We hold these truths to be self-evident that all women are created equal. That they are endowed by their creator with unique body shapes and sizes and that all women have unalienable rights to clothing their style, shape and size. This is a declaration of independence. Independence from the stereotypes, from the trends that go by to fast to comprehend and from clothing that isn't made to last past 3 washes. This is independence from the stores that makes us think that if our bodies don't fit their shapes exactly then something is wrong with us.

Last year I had my first encounter with the online boutique eShakti and was extremely impressed with their dedication to quality and care for the customer. This year they invited me back to do a review on a piece from their new spring collection and as I was browsing through their collection I fell head over heels for this Parisian shirt dress. Firstly one thing you should know about eShakti is that they don't even make the clothing until you give them your measurements and height, assuring that the clothing will be custom fitted for you. This year they have extended the ability to customize by not only letting you decide if you want your clothing to have pockets or not but you can alter the length and the sleeve style. For example this particular dress is originally designed to hit above the knee and with t-shirt cap sleeves but I made the length extra long and the sleeves shorter to avoid those ugly Miami induced sweat stains.

I was recently reading a post on Pardon My Fashion about how you can see such an extreme difference in the way clothing is made today versus 40 years ago. Visiting your local Goodwill you can find garments that have lasted for decades and with the rate fashion is moving today makes it questionable if 30 years from now our kids will find those Forever21 or American Apparel dresses we're probably wearing as reading this or if those pieces will fall apart before the end of 2013. On top of that with how fast trends are moving it makes it even harder to buy pieces that will still be relevant 2 years from now. This has made me realize how important it is I start investing in clothing that I know 1) will be appropriate past my time as a college student and 2) isn't a shallow whim purchase but a long term purchase. Not that I won't ever buy into a leather base-ball cap or lucite heel but am attempting to restrain myself; thus the choice of this classic A-line dress in khaki. A color and a cut that can be mixed and matched for every season of the year and a style that has been around since the 1950's, pretty much assuring it's dateless-ness.

Like this dress but prefer it with a shorter hem line or maybe without pockets? Well lucky for you eShakti is offering my readers a 20% off discount from now until March 20 by typing in ELEGNTDSYN at checkout. With prices that are already less that $100 this is a pretty damn good bargain. Not to mention eShakti is one of the only boutiques out there that is truly making your clothing for you. Now go out and embrace yourself and your spring wardrobe in the luxury we have lost in today's fashion world: customization.

Dress courtesy of eShakti