEVELESS DRESS BY PRIDDY BY PUELLA 
This striped sleeveless dress by Priddy by Puella is SO comfortable! Although I don’t typically wear dresses, this one would look great with a pair of leggings or slim pants. I also think I could wear this by itself because it ends just above my knee, which is great if you’re 5’8″!
The fact that this dress has a tiny cutaway in the back is one of its intriguing aspects. This garment actually fit great when I tried it on over a black cami underneath. I can wear this garment more frequently than just out on the town because the cami concealed the cutout and didn’t show anywhere else. In fact, I believe it would look great with one of my black blazers or cardigans!
LONG SLEEVE PUELLA TUNIC 
Since this Puella tunic is thin and long for some, I already know that some people would despise it. However, I must admit that this top was ideal for me! The shirt itself is long enough for me to wear with leggings or a gorgeous pair of black skinny jeans in addition to having sleeves that are a good length. In the image above, you can kind of see my black cami underneath this tunic, but not too much. With this Puella tunic, I have a cream undershirt that will look amazing. I’m eager to wear it!
The 2015 Golden Tote Mystery Tote has a 2 for 2 record thus far!
SKIES ARE BLUE PULLOVER SWEATER WITH LACE PANEL 
Most likely, if you’ve been a Golden Tote lover for at least a few months, you caught a glimpse of this beauty in the October tote. For that month, I had my eye on it and was terribly tempted to purchase the tote, but I made the decision to let it pass.
You can only imagine how happy I was to find it in my XS Mystery Tote! I pulled it out of the pile right away to feel the fabric’s softness. But really, the sleeves feel wonderful. I mean, I’d be happy to lay around in that sweater for a week.
You can imagine how excited I am to wear this Lace Panel Pullover Sweater, especially given that winter is attempting to make a comeback. I received a Skies Are Blue top in my August Golden Tote and LOVED it (it’s now one of my go-to wardrobe pieces).
So far, we’re 3 for 3!
GOLDEN TOTE OPEN CARDIGAN CUT SEW 
This is the one item in my 2015 Mystery Tote that I would give serious thought to replacing. The cardigan feels nice, however I’m not sure if it fits my style. Although I would have preferred it to be longer up front, I’m always up for trying something new to see if it works. Perhaps I’ll try wearing it like some other Golden Tote owners have—with a belt, a pair of skinny jeans, and flats. It’s not an awful piece overall, but it’s definitely not something I would choose for myself. However, this is the reason we purchase from an online styling company, right? If you don’t have a sense of adventure, what fun is it?
VERDICT OF THE 2015 GOLDEN TOTE MYSTERY TOTE: A SUCCESS! 
I’m so happy I took a chance and bought one of these fantastic totes. I can’t really complain about that because I got some wonderful pieces that I will probably start wearing tomorrow. And to top it all off, I was able to score a piece from a previous month that I had REALLY wanted, so I no longer feel guilty about skipping the October goods.
This month, did you receive a Mystery Tote? What is your favorite item?
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