Fashion Freebies

One of the great things about being a self-described "fashionista" or "stylist" is that other people love helping you look fabulous almost as much as they love getting help from you to make them look fabulous. In the end, everyone wins. Occassionally, there are fashion freebies that one will encounter as well. For example, the giveaway I've been hosting this week (one last plug, since tomorrow is the last day to enter- winner will be announced on Sunday).

Other times, it is an unexpected gift from a friend- "I saw this and thought of you, so I got it" or "This was a gift, but it's not really my style- I thought you'd enjoy it" or even "I bought this for myself, but it just isn't working- would you like to have it?" Whenever I purge my closet or dresser drawers, I try to think of the people in my life and whether or not something of mine would make them happy. I recently gave away a truly fabulous (and authentic) Coach bag that I'd bought on craigslist of all places. It was such a good deal- $5!- that I couldn't resist, but the truth was that it wasn't really my style. Fortunately, it was perfect for a friend, so I passed it on to her. Today was my lucky day for fashion freebies. First, my good friend Michael Minor (a performer at AMT) brought in this super cool hat for me:

Isn't it fabulous? It's a tan suede newsboy cap from Nine West and it fits perfectly. He bought it for his wife, but it didn't fit, so they passed it on to me- sweet, huh? I literally put it on the minute he handed it to me and haven't taken it off since. It kind of works with my outfit today, so why not wear it right away? (P.S. I took the picture in my office towards the end of the day, which is why I'm a little shiny and sleepy looking. Flourescent lighting is not flattering on ANYONE.)

But wait! That wasn't my only freebie! I also got an email from Eshakti offering me some samples to review here on my blog! How cool is that? I ordered a pair of pants and a top, which are being custom made to my measurements. I'm SO excited about them. You should check out the website when you have a minute- their clothing can be ordered as-is, or you can make custom alterations. And by "custom" I mean that they will build a garment to your specific measurements AND alter the design to your preferences including sleeve length, neckline style, etc. Pretty cool, right? I'm sure you'll be as impressed with their designs as I was- there are a lot of pretty and interesting details that will catch your eye.  Here are the pants I'll be sampling soon:

I fell in love with the high waist, the wide leg and of course the bow sash detail. They are really gorgeous pants. I admit I've given them a difficult challenge- a pair of high waisted pants- but I'm confident they'll deliver. You will be able to read that review in the next coulple of weeks, so be on the lookout for it. In the meantime, I'll be hosting a giveaway for a $20 gift certificate to Eshakti to use towards their clothing or accessories. Fabulous, right? It was a fashion freebies windfall for me today, and I'm so excited to be able to pay it forward with the gift certificate! If any of you have purchased from Eshakti before and would like to share your experience, feel free to leave a comment! Have a great night!