Thanks, Past Emma

dress: c/o eShakti
belt: came with a skirt from JCPenney
flats: Target
Friends and Twitter followers may be familiar with my phrase, "That's a problem for Future Emma." As in, "I really want to watch this movie, but I have so much work to do. Oh well, guess that's a problem for Future Emma."

Needless to say, I am rarely a fan of Past Emma.

So imagine my surprise when I went to edit some photos for today's post and realized that Past Emma had already edited four outfits' worth of photos! Proof that Past Emma is not always a jerk to Future Emma. Now I can go back to editing the last of the Marley photos.

Speaking of, can I ask you guys a huge favor? Kellen entered my favorite shot of Marley in a Parents magazine contest. If she wins, the photo I took of her will be on the cover of the magazine! This is obviously pretty exciting for both of us, so if you have a moment, could you please vote for her here? And if you feel so inclined, you can vote from multiple computers, your smartphone, your tablet and using your Twitter and Facebook account. I think you can also vote once per day via each of these methods. She is/we are currently #28, which is amazing and definitely within the "we could win it" range. Thanks so much if you vote!!

Product review: eShakti's Spring 2014 line!

Guys, spring is almost here. It's so close I can practically taste it. Today, I left the house in just my faux-leather jacket...and it was UNZIPPED! DUN DUN DUN!!! And the season being just a few weeks away (we hope) means one thing: Spring fashion is starting to hit the shelves! Today I'm sharing with you a piece from my favorite online retailer, eShakti. If you've been around the blog for any length of time, you might remember some of the other items I've reviewed or purchased. (Can we take a moment to appreciate how glorious my hair looks in that first link? Not gonna lie, it kind of makes me want to grow it out again...)

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Spring is (almost) here, eShakti's spring 2014 line is actually here, and it is totally fabulous. And when they offered to have me review another sample, I was all about it. Once again, I chose a dress, but they have a ton of cute tops and skirts as well. I just really, really, really love their dresses. Seriously, it took me like two hours to find all my favorites and narrow them down to just one item. And here it is:








dress: c/o eShakti (like it? buy it here)
heels: Target
I love dresses that have a little neckline embellishment, thus eliminating the need for a necklace. It's such an easy, hassle-free outfit! Other awesome things about this dress (and most of their dresses, actually) are the pockets (woohoo!) and the built-in-bra-strap-wranglers. They might have an official name, but I like mine better. They're these little straps that snap into place inside the shoulder of the dress, and they do just what my name implies: Prevent those pesky straps from peeking out.

As usual, I used my own measurements to order a custom-sized dress, though I didn't use the "change sleeves/skirt length" options that are available. Naturally, it fits like a dream. I can't wait until spring to wear it to...well, everything :)

Oh, and if you were wondering, here are a few of the other options I considered. So much love!

Are you an eShakti fan? What's your favorite item from this season's collection? Link up in the comments!

Falling back into place

If you follow me on Instagram, then maybe you saw this photo I posted last night:



That's right! My insurance claim was finally processed, so I went out and snapped up my new Macbook. (Using the credit card that earns me Amazon points, which I will promptly pay off when my check is deposited on Friday. Free money, woop woop! Also, new computer, woop woop times infinity!)

I also decided to try to re-install my Adobe Creative Suite. I knew if I was able to install it, that would mean the pawn shop had uninstalled all my software on my old computer in addition to wiping my other info from it. And sure enough, Adobe installed! So good news all around.

It seems fitting, then, that I'm down to the last photos from my point-and-shoot camera. And they happen to be from the morning that all this ish went down. I've been kind of avoiding these pics, to be honest, and for a while I thought I wouldn't post them at all. But not posting them won't change anything, and I'm sick of letting fear and regret dictate my choices and actions. So here they are.






button-down: New York & Company
dress: eShakti
nude shoes: Franco Sarto via Marshall's
silver shoes: DSW
necklace: gifted
The top photo is what I had planned to wear to work that day. I stuck the heels in my bag because walking long distances in them is pretty awful, so I was wearing flip flops. (Yes, I tried to chase down a thief wearing flips flops and a dress.) Needless to say, those nude shoes are gone. I would up wearing the silver ones when I went to work for a few hours that day in a vain attempt to distract myself.

I suppose the silver lining to losing those Franco Sartos is that I didn't wear them much because the heel height was a bit too much for me...and my insurance pays out replacement value for items, so they gave me $95 for these shoes instead of the $25 or so I paid. So, that's cool, I guess.

Those bottom two side-by-side photos, by the way, are what I wore to my sister's high school graduation party. It's so crazy to think that she's going to college in just about a month--but she's going to my alma mater, so I'll have plenty of excuses to visit her ;)

Progress

dress: eShakti
shoes: Buckle
belt: Target
Well, eventually I want to start getting up at 6 a.m., but this morning I managed to drag my sorry night-owl butt up at 6:30. It's better than nothing, but it leaves me with time for little else besides quickly editing these pics and throwing up a super-short post. No time for any of my freelance writing, but hey, there's always my lunch break, right?

I'm not really feeling these pics today, which is a shame because this is that super-cute dress I bought with last month's clothes budget. I wore it to a baby shower for one of Matt's cousins and got a lot of compliments. I also wore it to work, where I also got compliments, so yeah, I'm pretty pleased with this dress. I just wish I had taken better pictures in it, haha. My hair...ick. And what's up with the tilted background?? Oh camera, you are so weird.

Here's a close-up of the pattern on this dress. I. freaking. love it.

Product review: eShakti's spring line

My eShakti spring line sample came in the mail this weekend! I was so excited to see that I got my top pick of the three dresses (mentioned here). I used custom sizing, so the dress was made with my measurements and therefore fits like a friggin' glove. I lurve it.


Let's get a close-up of that detailing, yes?


And the back...


dress: c/o eShakti
shoes: Target
I intentionally chose a below-the-knee hemline, thinking that would make this dress work-appropriate. Alas, I failed to realize it had a cutout in the back (which I love, just not for work), not to mention the sheer...let's call it "boobaliciousness" of the front. So while this is a fabulous dress for pretty much anything fun, it's definitely not for wearing around the office. Oh well. More play clothes for me :)

Since I won't be wearing it to work, I'm thinking about hemming the bottom so the dress stops around my knees, like this:


The dress is temporarily out of stock (I must have snagged it just in time!) but if you want to keep an eye on the product page to order it yourself, here's the link. And of course you can check out eShakti's other great items, like the spring line and the new bridesmaids dresses (which are pretty dang cute for any semi-formal or formal occasion, if you ask me). Bonus time: If you place an order before March 20, you can use code VERBLMELNG to get 20% off!

More sponsor love

So remember my post about eShakti dresses that I was thinking about ordering for an on-blog review? Well, I was a bit slow on that, so two of the three were out of stock. Womp womp. But that means I got to do a little more faux-shopping, and here are the two I came up with to replace the out of stock items:

Source: eshakti.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: eshakti.com via Emma on Pinterest

Can't wait to see which one I get! The plain retro-style navy one from the last post was still in stock...and if I don't get it as the sample, I will most definitely be buying it myself with my March budget! And don't worry, you budgeting bloggers...my February budget post is coming up, just as soon as I make deadline on my freelance story.

So anyway, if you like any of these dresses, or anything else in eShakti's spring line, now's the time to make the purchase yourself. Cause Verbal Mélange readers get a special discount code! Details in the graphic below...just don't judge me for its poor quality. I had literally about two minutes to make it :)

Spring is...well, on its way, at least

Ok, I'm officially over winter. I mean, let's be honest, I was officially over winter about five minutes after it started, but I'm going into full-on cabin fever mode. I want pretty skirts and dresses without tights, and sandals, and bright colors and fun patterns. So when I was invited to sample an item from eShakti's spring line, my winter-weary heart skipped a little beat. I was instructed to pick my top three dresses, and they'd send me one of them to review here on the blog. How fun is that? Nothing like a great springtime surprise, right?

For those of you who aren't familiar with this great online shop, it specializes in custom clothes. So in addition to carrying sizes 0-36W, you can also send in your own personal measurements and they'll make the clothes specifically to fit you. Fo' free, y'all. You can also make other customizations, like changing the sleeves, hem lengths, and adding or removing embroidery, pockets and other embellishments. It's like designing your own clothes! And I'm picky and awkwardly sized, so of course I love it.

Anyway, here are the three items (all dresses, of course) that I'm going to send in as possible samples:

Source: eshakti.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: eshakti.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: eshakti.com via Emma on Pinterest

The cute black-and-white floral is my top choice and offers soooo much in the way of remixing possibilities, don't you think? And the navy one would fill a major hole in my closet...in fact, it'll probably be part of my March clothing budget if I don't wind up getting it as a sample. And the shirtdress is just fun!

You can check out eShakti's spring line here. Which items are you jonesing for?

Wedding weekend: Last of the year

dress: c/o eShakti
heels: Franco Sarto via Marshall's
bracelets: handmade in Uganda (fundraiser purchase)
ring: TaDa.com
First, I know that this dress looks gray, but it's definitely purple, I promise. Someday, I'll photograph it proper light, I swear. It's frustrating when outfits don't show up on camera the way they do in real life, isn't it? (Where are my fellow bloggers? You know what I'm talking about.)

Anyway, I wore this last Friday to Matt's sister's wedding rehearsal dinner. Even though this dress is wool, it's surprisingly light and comfortable, which is great because dinner was a several-hour-long gathering filled with wine, good company and great conversation. (Come to think of it, I feel like those three tend to go hand in hand, don't they?)

Saturday was, of course, the wedding. It was so unbelievably gorgeous; Matt's sister, Beth, looked like she came straight from 1940s Hollywood. I didn't get a chance to get a photo with her (she and her new husband were busy socializing with the other 150 guests, of course), but after the ceremony I pulled Matt aside for a quick snap of my outfit with my phone.


dress: Lily Boutique
scarf-as-shawl, necklace, clutch: Target
shoes: DSW
bracelet: Forever 21 ring: TaDa.com
This dress is actually kind of the reason why I don't shop online very often. When I first saw this dress on Pinterest, I immediately fell completely in love. I waited literally four weeks for it to come back in stock, then pounced on it the second it was available. On the mannequin, the dress looks great. Classy. Elegant. On me, it looks so short as to be almost a little...wel...inappropriate. Almost.

But when I wrapped this scarf around my shoulders, shawl-like, it added some modesty to the outfit and kept it from showing too much skin. Low(er) heels helped with that, too. Maybe next time I'll try it with a pair of opaque tights, to balance out the shortness, and leave my arms bare. Hm...

Affiliate feature: eShakti

Every once in a while, the folks at eShakti contact me to offer an item sample for me or a discount code for my readers. This month, they went all out and did both! Free swag for me and a bonus perk for you guys? Love it.

If you're not familiar with this online shop, let me give you the quick rundown. (Otherwise, skip to the next paragraph? Or read this one. Hey, who am I to boss you around?) It's this awesome online store that features a great array of skirts, dresses, tops, etc etc. My favorite thing about it, though, is that you can custom-order any item they sell with your exact measurements. For someone like me, who has really broad shoulders, really slim hips and really long legs (I'm like a weird isosceles triangle), this is a major blessing. And the custom-sizing options are FREE, and include the ability to adjust sleeve and skirt length, when applicable. So really, the store is about quality clothes that are custom-made to your measurements...and what more can a girl ask for?

For my sample, I was allowed to pick anything from the store's new fall line. It was NOT an easy decision, let me assure you, but I decided on this dress, with my own custom measurements of course. And I lurrrrve it! It's a little big in the bust, I think, but let's be honest: Matt helped me get all my measurements using a scrap of measuring tape that didn't go all the way around my chest. It's highly possible that one (or both) of us used just a little too much wishful thinking when measuring that part, haha!






cardi, tights: Target
dress: c/o eShakti
booties: Burlington Coat Factory
And, as promised, here's that coupon code. Unfortunately, it's only good for those who have never made a purchase from this store before, but if you've been looking for an excuse to try the place out, well, here it is! Just use the code below to get $25 off your first purchase between now and the end of the year. Cha-ching!


And hey, since you were cool enough to read all the way down here, you should probably make sure you enter my giveaway, too!

Disclaimer: eShakti sent me this dress, free of charge, in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions stated here are, in fact, my fair and honest opinions. As for the coupon code, I get a little shopping bonus (basically, an eShakti gift certificate) each time someone uses it. But don't let that stop you ;) In fact, feel free to share it with your friends, too!

Giveaway love

Have I ever mentioned how awesome you guys are? I have? Well, I'll say it again. Whenever I blog about having a bad day, I get a slew of comments with kind words and hopeful thoughts, and it never fails to cheer me up. So when eShakti asked if I wanted to do a giveaway, the answer was a resounding YES! So this is for you all, loyal readers. Thanks for rocking my socks.

eShakti giveaway pics by verbalmelange on polyvore.com

This giveaway is for one item of your choice from the amazing eShakti. You can even choose a custom-sized/styled product. Custom sizing allows you to enter all of your measurements for a custom-made item that is perfectly tailored to fit you like a glove. Or, you know, a dress. Whatevs.

Mandatory to enter:
- Visit eShakti and pick out which item that you'd get if you won. (Personally, I'm drooling over everything pictured above.)
- Comment below and tell me which item you'd pick. Make sure you leave your email address in the comment. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

For extra entries:
- Like eShakti's Facebook page
- Like Verbal Mélange's Facebook page
- Follow eShakti on Pinterest
- Follow me on Pinterest
- Follow eShakti on Twitter
- Follow me on Twitter

That's a total of seven possible entries! And with the great quality of eShakti's clothes, this is a giveaway you definitely want to enter as many times as possible ;) Just make sure you enter before midnight on May 31. Winner will be announced on June 1! Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was not paid, perked or compensated for hosting this giveaway. I just love y'all and I love eShakti and I wanted to do something nice :)

Le sigh

It appears that I can no longer wear black pants. Spaz is mostly white, and apparently she sheds like there's no tomorrow. So these black slacks I'm wearing today? Covered in white hair. Lovely.

Here's the outfit I wore to my parents' anniversary party/vow renewal. It's the eShakti dress I reviewed at the end of September. Usually I wouldn't post a repeat outfit, but I wanted y'all to see how I figured out the straps-are-too-long situation. My original plan was to cut and resew them, but my grandma convinced me to just cut them, since the material is a jersey knit that doesn't fray. And she was absolutely right...I love the way this looks!




dress: c/o eShakti
shoes: Buckle
necklace: gift from Matt
Please ignore the sweaty hair and the apparent water stain on the front of the dress that I just this second noticed. I was helping my family tear down the reception site; someone else had rented the room right after us and we had to hustle out of there.

Oh, and speaking of my grandma, last night she helped me finish making the curtains for my bedroom! I took plenty of photos, so I'm going to spend the weekend working on a tutorial (among other time-consuming projects, and work of course...ugh). I'm hoping to have a post up sometime next week!

Product Review: eShakti dress

You guys, I am very, very excited to announce my first-ever product review! I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when eShakti contacted me about reviewing their store and clothes. I had never heard of them before. But after checking out the store and hearing a little more about their policies, I was actually pretty shocked that I hadn't!

First, this store is perfect for picky people and those who usually have trouble finding clothes to fit them. I fit both of these categories. They specialize in custom-measured and -designed clothes. This means that if you love an item, but want to change the neckline, length, arm style (tank strap or cap sleeve, for example)...YOU CAN! I think that's just about the coolest thing ever. You can also order from regular sizes (they offer 0-26W) or send them your exact measurements for a custom-sized piece.

They guarantee that items ship within three business days and deliver within 7-10 business days. My order took 10 days to ship, but that may have been because it was a blogger sample. Maybe it required extra paperwork? The plus side, I got the dress just two days after I received shipment confirmation, for a total wait time of 12 days. So maybe the shipment confirmation (which, in my case, came from their marketing rep instead of an automated system) came late? Either way, I received my package within the promised 13 day max.

Can I just say again how cool it is that you can change aspects of the style and send your own measurements? I love that. I've never seen that anywhere else before. Okay. Now, on to the dress itself.




(Strange coloring in the second photo is so you can see how I had to tie it.)
I absolutely love it. The fabric is soft, and comfortable. It fits like a glove, of course. The skirt part is lined on the underside, which is a nice touch, and bonus: It has pockets! Love that. My only real qualm is that the loopy strap thing that wraps around your arms and waist is a couple inches too long. Damn my scrawny arms and small chest. For these photos, I just kind of tied it off in the back...but I'm going to my grandma's on Sunday to make some curtains, and I think I'll ask her to help me cut-and-resew this strap so it's the right length. (Although, after seeing these photos, the tied-off look isn't too bad either.)

eShakti's selection is absolutely to die for, by the way. They have the cutest tops, classy dresses and skirts, and even some pants and cardigans. You better believe I'll be ordering a custom-measured pair of pants. Finally, pants that fit in the waist AND the hip AND the inseam! I'm pretty excited.

The price points can be a bit prohibitive if you're on a Financial Diet like me, but it's really comparable to anything like Ruche, Shabby Apple, Modcloth, Spotted Moth, etc. And the overstock section (which can't be custom-measured or altered) is 40% off. Sidenote: This dress is currently not on the site, as they're waiting for more fabric to come in. But I'm told it will be restocked soon, so keep checking back if you're looking for this!

Overall, I highly recommend this site to anyone. Great quality, great value, and great style! Thanks, eShakti, for letting me do a review!