A few weeks ago (or maybe months ago now? Gah I'm such a procrastinator!) eShakti contacted me and asked if I would be interested in receiving a dress in order to review it. This excited me greatly because I have always wanted to order from eShakti but have heard different things about them - one only has to google "eShakti review" to see how people have had widely different experiences with them! I figured I had nothing to lose however so I agreed.

For those who don't know, eShakti is an online retailer that let's you have it your way. Dresses are completely customizable. You can raise or lower hemlines, add or remove sleeves, pockets and embellishments and for a small $7.50 fee, have the dress created to your exact measurements! As a girl who falls under 3 different sizes on Modcloth's size chart (small for bust, large for waist and medium for hips) this seems like an amazing idea.

I ended up choosing the Anastasia Dress because I'm a sucker for pink. What I failed to realize is that it's a dead ringer for my skin tone. Derp. I had to play with these pictures a lot to even make it show up. However, this review isn't about my stupidity. I love the colour in person even though it doesn't photograph the best on sunny days on pasty people. It also comes in a host of other colours if you love the dress but would rather try another colour. Otherwise it's sweet and lovely and you can't help but feel like a princess. The best part is it can easily be dressed up or down. I tend to go the dressed up route but I think if you threw on sandals and a casual jacket, it could work just as well.

I got the mini length and I was surprised by how long it was still. I saw some other reviews where the skirt had ended up quite short but I believe the recipient was under 5'2". I think the length I got is a really versatile length. This could be worn to baby showers and such without being offensive but I still get to show some leg. I'm into that.

I posted my stats so anybody interested in ordering can compare. However, keep in mind my waist measurements are kind of deceiving. I can squeeze into smaller sizes because my fat tends to squish higher or lower. Since I didn't opt for the customized size this round, I didn't want to order something so large that my bust couldn't fill it out. However, the size 8 worked pretty good!

The dress is made of sturdy cotton and is lined. It also has a super sturdy zipper (which is the first thing I noticed when taking it out of the box!) It's still an invisible zipper, as it's the same colour of the dress and blends right in. It's not one of those super fragile ones that catch on the fabric and stop zipping the first time you use them. I can see this zipper lasting the life of this dress.

My only complaint is because it's cotton (which is lovely and breathable and such) it's also high maintenance. It wrinkles terribly. I had intended to re-shoot these but couldn't be bothered to have my mom re-iron the dress. 

Ta da! So that is my review. And because they are so awesome, here is a close up of my earrings.

Outfit Details

Dress - Anastasia Dress - c/o Eshakti

Shoes - thrifted Value Village

Earrings - Penny Jane Vintage

Purse - gift from my grandmother

Headband - Claire's

Necklace - Ardene's

Thanks again to Eshakti for the dress! I'm super pleased!

 

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links*

Lately...

I've been missing in action. I realize that. And I'm super, super sorry! My grandpa recovered, and I was no longer required to care for him but I didn't return to blogging. When it came down to it, I felt like I was spending more time blogging than actually getting out and doing things, and that's not how I wanted to be. I had read a lot of blogging tips about going back and fixing dead links and tagging old photos to make them appear in Google searches and this and that, and while that is all good advice, I felt like I never left the computer. Now I feel like I'm actually doing what I want to do, and I actually would have material for my blog, if I had even bothered to get out my camera! Sadly, all or nothing girl here.

So I shall update you quickly what I've been up to! I had come to the conclusion for the millionth time that I had way too many clothes and that I needed to stopped buying them, especially dresses, since I hardly wear them anymore. I allotted money to different things and different activities. I bought a fancy typewriter (just decoration sadly, since it was only $7 and the keys don't line up) and I also bought a vintage bike! If I end up doing some blogging in the future, it will make a fancy prop, but realistically, it's a way for me to get around. I'm still trying to master riding it, since the last time I rode a bike, I was 12 and regularly crashing into things, including parked cars and my cabin at camp.

Photo via City Cyclery's Facebook Page 

I've also been trying super hard to eat better. This was a big step for me, as I ate mostly pizza before. It finally clicked that the reason I might feel sluggish and depressed a lot might have something to do with my diet. I still treat myself here and there (I had a cookie today and I had some KFC on the weekend) but overall, my diet is much healthier and comes out of boxes and packages much less. 

I also took up knitting! I was inspired by my friend, Nicole of Mercantile 519 and her rad creations. Also, I've just been getting into vintage more and more (and not just clothing, the way people lived in general) and learning to knit seemed like a natural step to take. I signed up for a beginner's class at Michael's and it went horrible to be honest. My mind could not grasp how to form a stitch, because I couldn't keep left and right straight, over and under kept messing me up and I kept confusing clockwise and counterclockwise. It really isn't that difficult now that I've gotten the hang of it but I like to make things more complicated than they are. I have no idea what this thing is going to be below, it's too narrow to be a scarf or a dish cloth, but look, it's a patch I knitted!

 

In an effort to not spend money on dresses, I've been spending money on hobbies, better groceries and things for my house. And also... magazines! Sometimes print magazines and sometimes digital ones if the print versions are too expensive (and I seem to love imported ones so that's often the case.) I was already in love with BUST and Vintage Life magazine but I'm newly in love with Frankie magazine, Mollie Makes and Betty magazine. I also have a library account that hooks me up with digital subscriptions to Women's Health, Martha Stewart Living, Mental Floss, Whole Living and dozens of others. I've been a very busy girl. Between reading several books on the go, I can now have dozens magazines on the go too. Huzzah!

1) Mollie Makes / Digital 2) Betty / Digital 3) BUST - Website / Subscriptions 4) Vintage Life / Digital 5) Frankie / Digital

After reading Vintage Life and seeing all the cool vintage theme events going on the UK, I was yearning for something like that to happen in Windsor. When my mom mentioned going to a poodle skirt themed work function, I timidly asked if I could come. My mom had been shopping for an outfit on Modcloth for weeks, but I didn't get the bright idea to ask if I could accompany her until the day before. Luckily, I had items in my closet that worked just fine. I had so much fun! They even had a hula hooping contest, which was right up my alley, considering I had just bought a hula hoop a few weeks earlier. Sadly, my hoop broke 2 revolutions into the actual competition, but in my heart I know who should have rightfully won.

 Hoop is in the air

Hoop is not in the air

Afterwards, an Elvis impersonator took to the stage and then went up to ladies in the crowd and serenaded then with roses. I was a lucky recipient who received a rose, however, it was a little embarassing because I was in the midst of stuffing my face with popcorn and didn't see him come up beside me. Then suddenly people were taking my picture and I was like, "Noooooo." I don't know the lady in the orange sweater, but look how cute her reaction is. I had to post it!

 

That's pretty much all I've been up to! I have some other posts planned this week because several businesses have graciously sent me products to review (I was seriously stoked because I didn't think I was important enough for that to happen?) so keep an eye out for that! Until next time!