What I Want: Madewell

Madewell by desertgirls on Polyvore

Daywalk Shirtdress in Albion Plaid / Daywalk Shirtdress in Farmstand Plaid

I'm loving these two dresses from Madewell; don't they just scream fall? I can see pairing them with bare legs and booties now and leggings and boots when the weather finally cools down. I hope you are enjoying your Monday. Happy Labor Day to those of you who get to celebrate!

Outfit of the Day: eShakti

About three weeks ago, Rebecca and I were contacted by eShakti.com to see if we would like to work with them and review an item of clothing.  Having seen examples of eShakti dresses floating around the web for a while now, and always liking what we saw, we of course jumped at the chance.

In case you haven't heard of them yet, eShakti.com is the only online women's fashion apparel company offering size 0-36W & custom clothing.  They have an amazing array of clothing, especially dresses.  Their dress selection is huge, and I love how many classic and retro-inspired pieces they offer.  I also love that many of the pieces can be customized; not only can you send in your measurements and have the dress cut to fit your body, you can also, on many of the pieces, choose the length and the sleeve style.  I love that addition, as sometimes you see a dress that would be perfect, if only it were a little longer/shorter, or if the sleeves were a little bit different.

  I went custom with the dress, and sent in my measurements.  My only warning here- make sure you know how to properly take your measurements (and have someone help you!) before you go this route.  The process is relatively simple, and the website gives you clear instructions on how to measure yourself for the perfect fit.

The belt that came with the dress was a simple string belt, made out of the same material as the dress.  I changed it up a bit with a brown and gold belt.  I also tucked the dress up a little bit to make it just a tad shorter, so that it hit right above my knee. (If you want the dress to come with an above the knee cut, it's totally doable- you just have to ask!)

dress c/o eShakti.com
shoes Dillard's
belt H&M

Here is the dress, styled again with my own belt, but at the normal, below the knee length.  I like that I can change it up and go a little shorter if I want to.
It was such a pleasure working with eShakti.  The turn around time on the dress was really quick, especially considering the dress was literally made just for me!  Clothes are processed and shipped within 7-9 working days.
Right now eShakti is having a sale- up to 70% off and free customization (if you order by 7/31).  You can also sign up to receive $25 off if you are a new customer.

With school starting back up next week (eek!), there are plenty of pieces that would be a welcome addition to my wardrobe.  The quality is fantastic, and the service really can't be beat!

Thrifted: Day to Evening Summer Dress

Day Look

I got this great black and white cotton dress at the goodwill a few days ago ($6).  It has such a great shape and the fit is perfect.  For a hot summer day I paired it with brown and black beads (I also got from the goodwill, $1) and black and cream flats (Tahari).  It is a no-fail, flattering, summer day look.

Chain and rattan bag from Forever 21

Evening Look

 For an evening out, all I have to do is switch out the jewelry and bag to something with a bit of sparkle and add a pair of black heels.  

 

 The beaded, vintage bag was $5 at the goodwill and has the most beautiful pastel pattern under the beads.  The necklace was a gift from my husband from Anthropologie and it is one of my favorites

The Real Deal: Vintage Dress

Today I thought I would post a little preview of Lori and my shopping trip at the Long Beach Antiques Fair a few weeks ago.  This is one of the dresses I got.  It is a true vintage find that cost me $15!  I might have the sides of the bodice taken in a bit, but even so I love it.  It goes well with my nubby wool coat and leopard heels (a tribute to the movie, Bringing up Baby, where Katherine Hepburn wears a similar dress as she wrangles a real leopard).  

dress: vintage

tights: Forever 21

coat: Kenneth Cole

shoes: Nurture

bag: vintage

ring: vintage

bracelet: gift

Plaid Dress

This was taken not too long ago, before it got too cold.  If I want to keep wearing this dress through the colder winter months, I'll need to experiment with layering.  Any ideas?

dress- Dillard's
jacket- Dillard's
shoes- Ann Taylor Loft



The dress is sleeveless and has a cowl neck,
so the shrunken jean jacket
 tones the seriousness of the outfit down a bit.



Big fan of belts- adds structure and in this case, a little bit of sparkle. 
The neckline of the dress is enough that I don't think it needs a necklace to
detract from it, so the gold on the belt adds a jewelry effect without the actual jewelry.

Fun little pleat detail on the skirt



Vintage Inspired Dress

Vintage inspired dress, Marshalls

belt, Dillards

boots, Aquatalia

cardigan- I honestly can't remember. 

Nautical Inspired Pieces I Wish Were Mine

See by Chloe cardigan--love!  Buy it here.

D&G blouse

I am in love with this Dolce and Gabbana anchor print blouse.  And the See by Chloe nautical inspired cardigan.  I just thought you should know that.  Actually, I have a thing for nautical style.  Always have.  When I was in the 6th grade, my family and I went to Northern California on vacation.  I had this little white denim Guess dress with a ruffled skirt that I wore when we were in Monterey.  We all ended up freezing up there, even though it was summertime, so we had to buy sweaters from a gift shop.  Mine was solid navy blue with the words "Monterey Bay" imprinted on the fabric.  I remember loving the look of that navy blue sweatshirt with my white dress.  I guess that is when my obsession was born.  To this day, navy is still one of my all time favorite colors for clothes.  And if that navy comes in something related to a nautical theme, forget it.  You can bet that I'm going to need whatever item fits the bill.

D&G t-strap pumps

Boat House Brunch Dress, Modcloth

Forever 21 tote

Forever 21 sailor tote

cuffed sailor shorts at Forever 21

Gianni Bini matey flats @ Dillard's

~Lori

Eclectic and Easy

dress: American Eagle Outfitter

sweater: Banana Republic

tights: Forever 21

belt: Forever 21 

boots: Dillard's
bag: Banana Republic


It was rainy today (you can tell by my hair), and I wanted to feel cozy but it still isn't very cold.  I quickly put this outfit together: a summer dress that has a 20's inspired Native American pattern-I wore it this summer with oxfords-paired with a structured military sweater and woven belt. I could have put this with dark tights, but I kind of like the light grey ones because they break up the outfit and bring out the pattern in the dress. Boots are always a must in the rain and I wear these ones often. I was out the door quickly this morning!