A while back I was contacted by Eshatki to do a product review of one of their dresses. How exciting! It was fun to pick out a cute dress from all of their online offerings. It was a hard choice, but I settled on the Contrast bow-tie A-line dress. It has a definite vintage vibe, but I felt like I could wear it easily in normal day to day life.
I wore it for the first time yesterday, to Easter service at my church.
On holidays, and in general everyday life, I tend to mix and match vintage aesthetic in with other elements. My outfit yesterday was composed of “modern” hair (I hate curling it!), a 50s brooch, 50’s eyeglasses, and vintage 40’s hat and shoes. I felt cute but not out of place at my church service :)
It has lots of “swirl”. You could easily wear a crinoline under it if you wanted to!
The cute white trim is applied strips of fabric. Love that detail!
Full skirt!
And a picture with my kitty and the flowers they gave away after my church service :)
Here is the description from the E-Shatki Website:
Color: Navy blue/creamA banded high waist heightens the figure-flattering silhouette of our cotton poplin dress with a contrast wide Peter Pan collar and feminine bow-tie, and a flared skirt with contrast piped stripes.
- Slips on over head; partial side zip closure.
- Dolman cap sleeves, partial elastic cuffs.
- Bodice darts to shape.
- Side seam pockets.
- Below knee length.
- Cotton, woven poplin, pre-shrunk and bio-finished, light crisp feel, no stretch, midweight.
- Machine wash.
I am above average in height with a pretty short torso and longer legs, and this dress fit pretty well on me! In fact, it was one of the only dresses in a while that has fit right out of the package.
Overall the quality is really, really good, especially considering the price point of dresses on their site. The fabric is cotton poplin, which feels casual enough to not be super dressy, but is dressy enough to not feel too casual. It’s a good choice for something easy to care for, but still polished looking.
I ordered the size 6, which, in their sizing, is Bust 35″, Waist 28″, Hip 38″.
Just out of curiosity, I measured the bust flat, and it is just about spot on at 35″, without much wiggle room there. It looked fabulous, and I love the fitted look, but the armscyes did rub on me by the time the church service was over, because they were cut pretty high and the bust was so closely fitted. The elastic on the sleeves did restrict movement as well. And just a matter of preference, but since this dress is so stark in contrast of the off white and navy, I wish the bias facing on the inside of the dress where the collar attaches was the same color as the collar, because the navy could be seen a bit at the neckline.
Eshakti is a company based out of India who offers cute dresses and separates, some with a vintage vibe. You can buy the dresses as they are, or you can get customization, including changing skirt lengths, adding sleeves, and changing necklines. It’s actually a great option if you’re in need of bridesmaid dresses for gals of different sizes and style preferences! They have both misses sizes and plus sizes. The dress I reviewed did not have any customization done, and is exactly as the dress appears on their website.
They have lots of really cute dresses up on their site right now!
Here’s my little disclosure: This review is my honest opinion and was in no way influenced by the free product given to me to review by Eshakti. I give my honest, personal opinion in this post.
Tina C.
April 21, 2014 at 10:59 am (10 years ago)This company is intersting and has certainly filled a hole in the market (I love that you can get items customized to you size). However, I think it’s worth noting that their design team is based in the USA while production is outsourced abroad to India. According to their website, “Our clothing is made in India in our own factories and in local factories that produce some of the leading brands at retail.” It’s worth noting that many of these factories–though hopefully not eShakti–are very similar if not the same as the factory that collapsed in Bangledesh killing 1100 workers. Low pay, long hours, unsafe working environment, child labor, etc.
Which is not to say that I don’t love your dress or my own eShakti dress. Just worth noting.
Lauren
April 21, 2014 at 11:34 am (10 years ago)I’m glad you brought this up, Tina. I am also concerned with the working conditions of factory garment workers. I prefer the clothing to be made in the USA where possible. Of course, that comes with higher price points, but there are strict regulations for garment industry domestically so it (usually) is ethically sound. Not always of course, and I know there are also ethically run factories in other countries, but it’s nice to know up front it’s a good choice when we can.
Jessica Quiroz
April 21, 2014 at 3:05 pm (10 years ago)Do you go to Calvary? I recognize the give away mums after service in the park. :)
Lauren
April 21, 2014 at 7:01 pm (10 years ago)I do! I go to Calvary Chapel Vista. Do you?
Jessica Quiroz
April 21, 2014 at 7:37 pm (10 years ago)I sure do :) We do Wed. nite service and I have been there 12 years now. And you?
Lauren
April 23, 2014 at 1:26 pm (10 years ago)We sometimes go to Wednesday nights, and when we don’t, we stream it. And we go Sundays. We’ve been going maybe 5 years, before that went to North Coast Church.
I don’t usually dress too vintage, though. It’s funny we never met before!
Jessica Quiroz
April 23, 2014 at 4:37 pm (10 years ago)I will have to keep an eye out for you :) And I’m too lazy to dress vintage for wed. nite lol. We do go to North Coast on Sunday mornings so we can encourage our older kids and grandkids to go since that’s where they go, but we love Calvary, always feel like home. Did you go to Calvary when Pastor Howard Andersen was there?
Jeni
April 24, 2014 at 2:17 pm (10 years ago)So I too bought a navy blue dress similar to the one you reviewed. My feedback to them – was that the armpits were up so high, and with the “side zip” you could not step into it. Result = deodorant everywhere (yes I use the clear kind but we all know there is really no such thing). It took 2 of my friends to get me in and out of mine without getting deodorant stains all over. I ended up wearing a cardigan with it the second time because I was without help when I put it on. Almost all of their dresses have the side zip. This is hard when the bust is tight (like you said) and so as a result all of the other 3 dresses I have purchased from them have been light colors.
Lauren
May 1, 2014 at 7:52 am (10 years ago)That’s really interesting to hear that it’s kind of a normal thing with them. I thought maybe it was just a fluke with mine. I do like a side zip, personally, but there has to be enough ease there in the bust to keep it comfy and get into it.
Tina C.
May 5, 2014 at 4:44 pm (10 years ago)I have this same issue. Both dresses I ordered from them require assistance to get in and out of.