Category Archives: shop

Golden Tote Review

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I am sucker for new clothes! I heard about Golden Tote from a number of bloggers and I knew I had to try for myself. Everyone needs to treat themselves to a holiday present, right? I liked the concept of Stitch Fix so I figured Golden Tote may be a good option as well.

IMG_2460Golden Tote works differently than that of Stitch Fix where you select if you’d like to spend $49 or $149. For the $49 option, you select one item, and Golden Tote surprises you with the remaining item(s) for a total of 2-3 pieces and the $149 option, you select two items, and you’re surprised with the remaining items for a total of 5-7 pieces. A new sale launches each month and that is when you go on and select your item(s). After you select the item(s) and sizing, you fill out a style profile (not as extensive as the Stitch Fix one). Golden Tote is an all-or-nothing deal though, so when you receive your items, you can either return all of them or keep. Golden Tote does encourage you to swap items with friends and family or connect with others on their trading page on Facebook.

IMG_2464I tried the $149 option about a couple of weeks ago. I was in the market for something cute and sparkly to wear for the holidays and was excited to see the surprises picked for me. I picked the Puella Elbow Patch Swing Dress in red (a brand I am familiar with from Anthropologie) and the Holiday Sparkle Sweater. In addition to the $149, I was also charged $7.95 for shipping (P.S. I don’t particularly like paying for shipping these days especially since so many places offer free shipping and returns). I placed the order on December 18th and my Golden Tote arrived the day we got back from Atlanta on December 26th – not terrible, but I guess I could have paid more for expedited shipping if I wanted it earlier.

IMG_2463I was so excited to open the package and see what cool items were selected for me. In most of the reviews I read about Golden Tote, the customers generally liked their items so I was really looking forward to adding new items to my closet. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The swing dress I picked out was way too big and the sweater started pulling as soon as I put it on. As for the other items, I received 4 other ones and I was really hoping that they worked, but everything was either too big, bad styling, or the quality felt poor.

IMG_2462Black high-waisted skirt – this was the one item that is most unlike my style. Not only do stretchy skirts not flatter my body type, high-waisted ones do not work well on someone who is 5’1″.

IMG_2469Marbled sweater cardigan – I really like this style, but overall the sweater was too baggy and chunky.

IMG_2470Blue dress – I really wanted to like this as soon as I took it out of the bag but since the material was polyester, it provided no stretch when I put it on. Overall, the dress was a gorgeous color and would have been perfect for work but it didn’t hug in the right places.

IMG_2468Navy striped swing dress with a hood – I really liked this dress. It was lightweight, fun and easy to wear. But given that it is winter here and if I didn’t like any of the other items, this dress wasn’t worth keeping for what is essentially $149.

Unfortunately, I will be returning all of my items to Golden Tote. The downside of the return is that I am responsible for generating a return label but I will receive a refund on the shipping cost, at least I only pay for shipping one way.

I really like the concept of Golden Tote and how you select the items from their boutique but I wish they would also show you all possible items that you can receive. After trying Stitch Fix seven times and now Golden Tote, I am wondering if I am more of a I-pick-what-I-want type shopper. Even though I like the idea of a surprise, I found that I am pretty particular about my clothes and even though I want to try new things, I prefer to pick them out and have a full return policy. As a side note, my recent favorite shopping locale is Piperlime. I like how Piperlime carries all different brands and styles, but does not have an overwhelming amount of options like a department store. Piperlime also offers free shipping and returns.

Anyway, I think Golden Tote can be a really cool idea for some and is worth a try but unfortunately for me, I will not be placing another order in the near future.

Are there other shopping services you like?

Have you tried Golden Tote? What did you think?

Holiday Gift Ideas

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Just in time for those who have not finished Christmas shopping and the first night of Chanukah (there’s still 7 more nights of presents to go, so I’m not really late!)…

Looking for a gift for anyone is never easy, especially for someone like me, that ends up buying most of it myself. However, here are some of my top favorites for the year:

71hkZemrihL._SL1500_ (1)Gilmore Girls: Complete Series – I forgot how much I loved Gilmore Girls until I read a post months ago about it coming to Netflix. As a spur of the moment gift, Josh ordered the entire series for me on Amazon and we’re slowly making our through all the episodes. I really appreciate the humor, relationship dynamics, and language so much more as an adult now. Also, after the long training runs, it will be nice to lounge on the couch to the some relaxing television!

41YYjLdOsxL._SL1024_EOS lip balm, especially the lemon drop flavor – I love, love, love the EOS lip balms, but I love the lemon drop one that has SPF even more. It’s perfect for someone like me who carries lip balm everywhere they go and SPF protection is an added bonus, especially if they’re running outside for hours. The only complaint I have about this is how big the size is, so it doesn’t easily fit in a pocket, but the egg shape is also what it makes so much fun!

71JqxkgZqELBelieve Training Journal – Okay, I’m cheating a bit here since I haven’t actually started using mine yet, but I am super excited to once I get the chance to map out my next training cycle. Even though so much is online these days, and I’m totally one that takes advantage of that, I still like the idea of looking at a hard copy training plan and documenting (in two places) how it’s all going. It’s also so much cooler that it’s by Lauren Fleshman.

Entry to a race (only if you know they really want to do it) – I’ve had debates about whether this is a good idea, and I think generally the consensus will be only if you know they want to run the race soon. If your runner has a wish list of races for 2015, then maybe that is a good place to start! You never want to surprise someone with a marathon if they’re not sure they want to train for one, but a 5K or a shorter distance may be a good place distance, and hey if they need a training plan, you can throw one of those in too! Here are some of my favorite training plans (and they’re free): Coach Jenny and Hal Higdon.

Classes for their favorite workout spot – Every runner should be cross-training, right? But not every runner does, for many reasons, including that it is so much easier not to, but also because lack of time and money to spend on more classes. In case, you’re wondering, my favorite cross-training options are Local Barre and Prime Cycle! For those in the NYC-area, ClassPass seems like a great option to try many different classes.

81tPspaXqjL._SL1500_Sparkly Soul headband – These are the only headbands ever, that stay on my head! I don’t run outside with them, because I usually wear a hat, visor, or ear warmer, but for any other activity including running on a treadmill, barre, and spin classes, I swear by the thin ones. I already have four different colors, so I don’t know why I added more to my wish list, but they are the best and cutest headbands. Even if your runner does not like cute, Sparkly Soul also offers plain wide satin ones.

81D0mysKpKL._SL1500_Feetures! socks – I used to love the Thorlos socks but ever since I discovered the Feetures! ultra light socks, I cannot go back. These socks have supported me through the last three marathons and I have been fortunate to come out of each one without a blister. The Thorlos socks are very cushioned so I didn’t think I would like these, but I think given how light they are helps with lack of movement while on your feet and thus preventing friction that causes blisters.

71yg3-bDRJL._SL1500_Oiselle Long Flyte short – These are my absolute favorite running shorts. They are not only compression-like, but they do not have the grips which I find helps with those who have muscular thighs. Additionally, these shorts are seamless so there is less worry with chafing. I have run two marathons in these and they do not ride up at all. The only downside to these shorts is that they do not have any pockets, so if your runner wears some other kind of belt, then this really isn’t a concern.

cn8305595Athleta Interlude Ankle Pant – I love how lightweight these pants are and I especially love how Athleta carries petite sizes! These pants are perfect to slip on to/from a workout and the wide waistband makes it extremely comfortable. The slouchiness is especially nice for those with more muscular thighs as it hides that but also looks slimming on.

Gift card to their favorite running store – I know some people are not a big fan of gift cards because it is less personal, but I love gift cards. Runners are so hard to shop for especially when trying to pick out running clothes. If they are anything like me, they are generally picky about what fits right but also what would be the most comfortable to wear on a long run, so why not just gift them the shopping experience at their favorite store?! Some of my favorite places to buy running clothes are Lululemon, Athleta, and Oiselle.

71oFbP3YSqL._SL1500_Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle – I love this water bottle and I love staying hydrated. Carrying a water bottle around with me really helps with the reminder to drink a lot of water and it is more environmentally friendly. These stainless steel bottles are also dishwasher safe, and since they are not plastic, there is no need to worry about BPA. Additionally, they’re easy to carry since the base is not too wide and will easily fit in a car cupholder but also in the side compartment of backpacks. This bottle was also reviewed by The Wirecutter as the best water bottle.

61qo3qbYTYL._SL1200_Nuun – I love drinking Nuun so much more than Gatorade. It has less sugar, contains less calories, and you can also measure how much water you’re drinking since you need to add it to water. I drink Nuun during the days to prep for a tough workout but also as a during and post-run drink. It may be a good alternative if you don’t like to drink water by itself. It adds a light sweet flavor that makes water easier to drink.

Donation to their charity of choice, especially if they’re running for a cause – There are so many charity runners these days and they’re all running for great causes that are very important. If you’re out of ideas on what to get your runner this holiday season, consider donating to their charity of choice. I promise you it will be a gesture that will not be forgotten or go under appreciated. If you want to donate to my causes, I will post a link in a future post about my next marathon! 🙂

There were so many other great gift ideas that I did not add to this list but hopefully this is a good starting point.

Happy Chanukah to everyone celebrating and a very happy and healthy start to the holiday season!

What are some of your favorite running gift ideas? – I need more to add to my wish list! 🙂