Karina Chronicles

An American Made Dress Goes Glamping

Mama Bee Does headshot 1When she’s not enjoying life with her boys, baking and cake decorating you can find Shanaka at Mama Bee Does. She survives being a single mom with lots of laughter, coffee, sweet tea and Dr. Pepper. Sometimes it feels like she’s hanging on my her apron strings but she makes the most of every day. She believes that every body is unique and beautiful no matter the shape, size or color and that’s why she loves dresses like the Audrey from Karina Dresses because they offer dresses for every body. Shanaka loves being social and you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.


I was making an eight hour road trip with my mom and my six and nine year old boys. We were going to a festival in New Jersey and for the weekend staying at a campground. Now I’m a country gal who grew up camping in a tent and a pop up camper. Once my parents were older and “well traveled” they upgraded to larger RV’s and we slowly gave up on tent camping all together. During this current camping trip we were staying in a lovely little 3 room cabin. Not exactly roughing it but didn’t really feel like camping either. It felt more like glamping. A more glamorous style of camping. I had a costume packed to wear to the festival and packed a couple dresses including my American made dress, the Adele in peach chevron, along with a pair of my jean capris and a t-shirt.

Who chooses a dress for camping? This girl does. A great maxi dress like the Adele allows me to be comfortable, cool in the summer heat and I look dang good while I glamp. I love a good travel dress.

The Adele dress is a full-length maxi dress with a v-neck and v-back perfect for hourglass shaped women!

I am considered plus size in the fashion world. I hate trying to find dresses and shirts that fit me well without showing too much of the girls and without the dreaded between the shirt button peek a boob. I love the Adele because it is a form fitting dress but I’m comfortable wearing it. I feel feminine showing my curves and feel I have to be more aware of the clothes I choose because I don’t want to be the woman that’s talked about for having her chest on display for everyone who walks by. I can’t help much what mama and the good lord gave me so I have to embrace my curves, love them and dress them accordingly to what I consider hot and girly but modest. The Adele is best fitting for hourglass, inverted triangle and rectangle body shaped gals so I thought I’d give it a try. Now the Adele was also my first Karina Dresses dress so I didn’t know what to expect as far as the fit on my body. When I talked to a friend who saw me in the Adele I had mentioned that Karina Dresses are “dresses for every body” they replied with well that one looks made to fit yours. I was doing the cabbage patch victory dance in my mind.

What Happens When An American Made Dress Goes Glamping?

I took the Adele from folded (ok it may have been balled up after my 6 year old rummaged for his swim shorts) in a suitcase for 10+ hours to me pulling it out of my luggage and putting it right on with no ironing, steaming or running it through the dryer to remove wrinkles because there were no wrinkles!

Adele maxi dress is the perfect wrinkle free dress for travel, perfect for hourglass shaped gals!

The feel and look of the fabric of the Adele feels soft and comfortable and sparkles and isn’t itchy to wear even in 90 degree New Jersey shore weather. Check out the close up of the Adele in peach chevron…

The Adele in peach chevron is the perfect american made dress for travel!

With the Adele I felt like the dress was center of attention and not my bust. It wraps my curves nicely, I think. I’ve read a lot of “how to dress for a large chest” and a lot of “what not to wear if” magazines and online articles. Don’t wear tops that are too tight, buy longer shirts because your bust shortens the length, wrap dresses or faux wrap dresses are a busty girls fashion bff… I’ve tried it all and failed with most. The Adele is form fitting. I am a size 14 and am wearing the X/L in sizing for Karina Dresses. The peach chevron print is a nice color and print for my skin color and body size.

Adele maxi dress is the perfect dress for travel, perfect for hourglass and many other shaped gals!

Am I the only one that wears dresses camping? I wouldn’t wear it typically for a hike or fishing but to hang out around the camp fire with friends for s’mores or riding a golf cart around the grounds why not glamp in style in my American made dress? Inquiring minds and aching backs of ladies like me with a large bust want to know how do you dress for your body type of a large bra size? My tip? Get fitted for the right size bra. I was wearing a DD and went with a girl friend to a bra store and left in a G. My aching back and shoulders could tell the difference and the girls looked so much better beneath my clothes. A good bra + a fab dress from Karina Dresses= one happy mama.


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