Skippy Says: eShakti review (Skippy Reviews)

You guys, I'm a shorty. It's sad, but oh so true. Ok, actually, it's not so sad, I quite like being a shorty. But It's definitely true. I'm almost 5''1 . . . in the morning . . . on a good day . . . when I'm wearing my furry slippers that are on a small platform. You know what else? I may have eaten nearly my weight in mashed potatoes and pie over Thanksgiving, but I'm still fairly petite. And you know what that means? I'm often sized out of so many pretty things I want to buy. Which means I either don't buy it, or I add a hefty tailoring price on top of what I'm already paying for the garment. I know, cry me a river. But I don't care what you say, it's sad.


This is exactly why I was so excited to learn about eShakti, a women's apparel online store that not only stocks sizes 0-26W, but also actually allows you to custom size your order. As in, send in your measurements, and they'll tailor-make whatever garment you order for your body. Um, yes please. Not only that, but eShakti also allows custom changes in the style of the garment - sleeve, neckline, and length can all be changed to your preference. More yes please.


I was so happy to work with eShakti to pick out a dress from their website to style for this post. My experience really was nothing short of spectacular. My questions were quickly answered, emails responded to within a matter of hours, and the dress was shipped and received less than a week after I made my selection despite the fact that I went the custom size route instead of the standard sizing route and made custom length changes as well. Sweet! I tore open the package and threw the dress as soon as it arrived. And guess what? It fit absolutely perfectly. Which is rare for me, but no surprise since eShakti made it for specifically for meeeeeeee using my measurements. 


I honestly could not recommend eShakti highly enough. I'll definitely be ordering products from them in the future. And now you can too! eShakti is generously offering all Skippy Says readers $20 off their purchase by using the promo code SAYSSKIPPY0811, valid till 31st December, 2011. Guys, there is stuff on eShakti's site for like $25. Meaning you could get it for just $5. Go. You're welcome.

Shop:

- Singing in the Rain dress (c/o eShakti. Buy here)

- Belt (Anthropologie)

- Necklace (San Francisco ThreadShow)

- Heels (San Francisco ThreadShow)

Skippy Says: Black Friday 2011 (OOTD)

Alright friends, I've held you in suspense long enough. I know you all haven't been able to sleep wondering how my first ever Black Friday shopping experience went. Don't worry, you'll finally be able to rest easy tonight.

So, basically, in a nutshell, it was a.w.e.s.o.m.e. The night before was less awesome-- my tummy hurt from eating too much food. Specifically mashed potatoes. And maybe that extra last piece of pie. I had my alarm set to 5:00 am, but woke up at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 4:15, and 4:30 before I finally resigned myself and got up. Not a good start to the day. But then, oh then, I arrived at Anthropologie. Because you know their extra 50% off all sale items is what got my butt in gear to finally do Black Friday. And I scored so many awesome things that all the tummy aches and lack of sleep didn't matter anymore. Like this blouse. This amazingly beautiful, 100% silk blouse, for $30. Yeah baby. That's what I'm talkin' about.

p.s.- I have decided not to do a big post with all my Black Friday finds because I think that would be rather overwhelming. Let's just say Ryan had to come to the rescue midway through to help me carry bags. Instead, I'll note at the bottom of my post if something was a Black Friday find and how much it cost. Kapisch?

Shop:

- Urban Outfitters jeans (Buy here)

- Anthropologie blouse (Black Friday find for $30- no longer available online, may still be available in some stores)

- BCBG blazer (brand new via Ebay for $9! Buy similar here)

- Anthropologie leather tote bag (Black Friday find for $50. Buy here)

- H&M belt (No longer available, buy similar here or here)

- Anthropologie shoes (Bought on sale, no longer available)

Skippy Says: Cyber Monday Deals 2011 (Skippy Shares The Love)

Two posts in one day? Wheeeeeeeeee. I just couldn't help sharing three awesome Cyber Monday deals I found that I think many of you will love. FYI I am in not being paid by these companies, I just think they're really awesome deals you guys should know about.

1. Bluefly: $25 for $50 worth of designer clothing and accessories on bluefly.com

2. Blue Nile: $100 for $200 worth of jewelry at BlueNile.com

3. Eyefly: $49 for one pair of glasses or sunglasses with or without prescription at eyefly.com

Enjoy!

Skippy Says: Room To Grow (OOTD)

Did anyone else struggle with what to wear on Thanksgiving? It's such a delicate balance. On the one hand, I want to look put together and cute. On the other, I want to wear big, comfortable clothes that have room for my belly to expand as I load myself full of mashed potatoes. And this year, I had to have two meals full of mashed potato (and stuffing, and pie) goodness-- an afternoon one with Ryan's family, and an evening one with mine, so the clothes had to be extra roomy. I know, I know, it's amazing I can keep on smiling when I have such tough problems in my life. Good thing this skirt is at least a size too big, even it was feeling tight by the end of the festivities. And the shirt inadvertently ended up being a great choice too-- not only was it loose, but the pattern was interesting enough to distract people so I could snatch up the last piece of pie. Oh yes I did. "Hey, Aunt Lorraine, look at the pretty birdies." Yoink. Skippy: 1; Aunt Lorraine and Pie: 0.

p.s.- Black Friday update coming tomorrow. Spolier alert: It rocked.

Shop:
- San Francisco ThreadShow blouse (not available online)
- Anthropologie skirt (bought on sale circa 2008, no longer available. Buy similar here)
- Hue tights (buy here)
- Fergie booties via DSW (bought on sale, not available online. Buy similar here, here, or here)
- Necklace borrowed from the mom of the little girl I nanny for

Skippy Says: Happy Thanksgiving (Skippy Celebrates)

Happy Thanksgiving friends! I'm going to be taking these next few days off to celebrate with my family, old and new. My plan is to eat lots of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie and then try to fit into clothes as I participate for the first time ever in Black Friday. Yeah, I'll let you know how that works out.

See you all back here on Monday to share my Black Friday finds (providing I can still fit into clothes on Friday, of course).

Skippy Says: My Soulmate (OOTD)

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I don't think Ryan is my soulmate. Clearly, I'm madly in love and absolutely crazy about him. But to me at least, that's different than a soulmate. My soulmate is my BFF, Alisa, who was in my life long before Ryan and I met. During all of high school, we were quite literally inseparable. From about eight in the morning until midnight we were by each other's sides-- talking, eating (a lot), and making up nicknames for boys we thought were cute so we could discuss them without anyone knowing who we were talking about. Our favorite was "Hrusha"- a boy named Andrew that we translated to "Andrusha" and somehow morphed into "Hrusha."

Although we both live in San Francisco, Alisa and I don't get to see each other quite as often as we used to back in the day. Grown-up life and work have gotten in the way, as has our desire to spend time with our respective significant others. We still get together a few times a week though, and this past Sunday was a particularly fun girls day despite the fact that she told me I dressed up like Blossom. And no, she didn't mean it as a compliment, though I took it as one. And yes, she is still my soulmate.

Shop:
- Target dress (No longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Anthropologie trench (Gift from my mother-in-law, no longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Anthropologie belt (Circa 208, no longer available. Buy similar here)
- Vintage scarf (From SF vintage expo)
- Hue tights (Buy here)
- Hue socks (Not available online but available in store at Macy's)
- Naturalizer outlet boots (bought on sale circa 2009, no longer available. Buy similar here)

Skippy Says: Ode To Potatoes (OOTD)

My grandpa was a potato geneticist. Yes, you read that right. He bred potatoes, wrote his PhD dissertation on the genetics of potato breeding, and made my grandma sleep in a separate bedroom so that he could sleep with his piles of books on potatoes. Curled up into a little ball, he took up about 1/6 of the bed, leaving the rest for his potato books. Even in his last days at the hospital, potatoes were on his mind. Although he was barely able to speak, he mustered enough energy to tell me to go home and make sure the new potatoes he was breeding were properly covered with a damp cloth.

It should come as no surprise, then, that I love potatoes. I love them in any and all forms- fried, baked, mashed, you name it, I love it. When Ryan and I first started dating, I hid this love of potatoes from him. My 17 year old self thought he would think it was "too Russian" and therefore find it (and by proxy, me) unattractive. Oh yes, it's true. He still hasn't let me live that one down. I'm glad I'm over that little phase, because lord knows it would kill me not to pile my plate high with mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving. Buttery, delicious mashed potatoes. I'm trying to wear all my tights clothes and pencil skirts now, as seen below, because after Thursday it may be a while before I'm able to again.

Shop:
- Forever 21 top (no longer available)
- Zara dress worn as skirt (not available online, may still be available in stores. Buy similar skirt here or here)
- BCBG belt (no longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Fergie booties via DSW (not available online. Buy similar here or here)

Skippy Says: Awards For Everyone (OOTD)

Happy Monday guys! You know what makes this Monday a little more bearable? Well, aside from the fact that it's a short week sure to be filled with massive amounts of stuffing and pie? The lovely Kelsey at Charming Pumpkin awarded me not one, but two, blogger awards. I'm giddy. Kelsey is one of my all-time favorite blogger friends. And I know that when we meet we'll be real life besties too in part due to our mutual (unhealthy?) love of Anthropologie. Plus, when we first emailed she told me that she loved the following bit from my FAQ page: "What's up with your blog title? What's up with your face?!" Oh Kelsey, you know the way to my heart.

I got the Kreativ Blogger award some time ago, but I'm super excited to have gotten it again. You can see my 7 facts here. For those of you to lazy to click the link, shame on you, but here they are again:

1. I love pretty much all mammals. A little too much. I want to adopt every puppy and kitten on the planet, and one day I'd love to own a monkey and a tiger. Ryan is interested in politics, so we made an agreement that if he is ever president, I get to own a tiger.

2. Related to #1 above, half of our engagement photo shoot was done in a petting zoo in SF. Best.Idea.Ever. Toot toot. 

3. I was born in Russia and lived in a little village there until we moved to San Francisco when I was 6 years old. It was tiny, and we even used to get milk from our neighbor's cow from across the street. Ryan makes fun of me for being a country bumpkin sometimes :)

4. I went to an all women's college (Wellesley) where I studied Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences. I knew it had nothing to do with the career I wanted to pursue in the future, but I loved Linguistics.

5. I was a total drama geek in high school and dreamed of being an actress. Not on TV or anything, but in theatre. I'm still sad I gave theatre up, and I hope to one day have it back in my life.

6. I couldn't cook anything except toast until junior year in college. Studying abroad in Scotland was expensive, so eating out wasn't an option and I forced myself to learn to cook. Now it's one of my favorite hobbies. 

7. I can't sing. At all. My friends say I sound like a croaking frog. Ouch.

Name your favorite song: First of all, I gotta say I hate this question. How do you pick one favorite song? Most of all, I love songs that bring back some special memory to me whenever I hear them, like "Ain't That Love?" by Ray Charles which was our first dance wedding song. Also, have I mentioned I love the Backstreet Boys? 

Name your favorite dessert: Anything with coconut, chocolate, and peanut butter. Preferably all three.

What pisses you off: I'm going to have to 100% agree with Kelsey and say people with entitlement complexes.

Your favorite pet: Pet? My puppy Ryder. Animal? See fact #1 of my Kreativ Blogger Award- I love all mammals. A lot. As in, I'm the annoying person that will stop you and your puppy on the street to pet it even though you're clearly in a hurry to get somewhere. Sorry.

Black or white: White.

Your biggest fear: Disappointing others, especially those I love and who have done so much for me. 

Best feature: Probably my red curly hair.

Everyday attitude: Bubbly and friendly, with a touch of sass and fieriness

What is perfection: Getting really tight squeezes from my hubby and feeling so incredibly protected and cared for when I'm in his arms. Cue vomiting here.

Guilty pleasure: Any wedding shows (i.e. Say Yes to the Dress), What Not To Wear, Gilmore Girls, Project Runway, ANTM, and I think I'll just quit while I'm ahead behind. 

I'm supposed to award this to seven other bloggers, but honestly I think anyone who wants to should just do it. It's so fun getting to know a bit more about you all. So, if you're interested, consider yourself awarded.

And now, finally, onto my OOTD.

Shop:
- Anthropologie top (bought on sale circa 2010, no longer available. Buy similar here)
- Therapy skirt (not available online. Buy similar here)
- Anthropologie blazer (bought on sale, no longer available.)
- Scarf from Turkey
- Target tights (buy here)
- Naturalizer outlet boots (bought on sale circa 2009, no longer available. Buy similar here or here)

Skippy Says: I'm Hangry (OOTD)

I get Cranky when I'm hungry. As in, Ca-ran-ky. Notice the capital "C"s. You think I'm kidding? Don't let my 5 foot tall frame fool you, I am t-e-r-r-i-f-y-i-n-g. So terrifying, in fact, that my mom and Ryan have taken to carrying emergency snacks on them at all times in case hunger strikes and we're not near some place where I can get food. Now do you believe me? I told this to my boss once, and she told me that she is the same way and that when she was a little girl her mother used to send her to camp with a sign that said "Lauren gets cranky when she's hungry." I'm thinking I should get me one of those. That way, the poor random strangers I snap at for no reason sometimes might understand. Oh, and if my smile looks a little forced in the photos below (especially in the third one) it's because I was getting hangry, and wanted to get these shots done quickly so I could go eat.

Shop:
- Cotton On outlet shirt ($9! Not available online, may still be available in store)
- Banana Republic Factory store skirt (bought on sale, no longer available. Buy similar here)
- Anthropologie trenchcoat (gift from my mother-in-law, no longer available. Buy kind of similar here)
- Banana Republic Factory store scarf (bought on sale circa 2010, no longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Hue gray tights (buy here)
- Naturalizer outlet boots (bought on sale circa 2009, no longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Earrings from Maya Star in Austin, TX

Skippy Says: Fall Back (OOTD)

I don't know about you guys, but this time change is really messing with my head. You'd think after 25 years of life I'd be used to it, but not so much. I associate darkness with sleepytime, which is kind of a problem when it gets dark by 5:00 pm. I can't have sleepytime at 5:00 pm, especially when I can't say no to doing things. That would make for a very unproductive Skippy. But not indulging in my desire for sleepytime makes for a very cranky Skippy. And a cranky Skippy makes the life of those around her, um, unpleasant. Let's just say I'm only smiling in these photos because it's still light out.

Shop:
- H&M top (bought on sale circa 2008, no longer available)
- BCBG skirt (bought on sale circa 2010, no longer available. Buy kind of similar here)
- Vintage scarf (bought at SF vintage expo)
- Kate Spade polka dot tights (bought at DSW- not available online but I have seen them in stores. Buy similar here)
- Sofft shoes (bought at Nordstrom. Buy here)