Roses and Rosé #Fashion Event with @YourEluGirl - A Not so #WordlessWednesday Production (#Photos)

Ah! It's that time of year again, summer is fading into Fall and New York Fashion Week madness will soon take over the City!

I have had a very challenging summer, but at least a few of those stresses are starting to normalize - I will share more about that tomorrow, as I have had no working computer for most of the summer, I haven't been able to do full blog posts about the events I have been attending, but if you follow us via Instagram and Twitter you have probably seen some photos there! But what good are great photos that don't share the entire story?

Sorry but I don't have the patience for three paragraph photo captions on Instagram! (Bless you millennials born with long pointy texting fingers! LOL)

I'm sure by now founder of Your Elu, Christina probably thinks I forgot all about her, definitely not so! You guys know I've been in publishing in some form (TV, Newspapers, Magazines) for so long that Fashion Week doesn't quite hold the same magic for me as it does to someone new to it. I have the luxury of being at a point in my career where I am picking the Fashion Shows and Fashion Related Events that I attend and I always select those that have a unique back story. (Being a Human Interest Reporter never has truly left me. I like real stories.)

I think something has always had to 'resonate truly' for me to cover it, and this event was certainly right up my alley on many levels and for so many reasons!

Your Elu - Beauty to Measure - offers 'custom' made-to-order apparel for ALL women but was totally founded with the Curvy/Plus lady in mind.

Butterflies, tailored clothes plain and simple fall better, look better, and I guarantee that everyone carries themselves with more confidence when they know their look is on point.

I'm always straight-forward, 'made-to-order' is never cheap - but my ideology on the matter is this: Have less clothes in your closet. Yes that's right, I did say 'less' and use the word 'clothes'. Have a wardrobe of apparel that is custom and fits you to perfection, instead of a closet of full of cheap options that still have you saying 'I have nothing to wear today'.

We had an opportunity to get measured at the event, and while folks were being measured there were some nice noshes (check out the fried calamari in the photo above) and some great Rosé Wine. The theme was carried through with lovely Roses everywhere too!

Christina showed us some of the current styles available, and it was great getting a chance to feel the weight of the fabric and see the styles up close. And one great trick for us curvies that I have been using since forever is a good statement necklace, check out the one above being displayed with a Your Elu Little Black Dress, can I get a YAS!!!!???

Putting an event together takes a great team and it was fun meeting the Your Elu team!

My Take:

Made-to-Measure has been available for men in the retail space for ages now, and I truly love seeing custom made apparel for all sizes that also focuses on FASHION for women coming to the forefront. When you are a size that is not on the rack in many trendy retailers it is easy to feel less confident, what better solution than a brand with a fashion focus that does not turn any size away? A brand that wants to empower at all sizes. I say Kudos to Your Elu and I will be keeping an eye on them, they are my 'ones-to-watch' and I hope I get the chance to try out a custom made creation by Your Elu! You know for research purposes, so I can tell you about the comfort and fit! (wink) (wink)

I wish everyday could be 'Roses and Rosé'

Readers Sound Off: Do you own Custom Made Apparel? If so, who is your designer? Have you/Will you consider trying Your Elu? Tag us on social with your custom made apparel on! @Tracy_Iglesias via Twitter and @Ascending1 via Instagram.

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I attended a Press Event and no monetary compensation has been received. But for the sake of honesty I can be bribed in custom made fashion, handbags, shoes, boots and electronics. I'm a very *simple* girl. LOL All opinions expressed herein are 100% my own. Ascending Butterfly partners with brands that would be of interest and offer values to our readers. See our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for full information.

#spon @Ascending1 wants YOU to Fall in Love with @IGIGI with a $75 Holiday Shopping Spree! {#Giveaway} #Fashion

#Sponsored - Prizes are being sponsored by:

By now it's no surprise just how much I love IGIGI by Yuliya as I have been wearing their Fashion quite a bit and sharing my pictures with you from events that I have been proudly wearing clothing by IGIGI Style. From dresses to separates to career and outwear and pretty much everything in between, there is literally something for everyone at IGIGI.

IGIGI clothes are cut with Curvy Women in mind, and are not only figure flattering, but always on trend! No more 'Moo-Moo's' or tunics ladies!  IGIGI clothes are not about HIDING your figure, they are all about ENHANCING it and showing it off!

I am in love with their Fall Collection and have worn quite a few pieces from this collection to various events and have felt confident and received tons of compliments. Here are some photos of me wearing pieces from IGIGI's Fall Collection (others are not in the fall collection but I am providing direct links to all pieces featured):

Ascending Butterfly is wearing the IGIGI Miwa Top in Black, (the top with comes with the Obi-Belt Sash pictured) and the matching IGIGI Penelope Pencil Skirt in Malachite Green.

Same outfit as above!

Ascending Butterfly is wearing the IGIGI Margherita Wrap Dress in Turquoise

Left: Ascending Butterfly (with hair in bun) is wearing the IGIGI Luella top in Red, this color is no longer available but the top is available in 'Garden Green' HERE

Which item from the Fall Collection is your personal fave? (Commenting here with a link to your favorite piece in the Fall Collection will get you extra credit entries in the giveaway! Woot! Woot!)

My Take:

I only have one problem with IGIGI, I like EVERYTHING! Definitely a good problem to have right? Usually us 'curvies' have trouble finding clothes that not just fit but actually flatter, with IGIGI I can tell you I haven't found an outfit I don't like. I'm a huge fan of separates because of their versatility, but with IGIGI I have actually been wearing more dresses and skirts which I used to shy away from until now! I feel more confident in IGIGI and find myself reaching for them each and every time I go into my closet. They are definitely helping me win the battle of the age old closet dilemma of 'not having anything to wear'!

DISCOUNTS:

PRE-BLACK FRIDAY SALE - EXTRA 25% OFF SELECT CATEGORIES!

Code: THANKSNSAVE

Sale ends 11/22 at 12 pm PST

FREE GROUND SHIPPING on all Continental U.S. orders of $150 or more and 50% off on ALL International Orders! Offer Ends 12/31

WIN IT:

I want you to fall in love with IGIGI too, and when I told my friends at IGIGI that November is our annual holiday buying guide month, they wanted to join in the fun and give one lucky Ascending Butterfly Reader a gift certificate to have a shopping spree of their own just in time for the holidays! (Ladies they have some beaded gowns that will knock your socks off for New Years Eve!)

Enter using the Rafflecopter Widget Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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FTC Disclosure: This giveaway is being sponsored by IGIGI, prize fulfillment will be handled directly by sponsor. Ascending Butterfly and giveaway sponsors are not responsible for lost, late or mis-directed mail. One entry per Household. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and reside in the United States. All opinions are 100% my own. Fashions were provided to Ascending Butterfly for Editorial Consideration.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may visit our full giveaway and disclosure page for complete policy information.

Why do you Love @IGIGI? Want to see why I do? + Sharing your story could net you some shopping $ #Fashion

I am a Latina with curves, and I'm super proud of them. Even at my 'smallest' weight number on the scale, my curves are still there and I love them. I'm very ahem 'blessed' on top, I have a small waist in proportion to the rest of me and great hips, I'm a true 'hourglass', normally that makes shopping for things like jeans and pantsuits difficult for me. A pantsuit for me is usually no fun to shop for, they come together but invariably I end up needing one size for the pants, and a different size for the jacket. Again a small waist and ample bottom also makes shopping for jeans pure torture. So when I find a brand that makes styles with my body type in mind, it's hard for me to refrain myself from shopping there all day long and buying everything up!

But let's face it, we have all reached a point where we are no longer buying something just because 'it fits'. That's just not enough anymore. After the roller-coaster year I had last year I am slowly but surely purging my closet of things that merely fit. If I don't LOVE something, it shouldn't be taking up valuable space.

My working environments pre-blogging and social media consulting, were all super corporate, so I'd stock up on classic suits and allow the accessories to do the talking in terms of trends and color. But now I'm slowly veering toward adding color to the clothes not just the accessories and experimenting with more dresses. And for me IGIGI has helped me make these transitions much more easily and effortlessly than I ever expected.

And I have put the fashions I have tried from them through their paces and everything wears well. I have reviewed some amazing styles from them in the past, the polyvore board I created putting together a great evening style feauturing one of IGIGI's most iconic dresses (the Ambrosia Dress) and their Hanna Coat still gets a ton of traffic (you can check that one out HERE) and I also mentioned the suit I am sharing with you today during my Getting Gorgeous recap coverage from New York City.

Now I know I just said I am trying to veer from all black, and I AM, I'm actually doing really well with it, but now that I'm out of a hospital bed and slowly getting back into my routines again I've lost so much weight that my favorite suits were all too big, and some just weren't really worth getting altered at this point. And I strongly want to start over in so many ways. The wonderful folks at IGIGI sent me a Black Suit (in a style called "Monroe") and a gorgeous Tunic Top in the color Scarlet (in a style called "Luella").

Here are some pictures of me wearing the suit and the top:

Tracy from Ascending Butterfly (ME!) is wearing the Monroe Pantsuit in Black and Luella Infinity Tunic in Scarlet by IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel, sunglasses are by Foster Grant!

This suit is comfortable and seasonless and the bright pop of scarlet from the top really helps pull it together!

Hamming it up with a Lei around my neck and fun Elvis Standee!

I definitely love this suit, and am glad I went bright with the top!

Here I am again on the far left, this time my Wilsons Leather Animal Print trench is on top of the Monroe Pant Suit by IGIGI. This suit is super comfortable and super versatile too!

My Take:

IGIGI is the perfect compliment to my curves and my wardrobe! From casual to dressy they offer a wide variety of sizes and styles and their clothes are cut with 'real women's curves' in mind!

WIN IT:

Want to win a $100 IGIGI shopping spree? Of course you do! The giveaway is not here, it's on IGIGI's facebook page, (it always pays to Get Social with our Brand Partners!), all you have to do is fill out a super quick entry with your name, email and age (will NOT be disclosed to anyone!) and then answer the question, Why do I love IGIGI? - Every 100th answer will win a $100 Gift Certificate to IGIGI. So make sure to enter HERE for your chance to win!

Check Out IGIGI's website and tell us what you would buy if you won the $100 Gift Certificate to IGIGI

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FTC Disclosure: No monetary compensation has been received to share our review, the Monroe Pantsuit and the Luella Tunic Top were provided for editorial consideration. All opinions expressed herein are 100% my own. IGIGI is the bomb dot com! For real! J

Not So {Wordless Wednesday} Check out #photos from the @MadisonPlus MP Select Press Preview @alisoneighteen in New York City! #Fashion

One of the best parts of living in New York City is being right smack dab in the hub of Fashion Central! There certainly isn't a shortage of choices here, there is literally something for everyone. Although there is a fashion segment where for a long time options felt super limited, Plus Size Fashion. 

Curvy Girls often feel like there are few options to look stylish and still be on trend in their size.

I'm happy to share that I recently attended a Fashion Event at New York City's Alison Eighteen that was a ray of hope in the sea of floral prints and mom jeans that most people complain is their only choice after a certain size.

Curvy Girls rejoice, Madison Plus, a website for plus size Fashions founded by Erica Young and Aimee Cheshire has set out to fill the void and show that curvy girls can still rock the trends! Their mission statement is simple: "Attainable luxe designed for full-figured, fashion-forward plus size women."

As a curvy Latina I can tell you that finding Fashion that is trendy and stylish isn't always easy, for me Jean shopping has always been an expedition even at what I consider my best 'fighting weight'. I greatly enjoyed meeting Aimee Cheshire, CEO of Madison Plus who shared her vision behind the curated content sold at Madison Plus.

Here are my best shots from the Press Preview from the Madison Plus Select Event:

Aimee Cheshire CEO of Madison Plus holds up a White Jacket from MYNT 1792 at the Madison Plus Select Press Preview Event at Alison Eighteen in New York City

Aimee Cheshire CEO of Madison Plus holds up a Blue Jacket from MYNT 1792 at the Madison Plus Select Press Preview Event at Alison Eighteen in New York City

Just a shot to soak up the ambiance at the venue, Alison Eighteen

Statement Jewelry on Display at Madison Plus Select Press Preview Event at  Alison Eighteen in New York City

Eden Miller, Designer, holds up Fashions from Cabiria Style at the Madison Plus Select Press Preview Event at Alison Eighteen in New York City

My Take:

I greatly enjoyed the Madison Plus Select Press Preview! It was fun to see so many Fashion-Foward styles for us curvy gals on display! Aimee's enthusiasm was definitely infectious, and you can tell she is passionate about curating the best collection of styles possible for style conscious plus size women! I was also impressed with designer Eden Miller who shared her whimsical style and collection of clothing for women in sizes 12-24. And as you can probably tell from my photo choices, the true style standout for me was MYNT 1792! I couldn't get enough of their pieces which matched my personal style to the tee!

If they weren't already on your radar, I hope you now make Madison Plus your one to watch! Because they are definitely on my radar, and I hope to have them back on our pages again soon!

Get Social:

Get social with Madison Plus, and don't forget to tell them you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 'Like' on Facebook

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Madison Plus via Twitter

Butterfly who is YOUR favorite Plus-Sized Fashion Retailer or Designer? Bloggers can also feel free to post your Wordless Wednesday links as a comment so we can check out your photos today too!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post. Nor is this a compensated post. I was under no obligation to share my event recap and all opinions expressed are 100% my own. There were no gift bags offered during this event either!

Valentine's Day - How I style it! #Fashion #Polyvore #Curvy #handbags #shoes with @IGIGI @NicoleMillerNYC @EarthiesUSA

IGIGI Ambrosia Dress - How I styled it

IGIGI 'Ambrosia' Plus size black dress
Available for Purchase at www.igigi.com

Earthies platform wedge
Available for Purchase at http://www.earthbrands.com/earthies

Nicole Miller Clutch
Available for Purchase at www.nicolemiller.com

Van Cleef Arpels pins jewelry

As we start to approach Valentine's Day I thought I'd share some buying recommendations from what to wear, jewelry, accessories and more!

 

I got so inspired by my first finds that I thought I'd create a cute polyvore set to highlight them all! The folks at IGIGI sent me the Ambrosia Dress, and that started a chain reaction! I already had the great clutch (which you may recall from our last Nicole Miller Giveaway HERE), and I also already had the shoes), I think together these make a killer combo and are perfect for a night on the town no matter where your town may be. As for me, I'm in New York City, the City that Never Sleeps, and which favors the color black! It's been New York Fashion Week Insanity all week.

 

The seductive Ambrosia Dress is cut from all-season stretch jersey and hugs, smoothes, & enhances the contour of your curves. Whether in rich blue or black add some bright gems, a colorful clutch and strappy pumps for head turning style.

 

The Ambrosia Dress couldn't be more perfect for Love Day, not just because of the perfect for Valentine's Day name, but it's made to flatter your curves, accentuate what you want to accentuate and helps you hide what you need to hide because of the fantastic ruching!

 

And because despite Punxsutawney Phil's prediction of an early Spring this year, it's still FREEZING in the Northeast, but there is no way I was going to put this super cute dress under my puffer jacket, I was so happy when IGIGI sent over their Hanna Coat! It's a perfect compliment to the dress, and a stylish outwear option for us curvy girls!

 

 

I of course went with Black again, but this coat literally goes with everything, and I couldn't love it more! I have to add some photos of myself wearing everything (model photos are above)!

 

My Take:

 

Both the Ambrosia Dress and Hanna Coat are not just 'figure-friendly' but 'figure-flattering', as they are cut for curvy girls, their sizes tend to run bigger, so if you are ordering for the first time, refer to their size charts to ensure the best fit! (Although you should really do that anyway if you are ordering via internet or mail order for the first time with any brand!)

Get Social With It:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like IGIGI on Facebook
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @IGIGI on Twitter
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow IGIGI's Boards on Pinterest too!
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - And don't forget to subscribe to their channel on YouTube

In fact you'll be super happy you are following them across their channels, as they are hosting a giveaway via their facebook page and pinterest page right NOW! What you are waiting for butterfly, get in on the fun and a chance to win an IGIGI gift card of your own!

Butterfly, What are YOU wearing for Valentine's Day this year?

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FTC Disclosure: The Ambrosia Dress and Hanna Coat were sent to Ascending Butterfly for Editorial Consideration, however all opinions are 100% my own.