Eshakti + Amazon Custom

Per my previous post, I wanted to share that Eshakti is now offering custom clothing via Amazon Custom! You can find their styles by searching for Eshakti FX. And for a limited time you can get 30% off your order with Promotional Code 30FXONAMAZON. This is only value through February 17th. Happy shopping!

eShakti FX Review

Hello friends! I know I have been silent for too long but when eShakti reached out to me about reviewing their new website feature called, FX I couldn't resist. I promise to update on personal things and outfits, shortly! But in the meanwhile, I wanted to share some cool things that you can do with eShakti FX.

eShakti FX is a visual customization tool that allows customers to see what their specifications will look like when the dress is finished being manufactured. FX is offered on hundreds of styles on the website and it's fun to play around with the various options that they have available for viewing.

To test the FX feature, I selected a cute Penguin print shirt dress because quirky animal prints have long been favorites of mine. The shirt dress style is work appropriate (at least for my workplace which is fairly casual). And my girls will love the cute penguins, which will result in them asking to coordinate with me in their own penguin-themed clothing because we love the match. The final reason I chose this style is because I am from Pittsburgh where we root for the Penguins NHL hockey team and although I am not that engaged with sports culture at the moment, I do like a regionally coordinated theme!

The first thing I did was configure the dress to have different sleeve length options just to see how it looked. Both are very cute but penguins are wintery so a longer sleeve makes sense. I settled on 3/4 length so it would be versatile and allow for some bracelets to show.

Next, I wanted to test different hemlines. There was a mini skirt option (not pictured) that was a bit risqué for my own modest and work-friendly preferences but still very fun especially with a cute print. I loved the kind of 1940s inspired midi look but because I am only 5'3" I stuck with knee length. The style on the right is the one I plan to choose! I really enjoyed testing eShakti FX and hope it makes the customizable options for eShakti styles more easily visualized prior to purchase. Thank you to eShakti for the invitation to review and the chance to be compensated with a website credit.

Cleveland Market OOTD

I wore this to the West Side Market and the zoo during a recent weekend trip to Cleveland. It is a new dress from Eshakti and although I like it very much I admit it wasn't the best dress for traveling. I learned that it is very prone to wrinkles, as evidenced above. I had ironed it in the hotel before we left for the day but you would never know it from the photos. I do like the color very much and the shirt dress shape. But I wish the fabric had a tiny bit of stretch to make it less wrinkly and bunchy. Still, it yielded many compliments from friendly strangers which was nice.

Details:
Eshakti dress (c/o)
MBMJ shoes
Longchamp hobo

Emilia's outfit:
Gymboree dress and cropped leggings, Ballerina Crocs

What I wore to new student orientation

It is hard to believe that summer break has flown by so quickly. The other day I attended an orientation event to represent my department and meet the incoming freshman class as well as their parents. It was a chilly and dreary day which didn't match the vibe at orientation.

Orientation always feels so hopeful and anticipatory. I remember attending my own with my mother many years ago. We tried to soak in all the info but eventually skipped one of the more superfluous sessions to grab a non-cafeteria lunch and coffee in Oakland. I don't remember many details from the info sessions but I do remember vividly how I felt. I remember the feeling of being on the cusp of big transition. I remember being nervous but excited. I remember feeling glad my mom was with me to help make sense of all the information but also to spend time alone together, right before I was about to leave the nest.

Every orientation I think about how those incoming students and their families are processing so many emotions, ranging from bittersweet to anxious to elated. Seeing them with their families is a good reminder that even when I feel frustrated or fed up with undergraduate antics, there's likely to be someone (probably even many someones) by whom these students are held dear. And when I am tasked with resolving difficult situations, this knowledge helps fortify my patience and empathy. I'm in no rush for summer to end but I can't help but feel excited to meet my new semester of students.

For this summer's orientation event, I wore a dress I received last year to review from Eshakti. The other day I received my second Eshakti order and am pleased. I will show you what I picked soon.

Details:
Eshakti dress
J. Crew Factory Clare Cardigan
Gucci wedges

eShakti's New Custom Options and Clearance Sale!

I wanted to alert folks to the fact that in addition to their custom dresses, shirts, and skirts, eShakti is now offering custom pants, shorts, and jumpsuits. They have redesigned their site and launched new lines with bohemian and contemporary themes. I just love the above dress! I might have to make an order to try it in person. They are running a side-wide 35% off sale right now (ends today).

And the best part is that eShakti wants to offer readers of Consume or Consumed an exclusive gift coupon!

Use coupon code: CONSUMES35 -- Valid till 06/21/2015 -- to receive $35 off your order!

Enter this code in the 'Gift Coupon / Referral Code' box at checkout

Only one gift coupon can be used in an order

Not valid on previous purchases / purchase of gift cards.

This gift coupon cannot be transferred, re-issued or exchanged for cash.
Minimum order value $30.

They have many great summer styles on clearance right now. For example, this dress is both work and breastfeeding/pumping friendly and it is on sale for $30! Happy Shopping! 

Disclosure: eShakti has offered me a gift card to use on their site in exchange for this post but my opinions are my own. Thank you, eShakti!

Win a gift credit from eShakti!

I mentioned in recent posts that although there are no students in my household at the moment, I still love "back to school" shopping. And I figured there must be others who do too! That is why I have partnered with eShakti to give away not one but TWO $25 gift credits to eShakti to two lucky winners. This credit is akin to a gift card that you can stack on top of the other promotions offered by Eshakti. This means you can really stretch those gift dollars!

I love that eShakti caters to a range of sizes and body types, enabling women to access cute, reasonably priced merchandise with equal opportunity. My favorite thing about the site is the incredibly affordable "mass customization" option. This is something to be celebrated! You can read here my review of the custom size experience. And check out eShakti's new arrivals here!

Terms of the giveaway:
You must be located in the US to win
You must leave a comment on the blog
You can enter in any other number of ways and submit multiple entries per day
The draw will be done randomly via rafflecopter
I will notify the two winners via email and eShakti will furnish them with their gift credits

Thank you again to eShakti for providing the prizes! Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Custom Fits with Eshakti!

Eshakti Ceramic Tile Print Dress

Even before I was a mom, I worried about the impact that negative body image can have on the self esteem of girls and women. Through my own body image struggles I have tried to remind myself that "all bodies are 'good' bodies" and to be positive and grateful. No matter my quibbles, the body I have is able and healthy. That is something to celebrate, not chide. But despite these efforts, negativity can seep in whenever I encounter fit issues with a type of garment, a brand, or a style. For example, I've long had trouble finding pants which is why my wardrobe tends to rely on dresses.

Shopping in person these days is also a challenge. Not only do I lack the time necessary to be thorough, Pittsburgh lacks brick and mortar locations of many of my favorite stores. I order a lot of things online but that convenience comes at a price (to the environment and my pocketbook) when you are stuck paying for shipping and/or returns.

This is why I was so drawn to the customizable measurement options offered by Eshakti. Eshakti specializes in "mass customization" for women's clothes, while offering a range of sizes from 0-36. I love that their size options extend to include many many bodies. But I was even more excited about the opportunity to have a garment made to measure without costing an arm and a leg!

So when Eshakti contacted me to review a garment of my choice and encouraged me to try their customization feature I jumped at the chance. I chose the Ceramic Tile Print dress which appears to be sleeveless on the website. I chose to add sleeves and inputted my measurements per their measuring guidelines. A few days later I had this amazing made-to-measure dress that I can't wait to wear for teaching. I was pretty pleased with the fit and the quality, especially for the retail price point.

You can shop Eshakti for yourself and use an exclusive coupon code created for my readers:
CONSUMES will get you an extra 10% OFF and can be stacked with other discounts. The code is valid from 08/20/2014 – 09/20/2014. And there is a site-wide promotion going on right now where items are BOGO!!!

In a few days I also will be posting a back-to-school giveaway from Eshakti and Consume or Consumed! Thank you so much, Eshakti!