Purchased items are only sometimes available to actually use

I cannot always access the things I have bought in the store.  My xbox has a limited internet connection, but every other feature besides Minecraft works just fine.  It's very frustrating to only have access to the skins I want only some of the time.  I understand verifying purchases online but does it need to do this every time I start the game? I just want to be the character i paid for whether I'm online or not.