this little life of mine

UPDATE: The winners of the IGIGI contest have been announced! My winner is TARA and she will be hearing from the Weetacon administration very soon. For a list of all of the winners please go to to the IGIGI at Weetacon page.

 

 

 

General Disclaimer (wording paritially borrowed from KarenD): The "Rosita" dress discussed in this entry was provided to me for review purposes by IGIGI. The content of this entry was not dictated by IGIGI; I get to keep the dress for my personal use. Links to the IGIGI site in this entry are affiliate links for Weetacon.

I am excited to review the adorable "Rosita" dress  supplied by Igigi for our Weetacon 2013 fashion show. Igigi is well-known for making beautiful, well-fitting, functional designer clothing for plus-size women, and modelling their designs is one of the highlights of our annual weekend trek to Green Bay, WI (second only to the sleigh ride/brats and booyah fest, I'm sure!). When I was making my top three choices, the Rosita was my #1 (followed by the equally adorable Doris 2-in-1 dress and the simply lovely Gywneth Draped Dress). I would've been thrilled with any of them, and am seriously considering purchasing the Doris dress anyway!

For this dress I requested size 14/16 after matching my measurements to the website's size chart. Also, that's pretty much the size I am on top right now, and with the Rosita's full skirt, I didn't have to worry about my waist and hip measurements. When I first tried it on, it was a bit baggy in the bust area, but after switching to a better fitting (padded, push-up) bra, the top fit perfectly (as seen in the photo above)! I love the draping on the bust and coupled with the empire waist they gave the illusion of a beautiful hour-glass figure, which I normally do not have, as I am a "Triangle".  Another great feature is the modest neckline which makes this dress work-friendly without requiring any lace camisole or clip-in modesty panel.  I was initially concerned the arms would be too tight, as that is a problem for me with most long-sleeve tops/blouses/jackets, etc., but the sleeves were actually a little big, so my arms fit and I was quite comfortable.

The full,  A-line skirt's just-below-the-knee length is perfect for me as I'm not very comfortable with anything above the knee, and it flows beautifully when I walk. The Viscose/Elastane-blend fabric is lightweight, and has just the right amount of stretch to fit perfectly and be comfortable at the same time. I also love that it's already lined, so you don't need to add a slip underneath. The print is lovely - a combination on of polka-dot, floral print, and solid that work beautifully together. I chose this dress because I thought it would be perfect for my cousin's wedding this June, but it will also be great for work, too! I paired it with white Capri leggings for the Weetacon event, but I think it would work with brown tights as well, or even bare legs if you choose.  

And, yes, just like last year, there is a contest!! Here's all you need to know:

Recently I had the chance to spend some quality time with a bunch of my bestest friends (who also happen to be the coolest people on the planet!!) at Weetacon in Green Bay, WI. We took a hay ride in the rain, ate delicious food, had a charity auction and bake sale, went roller skating and partied down at a totally awesome 80s party. It was a blast and it was fantastic to see everyone again!

Today's See It Sunday theme, Big, goes very well with the Blogging from A to Z Challenge I'm also participating in (B is for Big!). This photo is of the VERY big bonfire we enjoyed during the hay ride we took at the Rock K Ranch outside Green Bay, WI. There wasn't any snow in Green Bay for this year's Weetacon, so we didn't get to enjoy our usual sleigh ride, but we still rumbled out into the woods in two hay-filled wagons each pulled by two gorgeous Percheron horses. It was a blast, and that ginormous bonfire was very, very hot!

Beer in a snowbank. 

In honour of the Green Bay Packers winning the Superbowl last Sunday, I give you a sepia shot of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI, taken March 4, 2007:

 
In an effort to make my Christmas easy and stress-free this year, I ordered photo Christmas cards though picnik.com and QOOP.com. I chose a beachy California shot from our vacation to Pismo Beach this past September and used the "Ortonish" effect to make it all soft and dreamy, then went step-by-step though picnik + QOOP's  greeting card maker to create & order the cards. It was super easy and FAST; I got the box of cards in about three days! I did just a brief Christmas letter this year incorporating photos from my trips to Green Bay, Vegas, Pismo Beach and Morro Bay as well as a before and after shot of the newly landscaped back yard (using picnik.com's "Vignette" effect which is one of my favourites!). My new printer did a great job on them even though it's not specifically made for photos, and the whole thing was simply a piece of cake! Now I'm all done and can just sit back and relax! Merry Christmas!!!

weetaconopeningceremony, originally uploaded by LapisBlue.

Ahh, this picture makes me all nostalgic for the chilly joys of WeetaCon! Sadly I will be missing the 2011 gathering (due to a Big Awesome Trip in the works for next spring or summer), but I can always look forward to 2012!