eshakti - Stuff Parents Need

The Little Black Dress for 2015: Mine Has Pockets!

April 14, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

Dress provided for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you.

One of the things on our 2015 vision board is to go on more dates. That means that I actually need to have a dress that doesn’t date back to 2010, when I last worked in an office setting and therefore couldn’t rock yoga pants 24/7.

I turned to eShakti to find a dress that might serve multiple purposes (date night, a memorial service, media events) and I was definitely not disappointed. I got exactly what I was looking for in this leafy vine embellished crepe dress and I got it customized so that it would fit me just right.

The fit-and-flare look flatters my figure, so I started with that silhouette in mind. Then I customized this dress in a few ways. I believe its default pattern is to hit in between the knee an the ankle. This is a really bad look for a short, curvy figure, because it just cuts you off. So I told eShakti my height and asked that the dress be knee-length for me (knee-length for someone who is 5 foot 10 is different, hence the need to specify how tall I am).

I also had these sweet little sleeves added. I thought it made the dress a touch more conservative and season-less, which is what I wanted. I thought it turned out great!

And finally, I went for pockets, which I LOVE SO MUCH! Dresses with pockets are so smart and so practical. I was thrilled to be able to include that in the order.

But here’s the thing I want you to know: adding in all these customized elements was as simple as entering a little bit of information and clicking some options. You don’t have to be an amateur dress designer to come up with something that will work for you. eShakti walks you through the process and makes it simple to get what will work best for you. Also, customizing is just an additional $7.50 fee, which is crazy affordable. The dress I got, for example is currently on sale for $71.95 and if you customize it, the price goes up to $79.45. That’s pretty much paying an off-the-rack price for a custom dress. I don’t think you can beat that price!

I definitely recommend that you give eShakti a try the next time you find yourself in need of a dress. You’ll be able to find a look that fits you like a glove! Want to learn more about the brand? Connect with them on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram.

How to Wear It: Polka-Dot Jeans

November 4, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Affliate links may be included at no cost to you.

Nobody was more surprised than me when late this summer I threw a pair of polka-dot jeans (similar, here) into my cart while shopping at Target. I’d seen the polka-dot trend popping up, and I have to say, typically, polka-dots just remind me of the early 1990s, and not in a good way.

But something about these jeans was piquing my curiosity. It probably didn’t hurt that they were marked down to $12.50. And that they were SUPER comfortable.

It’s always the right idea to spend as little as possible on the really trendy stuff, and since I actually liked these pants, they came home with me.

Now the question became, what in the world to wear with them?!

I’ve actually found quite a few ways to wear them, but today I’m showcasing the way that took me by surprise. I rocked the polka-dot-on-polka-dot look this week, courtesy of eShakti, who supplied the top, and I thought it was adorable!

Thought my concrete jungle photo could use a little flower grafitti 🙂

The trick here, is to go with inverse pairings. I had very similar colors to start with, and then kept one set of dots light, with the other set dark. I think it totally worked!

Now let’s take a closer look at this top from eShakti, shall we?

It has a very flattering cut, and I think the tie at the front adds some interest. You could turn it into a big bow if you want to draw attention to that part of your body. For my body type, leaving it long to elongate my torso was the way to go. I also like the colors in the top (chambray is very in right now) and I’m finding that it can go casual or dressy quite easily. Those are my favorite types of pieces to have in my wardrobe!

eShakti merchandise moves REALLY quickly, so unfortunately, this top is already gone for the season. But I promise you, you will find absolutely no shortage of gorgeous dresses, tops, skirts and jackets there. And as if their fantasic fashions weren’t enough of a reason to shop there, here’s the real gem: eShakti offers customization of their clothes for a nominal fee (just $7.50 extra). I have a few custom pieces from eShakti in my wardrobe, and I always feel great in them because they fit me exactly like they should!

Sound Off

So I want to know…what do you think of the mix-and-match polka dot outfit? I’m not fishing for compliments, but I’m also not fishing for folks to tell me that I look like a moron, so keep the feedback constructive, please!

And would you ever try polka-dot jeans? Any ideas on how else to wear them? I’ve got a few of my own (other posts brewing in my mind….) but would love to hear your thoughts!

And finally, have you ever tried the awesomeness that is eShakti? I mean, seriously, I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU to go to their site and not find 15 things that make you swoon. Just sayin’.

$12 to use at eShakti, FREE!

October 21, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

A while back I wrote about eShakti, a very cool company that is working to make custom clothing surprisingly affordable. I just got an email from them offering me $12 to use at their store. No strings attached. Just free $12 credit! Woot!

Lucky me, right? Well lucky you, too! They sent me a code to pass along to all of you! Now run along and get yourself something extra special for work, an upcoming function, or for no reason at all other than the fact that you are worth it! 🙂

code: STNR1V This will take $12 off any purchase at eShakti!

If you buy something, I totally want to hear about what you get so that I can ooh and ahh. I love eShakti!

Making Custom Clothing for Women Affordable: eShakti

September 12, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Affiliate links included at no cost to you. In fact, they come with a $40 off coupon (details at the bottom of the post!). xoxo

I typically enjoy clothes shopping, but that is only because I know exactly which brands fit me well, and I am also aware of some of the brands out there that just look terrible on me, generally speaking.

Oh yes, I’m a tricky one to fit, to be sure. I’m barely over 5 feet tall, I have a large rib cage and my cups runneth over, so to speak. My waist is small relative to my hips, as well. It is VERY common for something to be too tight in the chest and fit me most everywhere else, or fit me in the chest or hips but be way too huge in the waist.

Custom Clothing for Women

Someone once suggested to me that I just have someone make clothes for me. Yeah, sure, I can afford a line of custom made clothing, great idea! (read with a seriously sarcastic tone, people). I can’t really even afford to get my clothes hemmed/altered so that they fit better. I’ll typically only go have that done for the most critical pieces in my wardrobe (like jeans) or when the occasion is very special (a wedding). If What Not to Wear came into my closet, I can tell you with certainty that they would scold me for wearing things that aren’t figure-flattering. But I don’t know how else to make sure things aren’t too tight in certain places!

And then I heard about a company called eShakti. I want to share with you the vision of eShakti:

• One size does not fit all and all sizes are not created equal. For too long women have been forced to conform to standard sizing that too often doesn’t fit properly.

• At eShakti, a woman can shop for exactly what she wants – no compromise, no premium to pay. She can ask for the fabric, color, body, styling and sizing that she likes. Never again will a woman have to hear that her size is not available.

eShakti offers an AMAZING line of clothing that is fashion-forward. For only $7.50 extra, you can have the piece customized based on your measurements. $7.50 is less than what it costs me to get pant legs hemmed, which is one of the easiest alterations to make. Wow!

I decided to order a dress that gave a bit of a nod to the 1950s housewife. I wanted to wear it to my going away party at my job, as a sort of cheeky way of indicating that I was trading my office job for one with a full skirt, pearls and a cocktail in my hand for my husband. (Because that’s how it is, right ladies?).

Oh, the dress is DARLING! Several people commented on how cute it was, and a few even caught my little joke. I, for one, am absolutely in love with this dress. People, it perfectly fits me EVERYWHERE. This is virtually unheard of for me, and it is awesome. Since the look of the dress is so classic, I think I’m going to be able to wear it for years and years to come (provided I can stay the same size, please universe).

The prices at eShakti may not be as cheap as what you can find at TJ Maxx, but the fit is most certainly going to be perfect, and I think that makes the prices seem quite reasonable, indeed. My dress, for example, is listed at $59.95, and if you get it custom-fitted, it totals $67.50. That’s an amazing price for a dress that fits like a glove!

I know for certain, the very next time I have an excuse to buy some nice clothes, I’m headed straight to eShakti. What they offer is quality, custom clothing that is totally stylish. I’m totally in love with you, eShakti!

Here are a few more eShakti reviews from my site:

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.