eShakti discount and how I occupy myself during seminars

Hey all- remember that dress I wore that I got to review from eShakti?  That dress continues to get wears even though I bought it in the summer and it's now the Houston version of blindingly cold (so 30s to 50s, and I'm fully aware that anyone from the North would laugh at me for saying that.  I would laugh at me for saying that), so I feel pretty comfortable endorsing how much I like and use that dress.  Well, the folks there were kind enough to send me a promo code- CUPCAKE0811- that was created for ya'll to get $20 off when they shop at eShakti, and it's valid till 31st December, 2011.  In the interest of full disclosure, I wanted to let you know that if you use this code, I would get store credits.


On an unrelated note, being a grad student means that I am encouraged to attend many seminars.  Some of these I'm totally jazzed about (like today where the speaker gave a really comprehensive view of drug development in my field of study- and it was a really well done talk).  Sometimes though, the talks that I attend are less relevant to what I'm working on or totally over my head, and I am plagued by the problem of zoning out during seminars (this happens even during talks that I'm excited about and interested in-it's something that I struggle with).  And so my careful notes start drifting towards to-do lists and clothing design ideas and lately, sketches of what I'm wearing.  

I actually managed to get a real-life comparison for the one of the right. You might notice that in real life, I have hands.  And facial features :)

I've actually tried doing some outfit doodles at home now and the bf saw them, asked me about them, and then asked me if I was going to upload them to the blog (which cracked me up, and I thought was really adorable).  Considering how well I'm doing on making time to take pictures and how often I'm in seminar, it might be time to change the format of my outfit posts :)


Outfit: Dress: La Posh Style/ Cardigan, belt, leggings, socks: Target/ Boots: Steve Madden Girl Via Delias

Committed to sparkle motion

Oufit: Sequins: Express/ Skirt: Target/ Jacket: Banana Republic/ Shoes: Target/ Belt: Target/ Earring: Handmade/

I used to be a minimal sequins kind of gal, but fell deeply in like with this shirt over the summer.  The theme for my sister in law's bachelorette party was sequins, so I made the rare decision to buy something specifically for a purpose (which I haven't done since being invited to my first wedding as an adult where I found myself scrambling frantically around the Galleria (mall) to find something that was appropriate and fit well- I'm pretty sure that experience was traumatizing enough to explain why I now have too many dresses for all occasions hanging in my closet).  This shirt is not the sequins that I wore to that party- it was the back-up sequins that I bought along with an insanely fabulous dress that I wasn't sure I had the courage to wear (turns out I did), but I couldn't manage to return the back-up as planned.  Now I'm bound my the rules of my closet to manufacture occasions to wear sequins.  Like Wednesday.  Wednesday can be a holiday now, right?

Product review: eShakti dress

Outfit: Dress: c/o eShakti/ Belt: Target/ Shoes: Target/ Necklace: Jess LC/ Bracelet: Self-made/

The first time I wore this dress I got a compliment saying that it looked like it was made for me, and the truth is- it kinda was.  I was contacted by eShakti to do a product review of one of their items and gleefully chose this dress that I had been eyeing.  To be honest, I haven't bought anything from their website before, but I had definitely window-shopped there, and I was intrigued by their policy of customization (both in size and style for $7.50 extra).  I was a bit hesitant to take on a product review, since I was wary of putting myself in a position where I might compromise my opinions, so I'm going to be up front with you here- this dress was provided for the purpose of a doing a product review, and all opinions here are my own.

Now to the details- Since the dress was being purchased online, I wanted to choose something in a fabric that I knew I would like (100% cotton, and no complaints here) and went with a color and style that I knew would be used in my everyday closet.  Since I've worn this dress about once a week, which is pretty much the highest endorsement I can give a clothing item, I feel pretty confident saying that this is something I quite like and has pretty much the best strap staying power of any of the dresses I own (and even went through the was well).  I often use stretchy fabrics and elastic waistbands to my advantage when choosing clothing, since I find it provides a better look than too loose/tight clothing (and I'm not yet skilled enough with a sewing machine to tailor all my clothes), so it was definitely a change to wear something that A) has a zipper and B) was made to spec based off of my measurements.  I'm really pleased with the workmanship (invisible zipper! totally lined! interesting pleat detailing on the top!) and felt like it translated really well from the website (exact dress can be found here and what I think is the same dress in other colors here).  The only difference I think my dress has is that the waist hits a little higher than I would have expected considering my height and measurements were provided.  While I'm currently trying to minimize my spending on clothing (since my budget has shifted dramatically over the past few months to compensate for dance classes), once I'm able to set aside enough for it I will probably buy something else from their site (aaand it might be this dress).

Disclosure: Dress was provided by eShakti in exchange for honest product review

Lately: life flailing edition

 Outfit:  Shirt, belt: Anthropologie/ Skirt, shoes: Target/ Necklace: Gift/ Earrings: Self-made/

I know, I know- I didn't write, I didn't call.  My dad even commented that it had been a long time since I've updated here.  The truth is that while I'm still interested in this little piece of the internet, but I've struggled with making time for it, and also with what I wanted to do with it.  In a lot of ways this outfit shows how I've been feeling lately- a little disheveled, a little blown around and pulled in different directions, and surrounded by things that I really love.  In the time since my last post I've:

-turned another year older
-had to buy a new bike
-gave a big talk about my research to people outside of my lab and thesis committee
-posted my first jewelry listing on Etsy (and completely failed at following through with it)
-sang a solo as part of my a cappella group's performance at the med school talent show
-sewed an awesome costume for a friend that looked a lot like the flight attendant outfit (we sang a Britney medley): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwVk7TU

I've also been doing a lot of science (and thinking more seriously about what will go into my first first author paper) and dancing my heart out with the occasional side of watching a zombie tv show with the bf.

I have managed to get dressed on most days, and I'd like to get back to taking pictures of what I wear sometimes cuz getting dressed is fun, but it's not something that I'm prepared to do at the expense of these other things.  So, consider this more of a hello again than a goodbye, but for now I'm considering it a pretty cautious hello.

Love letter

 

Outfit: Sugar work skirt from Anthropologie/ Shirt, sunnies, and shoes from Urban Outfitters/ Necklace and bracelet from Modcloth/ Scarf from packaging from Clyde's Rebirth/

I threatened my friend earlier with the possibility of me being able to devote a love letter of a blog to her, and that's pretty doable- I feel like I could easily start up a whole new blog of love letters to the people in my life that I love, the people who inspire me on the interent (like the woman who's blog I'm dependent on for making interesting food and stylish ladies like Kendi and Monkeyface and a ridiculous amounts of other people), and the things in my life that I appreciate.  Right now though, a lot of my love might be taken up by this outfit (the cats woke me up in the middle of the night, so they're out).  After I threw it on, I thought I'd go up and take pictures, but was 90% sure that I'd end up changing out my skirt and shoes (because if we're being honest, the skirt is a little tight on me since I was so blinded by yellow skirt lust that I kept it even though it's a smaller size than what I need).  But after flouncing around in it, it won my heart, and I found I couldn't take it off.  Plus the shoes helped me to nominally tie in the scarf, which I've been sitting on since it came wrapped around my Clyde's Rebirth jewelry (which is a totally genius idea for packaging).  Again, I was totally charmed since normally I find it next to impossible to get things to stay put on my head when they go all the way around it (also it was the perfect answer to the question of whether I really needed to wash my hair this morning- it's cool, I washed it tonight after dance class).  Also one of the guys in my lab complimented me on my hair thing today, which means that it totally worked as a distraction from the actual hair (win!).

Bits of yellow

Outfit: On the breeze chemise and Daisy fay headband from Anthropologie/ Yellows and leggings from Target

I was positively giddy when I saw that this month's EBEW theme was yellow, since I'm a little infatuated with the color (I blame my college roomie and long distance bestie for this as well as my for my everlasting love for David Bowie).  I swung open the closet door with glee to figure out what to pick now that I've gotten over my "oh I can't wear that color phase." A couple years ago, my only yellow item was these shoes, since I couldn't resist the color and figured that this was the safest way to incorporate it.  Since then I've bought an embarrassing number of yellow skirts and wore a yellow bridesmaid dress (and no longer really feel like there are colors I shouldn't be wearing), but here I've used neutrals to set the backdrop for first and latest (and new favorite) yellow purchases.  Do you have colors you thought you'd never wear that you now love?  Tragically, my camera battery died, so I got to choose from about 5 pictures (and couldn't find any that showed off ma shoes without having and awkwardly angry face) (and forgot to change the light settings).  How did you celebrate yellow day?

These yellows previously: