Wild Card Wednesday: Sweet Bohemian

Hi everyone!  Hope you're all having a great week!  

Blouse:  Torrid (Sold out on-line; See here)

For the next several posts, I'm featuring some Valentine's Day-inspired looks.  While I have some dressy looks planned for this weekend, today, I'm offering up a casual outfit.

Jeans: Torrid (old)

Shoes:  Christian Siriano for Payless

If you're going casual for the day, there is little better than a pair of comfortable jeans and a romantic top.

Clutch:  Eva Mendes for NY&CO

Here, I paired a sweet bohemian-inspired blouse with skinny jeans and ikat-print heels.  I would wear this outfit for a casual movie date or simply hanging out.

Pendant:  Antiquarian Couture (Find similar here)

Glasses:  Coach

I love that Torrid offers the "extra short" length in many of their denim styles.  With a 25-26" inseam, I can completely avoid alterations on my denim.

Do you have any plans for Valentines' Day?  Dressing up or keeping it casual?

For the jeans in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Beachy Bohemian

Hope you all are off to a great week!

Tunic:  c/o eShakti (See here)

Today, I'm back on the blog with my sequined tunic from eShakti.  I love this tunic for dressy looks or paired with a moto jacket and booties for more of a cool weather casual feel, but I had been thinking about how to style it for the summer.

Sandals:  Target (old)

Tote:  The Limited (Available here)

Scarf:  LOFT

I plan on trying it with denim shorts and sandals for a casual look or silkier shorts and heels for an evening look.  The first idea that came to mind though was to create a bohemian beachy feel.  I added flat sandals, a printed straw tote, and a head scarf give the tunic a laid-back, but still slightly glamorous vibe. 

Mixed bracelets and my wood watch from JORD complete the look.

Watch:  c/o JORD Wood Watches (Available here)
Bracelets:  LOFT; The Limited; Express; Target

Sunglasses:  Calvin Klein

I would definitely wear this for a beach trip or just a riverside dinner.

How would you style this tunic?

Want to try out your own eShakti piece?  Use this coupon below to save $35 off your order of $65 or more!

GC CODE: STYLECASES35Valid till 06/21/2015
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Minimum order value $30.

For the tunic in other looks, see here and here.

What's New at eShakti!!

If you've followed my blog for a while, you may know that I'm a big fan of eShakti.  Over the past several months, the clothing company has changed the look and feel of their web site.  They've also really increased their product lines in the last year, and I was recently invited by eShakti to share my thoughts on these changes.

Known for their retro frocks, sizing available from 0-36W, and customizing options, eShakti has recently developed and expanded their offerings with the introduction of contemporary and bohemian thematic lines, offering more diverse options for those looking for custom fit wear. 

Here are some of my favorites currently available:

Contemporary

Tonal inset floral print crepe dress

Asymmetric layered stretch crepe dress

Ruffled racerback poplin dress

Bohemian

Embellished crinkle gauze caftan dress

Deep V-neck crepe print maxi dress

I have this next piece which you may remember seeing here and here.  Stay tuned - I've got this one styled for summer and will be posting it up on the blog soon!

Tie front sequined crepe tunic

Shorts/Pants/Jumpsuits
In addition to the bohemian and contemporary offerings, eShakti recently started carrying pants, shorts, and even jumpsuits!!  They are really upping their style game, offering a much wider range of fabrics, prints, and styles than ever before!

Pompom trim batik print wrap shorts

Surplice crepe knit jumpsuit

Stripe print chiffon gaucho pants

Graphic print knit pants

Pleat front ankle pants

Herringbone woven crepe jumpsuit

I'm really loving all the changes to eShakti.  With more varied offerings, the door to custom fit fashion is opened to more people with a wider variety of styles.  For women who don't fit the norm - petite, plus size, tall, petite and curvy, apple-shaped, small breasted, large breasted, etc., you know... most of us, finding clothing to fit has always been the challenge. Finding clothing that fits that is also super on-trend (hello culottes, gaucho jumpsuits, and wide leg trousers!!) and reflective of our personal styles can be all the more difficult. 

With the custom fit and custom styling options available at eShakti, you can really create a piece that meets your needs and preferences.  The fact that eShakti has seriously upped their style quotient makes them all the more exciting.  

You can still find the sweet retro-inspired frocks that eShakti is known for, but there's a whole new side to eShakti to get to know - contemporary, bohemian, even BRIDAL!!  There are so many gorgeous options for all of you summer brides and bridesmaids!!

Beaded organza chiffon gown

Polka dot mesh mermaid dress

Dahlia Crinoline

Natalie Dress - Also available in gray and navy

The re-designed web site has a cleaner feel, making it easier to navigate.  And, as they have done previously, they post customer photos so you can get an idea of how some of your favorite eShakti pieces look on women of different shapes and sizes and with various customizations.

Honestly, I'm really loving the new look and feel of eShakti, but I also feel like it's important to point out areas to improve. 

I'd personally love to see examples of customized pieces - do you have a difficult time imaging a garment with a different sleeve or neckline?  I sometimes do, and it would be great if there were photographs showing each piece with their varied customization options.

With the changes to eShakti, I've noticed that the price points have increased a bit.  Better fabrics and more varied offerings are likely more costly, but sometimes the prices don't necessarily reflect the quality.  If I'm going to pay $70 for a skirt, I want a high-quality, durable fabric that doesn't wrinkle easily and a piece that is lined with excellent finishings.  In my experience, the quality is generally good, but it can also be a little too varied.  For example, a super high-quality skirt with all the bells and whistles may retail for $70, while a feather weight unlined cotton dress might retail for $50.  Understanding fabric types and reading product descriptions is particularly helpful in getting more bang for your buck (Scroll through the rest of this post for an exclusive money saving coupon!)

Lastly, a tip regarding customizations.  Be sure that you are using current measurements - have someone else measure you if possible and use the instructions provided by eShakti to get the right measurements.  I've had problems with custom pieces not fitting.  I suspect it's not an exact science, and my own tailor (who I think is amazing) has said that it is much easier to alter a piece than to make a piece from scratch.  Women's glorious curves can present some fit challenges, and since our bodies are all a little different, sometimes custom fits just don't work out.  I've never had a problem returning a custom piece that didn't fit.  In my experience, customer service has been great.  While eShakti collects a range of measurements to try to ensure a good custom fit, don't be afraid to provide additional measurements and instructions if you have any concerns.

Hope you enjoyed this round-up of some of my favorites from eShakti.  Feel like shopping now?

In exchange for telling you a little more about what eShakti has been up to, they were generous enough to offer a $35 off coupon code exclusively for readers of Style Cassentials.  This coupon is good through 6/21/15.

Gift Coupon Code: STYLECASES35Valid till 06/21/2015
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.

Disclaimer:  Compensation was provided for sharing the recent changes to eShakti and sharing my opinions.  All opinions are my own.  Purchases made through the coupon code may result in additional compensation.

eShakti Holiday - 70s Child

I am a child of the 70s...born in 1977.  I've always been attracted to styles that would have been popular around that time - slinky fabrics, maxi dresses, and bohemian looks with a touch of glam.

Tie Front Sequined Crepe Tunic:  c/o eShakti (Temporarily out of stock - see here)

Recently eShakti reached out to me regarding their amazing selection of holiday fashion, and I had the opportunity to pick out a new piece.

Shoes:  Simply Vera by Vera Wang

There were so many pretty options from gorgeous vintage-inspired looks to glam sequins to modern classic capes. 

Seamed Empire Waist Polydupion Dress

Sequin front cotton knit tank top

Black Wool Blend Cape

With such an amazing selection, I was a little overwhelmed at first, but I finally decided on this lace-up tunic accented with tonal sequins. 

Earrings:  Locally purchased

It has a 70s bohemian feel that I love, but the black color, sequins, and crepe fabric keep it from reading too casual or grungy.

70s inspired bohemian looks were a big trend on spring 2015 runways as were babydoll dresses, so this tunic feels as current as it does retro.

Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

Ring:  The Limited

I've styled the tunic simply here, just opting for lace-up heels to play up the lacing detail on the dress.  Since the dress is so short, I'd pair it with leggings, jeans, or opaque tights for everyday wear.  I'd wear this look to a New Year's party with some glittery tights like these or these.

For reference, I chose the custom fit option, using my specific height and measurements.  I also chose a custom styling option and opted for 3/4 length sleeves.

Are you a fan of eShakti?  Have you tried their custom options yet?

Do you like bohemian styles?