Thank you

Many thanks to Caitlyn who signed up for Ipsy and the anonymous person who signed up for Stitch Fix! I appreciate you using my referral links :)  Let me know how you like your first bag/fix!

It's crazy to me that there are people reading my blog.  Thanks, internet!

Golden Tote November 2013 Review

It's everyone's favorite time of the month! Golden Tote Day!

Since I was in desperate need of winter tops (ok, so hyperbole is fun) I decided to budget myself and NOT buy iced coffee every day, and instead, buy a Golden Tote.  It's *almost* the same thing, right?

I picked the $149 tote, which comes out to about $157 after shipping for me.  I bought it the first day of the sale (Nov 4), got a shipping notice the 13th, and it arrived today, the 25th.  If I didn't like the clothes so much, I would be a little angry with the shipping times!  Three weeks?

What did I get?!

Since I picked the $149 tote, I got to pick two items to start, and GT sent 4 more as a surprise.  If you pick the $49 tote, you choose the first thing and get 1 more item of clothing and usually 1 accessory.  They claim that the big tote will have up to a $600 value and the little tote will have up to a $200 value.  It seems a little inflated to me, but if you work it out per piece, they are about $25 each.  I would pay $25 for most of the things I've gotten from GT.

Square Knit Sweater in Black/Ivory from Mak by Mak B

This sweater was an item I picked out.  Unfortunately, by the time I was able to order my tote, my first choice dress had already been sold out in my size.  I picked this (my third favorite item) instead.  It's much thicker of a knit than I expected, which is awesome! (Even though it makes it look like I've instantly gained 15 pounds.)  It was about 9*F today with windchill and I definitely wished I had a warmer outfit on.  This is warm and cozy and the navy/cream combination is right up my alley.  

Made in China, 100% acrylic, hand wash/lay flat to dry.

Baseball Tee from Renee C

This shirt is the softest shirt I think I own.  Seriously, it's like wearing a baby bunny.  The colors are hard to see in my picture, but the neckline and waistband are black, the middle of the shirt is cream, and the arms are gray.  I wasn't crazy about this when I saw pictures on other blogs, but its total and utter fuzziness has won me over. I'm wearing it to work tomorrow.  End of story.

Made in USA, 62% polyester, 34% rayon, 4% spandex.  Hand wash/hang dry.

Blouse by Peach Love Cream

This top is probably my least favorite item in this tote.  The print is navy (sensing a theme this month?), cream/taupe (yup, definitely a theme), and teal, which is fine.  This fits nicely and drapes well, but the shoulders are a little puffy.  It was hard to take a picture that showed the shoulder poufs, but they are there, trust me.  I would need to wear a sweater over this, but it will be good for a day when I need to dress up a little bit.  I don't hate this shirt, it's just not my favorite.  The button detail on the back is nice, I appreciate little touches like that.

Made in USA, 100% polyester.  Hand wash, hang dry.

Sweater by Ellison

This sweater is cute, even with the shoulder designs.  The back is the same knit as the sleeves, and it definitely needs a tank underneath.  It's not the warmest thing GT sent, but it is still appropriate for winter.  The open knit counter-acts the heaviness of the fabric, and I think this would be perfect for fall.  Too bad fall weather has left New England :(

Made in China, 60% cotton, 40% polyester.  Hand wash.

Lace Swing Dress by In Clover

This was the spoiler item that GT released shortly after their November sale started.  It is really pretty in person! I wish my camera would take better pictures of black clothes.  I think you could get away with wearing this dress without a belt, but the belt provides a little more shape definition.  I like that the sleeves are lace, it adds a nice touch and will cover my inner arm tattoos.  The skirt has a lot of movement, and the fabric is on the heavier side; perfect for holiday parties.

Made in USA, 80% cotton, 20% nylon.  Dry clean only.

Printed Shift Dress by Honey Punch

This was the second item that I picked to put in my tote, and my favorite of everything I got!  It's dark navy with a floral print and long sleeves.  This is awesome!  As always, everything I received fits perfectly, and this is no exception.  It's flowy without being clingy, and dressy without being overly Christmas-y.  Definitely a winner in my book.

Made in USA, 100% polyester, hand wash.

All in all, I'm pleased with this month's tote.  I have some new party dresses and some cozy sweaters to keep me warm in my freezing-cold lab.  Would I pay $25 for each item I got?  Yes.  On average.  Some I would pay a little more for, and some a little less.  It all works out!

Golden Tote will most likely launch their December sale in about a week.  As always, there will be a $49 and a $149 tote to choose from.  You pick the first item(s), and they will do the rest based on your style profile.

All items in this post were purchased by me.  All opinions are my own and no special consideration or compensation was received.

The Week in Nails, November 24

Zoya Mason with Julep Cynthia 

This is what I ended up doing to cover the chips on my tips.  I wore this combo for 2 days.  I put a layer of Julep Polymer Top Coat over everything.

No-sponge glitter gradient with OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls and Julep Erica 

I then decided to do a little glitter gradient.  2 coats of OPI's My Boyfriend Scales Walls (an EXTEREMELY pale blue) with Julep Erica (orange/black/gold mystery glitter from the New Year's Mystery Box).  The above picture shows the process.  I first wiped off almost all of the glitter from my brush and lightly painted 2/3 of my nail with it.  When that was dry, I went back over about 1/2 each nail with another coat.  Lastly, the top third of my nail got more glitter, making it more opaque.  I find this easier than using a makeup sponge to fade the glitter onto my nail.

OPI and Julep

I wore this for 3 days.

Julep Reece

I had Julep Reece on my nails for the last two days of this week.  As usual, no base coat (I *still* haven't found one I like), and Julep Polymer top coat.  

This post contains items purchased by me.  All opinions are my own and no special consideration or compensation was received for this post.