Celebrating Experiment 626 "Stitch" Day (plus Spongebob fun!)

This past Wednesday (6/26) was one of those classic Disney holidays that hundreds of Disney fans cannot let go unnoticed. It is known as "Experiment 626 Day", and it's just the right time to honor the crazy and adorable little blue alien that conquered our hearts around the peaceful beaches of Hawaii. Of course, we're talking about Stitch! 

Unfortunately, I'm a terrible person with timing, especially in terms of remembering any dates of special celebrations (birthdays, national holidays, release dates, you name it!). This caused me to join the Experiment 626 Day festivities quite late (on Sunday, to be exact). Furthermore, you see me posting this today, practically a week after the day in question. I've been especially busy raising my very own Experiment 626 - a.k.a. Nugget the puppy-. But, since Stitch is my favorite Disney character, it simply feels mandatory for me to commemorate him somehow. That's why I've taken this opportunity to showcase my modest -but growing- Stitch collection! So, I gathered all my Stitchy items (at least all the ones I could remember) and prepared these lovely photos.

As I said before, Stitch is my absolute favorite Disney character. I think he's a perfect mix between a rebellious soul, a brave explorer, a kind spirit and a funny friend. Plus, he's incredibly adorable and has some amazing battle skills! I especially love how he looks dressed up like Elvis, whom I also adore... though that's a story for another day. Stitch is simply darling to me, but I had another favorite prior to his addition to the Disney family.

Before Lilo & Stitch came out in 2002, I had been a fervent fan of Spongebob Squarepants, my favorite non-Disney character ever. (Fun fact: When I was even younger, my favorite character was Tweety Bird). I still adore Spongebob, but I share my love with Stitch as well. Anyway, I had started to collect lots of different Spongebob-related items, a collection of which I'm proud of to this day. Mug and cups, LEGO figurines, t-shirts, games, toothbrushes, a fleece blanket and many more are part of my treasure loot. You can see some of my collection below, but I missed quite a few items in this photo... which I realized way past taking the pictures.

There's a funny and curious thing about these two characters. Stitch and Spongebob share a connection that could have somewhat influenced me to adopt them as my favorite characters: both are related to Hawaii one way or another! Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of anything Hawaiian and tiki. Lilo & Stitch obviously takes place in Hawaii, specifically inspired by a town in Kauai, and it showcases many things about Hawaiian culture (like hula dancing!). Spongebob Squarepants, on the other hand, is set in Bikini Bottom, an underwater town hypothetically located below Bikini Atoll, one of the many islands that comprise the Marshall Islands, which in turn are located between Hawaii and the Philippines. Although it doesn't physically take place in Hawaii, the series does have lots of elements that imprint a Hawaiian style on it, such as the music and part of its decor. I really love Spongebob's goofy and innocent personality, and the fact that he has a kind spirit... just like Stitch!

I don't know if Spongebob and Stitch would get along wonderfully (especially since they live on opposite sides of the ocean), but these two tropical friends have been coexisting in my life for quite a while now, and I like to think of them as really good buddies. What do you think about this duo: friends or foes?

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Bold colors and polka dots (or how Minnie Mouse would thrive with Ixia dresses)

Polka dots seem to be a timeless pattern for different kinds of garments; from casual frocks to formal attire. When paired with dark colors, polka dots look quite elegant and refined, especially when the dots are smaller in size and cover the piece like freckles. Just imagine a lady in a long navy wrap-up dress with white polka dots, wearing dark sunglasses and a straw sun hat with a matching navy scarf tied around it, sporting a big white handbag and peep toe heels of the same color... You just got yourself a true chic ensemble!

But today I want to focus on the other side of polka dots. The "fun side" of polka dots. Like when you see any kind of red clothing bathed in white polka dots and you immediately think about Minnie Mouse. In fact, Minnie's signature red polka dot dress could, in fact, be one of the most iconic polka dot gowns in history. We've seen her wear the same dress in pink less often, and more recently in blue during this year's "Minnie Rocks the Dots" event. Just in case you missed the cue, Uniqlo and Minnie have teamed up to launch a new clothing collection this year named "Minnie Mouse Loves Dots"; and guess which pattern will become the new trend? You got it!

Definitely Minnie's signature red polka dot dress cannot be overrun by any other gown, but one of my personal favorite brands might just be the thing you're looking for if you want to look as chic as Minnie Mouse. These yellow and pink polka dot dresses that I'm wearing in the pictures above and below are manufactured by the incredible clothing brand Ixia. They are comfortable, well made, light but sturdy, and they fit like a glove. Both models are swing dresses, with very nice movement in the skirt when you, well, swing and dance. Each one features a different bodice: the pink one has a simple fold over top, with straight shoulder straps and a built-in belt attached at the waistband for you to tie it back in a pretty bow. The yellow one came with an adjustable and removable halter strap and a pleated top. Nevertheless, both follow the same sizing chart.

The dresses are somewhat stretchy, since they are made with 97% cotton and 5% spandex, and they also have an elastic backing to help accommodate a perfect fit. You can wear them with or without a bra since the bodice is padded. Both the pink and the yellow models feature a zipper on the back and a circle skirt, though the description might deceive you because they usually tag them as A-line dresses. Dare to wear the dress with a petticoat and you'll get yourself a very nice volume in the skirt. Don't worry, if you don't exactly dream about full dresses, you can simply sport them as they are. But coming back to the main idea behind them, these bold colors turn polka dots into a really fun and fresh way to wear them. The combination is perfect for young and young-at-heart ladies who are into the 50s era fashion with a modern twist. You can find these dresses and other models in a wide array of colors, including jade, black, lavender, white, coral, fuchsia, navy... and red too! I'm sure Minnie Mouse would approve these dress collections, and perhaps even get a few for herself.

It's not very common to know Ixia unless you've casually stumbled upon it. The reason behind it is that Ixia has neither a physical store nor an online shop, webpage, or social media channels. However, you can find Ixia dresses at Amazon or Ebay, or even through retailers like Modcloth, LA Showroom, RetroGlam and others. I was lucky enough to come across this exquisite clothing brand while rummaging through a random clothing store in my neighborhood, which sells garments from random wholesalers. The first dress I spotted was the pink one, and I just had to have it. It was like love at first sight. The store only had medium and large, but I couldn't care less and decided to purchase it anyway. The next time I went by the store the yellow one caught my attention through the window.

I love these Ixia dresses and am proud to have them as part of my wardrobe. Every time I wear them I feel like channeling Minnie Mouse and I pair them with classic heels, just like Minnie! So if you feel like these are the right choice for you, go ahead and get a couple of them. I currently own four Ixias and I'm planning to get my hand on a few more. *evil laughter*

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PS: Please note that both garments are "dry clean only", but soon I'll be uploading a tutorial on how I take good care of them at home.