A Well-Rounded Venture

Ever have something you really want to do but the universe moves mountains to keep you from doing so? That’s what happened to me and taking pictures of the dress that IGIGI sent me to review in December. I’ve worn this dress four times. Yes, four times – with plans to take pictures each day and something happened the first three.

When given an opportunity like this, I attempt to move outside of my comfort zone and try something I wouldn’t normally buy. IGIGI has a fantastic range of clothing but many of their pieces (or the ones that always catch my eye!) tend to be cocktail & evening wear.

And lets face it – I telecommute for work and I’m a student. There are not a whole lot of opportunities for fancy party dresses but they do have several casual dresses that I would jump at the chance to add to my wardrobe – so I did.

Don’t get me wrong – I was tempted to try one of the pieces I mentioned from the 2011 Holiday Collection but I’m glad I went with the more practical choice.

Dress – Cate Sweater dress in Truffle, courtesy of IGIGI, 26/28
Belt – comes with the dress, detachable and doubles as a scarf
Jacket – INC, Macy’s, $30
Necklace – Style & Co, Macy’s
Boots – Fitzwell, “Syrup” via 6pm.com

Enter the Cate Sweater dress in Truffle, which challenges my usual style in two ways – it is maxi length and a sweater dress.

Last spring was the first time I bought and wore a maxi dress. The experience was good but maxi length still feels a bit awkward to me – not to mention very warm (this is a problem because I tend to run hot). But my favorite method for challenging myself is immersion – overcoming through doing.

First, a little about the dress. The fabric is lighter than I expected – in a good way. It is a heavier weight, heathered knit fabric but not what I think of when “sweater” dress is mentioned. Which is probably because I’m a knitter. It is lined in the bodice and skirt, with a light polyester but not in the sleeves.

After wearing this dress so many times, I can tell you that it works in all kinds of weather – I wore it from 80℉ to 45℉! This was a surprise to me, on the warmer days I thought it might be too hot but I was pleasantly surprised when I did not melt. I think the key was the unlined sleeves and breathable fabric.

The dress also kept me warm in Tahoe, where the pictures were taken but it was a little chilly without the coat! It was 45-50℉ where we were staying, but down by the water it was so cold that the rocks around the lake had lots of ice built up. Brr!

As far as fit goes, I fall somewhere in between a 22/24 and a 26/28 in dresses at IGIGI, so I opted for the larger size. The fabric is very stretchy and I think the smaller would have been a better fit. It says to buy based on your bust measurement, so I think this dress runs a little big in that area. In my experience, most IGIGI styles are for someone bustier than I!

The skirt looks relatively straight but is much fuller than expected. Is it just me or is there a learning curve to wearing so much fabric!?! I’m a klutz but I wasn’t stepping all over the dress too much. But it made getting in and out of the car… interesting.

The length is on the long side – as a maxi dress should be, right? I’m 5’6 and it is almost too long for me (my only “complaint” and easily dealt with). With flats, the dress is too close to the ground. With boots, it is just fine! Considering that I will be wearing this dress when it is cooler, it is pretty much a given that I’ll be wearing boots.

The verdict? If you’re looking for a fall/winter maxi dress that can transition into spring – this dress is for you! I love that it keeps me cozy in the cold but still lets my body breathe on warmer days. The Cate Sweater Dress also comes in a black/red colorway – it was tempting but I’ve been craving more browns in my wardrobe lately. At $160, the price is a little steep for my budget – college student and all, but over the last few years I’ve found that IGIGI pieces are worth investing in, especially the classics.

IGIGI has great sales throughout the year. I’ve found some of my highly coveted pieces (like this lace skirt) at over 60% off. Right now you can save up to 25% OFF on the Plus-size resort Collection from IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel with the code "RESORT2012" .

If you’re curious, I washed the dress (instead of dry cleaning, as recommended) and it came out perfect. On delicate, of course. The only dry cleaning I do is once a year for my wool winter coats!

Completely unrelated but here is Chris in his preferred state – hiding!

Okay, okay… now for the part you’ve been anxiously awaiting – the giveaway!

IGIGI is kindly offering a $50 gift card for A Well-Rounded Venture readers.
Open internationally.

There are a few different options for entering, you must do the first (comment on this post) to be eligible; the rest are optional/extra entries. I’m trying out this widget to keep track of things – let me know if it’s a pain! You can “log in” using your Facebook account OR your name and e-mail.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner will be selected on January 31st, 2012 and announced via the blog and Twitter. I will also contact the winner via e-mail. Thanks for entering!

What is your favorite IGIGI piece? If you won the giveaway, what would you buy and how would you style it?

Opinions – I have them and they are my own. This dress was given to me by IGIGI to review.